I love a guy with a stesthescope!

The p's trip to North Carolina, unfortunately, ended up not being the grand adventure they had planned. My mother was sick most of the time, she said, with this annoying heaviness on her chest, shooting pains in her arm, and shortness of breath. Hmmmmmmm.... On the way home, they had just crossed the Indiana line when they had to pull off the road and find a hospital b/c Mom was in very bad shape. Now this is my 77-yr old father driving and following those blue "H" signs you always see on the road. He is so cool under pressure, it is amazing. The ER they found was in a teensy town and, from what Dad said, they pretty much woke up the doctor on duty. Guess it isn't so often a strange Impala screeches into town with a visitor in cardiac arrest in-tow. Once stablized, she was to transfer to another hospital about 30 miles away which was better-equiped to handle the tests, etc. necessary to find out what was wrong. Typical of my parents, my dad told the doctor, "I'll just pull the car around and pick her up at the ER door." AS IF it was just ok to get back IN THE IMPALA and DRIVE THEMSELVES to the other hospital. Mom was quite upset they made her ride in an ambulance because, "I felt terrific by that time." Ya, ok. Turns out she had 99% blockage in a main artery and had to have surgery the next day.
Since The Impala was due to be returned, Mom & Dad decided Dad would drive the 4-hours home, return the car w/out penalty, and have me drive him back down to the hospital. I just couldn't seem to get it thru to them that it was ok to extend the rental. They wouldn't have it. I drove the million miles to the hospital the next day with Dad, who expected Mom to be dressed and waiting at the door to go home. She was hardly dressed and waiting. Instead, she was headed for surgery...just try breaking that to Dad. I think there is a reason I got a Communications degree.
Surgery went beautifully and Mom's heart is full of O2! YEA! By the time we got to visit her, she was madly in love with her male nurse and was happily munching on some Cheerios. She was released to go home on Thursday with strict instructions to stop every hour or so...which extended our trip to nearly 7 hours. What does it matter, tho, when your formerly sickly mother is happily chatting in the front seat. Happily chatting about the male nurse, but nonetheless...