'Happy bypass to you!'

Quizzical was the look on the eyes of bedside nurses Francis Domalaon and Emma Pablo when they went to my room at 6:17 a.m. of Sept. 27 to bring me to the OR of St. Luke’s Global for my quadruple bypass surgery.

- BÜM D. TENORIO, JR.

TEAM 'HAPPY BYPASS': With happy songs, lively cheers and colorful balloons, Patient 'Braveheart' wheeled into the OR of St. Luke's Global by nurses Francis Domalaon and Emma Pablo for his quadruple bypass operation early in the morning of Sept. 27. Cheering the patient on were his brother Rod, nieces and nephews Paula, Nikki, Howell, Alex and Nikkelle, Liza Alcantara, Jericho Castillo, Christine Dayrit and Jan Chavez-Arceo.

The room was in a party mood, almost oblivious to the major operation that was about to take place. Each of my caregivers composed of my family and friends was carrying a balloon, some heart-shaped. Those balloons were courtesy of my UPLB college friends Detdet Hernandez, Joee Mendiola Mendoza, Tiffany Urrutia and Jig Navarete who had them delivered the night before.

By the time the bed was rolled out of my room, we started singing “Happy Bypass to You” to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” Indeed, that day was a birthday for me. The operation would spell a new life for me after being diagnosed with blocked major arteries through an angiogram. I was told by my doctors I was a walking time bomb and could die anytime. I allowed God to win over me so I went under the knife. The success of my operation would mean a new lease on life. A new purpose from the divine.

“Kahit ang maya ay hindi mahuhulog sa lupa kung hindi ipahihintulot ng Diyos,” said my nephew Nikkelle, quoting Matthew, in his prayers before the nurses brought me out of the room. That passage was so powerful I was energized and all the more became ready for my operation. Days before that, at home, Nikkelle told me about “trust and total surrender to the Lord.”