Pre-Op

I made it home the next day, scheduled for a coronary bypass operation on January 5 of the new year. I'm glad I did go home rather than stay in the hospital.

My parents, brothers, and their wives, came to our place for Christmas. Needless to say they were concerned. My parents were also in shock that I needed such radical surgery at such a young age.

If I went up the stairs in our two-story apartment, I would stick a nitroglycerin tab under my tongue, take a deep breath, and make my way up. I wouldn't have any chest pain, but I would still be very tired. Picking up my little daughter was now out of the question.

Despite all the concern and apprehension, we had a wonderful family Christmas. My daughter was the star of the show. Just a toddler, she was the first grandchild, and so ruled the roost and was the center of attention.

We still have pictures of her from that Christmas. Her cheeks are more red than a Valentine's Day heart in every picture. Not from normal healthiness, but because her grandpa and her two uncles couldn't stop kissing those sweet, fat little cheeks.

The whole joyful experience left me more determined than ever to do what I needed to do, and to steel myself for the operation to come.