Well... the second half of the summer has been very exciting for my family and I. My dad had a nurse visit the house who noticed his left carotid artery was blocked. She advised him to see his doctor who confirmed it was blocked and needed surgery. Next was a stressed test that came back positive. His doctor then sent him to his cardiologist for a heart cath. My brothers and I knew what was going on but weren't really fazed by anything. He called me Monday at work to tell me he was having a heart cath done the next day. What does this mean? "Well, they can clear me for surgery, put a stint in, or I will have open heart surgery." Open heart?? NOPE! Not my dad! Not The Sarge! My dad goes to the gym 3 days a week, golfs as much as he can, watches was he eats (but doesn't skimp out on the chocolate and peanut butter ice cream at night). I was confident the "worst case scenario" wasn't going to happen.
 |
| The picture my brothers & I received out of ICU. |
|
Tuesday while having lunch with Itty E I received a text from my mom that my dad was going in for his procedure. Nap time my mom called. "Well... your dad is going to.....'' CALL WAS DROPPED!!!!!!!! I immediately started balling my eyes out!! Poor Itty E had no idea what was going on. Freaking out I called what seemed like a million times and finally my mom answered (stupid hospital cell service) and in a calm voice she told me that my dad had been admitted into the hospital and was still waiting to hear when he would be having surgery.
 |
| 36 hrs after surgery. |
After what seemed like the longest work day, I ran to my apartment to get clothes then it was straight for hospital. My dad needed to see his "precious baby"!! If Jim Woofter was at all nervous about this operation he didn't show it one bit. Surgery was scheduled for early Wednesday morning which meant little sleep for me, and next to nothing for my mom. We were with him as he was wheeled down into the OR, I was able to meet the surgeon and his staff as my mom walked my dad into the room. From there my mom and I, along with my uncle and cousins, grabbed our pager and sat in the waiting room for hours. Three hours after we received an update that the artery was done, dad was on the bypass machine and all was going good. Half Way! I called back to make sure the doctor wasn't tired and he was feeling ok. I mean, if he needed Starbucks or a snack I would have gotten it for him!
After seven hours everything was complete and surgery went great. Thank You, Jesus!! The doctor came out to tell us his artery was blocked 80% and he did 5 bypasses. After my mom made it well known that "your father is VERY lucky to be alive. He could have had a stroke or a heart attack at work, playing golf, at the gym..." YEP!! You know, that is what every only daughter wants to hear as she is holding her dad's hand in the ICU with tubes in his mouth. I called at 5:30AM the next day and the tubes were out, at 11AM he was in a regular room eating lunch, and by 6:30PM he was walking down the hall when I went to visit. Jim Woofter was so ahead of the game he actually came home just 3 days after surgery! AMAZING!
 |
| Lots to celebrate this year!!! |
Being "The Sarge's" only daughter, I took things into my own hands to call, text and email family and friends the whole way through. (Something I have inherited from him
I suppose.) I talked with his nurse giving her a few "daughter's orders" that if he was overdoing himself he needed to rest, and no visitors other than family. (YEP, I was that child!! Call me crazy but in my eyes he needed to be strong enough to come up, not entertain company.) She was very confident that he knew what was best for him and that he wasn't going to push himself.
Well.... here we are 47 days after open heart surgery and has nearly fully recovered!!! He was walking around the block just days after, cleared from his doctors and celebrated his 70th birthday after 3 weeks, was putting around the golf course after 4 weeks, and played a full 18 holes "and won money" after 5 weeks. ( That 18 holes nearly put me over the edge making me nervous wreck!) He knows his limits and has been feeling great. It is truly amazing on what doctors can do in this modern world. And I know first hand that all of the thoughts and prayers from our family and friends made this recovery that more easy for my dad!!
 |
| one month after surgery. |
