December 1 - Day 1

Finally, I'm going to start getting some of my money back from the medical insurance company. I've been paying through the nose to them for years in case I, or any full-time employee, have a big health problem. So in a few hours, they'll begin paying me and the Rogue Valley Medical Center as I undergo double (possibly triple) bypass heart surgery. It's a great day for Backwoods Home Magazine, because it means they'll make my heart strong enough to continue publishing the magazine for another fifteen years.

I'll try and keep everyone updated. I'll be a day or two in the Cardiac Care Unit after surgery, then I'll write some notes on my progress. I tried to joke with the surgeon, Dr. George Wilkinson, prior to surgery.

"You're going to use a cleaver to separate my ribs?" I asked. It went right over his head.

"No, we use an electric saw," he said, seriously. Then he explained the procedure. [Click Here for Coronary Bypass Information]

It's a big deal and no big deal at the same time.

Yesterday, while undergoing the many preoperative tests at the hospital, my wife and I joked about possible hospital mistakes during surgery...cut off a leg, do a face-lift, turn me into a eunuch. As it turns out, another David Duffy is in the hospital computer system, but my wife Ilene made sure they knew they were operating on the one and only Big Cheese at BHM -- there's only one David J. Duffy.

Please don't send flowers...but a good bottle of merlot will always be accepted.

--Dave

Day 1 - Addendum

It's about 11:30 pm and I just left the hospital for the night. I'm sitting alone in an all-night diner trying to unwind after the day's events. I am happy to report that Dave's doing great! In typical Dave Duffy fashion, he's already a few hours ahead of "normal" progress after heart surgery according to night nurse, Mark, who Dave informed me is a New Yorker. Seems as though East Coast guys speak the same language.

We started our day with a grand lesson in perspective. With us, in the waiting room, was a youngster in a wheelchair....no hair, very slender, but speaking with an animated voice with the nurse. Quite obviously a very ill child. They wheeled him in to the pre-op area before we went through. Dave and I both realized that what Dave was about to face, although incredibly stressful, was nothing compared to what that family has gone through.

Dave had his usual good natured, joking, positive attitude throughout the pre-op stages. Kind, calm nurses helped us through these three hours. After getting weighed, he joked, "And in this corner, weighing in at 171.9 pounds in the off-white pastel-checked hospital gown, is Dave Duffy."

Before long, it was time to wheel him off to surgery. I kissed him, wished him good luck, said "see you later" rather than "good-bye"....."love you honey," he said...."love you too" was my reply.....he got wheeled off in one direction and the volunteer pink-jacketed lady showed me where the waiting room was.

If it were up to me, those pink-jacketed women, known affectionately as the "pink ladies," get a front row seat in heaven. There were lots of nervous spouses, family members, and friends in the waiting area. The pink ladies kept us informed of the progress during surgery.

One of the main milestones I was relieved to hear passed was when they told me Dave was off the heart and lung machine and that his heart was beating on its own again. Soon, I was told to go to a conference room to wait for the surgeon, Dr. Wilkinson, to give me his report. All went well. He informed me that they needed to do the third by-pass on one of the lower arteries. The doctor used a vein from Dave's left leg to do that repair. The top left arteries coming down the front of Dave's heart were repaired with one mammary artery.

It wasn't too long before they let me go back to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) to peek in on him. Still heavily sedated with the intubation tube going down his throat and another tube coming off his neck...and a variety of other tubes here and there....let's just say it's tough to see your husband in that state....but at the same time I thought he looked wonderful!!! Pink cheeked and warm. I blew him kisses and went back to wait some more.

Later that evening, I phoned the hospital and was told by night nurse, Mark, that the intubation tube had been removed and that he was asking to see me. Yipee! I made a beeline straight back to see my sleepy guy. Gave him a few gentle smooches and a couple pieces of ice chips. He looked great!

Mark did some tests using the high-tech monitor to the left of Dave's bed. He explained that the top two lines showed how his heart was beating from two different perspectives, the next line showed his respirations, and the next showed the oxygen levels. Dave was alert enough to ask a few questions himself. Always the gadget guy.

So, the first day went great. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I'll keep our Backwoods Home family posted until Dave is able to himself.

--Ilene Duffy
Wife of the Big Cheese

Day 4

I'm glad to report that Dave is prgressing very well. He's due to be released on Tuesday. This morning his doctor told him that he would consider sending him home on Monday, except for the fact that we live three hours away from the hospital in Medford, Oregon. So it looks as though I'll get my fabulous guy home on Tuesday.

Dave was delighted to have various invasive gadgets removed from his body....no more IVs, no pacemaker (that I didn't even know he had), no more tubes draining fluid, no EKG monitors, nor any need for an oxygen tube. Those disconnects of medical equipment have allowed him to move much more freely. He walked several times today down the hall of his new wing in the cardiac recuperation ward where he was moved on Saturday. He told me he had quite a rough night, but hopefully tonight will be better. I helped him take his first shower, so I'm hoping that will make him feel like a million bucks so he can get some much needed rest.

My sister, who has been taking care of our boys, brought them here this weekend for a visit with Dave. He was worried they'd be upset to see him all stitched up with scars and bruises. I filled them in before their visit concerning their dad's surgery so they wouldn't be shocked to see him. Youngest son, Sammy, turned a bit white after my explanations, but they all seemed just fine to visit with their dad, scars and all. Even with scars, stitches, and bruises, he's still their dear ol' dad. I'm sure it was good for Dave to see them, even if it was just a few brief visits so he wouldn't get too tired out from too much commotion.

I hope to send the next update on Tuesday from our house. It'll be nice to get my fabulous guy home where he can get more rest. I'm betting it won't be long before he can send his updates on his progress himself. This hasn't been a cake walk even for my strong-willed guy, so we'll give him all the time he needs before doing anything but getting well.

--Ilene Duffy