Sunday, August 29, 2010

Mark in the ICU after open heart surgery.

Mark in the ICU after open heart surgery.

The past few days have been very trying for our family, but certainly the most trying on my brother Mark. Imagine waking up one day, going to the doctor for what you think is a pulled muscle, and being told you're having a heart attack and need to go to the hospital immediately.

Life changes very fast sometimes, fast enough to (literally, if you're me in my car accident in June) give you whiplash, but it's a certain kind of strangeness to have it change while you're totally aware of it.

Mark has my admiration and respect. His strength (and his sense of humor!) during a time like this is something I hope I remember for the rest of my life.

Fortunately, he is no longer in the CVICU and now he is on the regular floor with the other cardio patients. We're hoping he will get to go home on Monday or Tuesday. That's when the hard, lifelong work of recovery begins.

Thank you all for your well wishes.