Wouldn't it be ironic?

Wouldn’t it be ironic if the day I met the surgeon who was to operate on me that I broke his hand with an overzealous handshake? I’m no giant and don’t have a vice grip, but I would say I have a firm handshake. At 8:00 this morning I met Dr. Marc A. Gillinov (pictured above), my surgeon who will be leading tomorrow’s procedure. I stood up to shake his hand when he came into the room and I realized that I may have squeezed a little hard. Dr. Gillinov didn’t flinch or anything like that, but he gripped lightly…as he should. Right? I mean, his hands are his career and in this case, my well being. Perhaps he should be wearing Kevlar mittens when not operating. Shouldn’t that be a public service requirement considering his fantastic reputation? I’ll put my suggestion in the “How’s My Operating?” box outside the OR when they wheel me out. Dr. Gillinov allayed any remaining concerns I might have had coming into today.

This may sound completely irrelevant but regardless of my medical situation if I were to meet Dr. Gillinov (let’s call him Marc here) and The Hammer (Dr. Hammer, the Cardiologist/Bouncer) I think I’d like to have a beer with them. They’re nice, smart, funny guys. While being a nice person doesn’t make you a better surgeon, shouldn’t you have some sort of personal connection with the person who is going to operate on your heart? You are paying to have someone fix you but in the process it will cause you and your family physical and mental pain. I have a tattoo on my ankle. I got it six years ago while in San Francisco at the same tattoo parlor that Janis Joplin went to, but that too is irrelevant. The relevant point is that I paid someone (Rick) to leave an indelible mark on me and in the process inflict a great deal of pain over the course of an hour and a half…It was important that I got to know Rick at least a little so I went back a couple of times and chatted with him a fair amount more than most of his other clients. This too will leave an indelible mark both mentally and physically on me and so Marc, you and Rick are now in the same place in my brain. You’re both artists. Both have well trained eyes and hands and both are leaving me different than when I first met you. There are really only two differences; 1. Marc doesn’t have spider-web tattoos behind each of his ears. 2. Rick is slightly less educated.

So tomorrow AM is the big show, Everyone. Here is the rough schedule. A detailed MS Project will follow shortly.

4:15AM: Wake-up – wash with antibacterial soap provided, gargle with Listerine, dress
5:15AM: Check in
6:15AM: Pre-op preparation (2 hours of chest shaving)
7:15AM: Anesthesiologist gives me “something to take the edge off”
7:45AM: IV’s and ECG sensors placed on my body
8:00AM: General anesthesia administered through my IV
8:01AM: Vision will blur
8:02AM: Hearing will fade
8:05AM: Breathing tube inserted into my throat
8:15AM: Scalpel to skin
9:15AM: Heart stopped and bypass machine initiated
9:30AM: Mitral Valve accessed and repaired
11:30AM: Sew-up
12:00PM: Hearing will return slowly
12:15PM: Vision will return slowly
2:00PM: Breathing tube removed
2:15PM: Family reunion
3:30PM: Blog update
8:05PM: Tune to ESPN to watch Yankees slap around Anaheim

So that’s it! One more thank you to every one of the many friends and family who have reached out with tremendous support, prayers, calls and notes. I am truly blessed.

~Joe

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