I'm not sure how to write this. I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee wondering about life.....
My Dad and I were scheduled to do a motorcycle ride last week. We were headed down to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania to visit the Piper Aircraft Museum and then up to Downsville, New York to stop at an Electric Fun Fly. If time and weather were good, we were going to head up to Cooperstown and tour the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
When we woke up on Friday morning, the weather forecast was bad due to the remnants of Hurricane Gustav. In retrospect, that forecast was a blessing. So, we headed north toward home. Seventy miles into the ride my Dad suffered a mycocardial infarction. The problem was, he didn't know it. He got sick on the side of the road, complained of chest pain and kept riding. He had no other classic heart attack symptoms. He has suffered from achalasia for years and he thought his esophageal sphincter was causing the problem again. When the symptoms didn't pass some time laster, Mom and I took him to the hospital and they immediately put him in an ambulance to the nearest heart hospital. I am sick to my stomach that I didn't catch it and gave him the thumbs up to continue on the ride, and will always be haunted that I was faked out by achalasia.
Dad was in surgery from 10AM until 3:30PM on Tuesday September 16th. He came through it fine and is stable in the Cardiac ICU. There were three bypasses done. There is substantial damage to the left ventricle, but they are hopeful that the heart will heal. The pump has been left in place for now but should be out tomorrow. The ventilator should be removed tonight. When my Mom and I left the hospital tonight he was awake (sort of) and his neurological tests were great. He is expected to be discharged on Monday.
My hopes and prayers are with him. He is the reason I am a rider today. His calm and level-headed approach to being a Father was evenly matched with his honesty and intelligence. I am a good person in large part because of him. His family is ready to help him recover. He has done so much for everyone around him for all of his life, and now it's time to give back. And we will do so with delight and pride and gratitude.
