Harry Siemens – There comes a time in one’s life when you have to stand up and take notice. I’m at such a point in my life right now. I found out on August 14, that three possibly four of my arteries to my heart are blocked from75 to 95 percent. That was the message Dr. Hussain gave me when I woke up after the angiogram that he had just performed at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Go home and take it easy because your heart is in good shape, but your arteries are not, so don’t do anything silly until we can get you an appointment with a heart surgeon.

Wow – Is all I could say laying on that hospital bed wondering what is in store for me now.

You see, one specialist had treated me for asthma for the past 18 months subscribing pills and puffers and inhalers, all thinking they were helping.

Whenever, I went for a walk, or umpired a fastball or baseball game, I had this crazy pain in my chest area and shortness of breath that was asthma, I thought, so I soldiered on. Often, I tried a little harder to compensate for my decreased physical stamina, only to feel more pain. It was asthma so I thought.
My pre-opp day is September 11 and if all is well, the surgery will now take place on Friday, September 14.
That’s when Dr. John Lee, and his highly trained and experienced staff at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, will open up the ribcage, take out the heart and lay it aside, and keep me going with a machine. They will remove some arteries, from behind the left ribcage, or the left arm, and/or the right leg, and insert three or four bypasses, so that my heart can get the required amount of oxygen and blood to give me back my full life.

Why you may ask am I sharing this with you – For several reasons. I live a public life and I felt this was something you as my readers should hear from me, not second or third hand. I did the same for my radio audience and the response has been overwhelming. As a few of you have said, its good to hear you write and talk about it because it takes the fear and the negative stigma attached to full open heart surgery and puts it into the real-life category.
Secondly, it is somewhat therapeutic because the more you share and talk about it, the more you realize it has become almost routine, and yet a huge operation.
I’m thankful for friends, that my heart has not been damaged by an attack, for the medical staff and facilities, for family, and for my faith in a God who is in control. No matter what, He knows best.