I've been on that road both as a patient and a spouse for over 20 years. DH is a (now retired) ER doc but served as a Marine in Vietnam and was exposed to agent orange. That really messed up his pulmonary and cardiac systems. He has had 35 heart caths, 14 stents, and multiple interventions but he is a great patient and follows instructions. I have congenital cardiac abnormalities and am currently recovering from an aortic valve replacement. While the cardiac care has improved exponentially over the past 20 years, access to it is getting harder and harder to obtain. DH has seen it from both sides.
Just a few weeks ago before my valve replacement (which was already scheduled), I was in serious trouble and went to the ER. Sitting in the waiting room with my ER doc DH, with a blood pressure of 220/130, unable to breath, chest pains, and known heart issues, the ER department didn't have even a gurney in the hall for me. They were so overwhelmed with other patients, I had to wait 35 minutes after triage to be seen. It wasn't neglect or bad medicine. They just simply didn't have enough staff on a very busy day. I knew that if I passed out, DH would get me help asap and knew what to do. Years ago when DH started his cardiac history, medical care wasn't as difficult to receive in an emergency.
I have a few recommendations for everyone, based on our experiences.
-Listen to the GREAT advice on this thread. Don't wait! Call an ambulance!
-Don't let Dr. Google or your neighbor's second cousin dictate your medical care. Stick with the professionals and follow their advice. If you don't know what to ask, say so. Often, DH's doctors would talk professional-to-professional with my DH and I wouldn't get it all. I started saying things like, "what do you wish all patients or families would know?" "What is that medicine for?" Write down anything that scares, confuses, or baffles you and ask about it. Sometimes I would tell the doctor what I thought he said to ask if I understood it correctly. If your are stressed or your head is spinning, tell them. They will understand!
-Getting fast emergency care in some locations is not as easy as it used to be due to multiple, plausible reasons. All the more reason to call an ambulance or not wait to get help. (I'm definitely NOT slamming medical professionals! Staffing and patient loads are at a critical level in many areas.)
-If you are reading this and are the patient that is hesitating to get emergency help, please don't do that to your family.
-If you are the family member, take deep breaths and learn all that you can.
-If you are the patient, be proactive and aware. Don't wait!
OP, so glad your DH is getting the help he needs and thanks for posting. Your story can help others!