“Andrea Sue! You are not going to wait! You are going to have this done,” said my momma, who says I took ten years off her life with this heart stuff.
My family wanted me to have it done as quickly as I could. I agreed, but couldn’t do the 13th. I just couldn’t. So, we agreed to keep my surgery on the 24th of October.
I also found out I wasn’t just getting a pacemaker. I was getting the top-of-the-line pacemaker called a De-V ICD, which would have three leads placed into each ventricle of my heart and also have a defibrillator. This took a bit to wrap my head around. It is the daddy of all daddy ICDs. Apparently, I didn’t know just how sick I was, but let me tell you, Jesus had me.
The morning of my surgery came so quickly. Right hand up to God, I was not nervous at all. That Thursday, I kept busy, then my cousin Rachel Bareto, who lives in Pittsburgh, came to be with me that night and the day of surgery. I felt so blessed to have her with me. On Friday morning, as I drove to the hospital, I felt at peace. It was just like any other Friday, but it wasn’t. The amount of people praying was unreal. I felt the prayers. I felt the peace. I knew God had me.
My parents, stepmom, and husband were all there bright and early for my surgery. My surgery was at 7:30 a.m. The doctor came in and talked to me about what to expect, and I had the opportunity to meet his entire team. Now, I will pause for a moment because this part is particularly important.
A few days before my surgery, Chris called me out of the blue to tell me that one of the guys he works with, whose wife also works in the surgical room, specializes in putting pacemakers in. She was willing to talk to me to help explain everything in a deeper way.
Our conversation was wonderful, and she definitely helped put me at ease. She said, “Andrea, you will have the best team taking care of you. You will be treated like a queen! We got you, girl.” Lisa was going to be a part of my surgery and was familiar with the entire surgical team. She had the best of the best on me. Again, God’s hands! What were the chances of that!?
So that morning was my first time meeting Lisa, Dr. Sorfon, and the anesthesiologist.
Dr. Sorfon said that I might feel the pacemaker, but he would try to make it look as smooth as possible. I said to him without a beat, “Listen doc, feel free to suck fat from booty or belly to help smooth that area if need be!” Everyone started to crack up.
After hearing the risk of the surgery, they started pushing me back at 7:32 a.m. I kissed my hubby and my parents goodbye and off I went.
I never took any of the anxiety meds before surgery that they offered me. I didn’t need it because I had the King of Kings with me! No medication could ever be better than my Lord. I had this! God gave me a peaceful heart.
As I was pushed into the surgical room, they had Christmas music playing for me. The unusual aspect of this was that I had started listening to Christmas music that week to help keep myself relaxed. Christmas music makes me happy! I had thought how neat it would be to be put to sleep with the sound of Christmas music. To my surprise, they asked me what kind of music I would like to have on in the surgery room. I told them Christmas music, and they were excited! They thought I was kidding. Being pushed into a surgical room where doctors are singing Christmas music was pretty darn awesome. The clock struck 7:38, and it was time. One man prayed over me. The anesthesiologist whispered into my ear, “I am going to take the best care of you. You will wake up feeling good.” I told him how sick anesthesia makes me. I get so sick to my stomach, all I want to do is sleep, and I don’t eat for like 24 hours after surgery. He promised this time would be better, which I had heard four times before, but this time felt different. Lisa held my hand, and before I knew it, I was off to dreamland. I went to sleep feeling at peace, with the sound of Bing Crosby in the background.
When I woke up at 11:15, I heard Christmas music and the team saying that everything had gone wonderfully. Praise God! I was feeling pretty darn good, too. How was this possible? I wasn’t sick at all. This anesthesiologist was a wizard! As I was being pushed into recovery, they introduced me to my recovery nurse. The first thing I noticed was that she was wearing a Salem sweatshirt! I pointed to her shirt and said, “Heyyy, I was just there!” That sparked us right away, and she was such a fun nurse.
I’m like, OK God, I see you. Every single person you have given me today has been because of you. The day couldn’t have gone any better. The fact that thirty minutes after surgery, I was awake in bed and talking to my support system, who were all in the waiting room, was pretty incredible. I had ten people patiently waiting to see me after surgery. Every fifteen minutes, someone new would come in and sit with me. I wasn’t tired. I didn’t have an upset belly. I was thankful to be alive! I was blessed with an incredible support system! I was feeling good and even eating a Popsicle and a Nutri-Grain bar!
My cousin Lindsay Clark made sure my support team (which she was a part of, too) had lunch, and brought Bart’s Pizza to my room once I was settled in that evening for dinner. I had a few pieces, and it tasted so good. I couldn’t believe I was able to eat. I don’t know what I would have done without my family there and their gracious help from my two big-hearted cousins, Rachel and Lindsay. No one left my side until I was snuggled in my room.
To Be Continued AND BIG NEWS announcing next Thanksgiving week also! I can’t wait to share! Stay tuned.
Andrea’s Famous Crockpot Pumpkin Dumpcake
Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying the slow cooker insert
• (2) 15-ounce cans pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• (1) 15.25-ounce box of French vanilla or any white cake box
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
First, spray the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Gently combine the pumpkin, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a bowl, then dump it into the slow cooker insert. Mix in sugar and spice just a bit. Sprinkle the cake mix over the pumpkin, then, as evenly as possible, pour the melted butter on top and finish with the chopped pecans. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours (the edges of the cake should be starting to brown and crisp slightly). Serve warm with a dollop Cool Whip!
