Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Update on Dad

I have felt quite privileged the last several days because Dad calls me first thing every morning (okay, MAYBE it has something to do with the fact that I'm the only person he knows that's up at 5:30 am MST, since I'm 9 hours ahead, but whatever).

Today he called to inform me he is going home today! Two days early!

The surgery went great. He ended up getting a 7 bypass, instead of 5. Am I the only one who didn't even know there was such a thing as 7 bypass? Holy smokes.

He has been quite the champ. After his 1-2 day stay in ICU, he walked all the way to his new room, which is clear across the hospital. Most of the nurses had never seen anyone do that before. One nurse said she had seen it once, and it was an ornery old farmer. Mom informed her that Dad was an ornery old Marine, or something to that affect. They had a good chuckle over that.

It's amazing how quickly bypass patients begin to recover, and Dad has done exceptionally well. Right away they started pulling out tubes and getting him moving. Dad says they've done an excellent job keeping the meds on top of the pain, and the nurses have been very good to him (except one, but there always has to be one of those, right?).

When I talked to him this morning he wasn't sure on all the details of how mobile he'd be once he got home and what exactly the recovery would be like. But they were going to be spending a good part of the day educating him on all of that so he went home informed. It sounds like McKay Dee Hospital has been outstanding. He has been very pleased with how he's been treated.

We sure appreciate all prayers that have been given on his behalf. Words cannot express. He still has a little trek to climb up the little road called recovery, but I suspect he'll feel like a completely new person by Christmas. Bypass patients often feel 20 years younger once their heart is working as efficiently as it should, and I don't think this ornery old Marine will be any exception.

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