!59Heart

I had my first Heart Bypass Surgery at Texas Heart Institute in 1977 and my second this year at Abington Hospital in Philadelphia. I figure that by the time I am 82, I’ll be ready for my third…guess I must have chosen the wrong parents! While God ultimately determines our longevity, the quality of my life has been greatly improved by a number of talented surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists and nurses. My thanks go to M.D.’s Joel Cannilla, Owen Yen, Barry George at Ohio Heart and Grady Hallman and Phiroze Sabawala at Texas Heart Institute. I am especially indebted to my current cardiologist James Robertson along with surgeon Jim McClurken and the entire Temple-Abington Team.

My family and I will be forever grateful!

Number 73. The Gift

                Oh Ventricles, Aortas bare,
                Occluded Art’ries ev’rywhere;
                Weak Aneurysms set to tear,
                Blood Vessels large or capillaire;
                Worn Mitral Valves will leak Despair,
                Though Cardiac Arrests still scare;
                And Infarct Pain’s too much to bear,
                Those Blockages are never fair!

                Emergencies are standard Fare,
                With EMT's afraid to err,
                Congestive Failures ever there;
                Dysrhythmias and Strokes impair,
                Defibrillation frizzes Hair;
                Genetic Factors do their Share,
                Cholesterol can make you swear,
                ‘Tis Hypertension or Whate’er!

                To save more Folks, each Man repair,
                Beneath the Skytron's light-filled Glare,
                        Thoracic Docs’ skilled Teams so rare,
                Choose Safety first but yet they’ll dare,
                Use Bypass Grafts, reach Parts to spare;
                Tie Surgeon’s Knots with stylish Flair,
                Get Life Support, O2 rich Air,
                Technologies beyond Compare!

                In ORs quite extraordinaire,
                Brave Healers, erudite, aware,
                Albeit sometimes doctrinaire,
                Ply solemn Tasks with Savoir-faire;
                Wear Gowns and Masks, scrub debonair,
                Anesthetize, preop prepare;
                Mix Science, Art, with lots of Prayer,
                Fix broken Hearts, with loving Care!

Click On Image To Return To Contents Page