This adventure is like no other I’ve ever had. It’s not like hiking up Mt. Kilimanjaro, buying tanzanite in the back of a hardware store in Tanzania. It is different than traveling the Alcan in a December snow storm. It has many of the same emotions, fear, joy, sadness, reverence, thankfulness, the whole gamut.
I’m not posting this for sympathy. I just want to give everyone some insight if they ever have to do this adventure.
I didn’t post anything when it actually started. I thank all of my friends and family that knew and the all the kind messages and encouragement that I received.
A few months ago, plus or minus. I’m terrible of keeping track of time. My brother Mike can tell you the date and time of everything we ever did our whole lives. Rod Alvarez and I were doing the big Phoenix, North Judson, IN, to Alaska trip. We made it to our home at Wolf Lake Airport and had some down time. Rod is a great traveling companion and helper. We were going to change out a bathroom ceiling fan. I was climbing up and down the ladder into the attic. I started to have a burning sensation in my upper chest. I told Rod and Kari that I needed to lay down for a bit that I had indigestion from dinner. I chewed a couple antacids. Kari, Rod, and my son Ben we’re pushing for going to the ER. I kept saying that I would be ok in a few minutes, just indigestion. It didn’t go away. We are about 5 miles from the ER, so I hopped into the car. I was feeling better on the way and almost told Kari to turn around. They got me right in, did an EKG, some other test, and determined that I had not had a heart attack. They said to follow up with my Dr. and referred me to a cardiologist.
We went back home and I was feeling pretty good. I’d had another couple episodes of the burning chest in North Judson, one during the night and one moving solar panels before we headed up the Alcan. I didn’t say anything. Just indigestion.
I had lots to do and didn’t go see my Dr. He accepts Medi-Care so I just get to see a nurse practitioner. The Alaska Heart Institute called to schedule my visit. It would be a couple weeks before I could get in. So I delayed another week and sold solar some panels. Rod and I headed for Atlanta, and Rod went on to Tulsa. I went to Chattanooga and spent the night. My brother Mike and my 89 year old mother picked me up to go to Hazard, KY to my Uncle Bruce’s 95th birthday party. We spent the weekend and had a wonderful time. Mike and I self diagnosed my condition with the help of Google. Just indigestion. He dropped me off in Nashville, I spent the night and flew home to Alaska. I don’t have time for no stinking doctor, Kari has to hunt for the moose. Kari was already at the cabin with the dogs aka the boys. I stayed home a couple days and got a ride out with my friend and neighbor Roger Phillips. I spent most of the time just sitting around the cabin and napping. That’s not the real me, there is always so much to do. Earlier in the year we had planned to spend freeze up at the cabin. But with the early break up we didn’t get the necessary supplies and fuel hauled up on the sleds. During freeze up and break up we are unable to leave the cabin for 8-10 weeks. If we had to get out it would be by helicopter or possibly ski plane. Anyway we had decided to go to Mexico with our son Mark and his family the week before Thanksgiving.
For all of you animal rights people and gun haters Kari didn’t shoot the moose. A coyote attacked one of our friends dogs. Just so everybody knows my position. If anyone or anything bothers my family or pets, I’m coming out blasting. If this offends you I’m not sorry. Just block or unfriendly me. Please send a message first and let me know who you are, just so I know where we stand.
Back in our boat and home with the boys. I sold a lot of panels from the cabin to be delivered to various customers all the way to Homer. Homer is truly the end of the road. We were down there Oct 8 and 9 and met a lot of really good people.
Thank you Lord for watching over me even when I’m not watching out for myself!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Don
Chapter 2
So Charles, I’m home selling a few more solar panels. A guy named Jay from Chickaloon comes to buy 8 panels from me. More to this story later.
Looking at the calendar I finally got around to going to the cardiologist on Sunday Oct 14. He listened to my heart and said I need a stress test. Weekend, we can get you in Thursday October 18.
We share 3 grandchildren with two friends that are cardiac nurses Brian and Leslie. We joined them at a cross country meet for our oldest granddaughter Tearyn and we talk about my upcoming stress test. The pace picks up. I am called for an earlier appointment. I go in for the stress test Brian stops it after 4 minutes and says I need further testing. Now things are getting serious. Kari and I met with the cardiologist and he is talking angiogram. This used to be a very big deal, there are a few risks that they have to tell you about for the lawyers but now it is just an outpatient procedure. Brian recommends getting it done in Anchorage instead of the valley. If something runs amuck you are going to Anchorage anyway.
Wednesday October 17 I have an echo cardio gram. On the screen it looks like looking at the weather radar through about a 5 foot piece of 1” pipe for my flying buddies. So they determine that my heart has normal pumping function and there is no damage to the heart muscle.
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!
Chapter 3
Thursday Oct. 24
Today is the big day. Noon show time, the hospital keeps calling and moving it up. Dr Kramer comes in. Not from Seinfeld. Says looks like we have the same barber, explains the procedure and says let’s get started. The plan is to check for blockage and if any is found to put a stint in. A stint is basically a spring to hold the arteries open.
If you want to know the dirty details here goes. All I know but I think I was asleep most of the time. They put a catheter in an artery on the inside of my wrist just behind the thumb. They feed that into your aorta and pump dye in to locate the blockage. If you need a stint or a ream out they run the tools through the same catheter. These guys must build ships in glass bottles in there spare time. I go to sleep thinking I may get some stints. I wake up on the operating table, I’m guessing after 30 minutes or less. Dr. Kramer says that he could do stints but it would be much better to repair the blockage with 3 or 4 bypasses. I think they just x-rayed my wallet while I’m in there and see what I can afford. I know they do this at the dentist. So I say you are the Dr. let’s do it, right then and there. Didn’t have time to get scared and chicken out.
The stars lined up and I’m sure Leslie arranged an appointment with Dr. Valdes the heart surgeon. Leslie and Dr Kramer said that’s who they would have do them. I also checked Yelp and Angies list, he came highly recommended LOL. Liz Chael checked him out too.
I got out of recovery at Providence Hospital and Kari and I just made our 3 o’clock appointment with Dr. Valdes.
I am truly blessed and thank God for every day I’m here.
Kari and I arrived at Dr Valdes office right at 3. The place was completely empty. You know what they say about an empty restaurant. There was a receptionist, we hadn’t even sat down in the waiting room when the Dr. came out, introduced himself and took us into his office. He brought out a model of a heart and showed me where the blockages were. The right artery was 95% blocked, the left was 60% and was the one he was concerned about. He said that if that artery plugged it would kill me since it supplies most of the heart muscle. The doctor said I had 3 alternatives. 1. I could go home and do nothing and hope not to have a heart attack. 2. They could put a bunch of stints in but that wouldn’t be as good as surgery. 3. Bypass surgery would be best and I would need at least 3 more likely 4 once they took a closer hands on look. You know me, don’t band aid it. Do the bypass, install bigger lines and add a turbo. That was the good news. The other news, no operating rooms available until November 2nd, 9 days away. He said to go home and take it really easy. He wanted to know if we had questions. Yes. How long is the operation… 5-7 hours. Is my heart actually stopped during the operation…Yes for about an hour and a half. Then they shock it and get it going again. During that time your heart is stopped the blood is bypassed through a heart lung machine. What is the success rate…He said since I didn’t smoke, hadn’t had a heart attack, and was in pretty good health 95-97%. Kari and I left there still in a fog not knowing what had just hit us.
They also said that we were on a waiting list for an operating room to open up earlier.
I called our son Mark and we talked. I told him I was scared. He said he was on the way.
Kari’s mom came up from Michigan on Monday to be with her. Mark was going to come up on a pass on Tuesday morning. Loads are great 42 seats ORD-SEA. 22 seats SEA-ANC. I get a text from Mark…Don’t know if I’m going to make it. Phone reset during the night and turned off. I’m just leaving home. Map shows me there at the parking lot at 518 for a 610 flight. The train is down and is a bus operation from the lot. I get a text at about 550 that he is in his seat. During that time I’m depressed and teary. I’m thinking I’m going to get called in for an earlier operating room, Mark won’t be here and I’ll die without seeing each other. I know this goes against the Airline Pilot Brotherhood, but Mark and I had our cards out ready to buy a real ticket if he didn’t get on the 610. The stars lined up again in Seattle and Mark got on the flight to Anchorage arriving at 230 in the afternoon.
I am blessed with good family and friends!!
Thank you Lord!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Don
Chapter 4
Tuesday Oct. 29
We picked Mark up at the airport and grabbed some lunch at 907 Alehouse. My brother Mike said that if Mark showed up in a suit, that probably wasn’t a good sign. He didn’t. We went home and visited. I may have sold a couple solar panels. Ben was around. Jeremy and his son Tristan came by on Wednesday.
On Wednesday I looked in the refrigerator and we had a huge stock of meat, cheese, and fruit. What could we drink with that? Mark we need to go wine shopping tomorrow. We went to one store and had 4 bottles in the cart, Mark said if we buy 6 it is 10% off. Not to pass up a good deal we picked up a couple more.
We went to another wine store, same story. We get home and think what are we going to do with all this food and wine? PARTY. Thursday is my last night because I want to go in Saturday morning well rested. We invited everyone and had a neighborhood get together.
I felt like everything would be ok. But I would keep bringing up things that could go wrong or dying. Kari and I talked about things. I told her I wanted my ashes scattered by the cabin and at Long International Airport. I really didn’t plan on dying but if you know that the percentage is much greater between 830 am and noon on November 2, it gives you something to think about. What better way to go out in style than celebrating with my family and friends. We have the best neighbors in the world.
Pre op was on Friday morning. I got a tour, signed a bunch of papers about risk, had an EKG, and an ultrasound of the arteries in my neck. I’ll talk more about the arteries later.
A guy came by Friday afternoon for 12 panels. I had Mark help him load them. Kari won’t let me drive, run the Kubota, or do anything. This will change in a couple months when I heal up a bit.
Next time I go to the cabin I plan to take some of the nitroglycerin the doctor gave me and blow some stumps out. I would do it here at Wolf Lake Airport but the neighbors may not come to any more parties.
I have been getting tired for a year and just chalked it up to old age. When I flew I walked on layovers every chance I got. It would be nothing to walk 10-12 miles in a day. A few of my copilots would go with me but only once. Some said I was a crazy man.
I retired, Feb 2017. The walking stopped. I was busier than ever. I don’t know how I had time to work. But I didn’t take the time to walk or ride my bike. Don’t do this. I think it was a big factor in the clogging of my heart arteries. This spring I was slowing down, no energy, I would sit on the couch and do nothing. If working I would take a lot of breaks. If you slow down have yourself checked out.
I had an EKG annually for my FAA medical for years. An EKG is history, it tells you if you have had a heart attack. It doesn’t really tell if your heart arteries are clogged. If you have chest pain get checked out, don’t self diagnose, don’t be a man and put off or refuse to go to the doctor. It’s typical of what men do. Oh, I’m ok.
Tomorrow is the big day.
Thank you Lord for watching over me!!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Chapter 5
Sat Nov 2
Today is the big day. I tried to get to bed early last night but fell asleep watching a movie, then I got up, took a shower with special soap and went to bed about 10. It’s a 4:30am wake up for a 6:30 show. Kari was already up when I finally got out of bed. I took my second shower with the special soap to help prevent infection. It was a quick ride into Anchorage at this hour on a Saturday. Kari and I, Mark, and Kari’s mom Shelley arrived at the ER entrance at Alaska Regional. Nobody is around except for a security guard. I’m thinking they are going to be doing major surgery on me and the only person to help if something goes wrong is the cleaning lady. It’s not like TV. I have watched every episode of House and this isn’t anything like it. This is like showing up in Anchorage for a freighter trip in the middle of the night. Skeleton crew. We get checked in, the lady checks my ID, like someone else would be there to get their chest cut open at 6:30 on a Saturday morning.
We all go back to the OR waiting area where I previously spent some time for a couple of Kari’s surgeries. We are the only ones there and it isn’t long before a nurse comes and gets Kari and I. First thing they say I need to get into this gown so I can get clipped. I’ve had my dogs clipped and I didn’t like the terminology. They said not to shave my chest at home because one nick and the surgery is a no go.
I am on this table and the nurse hands Kari a set of clippers so she can help. Im thinking I’m at Walmart Medical Center and this is the self check out area. Another nurse comes in and starts cleaning up the hair. They said they didn’t want to get any inside me. I can appreciate that from helping Kari skin bears. Hair taints the meat. I figured all modesty would be out the window during this but didn’t expect it until I was drugged. Having your wife and 2 nurses clip all your hair off from the tip of your chin to your big toes is a bit uncomfortable. One at a time may have been a different story but I don’t really know. They finish up and the only compliment either of them could come up with was “Nice calves.”.
It is getting close to time to go to the OR and I want to see the rest of my Family. My other 2 sons Ben and Jeremy live in Alaska so they showed up some time during my clip. Kari and her mother are there. I must have been drugged by then because I don’t remember a lot. I remember someone saying a prayer and a lot of tears flowing. I don’t remember being scared or thinking I may die. I just knew it was going to hurt when I woke up.
They rolled me into the operating room and transferred me to the table. There were a lot of people in there. I think it was here they put a catheter into an artery on the inside of my left wrist. They attached a blood pressure transducer to it. No BP cuff here direct gauge pressure.
About here I go to sleep.
Everything from here until late this evening is strictly hearsay and conjured up facts. I’m sure it will be totally twisted and retold by Schiff and will be admissible in the liberal circus side show. All this because I flew over the Ukraine a couple times hauling troops.
They put another catheter that looked just like a blue plastic soda straw in the right jugular vein. I don’t know what they would have used in California. This is for a camera and some sensors that they feed into the right side of my heart, then on into the lower left chamber of my heart. This is just to keep tabs on my condition while they are working on the outside of my heart. They added a couple more IVs, a ventilator down my throat, and a catheter for my urine.
The hospital and my team is fantastic about keeping my loved ones informed of my progress.
Karis first call from the OR let her know they had harvested the vein from my left leg and were getting ready to open me up. She lost it when she heard the saw running in the background.
The next call that I’m on the pump. Meaning my heart has been stopped with a potassium solution after they tapped into my aorta and a vein for the return. In about an hour and a half the next welcomed call, I’m off the pump. Meaning the repairs were finished and they zapped my heart and got that baby pumping again. Off the APU and on ships power. I will review the logbook entry explaining the repairs and sign off in a later chapter after I get to talk to the mechanic. No MELs and orange stickers. (Thats real airline talk, so my airline buddies can comprehend.)
Now they wire my chest back together give Kari a call to wait in the Critical Care Unit until they ship me over there.
It doesn’t seem like it has been very long to me when I wake up a bit. I’m in a different room but it hasn’t been long enough for them to do anything. I’m wondering what went wrong, why didn’t they do the surgery. I didn’t see any bright lights or angels or anything like some people talk about. I mean after all my heart was stopped for an hour and a half. I was kind of counting on seeing some of my family and friends an my dog Moochie at the Rainbow Bridge. Maybe while Kari and the nurses were admiring my calves they nicked me with the clippers. I was thinking (I know working without tools) now I’m going to have to take it easy and not have a heart attack until they can get me rescheduled.
A little about Mooch. He was a little dog that thought he was big and had an even bigger heart. I guess it is safe to tell this short story now. What is the FAA going to do now, take my medical? Anyway I think being one of the “deplorables” I should be able to get a pardon from my President Trump. If the non-deplorables manage to cheat him out of 2020 I will be able to buy a pardon anyway. So here goes.
I commuted from Chicago to Anchorage a quite a bit to visit my friends and relatives or acquaintances as Jim Long refers to me. The 747 freighter has 4 first class seats on the upper deck for commuting crews etc. I took Moochie with me on a few trips. Painless, no passengers, no flight attendants, a guaranteed first class seat. Mooch would sleep in my lap. Perfect, lay down and go to sleep wake up in Anchorage. One night I woke up and no Moochie in my lap. I went up front and The Mooch was sitting on the F/Os lap with his paws on the control yoke flying a 747. The only dog or at least the only Bichon Frise in the whole world to fly a 747. Moochie Stephens “Freight Dog”
Moochie died in my arms from cancer on Dec. 3, 2017. I built a casket for him and we buried him at our cabin on the Yetna River near Skwentna Alaska.
It turns out that the operation went fine. Kari was right there when I woke up a bit. I didn’t realize I was still on the ventilator and don’t even remember them taking it out about 7pm. At 130 Sun morning the nurses helped me out of bed and into a reclining chair. Kari was right there with me all night and until about 11 am Sunday when Mark and Jeremy came to relieve her. I remember my first cough, just not when it happened. I have a red heart shaped pillow with a drawing of a heart on it and a belt to snap around my chest to hold it tight. It quickly became my best buddy and was my “Wilson” like in the Tom Hanks movie Castaway. The cough pain was better than I expected about a 5. It didn’t hurt where I expected. My wired together sternum didn’t hurt at all. Whenever I would cough or try to breath deep the pain was on my lower left lung where a drain tubes were.
Thank you Lord for getting me this far and for watching over all my family and friends that are pulling for me!
God bless you all.
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Sorry this short story is turning into a novel. I guess my wind is coming back.
Chapter 6
Sunday November 3
Mark and Jeremy spent some time with me today. Most of the day was just boring hospital stuff. The nurses got me up to walk around the unit with a walker. Pretty cool, I could have used one of these a few times to make it through the lobby at the Narita Radisson where I spent a good part of 22 years.
I’m about 24 hours out of surgery when Dr. Valdes came by. He asked if I had any questions. Big mistake. Being the DIY guy that I am, I wanted to know all about it. What kind of saw do you use?…recip saw. I hope it was at least a Festool or better. He must have used a new blade because the cut is straight and very little scarring.
How far do you spread my chest open?…no more than we have to. Your chest cavity is deep and it is a long way down to your heart. About 5 inches.
How do you stop my heart?…with a potassium solution. I remember the first heart I transported at the airline. I was under the impression that there would be a whole team with a bucket of blood, monitors, and all the machinery to keep it pumping. No it was in a potassium solution in like a Tupperware container packed in a box. It rode in the cockpit behind my seat. I also remember that we carried a lot of eyes out of Madison, where the Wisconsin Eye Bank is. One night the agent brought the box up and the captain said it was always good to have a couple extra eyes in the cockpit.
What kind of fittings do you use to join the new arteries, PEX, plastic, stainless?….no fittings I sew each one together with monofilament about the size of a hair. Sewing with tweezers reaching down through a 5” gap in your chest.
And it can’t leak mr plumber. I hope they did a good pressure test on these. I have trouble just changing the fuel filter on my Duramax. I thought it was in a tight place. I was under the impression that they cut the plugged pieces of artery out and spliced in a new piece. Not so. It is called a bypass for several reasons. They take the new artery and tap into the aorta and then tie in past the blockage on the old artery. I have 4 of these so my heart must look like a still or a band aid repair that I have done to leaky boilers.
How long does it take to grow the new pipes back together after you sew them?…it is your own tissue so it starts healing immediately.
Since you do such beautiful fine stitching, do you quilt at home in your spare time?….no I get enough sewing here. I figure if the guy thinks I am a complete nut case he will release me a lot sooner.
I really liked all the nurses here except one. They were so friendly, knowledgeable, professional, helpful, and they brought me ice cream. I spoke to everyone that entered my room. From the nurses to the technicians to the food service guy to the laundry lady to the cleaning lady to the doctors. They are all important to me and I thanked each and every one of them every time I saw them. I’ll handle the nurse exception when I make it back to the hospital. She was very rude to my wife. I even picked up on it in my drugged stupor the first night. She has no place in a Critical Care Unit and should be selling shoes somewhere. Luckily my wife only had to deal with her for 1 shift. Otherwise our treatment was royal.
The nurses work 12 hour shifts. Changeover is at 8am and 8pm. Both nurses come in and the new nurse is briefed on what happened on the previous shift. The new nurse goes over the plan for the day and what is expected to happen…you are going to walk 4 times today…this tube comes out….etc. Its just like a cockpit crew change briefing out over the middle of the Pacific the I have done so many times. I was around for a lot of my father in laws heart surgery and this didn’t happen. Everything was a mystery if you could even find a nurse.
Sometime in the afternoon Jeremy went to work. Kari came back with her mom. Later Mark and Kari’s mom went to Jeremy’s for dinner.
The nurses checked my blood sugar every hour. I’m not diabetic but I guess your sugar gets out of whack. I think they gave me insulin once or twice. I spent a lot of time sitting up in the chair today, the Dr. sounded like my wife, “Get out of bed and do something.” About all I can do is sit in the chair and walk with an occasional cough. Throw in a try for the bathroom, I still have the catheter in my bladder. That about sums up my Sunday.
Thank you Lord for your healing, blessings, and another day!
I’ll be in touch
Blue skies!!!
Chapter 7
Monday Nov. 4
I missed a couple things. During surgery there were a couple minor earthquakes in the area, but I didn’t feel them. The time changed Sunday morning so I had to stay an extra hour in the hospital.
Today I have the same day shift nurses again, Sarah and Freedom. I really liked them and we joked around a lot. In the morning briefing the plan is to sit in the chair more, walk, start unhooking me from some of the machinery and removing things I don’t need. Sometime mid morning it is time to remove the catheter. This was a different sensation, but not painful. Truthfully, I’m going to miss it because now every time I have to go to the bathroom I have to call a nurse to help me out of bed. Picture this. Tape your hands crossed in front of your chest and try to get out of bed. Once I get turned and my feet on the floor I’m able to easily stand up with my nice strong calves. I wish I had done some more sitting up exercises before I got here. I guess if I had done that I may not have to be here anyway.
Next out the blood pressure catheter. Piece of cake. Sarah and Freedom are good. Next is the camera that is in my neck inside the soda straw from California. Sarah says is about 18 inches long, I’m thinking no way maybe a couple inches. Anyway they wouldn’t let a couple nurses pull something out of your heart, would they? So here goes inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, and sure enough 18 inches of wire right out of my neck. Didn’t feel a thing.
Mark was here and he took pictures. We wanted to get the camera and monitor that was in my heart out of the trash to experiment with but were afraid they would go crazy about it being a biohazard. Mark is heading for the airbase to get a personal tour of a C-130 from Jeremy then he is heading back to Chicago to go to work tomorrow morning. I really appreciated having him up here with me.
Now all I have left is an IV, 3 drain tubes, 2 wires to my heart for an external pacemaker, and all of my ekg leads. The nurses said the drain tubes are next as soon as they run clear.
When you are 67 years old in CCU you can say about anything you want without someone hurting you. Freedom jokingly threatened to sucker punch me once. Sarah was cool, she hunts, works on her own car, has been a transport nurse flying all over the world. She isn’t bad looking either. So I asked her are you single, married, looking or…she immediately wants to know if I know someone. I just happen to, a real good guy about her age, hunts, fishes, has a 2 on 2 off schedule. She wants pictures. OK just happen to have some with a moose he shot this fall. We’ll see where this goes.
Dr. Valdes stops in and wants to know if I want to get rid of the drain tubes. I ask,”Right now?” He says do you want to keep them. I’m thinking this is a big deal but they are going to do it right here, shouldn’t I be on a table. No I don’t want to keep them. He cleans the area. There are 3 about 3/8” diameter clear connected with a tee. I hadn’t been able to see the setup because of the bandage. Same drill, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, and he pulls the tee, all three came out at the same time. I didn’t hear anything but it felt like when you put your finger inside your jaw and make it pop. Piece of cake. Immediately I can breathe deeper without the pain of the tubes and I can cough without it hurting. My pain has never been more than a 5 since I got here. Coughing and deep breathing was a 3 or 4. Now it is 0 or 1. Now I’m mobile with my wireless telemetry. Time to move out across the hall to the cardiac care unit.
The room is smaller and has just a regular chair with arms but doesn’t recline. My nurse is a guy named Paul. He like the other nurses, is really good. Time to get out of bed, sit in the chair, and get to walking. It’s the fastest way out of here. Kari and her mom were here for the move and stayed for quite a while. This room doesn’t have a good view of Merrill Field like the last one.
I’m sleeping off and on but not a lot. I’m not eating a lot. The food taste funny due to the meds. Fruit is almost salty instead of sweet. Strange for a guy on a low salt diet. I’m not taking much pain medicine, usually just a Tylenol at night. I feel pretty good. The nurses still help me out of bed and walk with me. Every time I go to the bathroom I try to do a complete cycle, sit in the chair, walk, sit in the chair again, then back in bed for a nap, then start the cycle all over again.
Kari and her mom are going back home for some rest and I enjoy the quiet time.
Thank you Lord for taking care of me!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Don
I’m afraid I’m boring everyone now so I will try to fast forward. This post covers 3 days.
Chapter 8
Tuesday Nov. 5
Paul is back for the day shift. I asked what he did for fun. Turns out he has a 36 foot sailboat at Seward that he is working on. He has 8 days off and is heading down there tomorrow. Being the salesman I am I try to sell him a couple solar panels. He said he was thinking about it. If he needs some I’ll probably just give them to him as a tip. Anyway I can just charge any Trump hater customers that I have double to make up the difference. I could even send some of their money to the Trump 2020 reelection campaign just to piss them off.
I have one customer from Chickaloon that I mentioned earlier. Never met him before I sold him 6 panels. He came back for a couple more. Found out I was in the hospital. He has been checking on me every day. I really appreciate it, makes me feel good.
Back to the story. I had a pretty good night same routine, nap, sit, bathroom, walk, sit, nap. Breakfast isn’t so good, poached egg whites, turkey sausage, fruit, caffeinated ice tea, yes caffeinated I can’t believe it. I eat the fruit that’s about all, still doesn’t taste right.
I get a chest x-ray and an ekg. About 11am Paul and the charge nurse came in to pull the blue straw out of the jugular vein in my neck. Same drill, breathe in, breathe out. They put a tourniquet tight around my neck to stop the bleeding and I subsequently passed out. No just kidding, they held some pressure for a few minutes and then put a small bandage on it. No pain, piece of cake. They unhooked the external pacemaker and left it in the room just in case. Now all I have left are the pacemaker wires that touch my heart and an IV. I also have oxygen that goes in my nose from two little tubes. My blood oxygen levels have been running low, so we are working on that. I have a little machine that I call a suckometer. I’m supposed to suck on it 5 times per hour and then cough to clear my lungs. I haven’t been doing it often enough.
They day continues cycle after cycle. Kari and her mother come by. Three of my grand kids come by to visit. Soon it is shift change and the this day is almost over.
Wed Nov. 6
I’m getting stronger. In the same cycle. I’ve been walking a lot. New day nurse Rocio from Peru. We talk about Peruvian food and she says she doesn’t cook, I guess we can’t be friends. She is an instructor and has a UAA nursing student with her. Breakfast is the same. They are turning my oxygen down, trying to wean me off. I notice when I talk sometimes I run out of breath. Need more suckometer time.
Kari and her mom arrive about 11. Marty from Jeremy’s guard unit stopped by at lunch for an enjoyable visit. Jack and Emily Jones came by about 6. I’m not too good about visiting people in the hospital, but from now on I’m going to make a point of it. I have had quite a few phone calls from friends and family. My Uncle Bruce that’s 95 called. He just had a hernia repaired and is back home doing fine.
It’s been another good day. I’m getting stronger.
Thur Nov. 7
It’s Mark’s Birthday. 11/7/77 no wonder he is lucky. I text him and will talk to him later. Same cycle, same hospital events. Same breakfast, but I found out I can get a fruit plate with cottage cheese instead. Much better.
There is a rumor that I may go home tomorrow.
Thank you Lord for getting me this far in life!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Chapter 9
Friday Nov. 8
I have the same day shift nurse as yesterday, India. I really like her. Rumor has it that today is go home day. I’m a little bit sad but still ready to get back to my own surroundings. I need a chest x-ray and another EKG for my extended warranty. If I don’t buy it here at the hospital, some guy with a Homer phone number is going to call every other day to try and sell me a policy. If the EKG is ok I’m out of here this afternoon. My blood oxygen is better so I’m off the bottle. Walking a lot now. I can almost get out of bed by myself. The chair and getting into bed are no problem. I get weighed, lost 11 pounds in here this week. Maybe I should stay.
I was reading on the internet that the increased blood flow should improve my memory and mental capacity. I still forget things but I have been solving some integral calculus problems in my head.
Time for a walk. It is 300 feet for a lap. I counted the tiles. I say hello to everyone in the rooms and in the hallway and usually get some sort of encouragement. The room next to me has a sign No Contact. The first days I was in this unit I thought they may have something communicable in there, but they would have that in this unit. Turns out the patient is a prisoner with a guard 24/7. That would be some terrible duty for the guard. Each day would be 80 hours long. Kari said while I was in CCU there was a prisoner in shackles walking with an armed guard in a bulletproof vest. I must be in a bad neighborhood.
That brings me to a point. Nobody in the US goes without medical care unless they are unable to get to a facility. That usually isn’t a problem. All you have to do is call 911, they pick you up and take you to an ER. If I was really sick with no money and needed a major operation, I’d commit a crime just bad enough to go to jail. Like break the window out of the Wasilla Post Office. Into the Federal Pen and free medical care.
For the 1/1024th of you wanting Medicare for all, be careful what you wish for. There aren’t enough doctors and health facilities to handle it. When I retired my Doctor kicked me out because they don’t accept Medicare. Now I can only see a PA or nurse practitioner most places here in Alaska. Medicare for all will further dilute the amount of healthcare you will receive. What we need are more Doctors. It’s supply and demand. Bring some up from Peru, like Rocio was telling me. There are lots of Doctors in Peru that are driving taxi cabs. This is the immigration we need, people that want to be productive citizens and reach their dreams. We have 10s of thousands of unfilled jobs and we need help. We also need the wall so that we can sort the fly shit out of the pepper. There are lots of other healthcare problems to solve, like malpractice insurance and high drug prices being forefront. Huge part of the overall bill. Another way of looking at it profits fund research for solutions. Who would figure all this out if there were no money in it?
Kari and her mom arrived with the chocolates that I ordered for the nurses.
Dr. Valdes came in this afternoon and said he didn’t like my EKG. It had an extra squiggle that shouldn’t be there. He said I could go home and should be alright, but that wasn’t good enough for him. He said we would try another one in the morning. Most of my life I have been paid a lot of money to error on the side of safety, so another day or two is fine with me. So I vote with the Dr. What’s another $50k in a bankruptcy of this size anyway?
Back to the cycle. Just like Bill Murray in the movie Ground Hog Day. I haven’t been taking any pain medicine several days. The 0-10 pain scale is very subjective. I don’t think mine was ever over a 5 and then only for the first few coughs. India was telling me about patients that report a 9.5 while texting or talking on their phone. I guess some people have about a 6 with a hangnail. My Uncle Bruce says the Stephens are tough. I have reached 0 which is my ultimate goal for most things I do. Just so I don’t disappoint. India is taking good care of me and soon it is 8pm and time for the shift change. She will be back in the morning.
Saturday Nov. 9
I had a good night. I already have some laps in. I ditched the walker after a couple warmup laps. Fruit for breakfast. Time for the EKG, a very nice technician that wanted to talk about my dogs and heavy airplanes. We visited quite a while. She said she hoped she would run into me in the grocery store sometime. I go for another walk, 18 laps total for the day 1 mile.
Dr. Valdes came by. My EKG is good. Now we need to get the two pacemaker wires out of my chest. You know the drill breath and out the first one comes about 22 gauge insulated wire. Didn’t feel much. Second one gave me a tickling tingling sensation in my chest. Must have still been hooked to my heart. India removed my IV, the Dr is working on the written discharge instructions. He warns me no pulling or lifting with my hands, the left side of my chest where they harvested one artery may tingle to the point that I can’t let a shirt touch it, and my heart could run away. Just little things to try to scare me. Kari arrives to pick me up and India goes over the discharge instructions with us. I only have to take a baby aspirin and half a blood pressure pill every day at home. She tells me how to shower, just go easy on the incisions and don’t scrub the scab off. I haven’t had a bandage on any of my wounds for days, so they are healing and drying up nicely. Then she says that sex is a big part of the recovery. I’m up jumping on the bed “Yea baby.” They are screaming at me to get down and Kari wants to know how much I paid her to say that. Chocolates work wonders. India suggested pulling over on the side of the road on the way home, I guess just in case I need to go to the bathroom.
It’s time to go. Kari goes to get the car. India wheels me by CCU so I can say bye to Sarah and the other nurses. Straight out the front door of the ER where I walked in last Saturday. I have to ride in the back seat because of the airbags. It is fairly easy for me to get in with no hands. Kari and India are helping a bit. I feel better with Wilson strapped around me. India gives me a hug and a teary eyed goodbye.
Pretty cool riding down the highway again, seven and a half days in the big house. I’m feeling good so we swing by Fred Meyer in Palmer to pick up my meds. I wait in the car while Kari goes in to pick up a few other things. Back home it is easy to get out of the car. I want to take a walk down the driveway and back and then out onto the airplane ramp. When I get into the house the boys are glad to see me. Kari kept them on a leash and let them welcome me home one at a time. They can tell I’m not right so they stay pretty calm.
I’ve had a very full day. Have overdone it a bit. The doctor cautioned me about this. Just a little more each day. I’m having trouble getting comfortable and take a pain pill to help me sleep. I get some rest. Tomorrow will be an even better day.
Thank you Lord for watching over me, my family and friends!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
Chapter 10
I’m writing the final chapter today Nov 22, 20 days after surgery. Now I need to find another activity to fill my early mornings. It is time to put this adventure to bed and start thinking of the next one.
Sunday Nov. 10
I’m disappointed the left wingers don’t comment at all. After all I put all the digs in just for them. I know a couple of my high school classmates unfriended me because I’m a stupid Trump supporter. And just when I was going to challenge them to a knowledge test in any metric. If we can’t get term limits for congress we should abolish the term limits for president. Trump 2024.
Back to the story
It was a long night, actually a short night. I didn’t sleep very long. I had a series of naps, just couldn’t get comfortable. I woke up very early and am unable to get out of bed on my own so Kari has to wake up and help me. Spent some time in the recliner and am unable to get out of it under my own power. The boys are being good. I can walk right out of the house into the hangar, it’s heated just like another room in the house Kari and Ben have made a clear path around the perimeter so I can get some exercise. 140 feet for a lap. I did about 20 laps. I pass the time sitting, walking, napping, and working on a 1000 piece puzzle that my mother and sister sent me. Tonight is about the same as last night. I just can’t get comfortable trying to sleep on my back.
Monday Nov. 11
The routine is about the same as yesterday. Oatmeal for breakfast to work on lowering my cholesterol. Kari is on the phone making all the follow up doctor appointments and setting up my cardiac rehab. It’s groundhog day again. Mark and my family from down south text or call about everyday to see how I’m doing. Dr. Valdes says I can sleep on my back or either side now. What a difference, two long periods of sleep tonight.
Fast forward. I’m walking, feeling better, no pain meds, soon its Saturday again and I’ve been home a week. I went for an outing to Fred Meyer one day and pushed the grocery cart around. It is warm out and we don’t have any snow yet, so I don’t have to worry about slipping. At some point I figured out how to get out of bed and the recliner on my own. Still no hands allowed to pull myself up. The doctor says it will take from 6 to 12 weeks for my sternum to completely fuse back together.
Monday Nov. 18
Ben came by and sorted some solar panels for me. I have a couple customers coming by to pick some up. I’m just about sold out so it is time to plan another Alcan trip. Any adventure seekers out there?
I feel pretty good. I’m pretty bored, not being able to do too much without lifting or pulling. I don’t watch TV and I refuse to watch much of the Schiff clown show on the internet. I do have a lot of time to work on my Fusion 360 drawing skills so that I can get my 3d printers and laser cutter going again. I want to build a couple CNC routers and mills but that requires too much lifting right now. I also have time to finish up this adventure post.
It snowed about 8 inches so I’m confined to indoors for a few days.
Tuesday our neighbors came by again, the women went to lunch. Scott brought soup and homemade bread. It was really good but I think the peace and quiet was better.
Fast forward.
Friday Nov. 22
Snow has melted 42 degrees here last night. I can go outside for a walk on the taxiways today and get some fresh air.
The new plan is to walk or ride my bike everyday. I plan to eat better but not exactly right. Less bacon, more avocados, more salad, less salt but not salt substitute. That stuff is awful. I know a person that ate basically boiled fish and birdseed after his heart surgery. Miserable diet, not happening here. We are planning an outing to Costco tomorrow, I’m already tasting the acai fruit bowl. I may substitute frozen yogurt for the acai. The fruit makes it healthy.
There are a lot of “I”s in this adventure, but it isn’t about me it is about you. I was lucky and caught the problem in time. I’m asking you that if you have any chest pain, any burning, if you are tired a lot, if you are slowing down for no reason, go right now and have it checked out. Don’t just let the doctor listen to your heart, get a stress test. The earlier you catch the problem the easier it is to fix.
Like Peter Faulk said in Columbo…..just one more thing.
I know many of you have been praying for me and I really appreciate it. Prayer works wonders. My good friend and neighbor on the river Al Gaszak is battling cancer. He has been with me on lots of wild adventures, on the Alcan many times, hauling material and supplies up the frozen rivers, and building a cabin in the wilderness to name a few. He is the toughest guy I’ve ever known. Please have everyone you know say a prayer for him. As Jim Long says somebody surely has some pull with the Big Guy. I know with God’s help Al can beat it and we can have some more time together to continue our adventures.
I would like to thank all of you for hanging in there with me for this long adventure. I would also like to thank my loving wife Kari for the support, encouragement, and great care through this adventure. Now let’s get to the discharge orders from India.
Friends and family, I wish you the best of health. Take care of yourself.
Thank you Lord for the many blessings you have given me, my family, and my friends!
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!
Don
The View from the Outhouse 