Saturday, July 5, 2008

Dad Number 3 - Update

As an update to my Dad Number 3 - Not Natural or Adoptive...Step post last week, I can now fill you in on the results from his visit to the doctor.

I waited until about 6 o’clock, pacing back and forth since 2PM – waiting for my mother to call me with the update. By six, when she hadn’t called yet, I dropped what I was doing to call for the update. As the phone rang, my head flooded with every scenario imaginable. I asked myself, “Why has she not called? Did something go wrong?” I didn’t know and it was killing me.

When she picked up the other end of the phone…all typical pleasantries went right out the window.

Me – How did it go? How is he?
Mom – Well, I just got done speaking with a doctor friend of ours who is here at the hospital with us. He said that the surgeries went well and that things looked good.
Me – So he is going to be OK?
Mom – It looks that way. We won’t really know until he gets into recovery.
Me – What were the details? What did they find?
Mom – Well it was worse than we had all thought. During his 4 hour surgery, he had to have 7 bypasses.
Me – Holy shit! I have never heard of that. The most I have heard of is four.
Mom – Yeah … Me too.
Me – So, what now?
Mom – Well after he is in recovery I will be able to talk more with the doctors.
Me – Please call me after that. I really want to know how things are going.
Mom – I will.
Me – How are you doing?
Mom – Better now, but there is still a long recovery ahead. He won’t be able to work for at least 8 to 10 weeks.
Me – How long will he have to be on bed rest
Mom – about 2 weeks
Me – then he can start doing things?
Mom – Only what he feels like he can handle.

Needles to say, I was floored….seven bypasses?! I could hear in my mother’s voice that she was completely frazzled. Knowing my step-dad, I know that this will be a huge adjustment for him. He is very factual, but hard headed. For him to stay away from work, eggs, ice cream, bacon, butter, heavy lifting and….stress will be undoubtedly the hardest thing that he has had to do. This is why I am so worried.

I am going to call again for another update. I need to know that everything is going to be ok.

10 Comments:

leezee52 said...

Thanks for the update...that is alot of bypasses but with todays medicine I'm sure he'll be ok and on the road to recovery!
Take care,
Lee

Candid Carrie said...

That is a huge amount of bypasses, I can't even imagine anything like that! Wow, thanks for the update and perhaps this would be a good time for pick up a lotter ticket or two because just about every streak of poor luck you've been on lately is ending up with some semi-decent outcomes!

And when you win, remember it was my idea.

One Crazy Chick! said...

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Wowza he's a medical miracle :) Just think 20 years ago he may not have made it out of surgery alive.

Rhea said...

I've never heard of that many bypasses. That's amazing. My dad has a triple bypass when he was seventy, and he's now 78 and still doing great. Those surgeries are a tough recovery but so worth it in the end. I'll keep your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there. Waiting it so hard.

ugagirl30 said...

Glad to hear that he is on the road to recovery, although it may be long. Prayers and support (and maybe forcibly tying him into the bed) are really the only things I can suggest at this point.

debi9kids said...

I am very sorry to hear about your stepdad.
If it is a comfort at all, my dad had a double lung transplant 2 years ago and then had a massive stroke last year and has made all the adjustments because he had to. It was rough at first, but he just did what he needed to. It all starts out hellish, but in the end, even a very stubborn man will do what is necessary ;)
Debi

ps Thanks for your very funny comments on my post :) And, yes, I shit you not, that was a boy!

Hippie Family... said...

just to make you feel better, my dad had 7 on his FIRST then 4 on his second... Not near as bad as my neighbors husband. When she got to the hosp, the dr said, he's doing well, it's surprising his clot was what we call a widow maker (and he had 1).. it's not the quantity, it's the quality ? wow, that sounded so much more soothing in my head..

Mamahut said...

Glad to hear he made it through. I'm with you guy's, I didn't know you could have that many bypasses.

Rhea said...

So, we need an update...everything ok?

Teri said...

So glad your step(bonus)dad is doing well right now. Such stressful times. Take it easy.

 

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