Paul's Surgery - December 2000

Ten years ago Paul was in the hospital awaiting heart surgery. On Christmas 2000 we enjoyed a family Christmas with my sister and brother-in-law here from L.A. in addition to Paul, Laura, Griff and me. Paul's Uncle El and at least one other relative had dropped by for a visit that day too. This reminded me of some of our previous multi-generation Christmases in years past.

In the late afternoon, after most of the family had gone home, Paul and Griff were moving some large logs onto Griff's truck. We had cut down a large tree earlier in the year and were trying to make use of the remaining logs. This was also the year that Paul knew he needed to eventually have heart surgery. After helping to move the logs Paul said that maybe he shouldn't have done that and then he fell. I asked him if I should call 911 and he said no.

He got up and tried to walk toward the house but didn't get very far when he crashed and bumped his head and was definitely in trouble. We didn't ask him this time if he needed help. 911 was called and he was taken to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest as they have a trauma unit at that hospital. Thankfully Griff was still here as he was able to take Laura and me to the hospital.

Paul would be staying at the hospital at least overnight. The next day it was determined that he had a heart attack. All tests verified what we already knew, that he needed his aortic heart valve replaced. He probably needed bypass surgery too. Surgery was scheduled for the next to last day of the year.

On Saturday, December 30th Madeline and Steve took Laura and me to the hospital, and they waited and prayed with us while Paul spent many hours in surgery. Griff came from Valley Center to be with us too. Pastor Larry joined us in the long wait to find out how Paul was doing. When the surgeon finally finished the operation he came to tell us that Paul's heart valve had been replaced along with a double bypass and an aneurysm repaired in his aorta. The valve had been the worst one he had seen in his years as a surgeon. He would have done a triple bypass but Paul had spent enough time in surgery.

Paul was healing as expected and it would not be long till he could go home. But on January 2nd and then again two days later he had cardiac arrest. Each time he had to be shocked back into normal heart rhythm. One of those times he actually had two cardiac failures and was shocked back a third time. It is with much appreciation from me that the nurses did a good job. Imagine waking up to the phone call in the middle of the night that your loved one had been through this trauma. Thankfully Paul survived this crisis.

One morning when I went to visit him there were a number of heart doctors around his bed deciding what to do to prevent this from happening again. It was decided to implant a defibrillator-pacemaker, so on the 8th this procedure was done. He was in the hospital for three weeks, from Christmas until January 16th. He began 2001 in the hospital. He had not been allowed out of bed at all during those three weeks so needed to regain his strength to be able to walk again. He had a visiting nurse to check on him for a short time, as well as an occupational therapist to be sure he was ok.

I could end the saga here, but I want to share how God provides. Laura and I almost always had a ride to go see Paul in the hospital. It didn't matter whether it was raining or not, and we had a number of rainy days at that time. Friends and family took time out of their busy days to go see Paul and to take us to Hillcrest to the hospital. We barely had to use public transportation to make the trip. I remember going by bus on January 1st and making very good connections so even that day was a blessing. I don't remember any days with bad connections.

Then five years later when Paul broke his ankle we again experienced God's provision with rides each week. Paul needed to go to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest each week to have his ankle checked. He had surgery on his ankle and the incision was slow in healing so this was a concern. This meant a new cast every week for some time even though the bone was healing nicely. This also meant a need for a ride every week which we had from different friends and family. Paul was in a wheelchair for several months that time. And the wheelchair was from a neighbor. We are certainly blessed.  :)