Play For Your Heart Charity Golf Tournament

in support of the Ottawa Heart Institute

I’m one of the lucky ones…. I would like to tell you about my wonderful experience at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. It all started with a routine phone call in May of 2020 with my doctor, Dr. Pettica. Towards the end of our call she said, “is there anything you want to discuss”. I said “well, I am waking up 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning and it feels like someone is sitting on my chest”. The doctor asked me are you ever out of breath or pains in your chest? I said “no, I have no issues in fact I been cutting firewood all week with a chain saw”. The next thing I knew, I was off to the Ottawa Heart Institute for a stress test, that didn’t go so well. Only days after I was told I had two arteries 95% blocked and one artery 70% blocked and that I wasn’t a candidate for stents, so I need a triple bypass, wow how quickly life changes!

Sept 14th, 2020, and it was my turn on the table! All the extralong hugs and good wishes had been given, and as my wife Gail drove me to the Heart Institute, I looked around trying to take it all in, just in case. At 1:45pm I was wheeled into the operating room and underwent what we were told could be a 7-to-9-hour operation depending on how things went! Gail said she was called just before 6pm, and was understandably nervous as it seemed to her, they were calling too soon, but Dr. Glineur my surgeon who called Gail assured her, saying everything went perfectly!!

The next couple of days were a bit of a blur, and I legitimately scared myself and then had a chuckle, the first time I looked at the scar on my chest. Thursday morning, I said to my wonderful nurse Maria, “Hey when can I go home!” I know there was a big smile and a little giggle under that mask. I convinced her that they needed the bed and that I was better off at home! A very surprised Gail picked me up 4:30p on Thursday. As I got out of the wheelchair and walked outside there was this euphoria that came over me, the sun was a little brighter, a little warmer! The grass seemed greener, the sky a little bluer. Friday I was walking the streets of Country Club Village, still a bit sore but very grateful to be alive! I’m a one of the lucky ones! As I approach the second anniversary date of my operation, I feel the need to help, Please consider joining me in raising some much need to funds for this amazing World Class institution.

- Mark Seabrook

Owner, Canadian Golf & Country Club