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When my mother went in for a routine stress test last week, her doctor found what he called an "abnormality."

He sent her to a cardiologist and he did a heart catheritization on Tuesday.

I took Tuesday and Wednesday off. I knew that Tuesday would be spent in St. Francis, sitting around and waiting. I took Wednesday off just in case she needed some help at home.

We got to the hospital around 6:15 a .m. Tuesday and spent the whole time waiting. First, for her turn in the cath unit. My friend Geri Davis was kind enough to come and entertain us for a while. She brought her sketchbook from her recent trip to Italy, along with some photos.

Geri left as they were taking our mother to the cath unit.

Then we waited to for her to come out of there.

It took just a short time.

They took her to recovery, and asked us to wait. By us, it was me and my sisters, Nancy, Dorothy and Patty. Dr. Samir Mewar came out and told us the bad news. Our mother had numerous blockages that ranged from 80-95 percent.

He recommended Dr. Jeffrey Travis.

We went to the outpatient wing and stayed with her while she slept and ate and got her vital signs taken.

Dorothy, Patty and I walked over to the A&W/Kentucky Fried Chicken place for lunch. Nancy decided to stay with our mother, just in case Dr. Travis came.

Our brother, Fred, who said 6:30 a.m. was too early for him, joined us for lunch.

About an hour later, Fred and Patty left to go shopping for some things at Lowe's.

Finally, around 4:30 p.m. Dr. Travis came and explained what her options were, and made an appointment to see him Wednesday morning.

We got her home, just as Fred and Cheryl's daughter, Jessica, got there. Cheryl had been at our house, painting the bathroom.

Our mother was fine. Just a little sore, but OK.

Wednesday morning was another early one, this time all of us went to Dr. Travis' office, because Patty and Fred weren't there when he came to talk to us on Tuesday.

He went over everything, and she's going to have a quadruple bypass next Tuesday.

We went to the breafast buffet at Shoney's. We were joking that it will probably be the last time we'll be able to eat sausage and bacon and eggs in a long time.

Then we went to visit one of her friends, Kazue Yonekawa, who had lunch ready for us. Mrs. Yonekawa and her husband, Masafusa, own Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, and she's a wonderful cook. Even though we were stuffed, we ate some more.

After all, that's what the Okamoto family does best -- eat.

So now, we're just waiting for Tuesday's surgery. We'll probably go to Atlanta this weekend to shop.

Fred says she'll rehab at his house. He's got a walk-in shower downstairs, complete with rails and a shower seat. And she can watch TV on his big screen, which she'll love.

Everyone I know says this surgery is so much easier than it was years ago. And the alternative is not an option. Dr. Travis said without the bypass, she has a 50/50 chance of having a heart attack or stroke. And none of us want that, of course.

So please wish us well!