Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Skeptic's Leap of Faith

I’ve been reading your kind comments from the imposed seclusion my hospital bed using Nancy’s laptop computer. I first want to acknowledge how deeply moved I am at the heartfelt wishes you have so generously expressed to me; a mere fellow blogger whose face you have never seen nor voice have ever heard. I am consumed by your expressions of love and caring. For those of you who have offered me your prayers, though you know I am a non-believer; I most graciously accept your prayers as the expressions of love and compassion which I accept are offered in the spirit most meaningful to you. I thank you.

IF all goes to plan, tomorrow I will enter surgery whereby a severely damaged aortic valve will be replaced. The defective valve actually functioned longer than had been anticipated, which actually resulted in it causing more damage. Think of a bad part in your car that is still working but causing other damage as it bangs away. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but…

After tomorrow, providing I survive, I will be in intensive care for some time. I’ll ask Kara to report my post-operative condition, or whatever outcome.

I’ve accumulated a bunch of funny “hospital stories” at this point so it would be a shame were my consciousness not to hold on long enough for me to share them in future blogs here.

Tomorrow I switch one ordeal for another, the probabilities are more in my favor than not.

Thanks to all of you who have remained in contact and shared your compassion,
~ Robert The Skeptic


I will be unable to respond to your comments for a while.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

good luck! I am very much looking forward to everything you have to share, especially those hospital stories!

GET WELL QUICKLY, MAN. YOU ARE NEEDED HERE (on this Earth, not just on the Blogs)!

Nancy said...

Your fan club is bigger than you know. I love you so much! Nancy

Anonymous said...

Even though I know that you won't be responding to this with a comment, I want to pass along my best wishes to you for a safe and successful surgery. I am also hopeful that your recovery will be safe a swift. My thoughts will be with you. I am anxiously awaiting those blog posts which are being formulated by your brain and just sitting there are the tips of your fingers, anticipating being shared with all of us!

Looking forward to hearing good news. Take care. Tell the surgeon how many of us are behind you, counting on his/her skill.

DJan said...

Oh Lord, I pray that you let Robert the Skeptic live long enough to share his hospital stories with me. Oh yeah, and I sure hope he gets all the way better, too. "A heartfelt desire is a prayer in itself."

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and sending you penetrating good vibes...

Chris said...

My love and healing thoughts are with you during your surgery and through your recovery. I'm looking forward to sharing many more dinners, cocktails and laughs with you so get this surgery done and recover quickly!

adrielleroyale said...

May you come out of this a stronger man my friend :)

Rain Trueax said...

Good luck with the surgery and although, like you, I don't believe in prayer as such, I do believe in sending energy and that collectively we can help each other. I hope to be reading your articles again in the not so distant future.

TravelBug-Susan said...

Bob, We are saddened to hear about your heart surgery, but we know that you are a strong man and can beat this nasty set-back. We trust you'll be visiting us in Hawaii soon.

Take care of yourself and let the doctors, nurses, family and friends do the rest.

Darrell Michaels said...

You are proceeding into territory where I will one day follow, as I also must eventually have my aortic valve replaced.

Best wishes, thoughts, and prayers are with you and your family, Robert!

Unknown said...

heart surgery is a big deal, but my anecdotal information is that everyone I know that has had it has done well afterwards. I'm sure you will add to my non scientific info as well. Take care, I am thinking of you. Hospital stories can be almost as good as cop stories.

billy pilgrim said...

piece of cake, you'll pull through with flying colors and be stronger than ever.

i'll fire up a stick of incense and stick in ganesha's arse tonight and send some good karma your way.

Me said...

See you when you get back, my good sir :)

Kara SJ said...

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Bob! I'm sending you good thoughts.

John Myste said...

I wish you more than the best of luck, sir. I look forward to your hospital stories and I believe I will "hear" them.

Your fan club is larger than you know, for all those that comment, many readers never comment on any blog, like the one sitting next to me right now, expressing her conern.

Antares Cryptos said...

Robert, it will go well. Heart surgeons are some of the most capable people on the planet.The successful statistics for valve replacements speak for themselves.

Best wishes, can't wait to hear your stories and we'll see you when you wake up.

Charlie said...

A valve replacement also means a new head gasket, so you'll be even smarter when you get your butt out of bed and back here where it belongs.

You're a good friend, Robert, and I'll be pulling for you all day tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Robert, I worked in the hospital in Eugene for more than 10 years and can share lots of hospital stories and practical jokes to drive the nurses crazy. Will be waiting to hear that your surgery has gone well before giving you some tips. Our thoughts and best wishes are with you and Nancy. Jeanine

secret agent woman said...

I'll be thinking about you tomorrow as you are in surgery. I'm counting on you to have a full recovery so you can tell us all about it. But take the time you need to heal.

Linda Reeder said...

Hi, Robert the Skeptic. dJan sent me. I'm sending good thoughts your way for your upcoming surgery. This is something I may face down the road, since I received a diagnosis of a aortic valve narrowing last year. Hopefully it's a long way off. But yours is now. God speed.

Brian Miller said...

best wishes for you...djan sent me over...you have my prayers for your procedure tomorrow...

Buz said...

From me you get prayers, and I'm deeply grateful for your gracious acceptance of them.

theWaif said...

I'm glad to see you mustered another blog entry, Dad. We'll be looking forward to hearing the good news tomorrow about how extremely well it all went, as I have every confidence that it will. We all love you so much and can't wait till you're back home and on the mend. See you soon, Dad. Love always-- Laura, Ty, Beckett & Mercer

Donna B. said...

Stopping in to include my prayers of positivity, skilled physician hands, excellent outcome, fast healing and no pain. Hope the food is good...

Paul said...

I consider you a friend and I wish you well in your surgery. I will say a prayer for you- even if you don't need it. :-)

CiCi said...

James and I wait to hear how you are doing and are sending you love and strength across the skies.

Hilary said...

I'll be sending best thoughts for a speedy recovery. Found you via one of the dearest bloggers out there.. DJan.

Bretthead said...

Dude. You have blog fodder for months. Get well fast, friend.

Marylinn Kelly said...

Be glad we don't all live closer for we'd be clogging the waiting room, hallways, thumping on the vending machines and creating a disturbance. My love to your family and complete trust in your doctors, and you, for a glorious, successful outcome. Waiting for your return. xo

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

As I type this you are perhaps in surgery. All the very best to you and all!! Hoping for the best outcome :)

Anonymous said...

Hang in there and keep on poppin' 'cause you don't want to take any laxatives.

Vagabonde said...

I hope everything goes well for your and send you all my best thoughts and wishes. I just came back from the hospital too (3 hours ago), mine was not a big procedure and it went well. Yours will go well too I am sure.

melissashook said...

I dearly hope that you get to off-load your hospital stories from your memory drive..
good cheer and good luck..

Far Side of Fifty said...

DJan sent me over..I send you a prayer and wishes for a quick recovery from your surgery!:)

Nance said...

By today, the surgery is over and you're resting comfortably, recovering wonderfully. Your sublime sense of humor is already on the rise.

That's my story and, since we bloggers create our own realities, I'm sticking to it. What stories you'll have for us!

theWaif said...

I'm sure Kara will post a guest blog soon but just to let everyone know, Dad's surgery yesterday (which lasted about 8 hours) was successful. He's currently resting in ICU with his brand new heart valve. Hopefully it'll just be routine recovery from here on out.

Me said...

That is great news :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the update. Looking forward to hearing from him when he is up to it. Please pass along all of the good wishes everyone has given him here.

Kevin said...

hang in there good friend...

Marylinn Kelly said...

Very good news, indeed. We can begin the recovery dance. xo

Charlie said...

Great news! Thanks, Waif, for letting us know that your Dad's okay.

Gutsy Living said...

I'm so sorry I did not realize you were having surgery. I read that the surgery lasted 8 hours and went well.
I cannot wait to see you up and writing again. Recover fast. We're there for you and Nancy. Sonia.

Mandy_Fish said...

I didn't realize you were having surgery either. Glad to hear you are on the mend, and sending positive vibes in your general direction.

Snowbrush said...

Well home, my friend. I've been remiss in not visiting you of late, so I must confess that is the first that I knew of your ordeal. My wife Peggy had surgery last week, and I'm hoping to have one of my own just as soon as she's over hers enough to care for me. I don't know how people manage who aren't married. Friends are good too, of course, but there's nothing like sharing the bad times with someone whose life is inseparably bound to yours both in good times and in bad.