Day Zero

First things first: the surgery was successful and my Dad is resting up in the Cardiac Unit of Royal Jubilee.

On Wednesday afternoon my Mom and Dad spent about five hours being oriented with the ins and outs and ups and downs of Dad's surgery the next day. Highlights included a very good breathing test by Dad (aka John) and a take-home gift of an antibacterial sponge and thorough instructions on how to properly clean out all the nooks and crannies the night and morning before surgery.

Our Mom (Merete), Dad, Janna and I went to a Greek restaurant for dinner as requested by Dad. He wanted saganaki. Really, who wouldn't want a slab of fried cheese the night before open heart surgery? Btw, it was delicious.

Dad was given a couple of pills to help him sleep on Wednesday night. He took one and it helped, but he was still up around 3:30AM. According to Janna and her husband Travis, who accompanied our Dad and Mom to the hospital at 5:30AM, his blood pressure was good and he seemed quite calm before going into to surgery at 7:30AM. I would have been there too, but I was in Sooke looking after Molly and Brando, the dogs, who were missing Dad and Mom terribly and acting like neurotic little weirdos. I gave them extra cookies.

I arrived in Victoria Thursday morning at about 11:30AM. We were expecting the surgery to last until about 3:30PM. However, after eating a delicious lunch at The Blue Fox we received a message from the doctor. The surgery was completed just before 1PM. This was good news! Everything went very well and we were told we could visit in an hour or so. There were plenty of tears of relief and much hugging on the street. We distracted ourselves by looking in an excellent stationary shop before heading to the hospital.

When we arrived at the hospital we all had to pee! We were excited! And overwhelmed! We also used hand sanitizer as we walked through the halls towards the Cardiac Unit - possibly more of a nervous reaction than for health reasons. The nurse buzzed us into the Unit and we were shown to Dad's bed. The nurse on duty assured us that everything went well. He was awake and mostly lucid when we arrived, quietly calling out "Merete" when he saw us walking towards his bed (pretty good for a guy who needs glasses). He was mostly comfortable, but there was some pain around the area where the draining tubes were coming out of the wound (which was bandaged up). One thing we had been warned about was that heart patients have a tendency to gain between 2-15 pounds of water weight following surgery. Fortunately, Dad didn't seem too puffy except for a little swelling around his mouth.

Janna and Travis also came to say "hello" and check in. We spent about ten minutes or so standing around in awe, shock, joy and various other extreme emotions, but mostly relief. We knew he was doing well when he started doing his Truman Capote impression. The previous night he had requested that I take some photos for the blog knowing that I am cut of the same cloth and would gladly oblige the request (I have a tendency to document everything with my digital camera like a huge nerd). In fact, his nurse told us that after the respirator was removed it was one of the first things he asked for. While taking photos I joked that I could shoot a video. He beckoned me closer and said "Yes, a video." Here it is - followed by photos (there are tubes and a little blood---you have been warned). The next update will probably be by Mom/Merete and up in the next couple of days. ~ Brie