My dad, Shankar Narayan Ramchandran (Ram for short), is having open heart surgery tomorrow to address his ascending aortic aneurysm. During the surgery, they will also either repair or replace a leaking valve that he has. During this surgery, there is a period where he will be cooled down to slow his brain activity while they work on the aorta.
He's 75 years old and in good health; his arteries have no blockage. The surgeon is well known and the surgery will be in Pittsburgh.
Please keep him in your thoughts during his surgery from 6AM to about 1PM EST on Friday, Dec. 10, '10.
I know the power of positive mental thought, so I appreciate all the help you can give!
Many thoughts and much prayer Sunil.
Ricki and I will keep your father and your family in our thoughts and prayers. Please let us know how the surgery goes.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you on this one Sunil.
Bing
Sunil, our thoughts and prayers are with your Dad and with you and your family as well.
I am a living, breathing example of positive thinking and prayers.
Hang in there buddy!
The Glazener family
Not waiting until 6 am. I am starting now. Good luck and blessings.
Sunil, We will keep your Dad and your family in our thoughts and prayers. Tom&LindaLu
positive thoughts eminating from the windy, Sunil
I look forward to the day when Shankar can log onto PBF and tell us how many times he caught you slackin' on the forum when you should'a been working
I'm all over this one. We will light candles and have some great positive thoughts for your dad.
Sunil, our prayers and best wishes for your dad.
There are some great medical people in Pgh. Your dad is in good hands. Our best wishes are sent for a successful surgery and rapid recovery.
Sunil I will pray that your dads surgery goes well and that he has a speedy recovery.
The fact that your dad is in good health going in is important and should give some comfort. Best wishes to him and you.
Sunil...thoughts and prayers from Texas! 
Gail and I have combined our prayers together for your Dad.
Dads are so very important.
Sunil, my thoughts and prayers are with your Dad and with your family. No sense in waiting for tomorrow, I'll start tonight.
Sunil, prayers and positive thoughts for your dad and entire family.
Best to your father & family. Open-heart surgery is always difficult, but medical technology these days borders on science fiction.
Thank you all so much for your support. I can't begin to explain how much it means to us.
I took my Dad & Mom down to a hotel last night. I'm leaving now to take them to the hospital.
I'll let you all know when he's out of surgery.
Thanks again!
Sunil, positive thoughts and prayers are being sent from Florida!!!
Thoughts and prayers from SD, Sunil.
Sunil - our thoughts and prayers will be with your whole family. Keep us informed, and I hope all goes well.
Ken and Lynda
SUnil Wyatt and I said prayers last night.
Thank you all so much!
We have heard from the surgery team and the surgery is almost over without complications.
They still have a few things to do, but the most intense part is over.
I'll post a note as soon as he's in recovery.
My Dad is out of surgery and we met with the surgeon. The surgeon says that all went well.
We'll see Dad in about an hour.
Thank you all so much for your support. It means a lot.
Hey, bro, just checked onto the forum and saw this post. I'm sorry I wasn't aware of it last night or even this morning, but be assured my best are going out to your dad for a strong recovery. Thrilled to hear it went smoothly.
G R E A T ----- N E W S.
Give him our collective regards !!
Sunil,
It would be great if the MARPBG (Mid-Atlantic Regional Pond Boss Group) could meet your mom and dad.
I'd really like for us to have a multi-generational get-together. As of right now, I could still bring four generations, plus a few dogs and cats.
Is there any way we could get together before the next PB Conference? Our four generations are currently healthy enough to travel a little ways -- maybe to Morgantown, Frostburg. Cumberland, etc. I think it is possible for our family to even do Pittsburgh if necessary.
Anyway -- we're sure glad to hear that things are going well. I'm sure your dad is in great hands in P'Burgh. If he needs any consoling, just remember that Lynda and I are closely tied to multiple MDs and PhDs, with connections to your dad's home town.
Ken and Lynda
Thank you all so much.
We got to see him and he was conscious but still groggy. He has a breathing tube in, but according to the attending nurse, she says he's not really using it.
He'll be in recovery 'til some time tomorrow and then will move to another area for a few days.
My family has felt all of your support and positve thoughts. Words can't express our thanks to you all.
I'll keep you all updated.
Sunil -- thank you for the updates. Glad to hear he is doing OK.
Sunil, our thoughts and prayers are with your Dad and with you and your family as well.
I am a living, breathing example of positive thinking and prayers.
Hang in there buddy!
The Glazener family
My Wife and I are both still here with the help of the PB crew!!!
Sunil, VERY glad to hear all is going well my friend. Your Father has to be a good man to have helped raise such a good son.
Many prayers and good thoughts from my family are coming your way my friend!
Sunil, congrats to the whole family.
We got to see my Dad last night around 8:30PM. He was doing well, but pretty uncomfortable from the breathing tube. It was kind of hard to communicate as he couldn't talk, and I was very sad to see him like that.
About an hour later, after I was discharged from the emergency room after having fainted in my Dad's recovery room, I was able to spend more time with him. We were able to comminicate better.
Overnight, they were able to remove his breathing tube. So now he is much more comfortable and can speak.
As for myself, I'm not really sure what happened. I've never fainted before. I was by his bedside holding his hand and speaking to him. I started to feel hot, and the feeling was getting more intense. I knew something was happening to me and that I wasn't seeming to be able to control it. I moved away from the bed looking for a chair, but there were no chairs in the room. The feeling was getting stronger, and I could sense that I was blacking out. I started to lower myself to the ground. I think I was out for about 5-10 seconds. When I came to, I was surrounded by the ICU staff. They made me go to the hospitals ER room. About 45 minutes of tests and a $50 co-pay, I was back at my Dad's bedside.
Going back to see him shortly.
Dude, it was clearly a radical rehab therapy aimed at helping your dad get better - you obviously adopted a posture of weakness in his presence so that he would have to feel strong as the father and come to your aid which, of course, he could only do after getting better himself first. You are a true selfless human being!
Seriously, hope there are no issues - be alert to anything out of the ordinary and take care of yourself, bud!
Sunil, sorry you're going thru all of this. Take care of yourself - the doctors will take care
of your dad. Just relax and think about your Steelers - everything is going to be back to
normal real soon...
Thanks!
Down here now...Dad is doing just great. Talking, smiling, concerned... He saw and heard the whole scene of me fainting! Of course I saw him after that, but still, it felt good to let him know I was fine a few minutes ago.
Sunil -- let's hope it was just exhaustion and stress. Glad to hear you are both doing OK.
Having loved ones in the hospital can be so very stressful we often forget to take care of our selves.
Get plenty of rest, take two asprin and call someone freak and you'll feel better.
All kidding aside take care of yourself my brother, Ricki and I will continue to send love and prayers from the left coast.
Standing for a long time after a day of stress is a recipe for just what happened. Especially if you don't eat all day. When that starts the thing to do is just sit down. Don't look for a chair as you won't make it that long. Get down as quick as you can and take deep breaths.
Glad you didn't break the floor with that hard head. Also glad your dad did not over stress as a result. Glad all are ok !!!!
Sunil...Fainting? Hot flashes?? Menopause???
Seriously, Glad to know you and your Father are doing good!
I think his tank was just running low on hops and barley.
Really glad to hear that you are O.K. and you didn't make your Dad any worse!
I've been there and done that, waking up wondering "what the hell just happened and why am I on the floor?"
Sunil,
Unless you woke up amidst a dozen or so White Castle boxes, I would pin this one on stress.
I second Scott's idea about being off his meds.
Well, I can say I was not on my normal "Friday night" regimen.
Dad got released from the ICU to the room he'll be at through discharge.
All of his vitals and stats were good, but when the sun went down, he experienced a lot of confusion. I stayed there last night. He's much better this morning.
Thanks again for all of your support, and please keep a little going for the next day or so.
If you stayed the night I bet you are tired today. No sleep when you stay in the same room. People in and out all night turning on the light and making noise.
I got a little sleep on one of those wonderful guest recliners, but not enough.
My Mom and Brother are there now, and I'll head down for another night later this evening.
Dad made it home yesterday, and his condition is all positive.
Thanks to you all for your support!
An affirmation that he has important works yet to accomplish.
I'm glad to hear that your dad is doing OK. How about you? Are you doing OK?
Yes, thanks for asking. I am fine.
My Dad's bio is actually quite impressive. I was amazed at his strength going into this surgery especially as it was an elective surgery. The downside of not electing the surgery was bad, nonetheless, a very tough call.