J&A's Brittanys - Surviving a Heart Attack

There are many sayings about not taking life for granted, saying that every day is a gift, and that you should always kiss the one you love goodbye when they leave or never go to bed angry. As a Christian I'm especially aware of the importance to walk by faith and to trust and thank God for every breath and step I take, from the moment I rise until I lay my head down at night because He alone knows what the future will bring. And He sure knew what was about to unfold on Saturday morning, December 15, 2018.

John had been focused upon the recent and unexpected death of a field trial and Brittany friend, Les Casselbury.  While out bird hunting and doing what he loved, Les died of a heart attack. It came as a shock to the entire Brittany community as he was greatly respected and well known. John sat down on the side of the bed that morning as we prepared to go to the field with our dogs with plans to meet our daughter there with hers.  We talked about Les, about love and life, and how much we love each other no matter what. In retrospect, I had to wonder if this was some kind of premonition as we hugged each other a little tighter in that moment.

We arrived at Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area just as our daughter, grandson and granddaughter did.  It would be the first time Revere's brother Sokka was to be introduced to birds and also a chance for Zuko, Toph, and also Revere to get some more bird work in. We were having a great time and the pups all did so well! It was nice to be out running dogs this time of year and not have to worry about too much snow and ice. We had a great time.  I decided to stay back at the truck for the last run. John, Maryann, Alana, and Ayden struck out with Toph (Revere and Sokka's mother, and is also Hemi's daughter.)
In a few minutes they all returned and as they crossed the road I noticed John had a very concerned and worried look on his face.  I reached for dog gear and began to put it away for him which is something typically he would have just started to do himself in his own particular way so I thought that was sort of odd. I watched him go sit upon a rock and mouthed to him "are you okay"?  And he said he didn't know. I stopped what I was doing and walked over to him and felt his forehead.  It was cold as ice but he was sweating profusely.  I looked at him and those deep blue gorgeous eyes of his were nearly drained of color!  Maryann had a watch on that included a fitness device so she could monitor his heart rate.  We quickly realized that something serious was going on.  Without hesitation Maryann drove John to a nearby walk in clinic and I brought up the rear with the kids and dogs.

John was on this LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center.

911 was called, EMT's showed up and we learned John was in the throes of a massive heart attack! Next thing I knew I was in the front seat of an ambulance, sirens blasting on the way to Southern Maine Medical Center, Sanford campus. At that juncture Maryann and I were texting each other, neither one of us knew what to do or where to go or what was happening.  I ran into the ER and found a team of medical professionals surrounding John and making a decision about taking him by helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Time was of the essence as they wheeled him out on a stretcher to the waiting helicopter. Maryann and I watched them lift off.  Ironically, I was on the phone with our son John who was already en route to Portland. Within minutes, he arrived at Maine Medical Center just as the helicopter landed and waved to his dad. Maryann and I arrived a little later and the waiting began.  The helicopter trip was 15 minutes long. It would have taken about 40 minutes by ambulance. Family gathered together in the small waiting room on the 9th floor. It was hours before anyone came to see us and let us know what was going on. I felt the presence of the Lord so close to me and I knew that prayer chains were being established among many of our friends and family. But I was so very frightened. I can't explain that fear although I know perfect love casts fear out. Still, it was the scariest moment of my life.

After a long, long time the surgeon came and explained to us that John had been experiencing a very severe heart attack, with 100% blockage in his main artery and 70% in three others of them. He showed me several actual 'pictures' of my husband's heart. The first picture showed where the blockage was and I could see that the flow of blood into his heart ended. The second picture showed where two stents had been put in and the flow was restored, praise God!  The third photo showed additional arteries with blockages. The decision was for John to gain a little strength and then undergo bypass surgery in a few days.

Our entire family came to visit John in the cardiac intensive care unit.  Two by two we gathered around him. Seeing our grandchildren encouraged John greatly. We prayed, we cried, we thanked God that he was alive but he was not out of the woods yet and we were all painfully aware of it. If stents or a bypass are done in a non-emergency situation the risks are lower and timely recovery more certain but this wasn't the case with my husband.  First he had to gain much needed strength before open heart surgery could be done. So we waited, prayed and three days later he underwent a successful 5-way bypass. That was the second most frightening day in my life, the first being the day of his heart attack.  When the surgeon stepped into the family waiting room four hours following 'first cut' my own heart was pounding. When we heard the words that he was out of surgery and in recovery the flood of tears I'd been fighting back finally burst forth. And so did my joy and relief.  Our family as well as other families were  waiting too for news of their loved one's surgery and in that moment we formed a bond of support and encouragement.  I gathered all who wanted to into a circle of praise and prayer and gave thanks to Jesus for bringing John through.

Christmas came and went with John still in the hospital. That was hard on him but indeed our Christmas gift was the fact that John was alive and "Jesus saves" took on a whole new meaning to me.  There is more that I could share including about how awesome my entire family is and how wonderfully supportive our friends have been. The help that has been given is overwhelming at times.  So that I didn't have to travel a guest room was made available to me in a friend's apartment four blocks from the hospital. At home family stayed overnight to watch house and dogs, meals were prepared, groceries bought, errands done, snow removed and driveway plowed, dogs and horse well cared for, house cleaned, fuel ordered and delivered, wood stacked, and many other very real ongoing needs have been met. Including a "Friends of John Short" GoFundMe account set up on our behalf. John's bills already total over a quarter million dollars so we are very humbled and appreciate that this account was set up, as hard as it is to accept this kind of need. They say to count your blessings and name them one by one. We have experienced so many it would be hard to know where to start. But we know that God is faithful, that He is good, and that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We may not know how we're going to get through this, but we are certain that we will.

Yesterday, January 15th, was 1 month since John's heart attack. Today is three weeks since bypass surgery. Recovery is going well but this is a marathon not a sprint. There are steps forward followed by pauses and steps backward. John is strong, determined and each day his stamina improves. His endurance grows, daily he can do a little more. It's not easy to get him to rest but it's my job to make sure he doesn't overdo it. I love this guy and the life we share together. By the Grace of God we're going to enjoy many more years together with our family, our friends, and of course our Brittanys. It was hard for the dogs not to be able to interact with John for several weeks.  But they seemed to understand. Slowly but surely they have been allowed to interact with him and have that one on one time with them which has been wonderful therapy.

As we look forward I am aware that surely, the first day of the rest of our lives began on December 15, 2018. We are more aware of God's providence and faithfulness than we have ever been before and I will give Him the glory, the honor, the praise. There are no coincidences and I don't believe in luck. God's hand has been upon our family through it all. This could've had such a different ending and I am so thankful it did not. This has been and is a life changing event and I am learning what it really means to live one day at a time.

Thank you for your prayers, please keep them coming!
Love, Ann