Extension- five days at the Hungary Army National Hospital

This was certainly an unexpected five-day extension! No, it was not a planned extension!

On the day we were to fly back to our home, we got up at 5am and Tom was fine at first. But suddenly he felt a chest pain. He immediately knew that it was serious. Janice told our program director immediately. An ambulance with a doctor came into our hotal room, an EKG was taken immediately, and the doctor declared that Tom did not have a heart-attack. We decided to go to the Hospital anyway. When we got there, they checked Tom again. Both EKG and blood tests were still NORMAL. We waited six hours before another blood test was done, which confirmed for the doctors that Tom had indeed had a heart attack. Tom was in the operating room soon - 12 hours after our arrival at the hospital. An American-educated physician was at the table. He did the procedure in 1.5 hours and all was well! That weekend turned out to be Hungary's 4-day long national holiday. So we had to stay there for a total of five days, before we could check out. In Hungary, hospital rooms do not provide meal utensils, towels, toilet paper or soap. Patients must provide them. It was certainly an education for us. Tom's doctor did a very good job for him. He certainly had the heart-attack at the right time and right place!

Emergency room entrace