Calling All Angels - Dad's Open Heart Surgery

The odds of our dad, Louis, surviving the open heart surgery were slim. The doctors told us they would attempt to perform ten complex procedures on his heart in one swoop. Even under the best circumstances, at Dad's golden age of 65, it was going to be serious challenge for him to get through the grueling 12+ hours of surgery. Despite being in great physical shape otherwise, Dad suffers from multiple chronic and severe heart conditions including heart enlargement - cardiomegaly, leaky heart valves, two blocked arteries (90% and 70% blockages), and an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia. If the operation was completed with all the necessary procedures, he'd have 10 -15 years of life restored. But if they failed to get everything done now, it would be catastrophic. For Louis, there was no second chance of a surgical intervention and each one of these heart issues could have cut short his life any time.

Dad required a double bypass, cardiac ablation, inserting a mechanical valve, and even placing a metal plate near his heart, among other things. First, the surgeons would break/cut through the breastbone and push the ribs aside to reach his heart. Then they'd pull the heart right out of the body to work on it. In the meantime, Dad was going to be placed on a wide assortment of machines to keep his body alive. For at least part of the operation, he would be clinically dead. Each procedure seemed so risky, it was difficult to wrap our heads around all of them being done together. For example, towards the end of the operaton, the surgeons were going to cut the atria and apply heat, literally buring the heart to generate scar tissue (radiofrequency ablation) that should shift the flow of the heart's electric current, and thus help restore a normal heart beat rhythm. Scar tissue doesn't conduct electricity so the procedure was meant obstruct abnormal electrical flows and slow his heart rate down because it was beating as if he were running making him tire easily. We wondered how much Dad's heart would withstand to even get to that point. It all seemed too much. Despite our visible nerves, Louis maintained a positive outlook the entire time, never missing an opportunity to crack a joke. He whole heartedly believed he was going to pull through it.

After wrangling with the health insurance company for over a month, the surgery was finally scheduled on the morning of Thursday, July 25th, 2024 (about a week ago) at the Houston Methodist Hospital. He was admitted on Monday the 22nd. (This was right after a huge hurricane hit the center of Houston. It left large swaths of the city without power for weeks. Fortunately, the hospital had the electricity restored a few days prior to the surgery.)

On the big day, we each spoke to Dad one last time before he was wielded away on the gurney. I told him about a vision I'd had 3 days ago while meditating. In my mind's eye, I saw an empty red room; the walls were the color of St. Valentine's Day red. In the center of the room, floating mid-air was a healthy human heart beating alive and well. The vision lasted about 15 seconds or less. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I was hopeful it was a sign that everything was going to be ok.

The surgery began and we braced ourselves for what was to come. As we waited for the team of 8 doctor's to text message updates every 2 hours, we reminisced about happier days. Dad is a pillar of our family. He's the type of person who lights up any room with his great sense of humor and positive vibes. At a little over the 12 hour mark, our family received a final text message alert. The surgery was a resounding success! He beat the odds. Dad has an indomitable spirit. He is currently in the intensive care unit, in a very delicate state, but we are hopeful he will be moved to a regular hospital room soon. Yet the obstacles my dad and my family are facing are still not over.

We, the young adult kids, are reaching out to you, our cherished community because our family is facing incredible financial hardships incurred by Dad's six figure open heart surgery. The health insurance covered a portion of the bill. However, the copay and other medical expenses not covered by the insurance are overwhelming. Additionally, Louis needs extensive post-surgery care, medications, and therapies stretching well into the next several months. He is still facing an uphill battle to fully recover as his health remains precarious, and complications from the surgery, or negative side effects from the medications may arise at anytime. Furthermore, during this lengthy recovery period, Dad is unable to work. As the main breadwinner for the family, it puts my mom in an insecure economic situation. She has a full time job but has taken an unpaid leave of absence to care for Louis. We are asking for $20,000 which is a small fraction of the total funds needed, just to buy us some time to find alternative sources of income.

The $20,000 will cover:

My dad is a funny, loving and kind-hearted man. He has always been there for us, making us laugh during the toughest situations. Your generosity will directly impact his recovery and alleviate the financial strain our family is facing right now. Any contribution, no matter how small, makes a world of a difference. We are extremely grateful for your support during this difficult time. We promise to keep you updated on his recovery journey and share any additional information and documentation as it becomes available.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Debbie & Ken