“Did you have a heart attack?” she asked.
Her father’s smiling face turned sullen, and he shook his head. “Not a heart attack.”
“The doctor came and talked to us a few minutes ago,” said her grandfather. “Your daddy here needs part of his ticker reworked.”
“What does that mean?” she asked both of them. “Do you need bypass surgery?”
Her father shook his head. “Valve replacement.”
Instead of trying to explain further, her father handed her a piece of paper. “The doc said to have the nurse give her a call when you arrived, and she’d come back and talk with you.”
Tristan leaned forward and kissed her father’s cheek, and then hugged her grandfather. When she walked out of the room to go to the nurses’ station, she found Ben and Liv waiting a few feet away.
“I’ll know more soon,” she said, approaching them. “You don’t have to wait around here. I know you need to…uh…” She wasn’t sure what to say. They probably didn’t want to hop back on the plane after landing just a couple of hours ago. “Do you want to go to the house? I can give you directions.”
“We’ll wait a little while longer,” said Liv, linking her arm with Tristan’s. “So, tell me what you do know.”
They walked arm-in-arm to talk with the nurse, who told Tristan the doctor would be right up, and directed her to a family waiting area. “She’ll explain.”
While they waited, Tristan told Liv and Ben what her father and grandfather had told her.
“It’s a miracle he didn’t tumble off the horse,” Ben commented.
Tristan shook her head. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“Miss McCullough?”
“That’s me.” Tristan went to stand, but the doctor motioned for her to stay seated.
“I’m Dr. Perry and I’m a cardiologist.” The doctor shook her hand. “What has your father told you so far?”
“Not a lot.”
“Essentially, he needs aortic valve replacement.” She took a piece of paper out of her pocket and drew a simplistic human heart. “Most of us have what’s called a tricuspid valve, but your father’s is bicuspid instead.” She sketched a few more images. “It’s a genetic condition. We rate the risk of this particular diagnosis on a scale of one to five. Your father is as close to a five as I’ve ever seen. It’s a wonder he hasn’t had any episodes previous to this one.”
Tristan wondered. As stubborn as her father was, it was certainly possible that he had fainted before and not told anyone.
“What is the treatment?” she asked.
“Aortic valve replacement. There are options that we’ll discuss in depth with a cardiac surgeon, but I have to stress, there can be no delay with your father having this surgery.”
Tristan nodded. “What are the options?”
The doctor explained the difference between a mechanical valve and one from a bovine. “In some cases the bovine’s are larger, which means it’ll last longer. At your father’s age…well, we’ll let the surgeon give us his opinion first. His name is Dr. Fredericks, and I’ve specifically requested him. In the world of aortic surgery of any kind, he’s the rock star.”
Tristan smiled at Ben.
“I’ll warn you, though, he looks like he’s in his early twenties, but I assure you, he’s much older and the best-qualified surgeon I know. Of course, you’re also welcome to get a second opinion.”
Tristan wasn’t sure what her father would want to do, but if Dr. Perry was telling her that the surgery had to be performed as soon as possible, did they really have time for a second opinion?
“I’ll call Dr. Fredericks and ask him to come down as soon as he’s available.”
Tristan thanked the doctor, and then again asked Liv if she and Ben wanted to go back to the house.
“How’s your grandfather?” Liv asked. “Maybe he’d like something to eat, or a cup of coffee.”
Tristan hadn’t thought of that, and now that she was here, he could go home for a while and get some rest.