As I was being discharged the nurse handed me what seemed to be a ream of papers to sign. I usually don't pay attention to the paperwork and the nurse was briefly explaining each form--there was the 'post catheterization and PTCA discharge instructions, discharge disposition, general consent form along with a few others and then she handed me a booklet with the heading "What You Need To Know About Heart Surgery" and she had written a doctor's name and phone number on the cover.

It then sort of dawned on me that I had heard someone--the surgeon?--after last night's operation or one of the doctors who stopped by at some ungodly hour in the morning saying something about my aorta valve being blocked.

Now it was a question of scheduling the open heart operation and I wasn't too thrilled--more about that in a bit. I asked about the immediacy of the operation and what a delay would mean. I was told a couple to 3 weeks wouldn't make that much of a difference but if I waited longer it could cause a lot of problems not to mention a fatal heart attack. I really believe they wanted to schedule it for this week but that was not going to happen!

Now, THIS IS HOW MY MIND WORKS--Allen and John are going on vacation to Mexico and the plan was for me to drive them to the Miami airport and I would have Allen's car until they got back so that left the week of May 30th-June 6th out--hey, what's more important; my having a car for a week or a heart operation.

I, also, had to make provisions for the birds to be taken care of as they said I should plan to be in the hospital for week. I spoke briefly to Jill about it and she said she would. It would be too much for her to make two trips a day so I plan to ask Emily to come in at night and cover the birds and bring the blinds down. I need the time to show Jill where I keep the fresh veggies, pellets and seeds plus the food/water cups. I, also, have to show Emily which cage covers go over which cages plus have keys for my apartment made for them.

It looks like, if everyone is okay with the idea,that I will plan to go for the surgery the week of June 9. Now as most of you know I am a pretty positive person but I am a little, just a little, apprehensive about the whole thing. I know a few people who have come through the same operation without any problems but I, also, know some who haven't.

My ego worries about the scar but then there is my determination to see the touring company of "A Chorus Line" coming here in February, 2009, a few times--hey, I already have the money put aside!!--plus I still haven't won Lotto!!
I do know some people go into depression afterward but I don't really see that as a problem for me.

Right now my mind is in a whirl so I am going to have to calm myself down, give myself a pep talk and 'get with the program.'