What a great day yesterday! Mom and I left home and headed south for Los Angeles early in the morning. The weather on the Central Coast of California was spectacular– and that it not coming close to describing the gloriousness of the day! As we traveled through the never-ending vineyards, the sun splashed its morning yawn upon the leafy rows and they glowed a brilliant golden hue. As we came over the top of the Cachuma Pass into Santa Barbara, we could see all of the Channel Islands scattered throughout the shiny, sparkly Pacific Ocean. Yes, it just took our breath away over and over again.
Then, reality set in as we closed in on Los Angeles. I’m not a city fan, and I made this comment to my mom when describing the day in LA yesterday, “God did the best He could with LA!” Having always lived in a small town, I get a bit claustrophobic in cities:) We found our way through the ever-present Los Angeles traffic, over the ever-glorious Sepulveda Pass and got off at Wilshire Blvd.
UCLA Medical Center was quite impressive. After being there for just a short time, my mom and I decided we were quite comfortable there… funny place to feel “comfortable!” Being there makes me think even more about pursuing a career in the medical field. Stanford, did you hear that?!
And now, on to the very most important part of our journey to Los Angeles… Jaynie! You will laugh when I tell you that everyone– including Jaynie– wanted to prepare me for what I was going to see when I walked into Jaynie’s room. I was prepared for tubes, lines running everywhere, and a ghostly white Jaynie countenance.
Hee hee!!!!!!!!!!! What I got when I walked into her room, was Jaynie sitting up in a chair with a huge grin on her face that has more color in it now than it has had in years! Her medical team not only removed the scar tissue that was causing her extreme difficulty, but also, they replaced Jaynie’s valve with a much bigger one. And yes, I did get to walk with Jaynie and her IV pole, making sure the back of her gown was not flapping in the wind– just like she did for me. I always tell people, “That Jaynie, she always has my back!” I can’t tell you how much it meant for me to do the same for her.
Jaynie at UCLA after Heart Surgery
Melinda Marchiano 
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