Day 4

Interesting couple of days.

Monday I was up at 5:30 and in Wichita at the KS Heart Hospital by 6:25. Not exactly how I planned to start my first week of sabBRADical. Wasn't this supposed to be about me? Seems I should have been sleeping in till 10 or something.

But I wouldn't have missed 6:30 AM at the Heart Hospital for anything. Dad was having a heart cath and I needed to be there. While he filled out a chart with his personal info and meds, I got a paper. I had come prepared for a long day at the hospital and the Eagle Sudoku was a part of the plan.

After getting him admitted, we headed to the prep room where he waited his turn. They bring this portable TV player for you to watch a video about the procedure and the risks involved. Helped remind me about the difference between arteries/veins and atrium/ventricle.

They took him in at 8:30 and I promptly went down the hall to get a cup of coffee. I'm a mocha guy and so when the caff had only regular coffee, I headed to the closest Starbucks in Target. Once I had my coffee, I settled in and finished the Sudoku, half the Jumble and was working on the Crossword when they said he was done. In 45 minutes they had stuck a tube in his heart, inserted the stent and he was back in recovery. CRAZY. Thankfully he had needed only one stent for an artery with 80% blockage.

The best part of the day was yet to come. He couldn't feed himself, so for breakfast and lunch I got to do the honors. He has taken care of and provided for me most of my life. Today I got to say thanks for all his has done. We talked about whether I will have to do this again someday when he is in the nursing home. It's kinda sad to think that could happen sooner than later, but time marches on. I'm just thankful God has let mom and dad have a few more days here on earth with us.

Joel stopped by and gave me an hour of entertainment in the hospital halls. If you are ever in the hospital and bored, give him a call. It was great.

Today Sal helped me get dad from the hospital, mom from my uncle and aunt's house and drove a car home. (By the way, I asked dad where he wanted to go for lunch. He said mom loved McDonald's. It just seemed rather ironic to have just left a heart hospital and then go to McD's) Sal invited them over for supper and fixed spaghetti. Then the two of us went on an hour power walk. What an awesome day together. God gave me an amazing wife. She's pretty cool.