Circumcision,Ear Lobe's,and Full Body Wax!! Raw thoughts, My first stay in the hospital in a 1/2 Century

Circumcision,Ear Lobe's,and Waxing!!!  Raw thoughts, My first stay in the hospital in a 1/2 Century. Ok, if your reading this its probably only because you could not imagine what I was going to say this time. Well, I love Face Book but it is really hard to say all I want to say when your needing to get a full thought out!! ha!! Those that know me, know that a thought can lead to 10 pages of what I think makes sense. Note I said what I think, makes sense, not necessarily you. Having said that, I really am going to deal with all the Title words and more. This is just a raw look and my thoughts over the last few days as I prepared and went through for me what was something big. For someone that has never spent a night in the hospital as a patient, and the worst medical procedure  ever experienced was a "Colonoscopy" the Heart Catherdization I had this past Thursday was BIG STUFF!! For some of you I know this is nothing. I salute you!! But for me it was just another wake up call that this life is what James said in Chapter 4, that Life is But a Vapor, it appears for a short time, and then its gone.  Now Im going to try not to get too heavy here. I have had lots of heavy thoughts in the days leading up to Thursday and throughout the day and now two days later. But most are for another day and post.  There were some interesting things for me though that happened I just wanted to share in a light hearted I hope and Raw way. 

First let me say the medical staff from the first person at security that morning to each and every person up until Lindsey checked me out last night at Memorial West in Pembroke Pines were incredible. They set the standard for Excellence, and Im so glad the closest hospital to Oasis /Pines is Memorial West. These men and women were incredible. My hat is off to them. What I also loved about them, is they weren't just so good but many had a great sense of humor which helped me to stay in my normal crazy self while dealing with some scary moments.  So here are a few raw thoughts..........

• Juan the Craziest Tech in the Cath Lab, was not only great but a comedian. I cant even tell yu all the crazy things he said and did in the four hours in the lab/procedures..... .One was the Fact that did you know myEar Lobes actually showed that I was high risk since birth for Coronary Heart Disease??? Yep, since both did, Im twice as likely to have it. He proved it while I was laying on the stretcher waiting to have a Hole Puncture into my Artery in my upperleg..... On his IPHONE he shows us his proof on the web!! LOL
• Full Body Waxing......... Ok, this might take a little explaining. Its pretty expensive to get this kind but by the time they were done, im pretty sure I had one!!! As soon as I got in they began to put a bunch of electrode patches , on me, the type you have with any diagnostic test. But every time they did something else they added more of these. Now ive had the ekg etc. but this time they are putting them all over my body, ok, enough..............  As Im being checked out for discharge the nurse is pulling off all the monitor wires,and electrode patches, ouch, ouch ouch, you get the point !! So she says ill leave the rest to you. Ok , no problem, ill just rip off a few that is left. Well by the time I got done, I had taken about 10 off in my room, and got home and finally got ready to take the shower last night, and found about 8 more, all over my body, LOL, and I mean all over. TMI, im laughing at all the Patches I found as I tore more and more hair off the body!!! So I got the total Body Wax without even ordering it. Sorry just had to share , I thought it was funny anyway.   

   ( No this pic is not me!! Illustration purposes ONLY!)

• Circumcision......... This is in the category of yes, this really happened but you wont believe it.One of our pastors showed up with his wife right before my Heart Cath and asked to pray with us. All the nurses, tech's were around about 5-6 in the room. He prays an awesome prayer, which I was grateful and as he ended, he Prayed and asked God to allow the Circumcision to be a success!! Im not kidding. It was like you could hear a collective gasp among the staff. Of course Tonia and I just rolled our eyes, We are used to him. Ill let you guess who, if your an Oasis Family member, I doubt it will be hard!!!!   (no illustrations or pics for this one)
• As I lay on that cold hard Procedure table in the Cath lab ready to get the metal wire plunged into the artery in my upper leg(ok, Groin, im trying to make it not so raw, no pic for this either) the Techs give me what they call a cocktail of rum and whiskey!! 5 min later, the Dr. techs, and about 6-7 are all standing over me , listening to me say who knows what and cracking jokes with crazy Juan (tech) and finally the Dr. says, Ok, the medicine didn't take for him, give him another dose!!!! LOL, so they said, now your really getting some powerful Cocktail this time. Enjoy!! Enjoy I did. Didn't knock me out, but it sure did alter my state of mind for a while!!!
• Did you know you can watch them as they send the Wire/Cath up through your body and into your heart? That was not a pretty site. Glad I had the really powerful cocktail!!! All on HD tv screen in front of you.
• Did you know I had to lay  flat on my back without even lifting my head for about 8 hours from beginning to end? That was the toughest of all ? This is not easy for a hyperactive person like me who cant lay still for 1 min even when sleeping.  They didn't want the Artery they went into in my leg to rupture. They had some pretty grahic stories to scare me, and they did!! ugh!! 
• First thing I had to eat or drink for 24 hours, was laying flat on my back, through a straw ,it was Dunkin Coffee Tonia went out and got me!!! That was a hoot, but the best cup of coffee I have ever had in my life!! PRICELESS!!!
• The Med Team in the Proced room wasnt impressed nor did they think it funny when right before they gave me the Cocktail I asked if they minded if I Face Booked during the procedure!! 
• They warned me during the procedure they would inject Dye into my heart chambers , till it filled them and it would give me hot flashes and things I wont go into here,all over my body and that some people ask for more!! LOL. My Dr. only gives a little needle full unlike most, so I missed that part of the procedure. Enough there!! If you don't know, you will if you have a Heart Cath, guys!!!! (I actually had a guy from our church this morning who has had Heart problems ask Tonia on the Phone  if I got to experience the........  He said it was so good, he wanted to go back. UGH!! Sick man!!)
• Did you know when they put a stent in your Artery it is a wire mesh tube they inflate with another balloon type thingy inside the artery all at the same time, and it stays the rest of your life? A mesh fence inside your Heart!! Not a pretty sight!! Most expensive Fencing Ive ever had put up!!! Hope its the last one!! 
• Those that know me best, know I have always been very modest.Well the thing I dreaded the most over the years of going into a hospital after visiting so many over the years was the lack there of in hospitals. I was not disappointed , I guess you could say. UGHHH!!! I will never be the same.Nough said. I cant believe the things they made me endure!!!!
• By now, those of you who have spent much time in the hospital are really thinking what a whiner I am and how trivial this is. I agree , I am , but for those who have never stayed in the hospital , I hope this makes you want to stay OUT of there, and take care of yourself.  
• One of my crazier nurses, actually gave my mom her condo info in Columbia, to give to my brother so the next time he is there , he can rent her condo !!!! LOL True story!! Its cheap if your interested, right by the beach in Cartehana!!
• My mom was there when the Heart Dr.  (Cardiologist, see I know big words)came in to discharge me and she actually stopped him as he was leaving to ask himif I could still drink Coffee!! Yes, she did. Im 53 yrs old, and my mom had to ask the Dr. this because she didn't trust me to ask him myself. ( I am not telling you what he said) Not telling you how much I wanted to hide under the bed either when she asked that question. Now those that know my mom, know how quiet and shy she USED TO BE? She might have thought it before, but would have never said it!!! UGH!!
• My mom, calls to see if she can come up to see me before checking out. She then proceeds to lecture me on my diet and how to take care of myself, etc. etc.You know the mom things they all do, and then tells me she wants us to stop by on the way home, she is going to cook a Pot Roast for us to take home for last nights dinner!!!! Is that not the worse thing for someone with Coronary Heart Disease!!!! I still cant believe she said that. When I said how can you lecture me about how to eat and live better then offer me Pot Roast? She responds...... Its all I had at home to cook!!!!!!!!!!!!................................

Ok, thats not all, but Ive lost most of you, already. I do have some really serious things I want to say about this whole journey im on, but I just wanted to get some of the more trivial things said first. I needed a lot of laughs and I got them, thanks to the Med team at Mem. West and making sure I tried to find humor in all that was happening. One thing the staff kept telling Tonia & Me during this time, was how much fun we seemed to have all the time and how much they enjoyed laughing at us and with us. That made me feel good. I know Im a goof ball, but I prefer to laugh through life than complain and always be so serious. Laughter might not cure your ills, but it makes the medicine go down better!! Thats my philosophy and Im sticking to it.

One last thought. Thanks to the most wonderful wife of 34 years a man could ever have. She was terrific all through it. Thanks to Shelia Bush one of our Oasis members who was the first person to greet me Thurs. morning.  (She is a long time nurse at Mem. West) She does this for every Oasis person that checks into mem. west. What a ministry!  Thanks to our staff , family and friends who have done more than I deserve to help me through this past week. I love you all and Im so grateful God has given me such a wonderful group of family, friends and Church. I cant imagine those who go into life's winding roads alone. I cant imagine! God has been so good and I am so thankful. Im such a blessed man. God is so gracious and good. I see His mercies everyday.  Do you??????

Comments

[Heidy Seifert]

Hi Pastor!

Glad to know you are feeling better, Dan and I were very worried. When we left Florida you were fine and then we got to Texas and you'd been in the hospital? But, you handled it well and sound like you are in good spirits. We got to Texas on Sunday already I am so homesick I can't tell you. I hope and pray that you were right and we will be able to come back home someday soon. We wish you a speedy recovery.

Heidy & Dan Seifert

[Carla]

Hey pastor, first I want to say I'm sooo happy all went well. and yes I do see God's grace and mercies everyday.I want you to know you were and still will be in our families heart and prayers, as you change your lifestyle. God's continual blessings on you and yours. I was listening to a song and thought you and Tonia would love this song. You can youtube it. song- how he loves me done by kim walker. please listen and tell me what you think.
again God Bless
Carla Betancourt,