Heart surgery whilst fully awake and with no pain.

Its remarkable and worth recording.
It took place in what was more like a small aircraft hanger than an operating theatre. In the middle was a wooden platforn and on top of that was a bed. Looked a bit sacrificial.  Down one side were six large tv monitors.
I was helped up some steps and lay down on the bed for about 50 minutes.
The only thing you feel is a little prick when local anaessthetic is put in you wrist.
Hanging down above you are a number of Xray move cameras which the doctors move to various positions.

The aurgeon then inserts a thin tube into the artery in your arm and pushes it all the way up to your heart.  A special dye is sent up the tube which allows the X ray cameras to show everything which is happening in and around your heart.
They were quicly able to esrablish that one of the main arteries feeding blood to the heart was almost bllocked.
On to stage two, The  tube was withdrawn  and a rolled up stent is pushed up the artery until it is in the narrowest part of the artery. A tiny balloon in the stent is inflated. This expands it and it stays there so the blood flow is incresed.The balloon is deflated and pulled out via you wrist.
Job done. 
Whilst all this has been going on you are laying comfortably listening to the Glastonbury festival. Regular followers will know that given the choice it would have been Mozart.
You climb down, thank all the Drs and nurses and are wheeled back toyour ward. Most people go straight home. Given my age the Consultant asked me to stay the night.
Quite ama zing.
I hope you never need one but if you do you now know you do not need to be fearful