Tuesday night, Rob and I went to Michael’s visitation. He worked with Rob at F Scott’s since they opened. He was the waitstaff manager. Although he and Rob had their differences in the workplace, Michael was a great guy. Although he had been sick for awhile, his death was sudden.
For the funeral, the next day, Sully and Molly rented a bus to take everyone to the services and the burial, which was an hour away. If you drive by F Scott’s look at the little tree out front. They put their white carnations from the funeral on the tree.
Rob and I got back from the visitation and went to sleep. Late that night we got a call that my oldest brother was in the hospital. He came home from playing his weekly basketball game and my niece thought he looked horrible. She got my sister-in-law and he was grabbing his arm and was short of breath. She pretty much ordered him into the car to get to the hospital, under his protest, of course. She dropped him off at the ER entrance and parked the car. When she walked into the ER, she saw them working on Mike. They had given him asprin, nitro and an EKG, then he crashed. They had to revive him a couple times. They put stints in two of the three arteries. The surgeon said that the main artery that was blocked is what they call the Widow Maker. He’s still in intensive care but seems to be stable. There are so many what ifs that I can’t possibly dwell on any of them. I will say that I heard about 20 seconds of Tim McGraw’s Live Like You Were Dying and won’t be listening to that one. That song has taken on quite a meaning.
Listen … about three weeks ago, we took my dad to the hospital. He had been having chest pains for more than a week, but he insisted it was just acid reflux. They told us that they could clear up the blockage with medication. Eight hours later, after they ran some tests, they told us he needed open heart surgery. He ended up with a quadruple bypass. Now, dad is up and about itching for something to do while he is waiting to go back to work in 12 weeks. He’s going to be fine. So will your brother. They know how to fix these things.
My best wishes to you and your family and a soon recovery to your brother.