Thursday, March 14, 2013

Part two….


Well be careful what you joke about…. Here’s why:
Prior to my dad’s procedure, his doctor even said he was sorry to inconvenience him and that he doubted this procedure would reveal anything he did not already know. Well, the doctor ate his words! They found 90% blockage in two major arteries. Needless to say, we weren’t sure who was more dumb founded, us or his doctor.

The cardiothoracic surgeon wanted to do a double bypass as soon as possible. Dad wanted to wait until after Christmas but Dr. Fink did not want to wait. Surgery was scheduled for that Thursday…. Yes three days later!

We were all completely shocked and frightened. It rocked our family. I think in the beginning we were just going through the motions, just nodding and agreeing, unable to grasp the reality. I had never seen my dad in a sickly or weak light until then and it was hard. It was probably the longest week in our lives.

What was worse, was that the more questions we asked, the more nervous my dad got. We knew he was scared and his mind was racing, but we felt helpless in easing his mind. It was a tough lesson in restraint. Luckily, I knew quite a bit from an internship at a surgical center, but I still had questions and I wanted to grill his doctor. I even called some old doctors I used to work with to get the 411 on his surgeon. After all, their patient was MY DAD.

All four of us went to the hospital together, sat with him in pre-op and stayed with him until we were kicked out by the nurses.  I found peace in knowing it was a routine procedure, he had a great doctor and he was healthy. I was even a little excited, since I have missed being around an OR, surgery, hospitals and medicine. I couldn’t get enough of it, I picked anyone’s brain I could and asked tons of questions, simply because it’s fascinating to me. I was in his room more than the waiting room, just to observe, ask questions and learn. What was even better was that I was able to answer some basic questions my mom and brother, it felt like I helped ease their minds a little through my education and experiences.

His surgery went great. Dad did great. His nurses were amazing, absolutely amazing to both him and us. December was all about letting dad heal and making sure he did not overdo it. The first time mom left him home alone, he tried to do laundry! Things seemed to go back to normal, but the holidays were less hectic and calmer, surrounded by the ones we love most. We were reminded what matters most and how the power of prayer can carry you through. I was overwhelmed by the love, support and prayers from our family and friends. 

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