I just read on FaceBook that our friend 12 Piece Bucket's Father has suffered a heart attack and is about to undergo surgery. Let's all remember him in our prayers and get him back out on the course quickly!
Kevin
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I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
Amazing Grace / Part I / Yoda's Relay From the Front
Just talked with Richard. After being with his father continuously since the heart attack, he made a brief trip home to rest and clean up. I reached him during his 90-minute return to the hospital. Here's a brief summary of our conversation, one that Richard has given me permission to write.
He and his Dad were attending the Duke-Miami basketball game when his father, age 76, suffered a massive heart attack and stopped breathing. The good news is that "about fifteen doctors" from the nearby Duke University Hospital -- one of the world's most renowned medical facilities -- were in the stands. They responded immediately and began CPR.
Three times, there was no pulse.
Three times, they brought him back.
Richard's father is now resting comfortably at Duke. There are complicating factors, and he has not yet had the necessary ventricle surgery. The issues will be resolved in the next day or so, and the surgery will happen.
According to the doctors, this breed of heart attack has a 90 percent fatality rate. Richard's father survived only because of the instant, on-site attention. Had he been anywhere else, he would have died.
There is more to this story, including an amazing sequence of events that resulted in Richard and his Dad being at that particular place at that particular time. Richard will fill in those blanks -- Part II -- when he replies to this thread.
Meanwhile, know that he and his Dad are aware of our concerns, well wishes, and prayers.
All the best in the recovery area. Don't chase the nurses as those pesky drips are hell to run around with.
Many years of fruit juices, broiled salmon, vegetables with hot sauce (both good for you and tasty) and lots of salads with light dressings. (No southern fried foods.)
Lots of peaceful, happy walks with loved ones and friends, on and off golf courses.
Happiness and long health!
ICT
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HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
Sorry for not being able to let you guys know what is going on. I have really just had a chance to come up for air.
I'm convinced that what happened to my dad was more than coincidence and was devine intervention. My dad and I are die hard Carolina Tarheel fans. We were invited to a Duke Miami game last Sunday. My dad is 76 and LOVES to get out to ball games. In the last 2 months we have been to a Wake Forest game, App State game and a Carolina Panthers game. So he has been out walking. He has COPD so I'm always conscious of how fast we walk and how far etc. My 9 year old has been to all the games with us. He and my dad are TIGHT. . . . buddies.
For some reason my son decided that he didn't want to go to the Duke game and that would turn into a blessing. My dad called his best friend to go who is also a big Heels fan he said "I wouldn't be caught DEAD in that building." My dad and I talked and he said "do we REALLY want to go to a Duke game???" I said well it's free. So he was like what the heck "I haven't seen that stadium in 30 years."
So we headed out to the game. We walked less than a quarter of a mile to the game and up the steps to our seats. My dad never complained. I we laughed about how small the Cameron Indoor is and how we couldn't believe that Duke would still play in that gym in this day and age. We were laughing that we hoped no one would see us on TV because we'd never be able to live down being at a Duke game. I turned to talk to the guy that invited us and when I turned back to my dad he was slumped over in his seat and as purple as a blow pop sucker and completely unresponsive.
I FROZE . . . had no clue what to do. Luckly our friend was amazing and jumped over 3 rows of seats and got the EMT folks. The immediately began CPR on my pops. There were so many emergency professionals and doctors that were at the game and came to help. There must have been 12 they had to actually turn some people away because there were too many cooks in the kitchen. They couldn't find a pulse and were hammering my dad with compressions. Finally the pulse came back and they got a stretcher and we carried him out of the stadium. Once we got to the hallway . . . he lost his pulse again. Luckly they had those shock pannel things on site and got his heart started again.
We got in the ambulance and it was on a 2 minute ride to the ER. I was sort of releived when we arrived because Duke is probably one of the best hospitals in the world. They wisked me into a room so I wouldn't freak out. I kepted trying to call my dad's wife to let her know what was going on but I couldn't get her. Then a lady came in and told me I'd better call whoever I could because my pops had lost his pulse a third time. The docs in the ER amazingly got his heart started again . . . for the third time.
So they finally got him stablized and now have determined that he has a valve issue that they will have to correct. I was concerned about brain damage because I wasn't sure how long he could go without oxygen. They had him on a ventilator. And he was barely responsive Monday. Finally I got him to "communicate". I asked him if he hurt and he nodded "no". I asked him if he knew where he was and explained he was in the hospital. Then I told him he had a hot nurse . . . . he raised his hand and gave me a thumbs up. That's when I knew old Crews was still in there . . . classic.
Today my dad is up and talking normal. He couldn't remember anything. The doctor told us that the survival rate on an episode like this is 10%. And that if we had been anywhere other than this Duke game my dad would be a goner. There are more doctors in that per square foot area than anywhere in NC when Duke is playing. The athletic director at Duke as called me twice personally to check on my pops . . . . . The grace and class Duke has shown my dad and my family is beyond description. . . boy it is going to be hard to pull against them anymore . . . I think I may be converted.
I'd like to thank you all for thinking of my dad and praying. This place has meant alot to me. Thank you Kev for putting this up. You are high quality. Thanks to Lynn and all of y'all for thinking of me. As I think back on this it has been a rollercoaster ride. My dad still has a way to go. He is off the ventilator but he has a partially collapsed lung. They are going to have to get him strong enough to go through open heart surgery. But he is lucky to be here.
I know that God has been with him. A 10% chance that he would survive . . . heck there is probably a over/under on 10% that we would even GO TO A DUKE game . . . and that my 9 year old didn't have to see this happen to his best friend/grand father . . . AMAZING!
Regards and God bless . .
Bucket
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Aloha Mr. Hand
Behold my hands; reach hither thy hand
Last edited by 12 piece bucket : 01-08-2011 at 12:08 AM.
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