OK, Max let the cat out of the bag and a few folks have been calling so now that the Mechanic finished his work I will tell y'all what happened
1 Apr... I had heard a little gurgling in my exhales at night, thought I was getting pneumonia from the kitchen remodel I am doing... Blood Pressure pills needed renewed, so I called a doc and got in to see him. After 5 EKGs, cell phones out of room, lights off, etc... he decided it was telling them the truth and told me I should see a cardiologist. Said the fast way to make that happen was go to the ER, sent me with a package of info... they were waiting. Another EKG, doc says I'm in Atrial Fibulation. They admit me for observation overnight... to the CICU. They do all the crap they do for a couple of days, then they take me in for a heart catheter (coronary arteries clean), a TEE (look down your throat at the back of your heart) and then shocked my heart back into rhythm.
4 Apr, send me home after telling me my heart is running at 45%... the cutoff line of officially having congestive heart failure... I needed to see a mechanic, my Mitral Valve is spitting more blood back out than it is pumping. There were 2 guys he recommended, one in Andover (local) and one in Cleveland. A friends daughter worked for the on here, and she told him her "Uncle" Bob needed some work.
9 Apr, Take CDs to Mechanic, he agreed, I need work, his specialty is heart surgery, valve repair he does robotically, no chest crack required (faster recovery), if not repairable, he cracks and replaces the valve.
April 14, I finished my taxes and checked into the hospital in the afternoon for pre-op.
April 15, I am in surgery at 730, things were not as expected... seems I had a lot of scar tissue around the lungs and heart... hummmm... but he stayed with it, managed a performance 5 angle grind and seat, surgery took about 4 hours longer than expected, good thing my "Niece" was there, otherwise he would have cracked me open making the job shorter, but the recovery longer.
I am home today, on light duty for a week, will get in to see the doc and should be cleared to go back to work in the kitchen... good thing, no sink, dishwasher or countertops.
Of course, there is a price to pay...