Heart Aches at Christmas Time Pt. 5

So January 10th. Alright. Here’s what’s been going down. (Watching Note: A new “House” on FOX) My Dad and the family were all ready and scheduled to go into the hospital and then a call comes. Two emergencies arrived pushing my Dad’s heart off till the next day. Instead of a comfortable 9:00 go-time we have a 5:00 am go. And another day of waiting. Like a stay of execution.

Another possible-last meal.
Another possible-last DAD’s root beer.
Another possible-last goodbye and I love you.
Another day before surgery.

More after the jump

Next day we go in. Wake up before dawn, pile into the Jetta and take off for the hospital. I’m still taking myself to be the family stenographer so as to get the information written down as well as to calm my nerves and emotions. The nurse in the pre-op room puts some papers on my Dad’s legs like they were a table. Nice.

We say our goodbyes in the pre-op room as well. My mother appropriately emotional. I do alright and then go into the waiting room. The nurse assigned to the surgery waiting room tells us, “You can still wait in there with him. There’s no reason not to.”

Great. Another false start.

I decide that I’ll go in. Another long goodbye would feel less climactic as well as just irritate my Dad more. As the stenographer, at least I could say I was coming back to take notes from the anesthesiologist. The guy even gives me stickers of the drugs they were putting into his IV. Oooh! Souveniers!

My Dad gets wheeled away. As I turn to go he says, “And kiddo, I approve.”

I break down.

Back into the surgery waiting room. My mom asks me what the doctor says and I can’t pull it together for a bit. If those are his last words to me ever or just for now… My Dad’s approval. Just spoken and only once but… My Dad’s approval. God.

Later in the day, we’re in the ICU waiting room. The damn hospital won’t let me into their WiFi signal. Damnit. There’s a family in the prime spot in front of the tv that looks like they’ve been there awhile. My brother and I fall asleep on the uncomfortable couches while my Mom goes to her Wednesday meetings. The cardiac nurse comes in around 1 p.m. He’s made it through the surgery and the 4 graphs. Closing up his chest and after that they’ll move him to the ICU.