Lessons from By-Pass Surgery

1) Thank you!

For the most part, I get to be on the other side of praying for people, but this was the first real time where I've been the receiving end of the prayer thing. And of course I know prayer works and all that, but I am shocked by how much prayer works! Your prayers, your notes of encouragement, your visits, your calls, have meant so much. Thank you!

2) Getting your chest split open really hurts!

I knew that the first 48 hours was going to unpleasant. What I didn't know was how unpleasant that entire experience was going to be - getting the sternum split open, getting your shoulders and chest pealed back so that your heart can be worked on, the tubes down your throat to help you breathe, the collapsed lungs that have to be reopened by coughing of all things after open heart surgery, the intense thirst, etc, etc, etc..

Thank God the 48 hours are over. After the 48 hours or so, the body makes an amazing recovery. God is awesome like that.

3) I hate to say it - women make better nurses than men - well, at least when it comes to the smelling department.

Women nurses were much more gentle about taking care of you. For instance. I hadn't showered or had my sheets changed for three four days since surgery. I had been profusely sweating at times due to the discomfort. Of course, I made everything smell bad.

But that didn't bother me. And apparently, it never bothered any of the other male nurses who were in the ICU with me. It must have bothered my wife because she asked several times if I could be wiped down or the sheets changed.

And then on the fourth day this lady nurse takes charge of me and the first thing she does is strips my bed of its sheets, sponges me down, and changes out everything.

I must have really stunk!

4) It's great to be home.

There's no place like home. I was so ready to get out of the hospital. It's crazy. They tell me, "You've got to rest, you really need to get some sleep tonight." And then they poke and prod me all night. It's crazy. This one time, the nurses knew I hadn't slept much for a couple of nights so they give me a sleeping pill to help me sleep. But along with my other medication, they also gave me this pill that makes me pee like crazy every 30 minutes to and hour. And so I am tired, trying to get to sleep, and when I finally do, I have start the excruciating process of trying to get out of bed so I can go pee!

None of that at home! It's great to be home.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

James <><