The Operation

Well, to continue...

I didn't take very long for Kaiser Woodland Hills to determine that I was a heart attack any minute...cancel the nuclear stress test...and call for ambulance transport to Kaiser Sunset...

Sue arrived from Dallas sometime the night before - she doesn't even remember the conversation...but it was brief and emotional - we both knew something serious was about to happen.

The ambulance guys arrive - I'm always amused by the stereotype - the first year with no facial hair and pimples, the more mature 5 year guy with a bit of a gut who is trying to latch on with a fire department somewhere...we have a pleasant conversation on the way over to Sunset. Never been in an ambulance before, kind of cool...no shocks, bit of a bouncy ride, or maybe it is jus the driver ... :))

Sue follows and figures out where to park. Oh yeah, when we were getting ready to leave Woodland Hills, MANY of the staff told me to leave all my valuables at home - too many opportunities for me to "lose" my valuables. So off they go in a baggie - back home.

Things get a bit out of order after this...a lot of testing, a lot of needles in arms, fingers, whatever.

Big hospital, a lot of hallways, always light green. I get to a room and get myself "comfortable" - that's a funny word. I am crammed into a small space in the corner, but I have a great privacy drape which stretches all the way across the room. Another patient, Russian, is there in great abundance - fills the room. When Sue finds me she has to wedge her chair between the bed and the wall to get anywhere near me.

I am scheduled for an angiogram on Saturday morning quickly after transport. I am the only patient in the large prep room. I proceed to the angiogram and I am not kidding you - these people are pros! I remember the last one, the one while having a heart attack at the beach - the golf tee that was thrust into my groin, the geyser of blood and the cardiologist who said "Whoa" - why would a cardiologist use that word if there wasn't some sort of problem?

Anyway, it didn't hurt, was over quickly, and thanks to a wonderful tech who manipulated the blood clot area for 25 minutes precisely - no big giant bruise like last time. The young cardiologist is looking at the pictures and painted the most optimistic picture for bypass surgery that Sue and I have ever received. Sure, we could just go right there, bring it in, we have two other areas that need a bypass - should be good to go. You just have to understand - we have spent the last three years with a prognosis of "nothing we can do to bypass you - the clog extends the full length of the right coronary artery - we can give you drugs and cement the plaque down, move it along".

Now someone is actually saying that they can bypass the problems on all three areas. Hope!

Kent visits (When does he work?), Gary visits (We know that he has never worked!), the kids...not much room but welcome to see them all...Get a sweet blessing from Gary and Scott.

Have to wait until the Plavix, blood thinner medicine, runs it's course - usually five days before I can have the surgery. Took the last Plavix on Friday morning before going to work...should be good to go on Wednesday.

Just waiting for the Plavix to exit - they are testing. Kenny and Karl come to the hospital to administer the sacrament. Sweet moment.

Moving along to Monday night - very restless, hard to stay in the hospital and just wait. Well, after everyone leaves - at 8:15 PM I receive a visit from an Indian woman with a name tag with the words "Anethesiologist" on it. "Well. Mr. Hambly, you are on the surgical schedule for tomorrow afternoon." What! I was having the surgery on Wednesday, what do you mean Tuesday afternoon?

Tuesday morning. Kent visits, Sue is there, the kids arrive. Kent and the boys give me a wonderful, personal blessing - one I will always remember. I love blessings where the words and thoughts are exactly the same as the thoughts and concerns you alone are having and no one else could ever guess them. Getting closer to surgery time. I figured out that if you are the first person the surgeon is working on in the morning - you say to yourself - good thing I got him while he was fresh! If you are the second on his schedule - you say to yourself - glad he is warmed up now!

While everyone proceeds to party in my room, I am restricted to no fluids or food. The kids drag out the snacks that Shannon brought and place them over me and the bed. They are kidding each other back and forth. I ask each one if they would be willing to have this operation in my place if I could have the benefit of the results. Only Sue says yes. Figures. Didn't even take them long to think about it. Cowards!

They come in and give me a "Cocktail"...I am officially drunk for the first time in 40 years. Bye Bye!

Wheeled into the operating room. So much equipment, so many people. Everything covered in green sheeting. Look at all the machines.... Hey, there are three lights above me, not just one like in ER! I count eleven people in the room, the surgeons are not even there yet! All for me!!

A warm feeling in my IV line and lights out!