Bypass Happiness

I just got back from Oceanside to visit my grandparents. See, last week, my grandfather went in for an angiogram, only to find out that two of his arteries were 80% blocked and that another was 99% blocked. Basically, he was in dire need of open-heart surgery, scheduled for this morning. So, yesterday morning, I made my way, thanks to the thoughtfulness of Devin, for Scripps hospital in La Jolla, where the operation was to be performed.

My Uncle John met me in the lobby and led me to the office where my grandparents were meeting with the surgeon. After exchanging hugs, the four of us made our way out to lunch for a bit of laughter while waiting for the hospital to prepare a room for my grandpa. After a couple hours or so, we made our way back to the hospital, room 439b, to get my grandpa checked by a nurse and to watch a video on the procedure.

Everyone at the hospital was extremely friendly and understanding and took time answering our questions to make sure we understood everything there was to know about the procedure. By the end of the night, I was in full confidence that the operation was going to go well and that my grandfather would be healthier than ever in a couple months. We left the hospital that night at around 9 pm for an early night of sleep.

The operation lasted for a little over four hours and was finished today at around 12:30, when we got a call from the surgeon to inform us that everything had gone as expected and that there were "no surprises." All said and done, my grandfather had undergone a triple-bypass operation which would increase the output of his heart by nearly 25%. No longer would he have pains or shortness of breath, and he'd be able to resume activities that he had engaged in years ago without hesitation. Needless to say, I was very happy to hear the news, as was the rest of the family.

Later in the afternoon, my uncle and I went out to the abandoned gem mines at the Pala Indian Reservation to explore and get out of the house for a bit. We made our way inside, armed only with a couple flashlights, and had a great time inspecting all the differently colored rocks and crystals that formed over the years. After a couple quick games of darts at a neighborhood watering hole, we returned to the house only to receive a call from my grandpa's nurse to inform us that grandpa had woken up from the anesthesia! Naturally, the three of us made our way down to the hospital to see how he was doing.

When we got there, he was in high spirits and full of laughter. If he was in any pain, nobody would've been able to tell, he just kept telling jokes and laughing as if he was at home in his chair. I was glad to see him before I had to go home, but it was getting late, so I made my way back to 'SC, thankful and satisfied with the way everything went.

Thanks to everyone who showed concern; it meant a lot.