Don Spencer

This journey began earlier this week. Don's left shoulder began hurting - not all the time, but periodically. At first he thought it was from paddling with his hands when we were tubing on the Guadalupe River a couple of days before. But, it woke him up a couple of nights in a row and then began occurring more frequently. He woke me up on Tuesday about 5:45 AM  and told me he thought he needed to go to the doctor's office . He thought he might be having a heart attack. We were at the doctor's office when it opened and he saw Don right away. After listening to what all had transpired he told us to go straight to the ER at Saint Joseph Hospital just up the street here in Bryan.  A cardiologist was called in, tests were run. It was decided that he need a stent; he had 90% blockage in the 3 main veins on the front right of his heart. After scoping it out, a decision was made to do a triple bypass. More tests, and then he spit up blood. OK, another procedure to find out where the bleeding was originating.  They sedated him & scoped the stomach - found where the bleeding had originated (now stopped) - from an ulceration on a tumor located in the wall of the upper part of his stomach right next to the esophagus where it opens into the stomach. (Wed). That's when the conversation began about whether to go ahead with the bypass and a ventilator was inserted down his throat.Ultimately all the doctors decided to bypass the bypass :) and insert one stent (Wed).
Today (Thurs) they finally decided to perform the surgery after this weekend at 7:30 AM Monday morning. Ventilator's out, he's awake & talking. So, that's where we are!