It seemed like only a few minutes but must of been at least a couple of hours and I was being wheeled out of surgery with a stent in my LAD, a major artery on the left side of the heart, providing oxygen and blood to my body again. It was totally blocked. As Mary and Callie, wife and youngest daughter were brought into my post-op care area, emotions ran high. My surgeon came in and announced to us that I had indeed had the "Widowmaker", a major heart attack that often kills. He was saying in order to survive, time was crucial in getting to him so he could do what needed to be done. Apparently, I did the right things. Mainly not waiting but calling 911 when I did and then the fast action of first responders and EMT's all came together for a positive result.
I spent two nights in the hospital only getting sleep on one night, my roommate let's say was a bit restless and I was under constant observation. Mary and Callie were by my side much of the time the first 24 hours most of which I was not supposed to move my legs because of the location in my groin where the stent was administered. Callie got me the little kitty from the gift shop seen in part one so that I could feel like Neko our cat was with me. Mary climbed in bed with me first night and stayed as long as she could comfortably handle. I had several guests during my stay and I thank Peter, Marty, Patrick, Mike, Susan, Jazz, Barb, Melvis, Andrew and John Cauchon for your visits. The calls and messages began to pour in as word spread to family and friends. We tried keeping it off Facebook as long as we could without freaking people out about WHAT HAPPENED? My emotions were all over the place as I spoke with my daughter Ashley in Boston who it was tough for being so far away, my brothers, sisters, nieces, parents and friends.
I was to be released in a timely fashion at noon as things went well in my early recovery. I thank my Doctor, Nurses, PA's and CNA's who assisted me during my stay at Borgess, they were great.
My progress of recovery enabled me to be released after only 2 days of hospitalization as my vital signs were where they needed to be and my groin area where the stent was put in thru was healing on schedule. I was happy to be leaving after my exit interview with cardio PA telling me what my recovery SHOULD look like in the coming days, weeks and months. As I was wheeled out I hoped I would not be returning soon from any aftershocks.
As Mary and I arrived home my mom and dad pulled up behind us driving up from Detroit, 81 years young on a visit my dad had said they had to make as I told them it wasn't necessary. My parents have been divorced for over 50 years but have always been able to communicate and put family first. My step-mom, Beverly had to stay back as she was watching my niece and nephew so she couldn't make it. It was a nice short and sweet visit as daughter Callie came by to welcome me home too. They stayed for some lunch and after a few hours of reminiscing and talk of gratefulness for my survival they headed back to Detroit area. As they left I told them what special people and parents they are.
The next few days were still part of a whirlwind of visitors and adjustments to new medications as I took no blood pressure or cholesterol meds prior to this which may have at least played a part in my attack. There really no major signs beforehand it occurred.
I was still fielding calls and receiving handwritten cards and emails and the news inevitably squeaked out on Facebook. There were warm home visits from Patrick and Peggy, bearing gifts of food, flowers and kind words and Keith and Cathy with of course the most unorthodox drove of cardio remedies and satirical words of wisdom included. Cathy, your card provided the balance of kind sentiment. Thank You All.
My first real test of endurance was on a camping trip with ole pals Jazz and Mike first weekend of October using Mike's new camper celebrating our birthdays. We had this annual get together planned prior to heart attack and all went well as we camped at a sweet spot on Black River near South Haven. We golfed on a beautiful fall day and I hit the ball as good as ever. Wonderfull weekend that could be another blog in itself.
Somewhere in here in mid-October I had another little reminder of mortality and passage of time when I turned 60. It was made extra special by a surprise visit from out east by daughter Ashley. It had been planned before the events of 9/11 but kept a good secret from me as I was totally surprised when on the Thursday before my birthday Mary, Callie and Ashley came in the side door while I was in my routine of making dinner. I said, "You trying to give me another heart attack"? In jest of course.Speechless, I was for sure. Her presence made the weekend all the more special, as our family celebrated relatively quietly with a few friends out to dinner.
My first office visit at the Heart Center was not for almost a month and I would need a stress test first to approve me for cardiac rehab. I passed and began cardio exercise and heart health classes in early November. I am in class with folks who are 5-20 y ears older for the most part. Mostly nice, pleasant people in similar or worse situations than myself. The nurses and interns are dedicated and kind. I am doing well in rehab, bumping up my pace on workout machines and stamina weekly with little side effects, My main concern is I keep losing weight as I try and hold on to muscles I still have. I may be a little too cautious on calorie low fat stuff but Jeff Lambert may be correct in saying DRINK ENSURE! ENSURE! for protein.
This brings me to the title of these tomes, MOtivation. MOtivation to embrace life, love, improve, write, make music, alter behavior, be grateful. I too often allow myself to be melancholy wondering why things turned out the way they did that September day. Why others I know or read about do not make it or have another chance like I did. Then something like the recent tragedies occur and I know my situation pales in comparison. So PERSPECTIVE is another word I struggle with. Trying to keep my perspective positive in knowing how much future I have to live for. All the concern and encouraging responses I received and still receive as some friends just find out what happened gives me strength to move onward. An altered perspective means defining focus as to what truly is most important to me. I am still processing the what and the how of that relates to the time I have left in this world and how fragile a line we walk between life and death. In other parts of the world even more so.
In this season of celebration of identifying light amongst the darkness I see my own condition as well as Every mans, as Jackson Browne once put it, in The Pretender, " I've been aware of the time going by, they say in the end its the wink of an eye, and when the morning light comes streaming in, we get up and do it again, Amen."
I will close part 2 dedicating this to the support of my wife, and daughters, all my family and friends, and to those whose time here seemed to be over too early; the Martha's, the Jerry's, Lincolns, the Billy's, Harry's, Jimmy's and Rob's as well as the others mentioned in part one. Your light still shines in some one's hearts as Jesus' spirit does all over the world. I profess to try and be better, more appreciative and seek out and help those in greatest need. We never know when our light in this life will go out.
I spent two nights in the hospital only getting sleep on one night, my roommate let's say was a bit restless and I was under constant observation. Mary and Callie were by my side much of the time the first 24 hours most of which I was not supposed to move my legs because of the location in my groin where the stent was administered. Callie got me the little kitty from the gift shop seen in part one so that I could feel like Neko our cat was with me. Mary climbed in bed with me first night and stayed as long as she could comfortably handle. I had several guests during my stay and I thank Peter, Marty, Patrick, Mike, Susan, Jazz, Barb, Melvis, Andrew and John Cauchon for your visits. The calls and messages began to pour in as word spread to family and friends. We tried keeping it off Facebook as long as we could without freaking people out about WHAT HAPPENED? My emotions were all over the place as I spoke with my daughter Ashley in Boston who it was tough for being so far away, my brothers, sisters, nieces, parents and friends.
I was to be released in a timely fashion at noon as things went well in my early recovery. I thank my Doctor, Nurses, PA's and CNA's who assisted me during my stay at Borgess, they were great.
My progress of recovery enabled me to be released after only 2 days of hospitalization as my vital signs were where they needed to be and my groin area where the stent was put in thru was healing on schedule. I was happy to be leaving after my exit interview with cardio PA telling me what my recovery SHOULD look like in the coming days, weeks and months. As I was wheeled out I hoped I would not be returning soon from any aftershocks.
As Mary and I arrived home my mom and dad pulled up behind us driving up from Detroit, 81 years young on a visit my dad had said they had to make as I told them it wasn't necessary. My parents have been divorced for over 50 years but have always been able to communicate and put family first. My step-mom, Beverly had to stay back as she was watching my niece and nephew so she couldn't make it. It was a nice short and sweet visit as daughter Callie came by to welcome me home too. They stayed for some lunch and after a few hours of reminiscing and talk of gratefulness for my survival they headed back to Detroit area. As they left I told them what special people and parents they are.
The next few days were still part of a whirlwind of visitors and adjustments to new medications as I took no blood pressure or cholesterol meds prior to this which may have at least played a part in my attack. There really no major signs beforehand it occurred.
I was still fielding calls and receiving handwritten cards and emails and the news inevitably squeaked out on Facebook. There were warm home visits from Patrick and Peggy, bearing gifts of food, flowers and kind words and Keith and Cathy with of course the most unorthodox drove of cardio remedies and satirical words of wisdom included. Cathy, your card provided the balance of kind sentiment. Thank You All.
My first real test of endurance was on a camping trip with ole pals Jazz and Mike first weekend of October using Mike's new camper celebrating our birthdays. We had this annual get together planned prior to heart attack and all went well as we camped at a sweet spot on Black River near South Haven. We golfed on a beautiful fall day and I hit the ball as good as ever. Wonderfull weekend that could be another blog in itself.
Somewhere in here in mid-October I had another little reminder of mortality and passage of time when I turned 60. It was made extra special by a surprise visit from out east by daughter Ashley. It had been planned before the events of 9/11 but kept a good secret from me as I was totally surprised when on the Thursday before my birthday Mary, Callie and Ashley came in the side door while I was in my routine of making dinner. I said, "You trying to give me another heart attack"? In jest of course.Speechless, I was for sure. Her presence made the weekend all the more special, as our family celebrated relatively quietly with a few friends out to dinner.
My first office visit at the Heart Center was not for almost a month and I would need a stress test first to approve me for cardiac rehab. I passed and began cardio exercise and heart health classes in early November. I am in class with folks who are 5-20 y ears older for the most part. Mostly nice, pleasant people in similar or worse situations than myself. The nurses and interns are dedicated and kind. I am doing well in rehab, bumping up my pace on workout machines and stamina weekly with little side effects, My main concern is I keep losing weight as I try and hold on to muscles I still have. I may be a little too cautious on calorie low fat stuff but Jeff Lambert may be correct in saying DRINK ENSURE! ENSURE! for protein.
In this season of celebration of identifying light amongst the darkness I see my own condition as well as Every mans, as Jackson Browne once put it, in The Pretender, " I've been aware of the time going by, they say in the end its the wink of an eye, and when the morning light comes streaming in, we get up and do it again, Amen."
I will close part 2 dedicating this to the support of my wife, and daughters, all my family and friends, and to those whose time here seemed to be over too early; the Martha's, the Jerry's, Lincolns, the Billy's, Harry's, Jimmy's and Rob's as well as the others mentioned in part one. Your light still shines in some one's hearts as Jesus' spirit does all over the world. I profess to try and be better, more appreciative and seek out and help those in greatest need. We never know when our light in this life will go out.
Peace to you and yours
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