A New Beginning

I would like to warn you now...this will be long. If you make it to the end, thanks :)

Thanksgiving is always a great day to reflect on the past year and all the blessings you have received. I must admit, even after losing my sister in 2004 early on Thanksgiving morning, I still love the holiday! But, it seems like it is a little cursed for me at this point!

This year has been tough on my husband and me. We have been very busy and seemed like we never saw each other or spent any time together. There have been lots of arguments - even fights. But, through it all, we never gave up because at the end of the day, we are truly in love with each other.

Charlie hasn't been feeling well for a long time now, but no doctor could, or would, figure out exactly what was going on. We know he has diabetes - he figured that out on his own while teaching his class how to check blood sugar levels. Still something has not been right. He has been short of breath, tiring easily, and other symptoms that indicated a problem with his heart. But, after multiple trips to the hospital, blood work, EKG's, and stress tests, there was nothing showing up that could be wrong.

Thanksgiving Day was one of those "pick" days for us. Charlie wasn't feeling well again and I kept insisting he go to the doctor; he, of course, would not go. So, every time we were alone, I said something about it again. By the end of the night, it had turned into a full blown fight...about absolutely nothing!

Fast forward about an hour - I was quite certain my husband was having a heart attack in our living room. But, because of his stubborn nature, he was not going to the doctor nor was I calling 911...he assured me he would not go to the hospital if I did call! So, I gave up...I told him fine and I sat down on the couch and started knitting. A few minutes later, he decided he maybe should see what was going on.

So, I took him to South station in Dandridge so the medics on the truck could do an EKG - that was the closest we were getting to help at the time! After the EKG showing now difference, the medics (who were on my side, thank goodness) talked him into going on to the hospital; I did find out later the only reason he went was so I wouldn't worry - whatever got him there is fine!

Fast forward again - or this will be a book! Friday afternoon the cardiologist decided, in light of past results, to not do any tests that had already been done. He wanted to skip them all and do the heart cath - I was scared and relieved at the same time, as was Charlie. We wanted to know what was going on! Well, we sure did find out; the results of the heart cath showed 4 blockages in his heart - one 100% and three 70%. The next thing we know, he is on the way to UT Knoxville for bypass surgery.

I cannot even begin to explain to you what happened to me when I found out this was happening - my mental train wrecked and I stayed that way until yesterday...seriously!

So, we get to UTK and are informed the surgery will probably not be until Monday...what, really?!?!?!? This meant we would sit in the hospital all weekend to worry about what was to come. Thank God a doctor was sent to us who had no plans of that happening; the surgery would be Saturday morning at 8:00 am.

I didn't sleep at all that night - mostly I just cried. I know there were people all over praying and that God was in the midst of it all, but all I could think about was "what if something happens to him?". I am just not sure I can do this thing called life alone!

God came through, as He always does :) Charlie's surgery went well and his recovery is also. We were able to come home on Wednesday following the surgery. The doctor is very pleased with his progress so far; he is doing quite well considering the caliber of surgery he went through. Now we just pray the recovery continues to progress as it should and that he can stay on track with the plans.

We are celebrating our 6th anniversary today, and it just seems so much sweeter now. Through everything this year, and now this huge health scare, we know that together we will make it through anything. This is a brand new beginning for us and we are ready!