This blog was started to keep track of my DH’s experiences with triple bypass.

I can’t find a lot of info on the web about what we should be eating (or not eating) since the diet is supposed to be low-sodium, low-fat/cholesterol and low-sugar.  What is truly left?

So, this blog will be a record for us of what’s working, what’s not and helpful recipes, tips, videos and so on that I find along the way.

January 27, 2013 was our 40th anniversary.  DH called me and said he was leaving a conference in Washington, DC and we’d go out to brunch when he got home.

The next thing I had heard was that he was in the ER with a suspected heart attack.  I rushed to the ER and found him in his cubicle.  He’d had 3 nitroglycerine pills by then and figured he could go home.

Wrong!  They had him stay overnight at the hospital.  January 28th, they decided to send him by ambulance to Fairfax Hospital for a cardiac catheterization and possible stent.

At the end of that, the surgeon came into my waiting room and said that he needed triple bypass NOW.  Three of the arteries were 100% blocked.  They got me calmed down to see him in the OR.

He was trying to get odds of not doing this surgery and just leaving then.  Finally, I said that he would do this surgery, we weren’t going to fool with this.

I really lost it when they asked me if we had any children and I said 1 son in NYC.  They called him at work in New York and had him get there as soon as possible.  I’m sure he could her the fear in my voice.

They wheeled DH off for surgery and I waited again.  Luckily, 2 church friends came and sat with me and our pastor arrived about 8:00PM.  DS arrived about 8:30PM after taking the Acela and a taxi directly to the hospital.

The surgery was over about 9:00PM but when we saw Tom, he was still under anasthesia.  They kept him that way until the next morning since he was too confused when they woke him up.

Long story short (too late!) – he got out of the hospital on the 31st and I have been playing nurse 24/7.  Today was the first time he went out – for an X-ray and to see the surgeon.  He can’t drive/go anywhere for 6 weeks, and then there will be 12 weeks of cardiac rehab.  Maybe, when that time comes, he can drive himself.

In the meantime, I’m not going anywhere except to CVS for meds.. and I still need that anniversary brunch!