Matters of the Heart…literally

Sitting in the waiting room, bracing for the next test my husband has to take. My mind is racing, wondering just how much our lives are about to change.

Earlier today, he had a heart cath, and we got news we weren’t expecting—multiple blockages. The doctor said he’s looking at bypass surgery. That was not on our bingo card for today.

A few weeks ago, we decided to do one of those heart health screenings they were offering in town—a simple stress test with an ECG. He’d been feeling off for a while—out of breath, exhausted—so we figured, why not? My results were fine, but Robert’s raised some red flags. Turns out, the doctor was right to be concerned. Several small blockages and one major one. Not good.

Robert has already been through so much. Years ago, he had a liver transplant—likely due to NASH disease, though they were never entirely sure. That surgery was a miracle in itself—he went from looking grey-blue to a healthy color within hours. And now, here we are again, in Little Rock, facing yet another medical challenge.

Robert is the kind of guy who’d do anything for anyone. He’s kind, genuine, the guy everyone loves. Not that anyone deserves this, but… why him?

And yet, here we sit, waiting on another scan—something to do with his heart. I know the road ahead is going to be rough. Tonight, we’ll have to tell our 15-year-old son. I just pray we have the strength to face this battle again.