Last night we had a huge thunderstorm rumble through Geauga County as dad was having his operation. Mom and I were both home waiting eagerly, wanting to be with him but he wanted us to be at home. I called his nurse and they said that the surgery was going on and that she'd call mom and have her call me when it was finished. Mom called about 9pm or so and said it went well and that he was resting after the operation, but needed to stay overnight because of his shortness of breath. He'd been wheezing badly before he went under anesthesia. For a man who never smoked a day in his life, and has been extremely healthy before his heart failure issues last year, it was pretty scary to see him go into an operation while having trouble breathing. Add to that a violent, crashing storm happening all around us (and around the hospital). A bolt of lightning hit across the street from my house, power went out briefly a few times. Luckily, dad (a retired architect)designed many hospitals, operating rooms, patient rooms, medical everything in his career so he had told us that they have strong backup generators, especially in the operating rooms.
So this morning I got up early and called dad, wondering if he was awake (he's an early riser, and surely was up) and if he'd feel like talking. To my surprise, he was boisterous, happy, clear-voiced (no hint of congestion whatsoever)! He never talks much on the phone and he was talking up a storm! It was great to see my dad feeling charged up and raring to go again! He said he wanted to rest today, would be staying in for observation and probably get discharged sometime tomorrow. I wanted to visit him but he said to wait until tomorrow, then I can see photographs of his gall bladder (lovely, lol). My grandmother (dad's mother, whom I never met because she died of a heart attack before I was born) also had her gall bladder out, so the family tradition lives on. He says he's not keeping the stones in a jar like she used to (YUCK!), but he has photos. I asked if he planned to frame them and stick them up on the fireplace mantle (kidding!). He says no :) It's interesting to see photos of it all, even if they might be a mess. I remember seeing my spine on the computer when my back gave out years ago. And I could see my skeleton perfectly, live, on the doctor's computer. It's all pretty fascinating.
So, pretty soon dad will be happily home with his kitty cats, who are surely missing him. The photo shows Felix (alpha kitty) helping him wash dishes. Dad is the "Pied Piper" of all animals, and all critters are drawn to him. I got my deep love of animals from him, for sure. I know dad misses his cats, but mom is taking care of them while he's recuperatiing. Besides, it's good for him to be in a more sterile atmosphere before stirring cats into the mix. Let his immune system recharge a little first!
Here is Cinnamon, mom and dad's Maine Coon kitty. I saved Cinny from being abandoned on a high-rise balcony when very young by his ex-owners many years ago. A beautiful, sweet boy who sleeps on both my parents every night :) Most loving cat..and rules the house with an iron paw ;)
