Mikelly Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 So Last night Donna and I went out and celebrates with friends over my new assignment that I start tomorrow. We partied pretty hard... And I was in bed by 11:30 PM... Started at 6 and I'm getting old so cut me some slack, Mkay? At 2Am the phone rings and it's my mom, informing us that my dad has had a heart attack and that he's being rushed from one hospital in Culpeper, Va. to the hospital at University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. So I get a shower, brush my teeth, get some coffee in me, and away we go. Since Virginia has it's new ZERO tolerance alchohal policy and the A/B ratio is like .08 to be considered dui, and I do have a very valuable clearance that can be lost with the right circumstances, DUI being one, I set the cruise control at 5MPH over the limit and put the wife on Deer scouting duty. We get to the hospital by 4AM, which is located about 4 counties away, and we find my mom and sister and then we wait... And wait. Fortunately at 5AM we're told that he is resting well, has had a heart attack, required surgery, and now is the proud owner of two stents in arteries. Some of you will remember a while back when I honestly thought my dad was done for this world, when he had other internal troubles with a bleeding ulser and stomach surgery that almost killed him... I was expecting worse this time, since we're talking a heart attack... But when we went to see him, he looked better than I did, for sure. I'm simply amazed at the miracles of modern science. I'm being told he will be allowed to come home by Tuesday, barring any complications. I'm dead tired, feel like I've been run over by a mack truck, but happy to have him around for another day! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Mike, sorry to hear you're in such bad shape , but really glad to hear your dad is doing well! Modern medicine is great, but credit goes to you're dad living correctly too! My 87 year old dad is a picture of health. Of course, he takes great care of himself - if only I could live by his example... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Glad to hear he's going t be OK. - Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silicone boy Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Having been the victim of many 2AM calls, I know they are never good. They always suck the life out of you for the next day. Glad to hear your dad's doing well. Those stents are awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Sounds like you need a good stiff drink, Mike! All's well that ends well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HBZ81 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 well good thing he's doing well then! my 2am calls are usually "someone is sitting in the street refusing to move" or "staff has to leave, can you come in?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Mike, glad to hear he is in recovery. Get some rest and recover too.... Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synlubes Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Hope all goes well Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Yes early AM calls suck. Glad your dad is doing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 mike -i hope your dad gets better soon.with your work schedule maybe you should try to make sure to take at least 1 day a week off.sometimes it is better to step back and get a better view of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I agree with the modern science part. Two of my relatives have had the 5-bypass surgery shortly after their heart-attacks and the hospital spits those things out like nothing. I believe the doctor here said he does 13 bypass surgeries a day!!!! Seven days a week! He flies between here and another larger city, and I think he works a month straight and then takes a week vacation. $$$$$$$$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Glad to hear he's OK, Mike. My father recently had two stents and after the surgery, he's doing a lot better than before. Let's hope it's positive for him. jt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thanks for the well wishes guys. I'll pass them along... We often think of ourselves as risk takers and men of action... But when I think of my father and the risks he has taken for the sake of my mother, myself and my family over the years, it brings a tear to the eye... My father was born in 1937. He was raised in a large family. So large that one year he was forgotten on Christmas. he is the 2nd oldest of five boys and two girls, and was forced to quit school in the 10th grade and enter the coal mines of West Virginia (south eastern part of the state) to help support the family when my grandfather lost his right hand in a coal car accident. When My father was 20, he met my mother, then 16, and they got married. Two years later, realizing the economic strain of the region, lacking much future for his family, he took the biggest risk imaginable and left the area for work in Falls Church Virginia. He worked jobs as a mechanic, a carpenters helper, and anything else manual that would earn him enough money to bring my mom, sister and brother up to be with him. He worked two to three jobs, seven days per week for the first five years. The risk of having five dollars to last you a month, no place to lay your head, and uncertainty about work the coming day... That's true risk. That's make or break risk in the highest order. I look back on where I was at age 22, and what he had accomplished, and how selfless my father was throughout the years, decade after decade and realize just what a man he is, when compared to so many tough guy images today. I never saw my father get angry more than a brief few moments and each time was over-justified. I never saw him threaten a man or boast about some accomplishment he could do... He just did it and then didn't think about it afterwards. His attitude was always in proof being in action and results. No big talk. No attention drawn and more importantly, none required. At one point in my life, certainly as a young, imature kid, I had hoped never to be like my father. Boy, how times change. I could only hope that at some point later in life that my own chidren will think as fondly of me. Thanks guys! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Scott Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 At one point in my life' date=' certainly as a young, imature kid, I had hoped never to be like my father. Boy, how times change. I could only hope that at some point later in life that my own chidren will think as fondly of me. Thanks guys! Mike[/quote'] Really a wake up call to all of us with aging parents. As far as your kid's opinions, I wouldn't worry. Obviously you are a man of high standards, sound morals, and good character. Depending on the maturity of your kids, they might not be ready to express it yet. All in time. Glad to hear your father is doing well. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Hang in there................you now have more time with your dad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jap tin Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Treausre the time with your Dad. Sounds like a great man. I lost my Mom on one of those 2am calls last year. Our parents were made of some tough stuff. My Dad went through the depression, WW2 , and rasing a couple of rotten rug rats. I can only hope to be as good as my folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Wow Mike! Glad to hear your dad is doing OK. Our fathers are about the same age. About 5-6 years ago my dad had bypass surgery. He had a heart attack a few months ago. He woke in the middle of the night and couldn't get comfortable. He was having pains and woke my mom. Told her to get her stuff together and take him to the hospital. First time in her life she has run a redlight. They got to the hospital and called us (my dad has five sons). He was admitted right away. Fortunatly he had not had the heart attack YET. One of the bonuses of living in a city with 4 MAJOR hospitals and a Medical College. Before I arrived, he had the heart attack and when I got there they were performing the stints. Later the Dr. told us that it is very common for someone to need stints about this amount of time after bypass surgery, so I guess my father-in-law is due any day now also. My dad was lucky, as was your dad. Strangely, I find myself calling him more often and going out for dinner. Oddly, we joke it was the dinner the night before his heart attack that caused it, but it wasn't. We had gone out to Applebee's the night before. Mike, My dad had a heart attack on Tuesday and was home on Thursday. I hope you dad has a speedy recovery as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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