The surgery went very well. Dad had a quadruple bypass, and didn’t need a transfusion or anything mechanical to help his heart. If your heart muscle is too weak, they put in a balloon-like thingie to help it pump blood around to all the places that need it. When we saw him afterward, he was still intubated and couldn’t really open his eyes. He could hear us, though, because when my mom said something like, "You know, I do worry about him," to the nurse, he shook his head no, like, ‘don’t worry.’ Then when she told him she was going to go back to the hotel and let him rest, he shook his head no again, and she said, "Yes, I am. Rest." Then he shook his head yes. And, you know, I worried and worried and worried about him and I didn’t cry really until I saw that he was okay afterward.
I still do worry, because he’s got a way to go before he’s totally out of the woods, but the nurses say he’s on track to leave the hospital after the five day minimum, which is good.
My two younger sisters, my t minus ten months brother in law, and I went up together. It was fun to be with them without my kids. I could make all the dirty jokes I wanted to! Yay! We all went out to eat with my mom, too, and I was reminded again how much I really love my little family. We went to a great little greasy dive kinda place and ate food that we ought to have shunned, since we just had someone we love a bunch get a bypass. (I had a great chocolate shake and fries) We cracked BAD and DIRTY jokes and laughed and laughed. My youngest sister had to get up and go outside, we were so bad. At her expense, sorta. I bet she stays mad for a long time. If she didn’t read my blog, I could tell you what we said! The pitfalls of not being anonymous, I suppose.
While we were in the waiting room, I showed my older younger sister how to knit and pearl. She caught on so much faster than I did that I am sure she can make something cute soon. I am such a good teacher!
When I got home, there was a package from one of my favorite girls! Mail LOVE, people, true love! She sent me a lock and lock tofu holder, and it even has a little tray for the tofu to sit on in the water. It is SO GREAT! The package was loaded with candy, too! Tons of chocolate pocky and pretty peach and strawberry ones, little Japanese crackers with chocolate in the middle and tiny cartoon character stamps on them (almost too cute to eat) gummy strawberry stuff covered in chocolate and little gummy candies. Total heaven. And the gum!! I saw it and hid it so I wouldn’t have to share with the kids! There is coffee. Coffee gum!! That is huge, right there. And blueberry and one that is a mystery (rose?) because I can’t read the label. And also, lychee jelly. John is probably in love at this point; he loves that lychee stuff. So, I have to find some worthy goodies to send her way. I don’t want to rush things. I will take my time and look because that is going to be one hard act to follow.
Time to fall into bed and sleep awhile. Tomorrow is back and forth to Lex’s singing practice, Sophie’s school, the post office and the Wild Bird Center for gifts, back to both the kids schools for pick up, then home for homework (and there is a lot to do tomorrow for one third grader I know. Really a lot.) and dinner and then a performance in the evening. Lex is in the Glee Club at school. I call it the singing group, because I feel that everyone should. It needs a better name than both of those, really. I hope to talk to my mom tomorrow, too, and see how things are going. The kids made cards and the nurse hung them on the wall. Lex’s says something like, "I hope you pull through." (niiiiiiiice, huh?) Nate’s says "Git Well," with a drawing of Nate holding his arms out to hug his granddad, who is feeling good enough to stand up in the hospital bed. It’s so sweet. Sophie made one, too. I meant to grab Willow’s watercolor and marker contribution, but I forgot.
ok, bed now