Busy, Busy...

So Monday morning, I took Rob's grandpa (herein referred to as grandpa), to the hospital for some tests on his heart. Now grandpa has had a rough time of it lately. Grandma died at the end of july, and of course he had been with her for over 60 years.

Anyway, I took him, because to be honest, I didn't want him to be alone. Call me a sucker, or what have you, but I just didn't feel right about dropping him at the hospital and going back home. I had no real plans for the day, so what did it really matter if I tagged along with him? He is for all intents and purposes my grandpa. I love him, and he has always been so sweet to me, how could I just plop him at the curb and say see ya?

He was very happy that I came and got him, and even more happy that I stayed.

It made me feel good.

He held my hand in the waiting area, kissed it and thanked me for coming with him, I could have cried right then. He referred to me as his granddaughter, which makes me so happy. I feel like I have a grandparent again.

The one thing I have learned, and this is from when my grandma died, is to not put off visiting because you just never know when you will be able to see them again. I wanted to be there, so I could at least tell him that I will wait and I love you, and let him know he is loved.

We (Rob and I) haven't been the best grandchildren, we didn't visit as much as we should have, and there is literally no reason for that. I want to make up for that.

So, anyway, after they got him set up, I went back and sat with him, and we waited for the doctor to get there.

His son Tom (Rob's uncle) was supposed to be there at 7:30. He didn't stroll in until 8:30, which I find somewhat odd, because this is the only parent he has left, and he promised grandpa he would be there.

I suppose he showed up, and it was all good.

Rob's mom couldn't be there that early because she had to work.

The whole time we waited for the doctor, he held my hand, so tightly. My hand fell asleep, but again, I didn't care, because you know what, I got to be there, and hold his hand.

And that was so very awesome. It really makes me beyond happy that he considers me his family, not in law, but family.

They went in, and found he had many, many blockages. So they told him that he had to bypass surgery. Triple bypass. They scheduled it for the very next day, so Monday was the checking, and Tuesday the bypass. They don't leave you very long to chance things, thankfully.

So yesterday, I went to the hospital again, to sit with Rob's mom.

I figure, if I were ever in the situation she is in, I would want someone I know to be with me. And I was worried about grandpa.

They started surgery around 7:30. And it didn't finish until 12 ish, closer to 1 in the afternoon. I didn't get tot he hospital until 10. So I stayed with Rob's mom. She let me go back to the surgeon consult room with her, to talk to the heart surgeon.

Turns out he had a quadruple bypass. The surgeon was pleased with how he did during the surgery. He came off the heart and lung machine just peachy!

So we waited in the new cardiac icu waiting area, to get to see grandpa. Apparently they strive to keep the thermometer at -46*. Because we all froze. And I mean froze, my nose was cold, my feet were cold, and damn it because I am an idiot I was wearing short sleeves, so I was cold there too.

We finally got to see grandpa at 4:30. He was still intubated, and on a breathing machine. And knocked out. They had just given him morphine. So we chatted with the nurse, got the info, and then Rob's mom decided it was time for her to go home, since she had been there since 5 a.m.

This is what the week has been like so far. I plan to go to the hospital tomorrow and visit, and then Friday take Rob to visit. If you could spare a positive thought for grandpa, that would be great!