Author’s Note: This post has been sitting in the queue for about a week. Lynn is currently 9 days behind, and due to everything that’s unfolded recently, it wasn’t published until September 30, 2025. After Kirk’s ER and hospital stay, our days were filled with travel and chores. Then, heartbreakingly, our dog Otis became very ill, and we had to say goodbye to him on September 27, 2025 (he was 2.5 years old). More on that will be shared in a future post. The grief has been overwhelming, and honestly, the motivation to write just hasn’t been there. 
September 21, 2025 (Sun.) - ER Visit (Cheboygan, MI)
Spoiler alert : Kirk is fine and feels much better.
This day started anything but normal. At 5 AM, Kirk told Lynn he needed to go to the ER—he’d been experiencing chest pressure since 2 AM. Why he waited three hours to say something is anyone’s guess, but Lynn was wide awake now. The situation felt eerily familiar to 2019, when Kirk woke her at 3 AM with similar symptoms that led to a triple bypass and three stents.
Thankfully, this episode didn’t feel as severe. Kirk had already looked up the nearest ER in Cheboygan, about 20 minutes away, and decided to drive himself, feeling well enough to do so. En route, Lynn checked him in online, and they arrived at McLaren Northern Michigan ER by 5:40 AM. With no one else in the waiting room, he was taken in immediately.
The medical team jumped into action—bloodwork, baby aspirin, chest x-rays, an EKG, and three timed doses of nitroglycerin. By the third dose, the pressure had subsided, and they also gave him a nitro patch. The troponin test came back negative, ruling out a heart attack—thank goodness. However, since the facility lacked a cardiac unit, they recommended transferring him to McLaren Northern Michigan-Petoskey, about an hour away (from Cheboygan), where a cardiologist could perform an echocardiogram, stress test, and further evaluation.
At 9 AM, Lynn returned to the RV to care for Otis, while Kirk waited for an available bed for transfer. By 11 AM, the ambulance was ready to take him to Petoskey.
Lynn hit the road shortly after, navigating a scenic but strange GPS route through back roads—Potter Road from Hebron Mail Road was especially beautiful. She even stopped a few times to snap photos but didn’t want to linger too long as she had a hospital to get to! Although gravel back roads and rain slowed her down anyways. It’s slightly over an hour from the campground to the hospital in Petoskey.
She arrived at the hospital by 12:30 PM, proud of herself for maneuvering and parking the beast of a truck. Being a quiet Sunday, the lot was nearly empty but chose a spot as far away for others as possible! The cardiologist came in around 12:45 PM and outlined the plan: an echocardiogram and a nuclear stress test, with a heart catheterization only if needed.
The echocardiogram was completed by 2 PM, and the rest of the day was spent resting and eating from the cardiac diet menu. Lynn left around 5 PM to tend to Otis again. This time, the route was all highway driving.
Since the nitroglycerin doses earlier in the day, Kirk’s chest pain hadn’t returned, and he was feeling much better. The hospital itself was impressive—he had a spacious private room, attentive staff, and regular check-ins from doctors. They even provided a high-tech tablet that controlled the TV, lights, bed, nurse calls, and offered streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Unfortunately, the TV kept glitching, making it tough to watch anything but he could still stream from the tablet.
All in all, it was a long and unexpected day—but one filled with relief, good care, and a hopeful outlook.
Weather – High 68*, Low 56*. Rain – 85%. Not humid.
Traffic – None.
Food – Hospital food. Bleh.
Notable – Kirk’s chest pain, ER/Hospital visit. Potter Road scenic drive.
September 22, 2025 (Mon.) - Kirk's Hospital Stay in Petoskey.
Kirk spent the night at McLaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey since the nuclear stress test couldn’t be completed the day before. Lynn arrived around 8:45 AM after handling Otis’s morning routine. This time, her drive was surprisingly uneventful—all highway, no scenic detours. Strange that the GPS route differed, but efficient.
By 9:30 AM, Kirk was prepped for the test and taken in at 10:30. He was finished by 11:45 AM, and then it was just a matter of waiting for results. Around 2:30-3:00 PM, the cardiologist reviewed everything—and the news was good. With the chest pressure gone and all tests clear, Kirk was officially discharged with instructions to follow up with his cardiologist. They also added a new medication to his regimen. No heart catheterization needed at this time.
By ~ 4:00 PM, we were out the door—right into a downpour. We made a quick stop at Walgreens across the street to pick up the new prescription, only to find out it wouldn’t be ready for two more days. Classic.
We made it home by 5:30 PM, still drenched from the rain. The rest of the evening was quiet and uneventful.
All in all, Kirk is feeling fine, with no chest pressure. It turned out to be a false alarm, but given his history, it was absolutely worth getting checked out. Now, with a clean bill of health, it’s time to refocus on healthy eating and regular exercise. Onward and upward!
Weather – High 66*, Low 52*. Rain. No humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing to report.
Notable – Kirk’s good test results, no chest pain.
