I'm Alive !!

[Flip Oakes]

Hello all TH’ers, it’s been just over two weeks now, and I thought I would post this, as I’m finally able to do so. I’m very much still in business, and can take orders, ship horns that are already set up, sell and ship mpcs., and other small items. I wrote this today wanting to explain what had happened to me so suddenly, and let everyone know I’m really doing okay. I titled this;

I’m Alive !!

To all of my dear friends and family who have asked about my adventure and me. In lay mans terms, as best I can recall.

It started out on Sept.8, 2016 at 7:00am. I entered the Tri City Medical Center aka Tri City Hospital and got prepped for an Atrial fibrillation procedure. This is where they would go into and up through the groin enter the heart with a wire, go through a thin wall and then freeze the part of the heart that sets off the Atrial fibrillation fast rapid uneven heart beat. This is an electrical procedure for the heart. Afterwards the wire is pulled back through and it closes itself. It’s a one, same day procedure, that could be in and out the same day, with absolutely no pain, and no down time.

What happened was, after entering my heart, there is the wall the wire needs to go through, however my septrum was stronger and thicker, and the wire shot down and and entered the lower right ventricle and made a tear in my heart. So I started bleeding out at a very high rate, they called code blue, and rushed me to a different operating room. During this mad wild ride through the hallways they had two people compressing my heart to keep me alive. They opened my chest and was told took hands full of blood to see what the problem was. They by passed my heart so they could see what needed to be repaired and put in two tubes for drainage. They sewed up the tear and wired my chest closed, however they couldn’t align my chest correctly as my arms were off to the side.
I was gone, dead for 15 minutes, and poor Joyce and Lennette were going through hell, as they were told by all that they had never experienced this, and my chance for survival was nill. The two who did the heart compressions kept the oxygen going so I wouldn’t be brain dead, and have kidney failure. After this they moved me into critical care room where I was for 3 days. They awoke me and asked me questions and different drills as moving my right foot, left foot, hands, and asking questions like who is the President etc. They determined that I wasn’t brain dead, so they took me back to the O-R opened me up again re-aligned my chest and and put in a steel plate with 8 screws. The chest compressions broke 4 ribs, and my sternum In 4 places as well. The following day I went in for a MRI Scan, and they said I did have a minor stroke, that I have already recovered from.

There was a time, in the O-R that I could see a milky white light, and I didn’t know if I was a live or not, however it hurt so bad I assumed I was. After it seemed like a fairly long time, and lots of concentration, a BIG white light came through, and I could see the ceiling as clear as possible I could see all of the details very clearly! I shouted out I’M ALIVE !!! Not having any idea that what happened or what I had gone through. Joyce, Lennette, Dawn were all there when I finally came back, and I was asked who were they etc. My good friend Frank Glasson was also there. I knew something had happened when I tried to drink from a straw, and chasing the straw around, when there wasn’t even a straw or water in front of me. Trying to eat the first few day was like a kid who never held a spoon before. I kept asking did I have a heart attack, and was told no repeatedly. When I asked about a stroke I was also told no, until the MRI Scan that happened as few days later, then told yes a very minor stroke. The kept me heavily medicated for pain the first few days, then pills. To be honest I had no idea what was going on for the first 2-3 days as I recall. Frank even at my request brought me in a trumpet still while in critical care unit, I wanted to see if I had any coordination in trying to finger a horn. After a short while I gently blew into the horn, and made a sound Concert F, then up to Bb and played for about 10 seconds. The nurses had no idea what was going on, but came to my door applauding….

I came home on Sept.16th., for the exception of the pain of the healing process on my chest I feel great!
Doing my exercises, and started playing fo r a few minutes at a time a few days ago, today so far I have in 20 minutes or so. My goal is not to be as good as I once was, but far better then I ever was! I really have a desire to play now. I can’t work in my shop for 6-8 weeks, and it will take 3 months, to heal be mostly healed. I should have a full recovery by March 2017

I’m so thankful to be alive, and so thankful to Joyce and Lennette!

The hospital was exceedingly great. All of the Dr.s Surgeons, Cardiologists, Lift teams, and Nurses were fabulous! The TEAM they had for me could not have been better!

This was not a fault of any one, it was just a never experienced before as far as any of the medical team. I had 2 main surgeons, one who 72 yrs. of age with tons of experience.

I received love and affection from everyone, unlike I have ever experienced before.

I had open heart surgery, and Dr. Gramins told me that I had Passed the stress test :^) And should be at least 90% stroke free for the rest of my life.

Thanks to all!

Flip
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Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets�
2559 Mottino Dr.
Oceanside, Ca. 92056-3421
760-643-1501


Delivering the distinctive Wild Thing Sound since 1994

[jimjehu]

Welcome back.

[Greenleaf]

Whoa!
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[Dayton]

That's great to hear! Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[Don Herman rev2]

Wow, quite a tale! Quite a kick ni the gut reading through that... VERY glad it ended well, and so did you!

Take care,
Don
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

[shofarguy]

A true miracle and I cannot measure my gratefulness.
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Brian A. Douglas

Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper


There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds.

[LittleRusty]

Flip,

You are so fortunate that things turned out the way they did.

To quote a former actor, "live long, and prosper."

[iiipopes]

Nothing so dramatic, but I understand. About a decade ago I woke up with a red burning streak in my left calf. My (then) wife insisted I call the doctor. The nurse put me on hold, then told me to go directly to the hospital. It is fortunate that I did not understand exactly how serious it was, because all of a sudden mid-week both sides of the family and my pastor showed up. It still didn't sink in when they let my son spend the night in the hospital bed with me.

Well, after rounds of prayers everyone left. My son and I slept well and his Mom got him when the staff took me down for the morning scan. Afterwards, the operator looked funny. They told me they had to do the scan again. That was worrisome.

Then they called the doctor in, and he asked if there was a malfunction, double-checked the charts, my wrist bands, examined me, etc. Then they told me: a very large deep vein thrombosis that they thought was going to break loose any minute and cork up the plumbing for good spontaneously dissolved! I went home two days later with a prescription of warfarin, and have stayed in regular maintenance mode with my doctor ever since.

So congratulations to the OP on making it through everything! I guess we both have a few more things to do on this side of the aisle, so to speak. I will presume to say we both look forward to each day as it comes.
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King Super 20 Trumpet; Sov 921 Cornet
Bach cornet modded to be a 181L clone
Couesnon Flugelhorn and C trumpet

[yourbrass]

Best Wishes for a full recovery. Play more and let the instruments go if that's what you want.
-Lionel
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"Strive for tone." -John Coppola
Edwards X-13
ACB MV3C /ACB A1/26 backbore
https://yourbrass.com/

[mcombo]

Listening to Big Bear Stomp in your honor.

You've brought many smiles into this world. Here's to many, many more.

[Flip Oakes]

[Rapier232]

So glad it had a happy ending. Stay well and best wishes for the future too.
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"Nearly as good as I need to be. Not nearly as good as I want to be".

Smith-Watkins Bb
Will Spencer Bb
Eclipse Flugel
Smith Watkins K2 Cornet
JP152 C Trumpet
Besson Bugle

[ChopsGone]

Welcome back to the world of the living - that's great news. One tip you probably don't need to hear from me: don't phase out the exercises too soon, if at all. It's amazing how many years an old injury can trouble you, but keeping up with the exercises long after you might think they could stop is a good way to minimize the recurring pains.
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Vintage Olds & Reynolds & Selmers galore
Aubertins, Bessons, Calicchios, Courtois, Wild Things, Marcinkiewicz, Ogilbee Thumpet, DeNicola Puje, Kanstuls....

[roynj]

Always good to hear of a favorable outcome like this! Take it easy and you'll be good as new in no time. Best wishes!

[GordonH]

Well that is a good outcome Flip.

Welcome back!
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Bb - Scherzer 8218W, Schilke S22, Bach 43, Selmer 19A Balanced
Pic - Weril
Flugel - Courtois 154
Cornet - Geneva Heritage, Conn 28A
Mouthpieces - Monette 1-5 rims and similar.

Licensed Radio Amateur - GM4SVM

[Mark Bradley]

Sounds like you had an angel in the trumpet section looking out for you...

Have a speedy recovery!
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Bach 180S-25/ Reeves 43C
Blessing 1580
Bach 181SML cornet/ Laskey 60SB
Yamaha 8315G flugel/ Reeves 42F

[SSmith1226]

Instead of the "Music Man" you are the "Miracle Man". Welcome back!!!
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Steve Smith

[gjazz]

Hey Flip, welcome back. I think the perfect, symbolic gesture would be to create a beautiful, new horn, called " THE RESURRECTION " !

[tptptp]

So glad you made it!
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Craig Mitchell

[kmag]