EXTRA post....

 ..so... my brother finally came out on Facebook, and told the story of his heart attack, so I can now tell the story here.

He wasn't feeling well, at all, on a Monday (15th of July), and drove himself to the emergency department at the local hospital.

Ultimately, it was determined that he was having a heart attack, and the tests showed that one artery was completely blocked, and another was about 90% blocked.

All of his boasting of being in great health for a 71 year old, life-long smoker was proven wrong!

He was hooked up to monitors and i.v. pumps, and they did a balloon angioplasty to keep his heart going.  

His son, and my sister and brother in law, were by his side.

He stayed in ICU for several days, pending his TRIPLE BYPASS, and AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT surgery!  They did the surgery on Friday, the 19th.

Several more very difficult days in ICU, and then he was moved to cardiac step down, and eventually released home (after proving that he could walk a few steps), on the 27th, nearly two full weeks after he drove himself to the hospital.

His son stayed with him for the first week he was home, because he could NOT be left alone, and apparently they no longer send bypass patients to nursing care before they can go home.

Now, this week, he is on his own, and doing okay.  I've talked to him a couple of times, and he sounded much better the second time.

His recovery is going slowly, but well...and it's not, in any way, going to be easy.  

It will take time, and patience. Lots of patience.

He is still in a lot of pain (I mean...think about what is required to do cardiac bypass surgery), and gets very tired, very easily.

BUT, his prognosis is good, and he is determined to work hard to change his life, including quitting smoking, and hopefully changing his diet.  Because he suddenly knows that people love him.

Like that was a mystery or something.

Friends and family are coming by and helping out with meal prep, chores, and keeping him company.

Any and all prayers and good wishes sent his way will be appreciated.