The Cardio O.R. was quiet and a bit more serious than some of the other Operating rooms I had worked in. It had a hush to it. There seemed to be added risk with it. Beyond the swinging door were mayo trays, blue sheets, and instruments ready and waiting when the nurse brought the patient in. We stood gowned, gloved, and masked. The heart is an intense organ to get to! Modern techniques are ever evolving but layers of the body are opened up and retractors help hold the widest possible view of a human chest cavity so that an invasive operation can begin, that will hopefully extend a life.…