We laughed ourselves to sleep last night. It started as giggles, trying to remember the names of the people on the "Shark Tank" TV show. I suggested that the third guy from the left was Gil McDougall and it escalated into uncontrollable laughter.
This was an unexplainable, "had-to-be-there," 15 minutes of our lives. It came out of nowhere and impacted us beyond expectations. It was pure joy, fun, and togetherness.
This morning it was shared tears over coffee. Triggered by a moving online video of Ricochet the "Surfvice-Dog" riding the waves at San Diego beaches, riding a surfboard with autistic and brain damaged kids.
The smiles and the connection between the kids and Ricochet moved us beyond our little universe. We were riveted to the computer screen, each with tears rolling down our cheeks.
Moments that come "out-of-the-blue" make life richer. No matter what your routine, even if yours is of the impulsive nature, things happen that shape today and tomorrow. Recently, I had one of those moments. My Cardiologist explained to me that my echocardiogram revealed that I have a faulty bicuspid aortic valve which will require open chest surgery.
I am a healthy 61 year-old. I have eaten well for 40 years and exercise almost daily. It is an understatement to say this is a big surprise. We are taking it in stride, anticipating a full recovery, but in the weeks leading up to the moment they put me under, all kinds of thoughts and feelings have entered and will continue to pour into my life.
I will wake up on the afternoon of June 5, 2013 with a sutured "zipper" incision, cracked ribs, a cow's aortic valve, and 6" of artificial aorta. I will be heavily sedated for a few days and the thing I am dreading the most is being constipated from the narcotics.
I plan to write about this experience in a daily journal on this page starting today. At first, I will catch you up on the thoughts, truths, and my anticipatory feelings, my family and friends reactions and everyone's words of support. I also am making plans for my 8 weeks of convalescence on Farel Street in Oceanside.
This was an unexplainable, "had-to-be-there," 15 minutes of our lives. It came out of nowhere and impacted us beyond expectations. It was pure joy, fun, and togetherness.
This morning it was shared tears over coffee. Triggered by a moving online video of Ricochet the "Surfvice-Dog" riding the waves at San Diego beaches, riding a surfboard with autistic and brain damaged kids. The smiles and the connection between the kids and Ricochet moved us beyond our little universe. We were riveted to the computer screen, each with tears rolling down our cheeks.
Moments that come "out-of-the-blue" make life richer. No matter what your routine, even if yours is of the impulsive nature, things happen that shape today and tomorrow. Recently, I had one of those moments. My Cardiologist explained to me that my echocardiogram revealed that I have a faulty bicuspid aortic valve which will require open chest surgery.
I am a healthy 61 year-old. I have eaten well for 40 years and exercise almost daily. It is an understatement to say this is a big surprise. We are taking it in stride, anticipating a full recovery, but in the weeks leading up to the moment they put me under, all kinds of thoughts and feelings have entered and will continue to pour into my life.
I will wake up on the afternoon of June 5, 2013 with a sutured "zipper" incision, cracked ribs, a cow's aortic valve, and 6" of artificial aorta. I will be heavily sedated for a few days and the thing I am dreading the most is being constipated from the narcotics.
I plan to write about this experience in a daily journal on this page starting today. At first, I will catch you up on the thoughts, truths, and my anticipatory feelings, my family and friends reactions and everyone's words of support. I also am making plans for my 8 weeks of convalescence on Farel Street in Oceanside.
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