A TITLE GAINED . . . .

. . . .AND A TITLE LOST

I can be a little on the humorous side right about now after learning the seriousness of the past week is subsiding - although still needing our full attentions and prayers.

The "title" leading off this blog refers to an event last Saturday but first I must bring you up to date on the week's happenings - for those who don't already know the circumstances.

It was a serious matter and it has made me hesitate to write a blog about it but tonight I have the feeling it's OK to blog about it.

"Geezerguy" had a bad heart attack on Monday, June 15. Sage Words dropped in on him and Yarntangler at their campsite in Tucson , found him looking and feeling ill, and quickly decided his Dad needed to be hospitalized without much delay.

The usual entry test, blood work . X-rays and EKG ticketed Geezerguy to a hospital room in St. Joseph's Hospital. Tuesday morning's angiogram disclosed an 80 per cent main artery to heart blockage, another at 80 per cent and a third at 100 percent.

Medication provided a temporary stablization and open heart surgery for a three way bypass was scheduled for Monday, June 22.

On Saturday Geezerguy was transfeed to Tucson Heart Hospital where the bypass would take place. Then came an emergency and a surprise run to the operating room.

I did not get the full story of that emergency until today when
Yarntangler found the time and strength to put out an update on her husband after five sleepless days and nights.

This is the part that's not good and that happened Saturday. The systolic
level on the bllod pressure reading, the top figure, usually 120 at its normal best, dropped three times to ZERO - and Geezerguy went into a series of seizures. While Yarntangler's report doesn't say so, to me that means the bearded one doggone near bought it.

As said, he was rushed into the operating room. Surgeons went to work and did a balloon treatment, then inserted a Pacemaker which at this time is "temporary" but could become permanent. Then the bypass surgery was advanced a day to Sunday.

What a heck of a present for Father's Day! (See the end for a similar circumstance.)

All that brings me to the "Title" in my headline tonight. Shortly after awakeing Saturday after getting that Pacemaker, Geezerguy had this message for me , relayed by Yarntangler and Sage Words on the phone:

"Tell Old Newsie he's not the only one in the family with a Pacemaker" as he drifted back into dreamland.

Yep, this youngster stole my title after I'd had it only 14 days. By the way, my Pacemaker is working pretty good I think.

And here's the thing I wanted to say at the end of this blog. Some few years back my son CT remarked "what a heck of a birthday gift" when on that day, his birthday anniversary, I had a brain operation.

- 30 -
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