It’s been exactly one year since Dad had an episode he thought was just gas. I’m so thankful I had decided to spend the night with him in the hospital. Around 2:00 a.m., I was just about to go to sleep on the chair that unfolded into an uncomfortable cot. I heard the nursing staff run down the hall pushing a rattling cart with squeaky wheels. They turned in my dad’s room. This is the exact moment I became afraid. Turns out, it was a full-fledged heart attack that ended in an air evacuation to a 4 a.m. surgery. This surgery would insert two stints into an artery that was almost completely closed. I can’t tell you how unbelievably scared I was that night.

My dad’s skin blended with the color of his sheets. Again, he complained of having gas in his chest. The nurses explained that his blood pressure had dropped very low. In the background, one nurse talked to the physician on the phone while another was giving updates to an air evacuation team as they were en route. My dad’s skin still looked like putty.

I quickly realized I had two choices: fall apart or keep it together. I decided to keep it together. I ducked into the bathroom to empty my bladder in preparation for the trip to San Antonio but simultaneously started falling apart. Somehow, I realized that I didn’t need to let my dad see me falling apart. It would do him no good to witness how afraid I was. Before opening the bathroom door, I pulled it back together… but only on the surface. I made calls to my step-mom and my sister—difficult calls. Within minutes, the two, along with my brother, were on their way.

Long story short, his surgery went very well. He did need to get another stint put in a few months after his initial operation because one of the original stints were failing, but that went fine as well. This heart attack actually saved his life. During one of the procedures, the surgical team actually discovered an abdominal aneurysm which could rupture at any time. That has since been repaired. As best we can tell, Dad is doing fine and back to playing volleyball on a regular basis. In my book, that’s pretty good for a nearly 69-year-old man.

Here’s a nice shot of my dad enjoying some of the fireworks this past New Year’s Eve. I’m so thankful to have him!

Until next time, be positive, happy, and healthy. Don’t forget to be photographed and don’t forget to hug your dad.

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I am a San Antonio-based wedding and senior photographer who started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. As one of the up-and-coming San Antonio wedding photographers, I am also available to shoot in Austin, Houston and Dallas and the surrounding areas. I am also available for destination weddings worldwide. Ata-Girl Photography Co. offers an amazing wedding photography service that you won’t soon forget.  As a professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide you the absolute best photography experience.

I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I enjoy watching my daughter play softball, hiking, cycling, reading, and listening to Elvis!

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