I had open heart surgery some time ago. Before the procedure, my doctor told me what to expect. He told me that I would be put under anathesia, and a breathing tube would be inserted down my windpipe. He assured me that when I woke up from the anesthesia, a nurse would be alerted, and come immediately to remove the breathing tube. He emphasized that, until that happened, I was to keep calm and, above all, not panic. Too late, because I was already starting to panic. The thought terrified me. After calming down, I told myself that, when I had awakened, I would tell myself that the breathing tube was the one thing that was keeping me alive and thank God that it was there. The strategy worked because when I came out of the anethesia, I could feel peace and strength until the nurse arrived to remove the tube.