And recovery begins...

Well, it's been a really long day, but I'm happy to report that things have gone really well up to this point.

According to the reader board, my dad was in the operating room at 7:20 this morning. Someone from the hospital's pastoral staff was supposed to come by around 11:00 to update everyone on their loved ones' surgeries, but that didn't happen because he got called away to the emergency room. So, we didn't hear anything until some time around 1:00.

At that time, we were told that the new valve was in (a cow's valve, as it turns out) and it would be a few more hours to finish up the bypasses. (Originally we were told the surgery would take four to five hours, but it was more like eight, I think. We're not sure how much time in the O.R. was prep work and how much was actual surgery, but he was in there a lot longer than four to five hours. ) Around 3:00, the surgeon came out and told us that they were done and things had gone well. Praise the Lord! One bypass didn't go as well as they'd hoped because his artery was calcified and had been for years (or something like that...I know he used the word calcified). However, they weren't worried about it because it hasn't been working anyway. The other three more important ones now look great.

My mom and I were the first to go see my dad around 3:45. He actually didn't look as awful as I thought he might. (The number of tubes and wires is incredible, of course, and the ventilator is a little unnerving...) While I was in there, he was sort of "coming to" and I really didn't like that because it was obvious he was in horrible pain and he was struggling pretty hard in the bed. I stood by the door for a few minutes and then decided it was Morgan's turn.

My mom was in there while each of the rest of us cycled through. She's doing so well with all of this! Eventually, she was sent out and no one's been in for the last hour or so.

We've taking over a large part of the waiting room and Judson is still fighting sleep, as he has for the past two days. (He napped on the way down this morning, and then for about forty more minutes hours ago.) He's still fairly happy, though.

Again, thank you so much for your prayers! We're definitely feeling them. Please keep them coming! Recovery is going to be a very slow, painful process. =( (In fact, the doctor told my dad on Tuesday that it would be about three months before he feels like this was all worth it. Ick.)