Last weekend my son and family were here for a visit. It was a nice break to have two of my grandkids come in for a visit to Papa. They are very curious about what I am going to be experiencing over the next few months. Grace, who is ten, asked if I would be dead when they took out my old heart. "No Grace, they will have my blood pumped through a machine that will keep Papa alive the entire time I am without a heart and before the new heart can start to pump." It seems like fair question for a child. I guess in many ways it is another miracle of medicine that they can remove this pump that is so critical for our every move and replace it. (Papa will be heartless for a little under an hour. Bad joke). Then Trent who is five wanted to know if he could have the old heart. I am not sure what he would like to do with it, but he wants it none the less. I think when this is all over with Papa is going to get him an "Invisible Heart" similar to what my Cardiologist has in his office. I asked Trent to draw me a picture of my new heart. The first drawing what this miniaturized picture of this small thing. I said, "Trent that is a Guinea Pig's heart. Give Papa a larger one." A larger version of the picture was done and is now posted in my room for the nurses and Doctors to see.
This morning during my walk, I introduced myself to the other 1-A on the floor. This is a fellow named Dick. Today is his 100th day in the hospital waiting for a heart (today is my 26th day since admitted). He too is O+ blood type, but he has a much larger frame than I. I do not think we will need to wrestle for the heart that would be coming in. Dick has a mechanical pump (LVAD) attached to the lower portions of his heart to keep him alive. Keep both of us in your prayers that we can be fitted with healthy hearts soon. Thanks.
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that all of this was happening with you until I read about you on Linda Steven's Shorecrest page. Wow, what an ordeal! As you may know, I had a heart attack in December. Though I was very fortunate that it was a smaller scale problem than what you are experiencing, your description of hospital life is all too familiar. I know that you are a Christian and, as I recall, I believe you were a pastor at one time. I was in Providence hospital here in Portland. It is a Catholic hospital and I have been a Catholic since 1997. So I was very grateful to be able to see a priest, receive holy eucharist and receive "last rites". (They call it the anointing of the sick now). But, with all of that and the prayers of friends and family, I still felt afraid and alone. The good thing about it was that it brought me face to face with my mortality and my need for God in my life. All barriers were removed and I knew that my life was truly in His hands.
I appreciate your sharing on your blog and your positive outlook and humor. Know that I am praying constantly for you and your family. May God bless you and care for you.
Jim Mears
Hey Rick! I am O + and my wife will send you my will send you my heart if I die I think we have a cooler around here somewhere if it does not have any beer in it. LOL. I sent you an e-mail about donating some bone marrow when the time comes. I have been donating my blood to the Red Cross for years and read there about bone marrow transplants. No problem.
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