Angels of the Heart Among Us

First things first....LM came through the 8 hour surgery very well. They did five grafts from his left leg to the diseased arteries of the heart and he stayed strong throughout. He is still unconscious in ICC and on a ventilator. They say by morning he will be awake and sitting up and without the dreaded ventilator tube. His dearest friend, Bob and his daughter Meaghan and I were able to see him at 6:30 tonight and it was pretty scary and wrenching to all of us....I longed to hold him....but was just able to lean down and kiss his forehead and hold his arm. His feet were ice cold and I rubbed them. We were only allowed 10 minutes until tomorrow morning when we are invited to attend rounds with his staff of doctors and nurses.

As I may have mentioned before, LM and I met nearly 20 years ago when he began teaching at the community education program where I was an administrator so we both have a strong affinity for that school where until now, LM remains the longest running teacher and most popular for his class on salt water fishing on the shores of Cape Cod. Through the years there I made many wonderful friends with co-workers and teachers and as this very painful and traumatic week began to unfold, to my amazement, help and support has come from many places but none moreso than that from those former associates. Today as Bob and I sat interminably waiting for the surgery to be done and very frightened, the doors of the ICC swung open and there was a wonderful woman who taught the EKG class at the Comm Ed. Pauline was always wonderful and I knew she had a big job at the hospital, is President of the local American Heart Association, and had just forgotten it in all the fray. When she saw me she ran to me and begged to know what I was doing there. When I told her it was LM, she was astounded and immediately sat me down, asked if I had eaten and began to offer the most wonderful support....it seems SHE will be writing LM's treatment plan, she is in charge of the entire cardiac intensive care unit and patients relations/education, as well. She sat with Bob and me for an hour and explained every step we will be walking, from what would happen post surgery to 12 weeks down the road. She also called in to the OR to get the latest details on my beloved and made sure the surgeon called me promptly....she is an angel....when I retired her gift to me was the most beautiful handcarved angel holding a heart. It seems she was certainly holding LM's and my heart today and will be for the duration. In another angel appearance, it seems that my current boss (who hired me away from the Comm Ed job) was wearing wings today, his daughter is the charge nurse in the ICC, is on duty tonight, tomorrow and Sunday and my boss had already called ahead to make sure they knew LM is there and to take good care of both of us.
I think the magic of my job at Comm Ed not only brought us together, and continues by sustaining us through this time...I feel so uplifted and relieved tonight and VERY HOPEFUL.
I am home for a bit and leaving soon to return to Hyannis to stay with a dear friend within eyeshot of the hospital....they even have 3 cats to sleep with me arranged, and that very same friend is coming to my house in the morning to be with Ms. Graysea while I am away all day.
There are no words for the gratitude I feel...most of all for the priviledge of having LM to love. He is amazing.