Patrick's Posts

Hello to all my buds at HVS.com. Today is the one year anniversary of my surgery. It has been a battle first just to survive and later, and continuing, to get my body back to its healthiest state. It has been the amazing support of family and friends, a kazillion prayers and two times receiving the Catholic Sacrament of the sick (which us pre VaticanII types still call the "Last Rites") and my stubborn Irish determination that has together gotten me through. Forever I am in the debt of that spectacular team of Cardiologists, Surgeons, Radiologists, Intensivists, Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, Physical Therapists, Laboratory Technologists, radiology Technologists, Home health nurses and therapists, Cardiac Rehab specialists nurses, physiologists and dieticians. For those of you getting ready for this dramatic surgery THAT is the amazing team of people waiting to make sure everything goes well for you and you too will be able to write your "one year ago script. Thank you Adam for making and maintaining this fabulous site and the fantastic book that is a blessing to us patients and especially our families. Thank you dear Lord for this life and for its continuance. Blessings on all of you patients, your families and medical teams.

To all of you waiting in anxious anticipation: I'm now 6 months down and frankly feel wonderful. I am in better physical condition and more able to do whatever I want than for years. It is a difficult road. Don't let anyone kid you. It's gonna knock you down and ask you to get yourself back up. But it is totally worth all the anxiety and frustration, discomfort and physical challenges. You will need help, you will need support, you will need to learn to accept the loving help others give.You will need inordinate patience....with yourself and others. Nou will need to give in and go with the flow. You will need to listen to your body and go with it. Damn I sound preachy and don't mean to just it is some times hard to get a dose of honesty when everyone around you is doing all they can to be supportive and positive. Yes positive is everything.You must have confidence and faith. But I found my surgical nurses words of wisdom helpful. This is definitely not going to be easy.....but you can do it...and it is totally worth what you work through. There is bright sunshine on the other side. You have for you brilliant, hard working physicians and nurses, the best of technology and most of all the kindest loving personal care. Take in all the love and support. Give thanks for this longer life you are being given. It is precious.