Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, 6:15 a.m., C.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee.

Dear Journal~

I sit here at the bedside of my husband, Bill, who is sleeping comfortably.  He is in the hospital; he came in yesterday afternoon after experiencing chest pains while shoveling the sidewalk.  He was clearing the ramp so I could get some of the kids to the van to take them to their appointments.  Needless to say, we never made it because of Bill.

He grabbed his chest and fell to his knees.  He gasped as he tried to tell me his chest was hurting.  I knew right away it was a heart attack.  I had Sergei call 9-1-1 for an ambulance, while I got my husband inside and helped him to the couch.  I told him to sit up to ease his breathing and gave him a full strength aspirin and told him to chew.  You should have seen the look on his face.  

He was pale and sweating profusely.  It truly scared me.

The ambulance came within minutes.  Soon, paramedics were checking his vital signs.  His blood pressure was alarmingly high, more than usual, and he was breathing very fast, adding to his anxiety.  In addition, Bill also had a very fast heart rate (tachycardia).  So they bundled him up onto the gurney and wheeled him to the ambulance.  I told Sergei and the older children to keep watch over the littles while I went to the hospital with their father; I would call them later with an update.

So that is what happened yesterday.  The kids have been notified that their Daddy is going to be okay.

Bill had a mild heart attack, according to tests the doctors did.  He'll probably go home later today or tomorrow, but with more snow expected to move in, that might add a day or two to his stay, for safety's sake.

Hope not.  Would like to be home with my family.  The oldest can take care of the youngest and there is plenty of food, but still.

Him having the heart attack means a change to his diet: he is to watch his cholesterol and salt intake and get more in the way of exercise (but within reason).  He will recover, but it will take some time before he feels like himself again; he'll probably be very weak for a while.

I'm just thankful it wasn't a lot worse.  Thankful that Bill is still here.  I'll just have to be supportive of him as he starts his new regimen and try to understand what he is facing.  Just keep the prayers coming; I think I almost had a heart attack and aged twenty years when I saw my husband sink to the snow and grab his chest!  Thanks and God bless!

I will update y'all in a few days with news regarding Bill.  Stay tuned!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Louisiana May.  :(