Just over a week ago, we got an unexpected phone call saying that Grandpa Eatherton was going in for an angiogram. Within a matter of hours, we were dealing with the reality that he was going to have open heart surgery to relieve a blockage in his aorta. As scary as all of this sounds, it was a blessing, and a miracle, that we are able to write this blog post.
Grandpa had 80% blockage in one of his main aortas that almost never gives any warning signs. For whatever reason, he started to get chest pains on the treadmill in the last few weeks....that was miracle #1. Miracle #2 was when he proactively went to the doctor to say something was wrong. They caught the blockage in the stress test, an angiogram confirmed it, and the bypass surgery repaired it.
Fast forward a little over a week, and he's now resting comfortably at home after undergoing triple bypass surgery. Within 24 hours of surgery, he was out of his bed, breathing on his own, and totally aware of his surroundings. Just a few more days after that, he was eating, walking, and climbing stairs. Just a few more days after that, he was on his way home.
He's going to have a long road to recovery. However, it's a small price to pay given the alternative. We will all keep him very active and ensure that he eats well. Hopefully he'll be back on the treadmill and playing golf later this year. He's very thankful for all of the well wishes...he received a ton of support while he was in the hospital, so thanks to you all.
We were so happy to hear that Mr. Eatherton fared so well in surgery - we continue to keep him in our thoughts and prayers and can't wait to see him up and about soon!
ReplyDeleteThe Wolfes
That's awesome to hear that everything went well and he's doing great. I was in total disbelief reading the post. Give both your families my best wishes and let's talk soon.
ReplyDeleteWeimer