Miracles do happen and finally, I THINK, I am back and able to chat with everyone.
First, for those who have not heard, I had open heart surgery on June 30, 2020. (Triple bypass and aortic valve replacement). Rehab is over and I think I am doing ever so well. The Lord is so gracious, along with an incredible surgeon (Dr. Saint). Can you believe that a heart doctor would be called Saint? She was indeed a saint, and I am forever grateful for her skills, the Lord’s oversight, her support staff, as well as the many, many folks at Memorial Hospital who hovered over me for ten days.
During that time, I began to take an abundance of tiny notes about my thoughts: stages of recovery, care received, and my relationship with the Lord during those long days and nights. If I get the courage, my goal is to write a short book suitable for folk either anticipating heart surgery or planning on caring or communicating with a future heart candidate. In all my 85 years I had never had quite the same thoughts, worries, cares, tears, and bits of pain.
I believe there is a place for a combination of my thoughts mixed with actual actions a heart patient might want to remember and/or know prior to undergoing the knife. There would also be hints for primary caregivers. Incidentally, I had an incredible person who watched over me, got up in the middle of the night to feed me pain pills, and tolerated my occasional depressed mood.
Perhaps some of you might like to give me feedback on the pros and cons of writing a little manual. What would be an eye-catching title? (Ransom Notes works well for my essays, but not for this potential piece.) “Open Heart Help Book”, “Restored Heart”, “Heart Repair” . . . . Send ideas.
What topics could be helpful? What questions would a novice for heart surgery truly desire? Pretend you were given about a week to mentally prepare for this life saving operation, “What would help you prepare?”
Aren’t you glad I truly had a “Restored Heart?”
I am anxious to hear from all and will do my best to be more responsive in the upcoming weeks. Thanks to Westbow staff for helping me get back on Web site after five months
Kathryn Ransom 