Written after my SECOND open heart surgery, Dec 2025.

Second Time Around! 

Open heart surgery is not nice
No one should have to do it twice
But if you pass you might end up in the soup
Which is why I am now in the double zipper group

As I got into my medical gown
At least I knew what was going down
My condition is somewhat rare
But I knew what to do to prepare

I visited all three of my boys
Grown up now but still my joys
Visited every grandchild I could
Asked a friend to split firewood

I had to slow down because of my heart
But my wife, bless her, does more than her part
Any time I must face strife
I'd rather do so with my wife

She loves me a lot and holds me tight
Glad she's on my side in this fight
She's going to make sure everything's right
She'll stay by my side every night

My colleagues at work are ready to start
They know they need to cover my part
One more thing I found out that day
So many people gathered to pray

Family and friends and coworkers all
were there for me, that day in the fall
They all knew I would be in a gown
But I did not expect the whole African town

A whole village had known of me
All because of our charity
We had reached out to them to right a wrong
And they could only pay back by singing song

So Friends across the ocean that I never met
Hoping I would not die yet
Supported me in prayer and song
Praying that my life be long

I've had a life good and long
And I know that I am not wrong
I know just why I made it through
God has things for me yet to do

K.R. Tookey