Over the years I have found that I have gained the ability to be patient.  I once was of the persuasion that if there was a job to be done I would immediately finish it up.  I could see its outlines clearly and lined up my assets and got that job done. This was while others were thinking of forming a committee to study the problem. Of course there were other times when I procrastinated and forgot what it was that I was supposed to get done by a rather short deadline.  But the kind of “patient” I am thinking about during the writing of this essay is involved with my getting ready to go to the hospital for the prepping work (mostly paper work absolving the Hospital, Doctors and Staff of any responsibility) before my operation tomorrow morning – I think I won getting to be first in line.

I will have my left carotid artery opened and plaque removed.  I was asked to consider using a stent which would have pressed the plaque against the arterial walls so that blood could move freely.  This would employ a metallic mesh inserted at that location and it would not involve opening my neck.  It is a nice trick to thread up through the groin into arteries all kinds of miniature tools to do the stent thing.  Cutting my neck will leave a scar but that will heal.  I stopped worrying about going under the “knife” when I had my triple by-pass.  I do not worry but am not very patient when I am in the patient category.

At any age, disrobing so others can manipulate your naked body takes away the armor that clothing and an upright stance gives you.  You become an object and have to assume many positions for the convenience of the technicians and doctors who will “practice” on me.  I think you see where this is going.

I am now a statistic and this bothers me.  If I continue as I am the percentage of possibility of a stroke will be the same as a stroke occurring during the operation.  The odds are in favor of those who do a lot of thinking and have avoided growing old. I have tried to avoid the pitfalls of age by writing a lot of essays.

One very good thing is that down here in Florida there are so many clones of this older male with a bad plaque problem that the “practice” of cardiovascular doctors has given them the insights as well as dexterity to do the job fast and correctly. 

I’ll not be able to write for a couple of days but I will be thinking of you and hope you will be wishing me luck.  If you are of the praying persuasion, that will be nice, too.  I hope that all goes well as promised or why have the operation?