And They're Off!!!!!

[2hartsas1]

NANCY AND ROSS

NANCY AND ROSS

thanks you two......he is so afraid, and so am i....how silly, huh? it's just a simple procedure.
~shirley

 

[joy]

No shirley,it isn't a simple procedure, infact, it is considered a major procedure. Victor will do great though. Tell him I said good luck, and GODSPEED! I am so glad that he decided to take part in his medical care. It is very important that he did that. I feel better that he will come through this easier now that he is cooperating. COngratulations on quitting smoking, Victor, that in itself is a wonderful thing A big thumbs up for Victor!

 

[2hartsas1]

JOY

JOY

thanks joy......
you are appreciated. i'm glad he has finally settled in to getting well too......sure makes it easier to work with......
i'll be back tomorrow.........
~shirley

 

[Ross]

It's perfectly normal to be scared. I was scared and I still am! You have to swallow the fear and get on with it. If you don't, you'll surely die in a short amount of time and to me, that's even scarier! Don't let it rule you but try to deal with it one on one.

 

[Nancy]

Shirley-

Best wishes to Victor on his angio. The docs who do this are specialists in the procedure and do it all the time. It's more awkward than anything else, because he might have to lie still for a time afterwards. But if he qualifies for some of the newer ways to close up the surgical site, that time may be shortened.

 

[2hartsas1]

mornin all

mornin all

thanks ross and nancy,
well tomorrow is our big day.....fingers crossed.....and lots of prayers. i'll be there with him as long as he is there....this has been a long time comming and he keeps wanting (half-heartedly) to "reschedule" cause of loss time at work, etc.....but no, we will definately go ahead with this tomorrow.
so...i should be back on friday to update......
thanks everybody...
~shirley

 

[Ross]

I'll keep you close in mind tomorrow. It's not the worst thing in the world and it'll certainly be much more informative then most other tests. The test itself doesn't take long. It's all the waiting in between. Talk to you soon.

 

[joy]

I understand what you are talking about with the VA hospital, For the longest time i had to go to the naval hospital and then Madigan army medical center, and I never had the same doctor. Then I went to tricare and told them I was not giving them the choice that they were going to let me go to my civilian doctor and pay for it too. I was sick of always having to give them my entire history and then they looked at me like I was stupid for wasting their time. It was too stressful. I JUST got a doctor that I can get ahold of 24/7, and I only see him and my cardio. Bout time! I was actually wondering if Victor goes to the va hospital because he was in the service? What kind of insurance does he have? If it's tricare, is it prime? If it is, he needs to go to the service center and fill out a waiver. They will try to tell him no, but just keep on appealing it. Take care of yourselves, alright?
Joy

 

[2hartsas1]

HI ALL

HI ALL

just a quick check in before i go to sleep. good thing i have a constant script for sleeping pills......man.....tomorrow we have to be at the va at 6 am. that means we leave home around 5. dunno how it will all go, but do know he cant drive back and i dont drive anymore so that leaves us getting a ride back. no biggie, it'll all get taken care of. just mumbling to myself-out loud, LOL!!!!!
joy, i dunno about the insurance, all i know is that he has the va and we never have to pay anything. i dont recall ever having even seen a bill!!!!!! he was in the marines, but has no duty involved injuries.......all his "wounds" are from living too well!! LOL!!!!! well, and the gunshot wound from 92 i think, when he was held up for cash. that sure almost didn't go too well......

as for 'getting things done' hee hee, well, that is MY job! and if i say so myself, i am darned good at it. i learned well with my hep, you have to do your homework, AND the docs a lot of the time too and press on to get what you want. doctors dont like me a whole lot. i require TMI!!!! LOL!!!!!

ok, enough, i'm off to bed. i'll "see" you guys friday.
and ross, thanks for the extra thoughts tomorrow.
thanks everyone for all your support.
nighters all,
~shirley & victor

 

[2hartsas1]

WE'RE HOME

WE'RE HOME

ok, we got home last night and long story short, it was a bad experience. let's just leave it at that. the good news is that victors arteries are all clear. the bad news is that he does have to have the valve replacement. however-with victors particular risk factors, the replacement is more dangerous than just leaving things alone. leaving things alone involves the real probability of a heart attck soon. victor and i share the view that he is better off leaving things as they are. he is going to have a pulmonary fuction and arteries in neck done on monday, so he/we are interested in the test results and finding out how he is. but as far as any further invasive procedures, surgeries, unless there is an immediate er situation-nope. he is going to lose 100 pounds and has already stopped smoking. cold turkey, and doesn't miss it a bit. the experience thursday cured him of any/all furthur desire for ciggys.
we both also know that he is free to change his mind about the valve replacement anytime, but the docs say of course, in his case, if we are gonna do it, we need to do it soon.
victor is going to quit his job and i expect find something less stressfull to keep him from sitting around the house all day.(heee hee- he'll do most anything to keep from helping me with the dreaded "housework")
but for now, as lame as it sounds, this is his and our decision. we are happy with it. we have both been through trauma, life/death situations before and have certain feelings on what is/is not acceptable to us.
i'll be back monday to let you know how the other test results turn out. as for now, victor is very sore, but sitting on the couch LOL at some dumb movie on tv. he's home with me, we're together, and as far as we are concerned, life just can't get any better.
love and thanks to everyone (and no, we aren't gonna "dissappear" again) ,
2hartsas1~shirley & victor

 

[hensylee]

Well, gracious me, you have been right through it, haven't you. I know you will both be anxious to get Monday finished and try getting your new life styles on track. My prayers are with you both. Please let us know how it goes. Want always want to know. God bless

 

[Nancy]

Hi Shirley-

I'm happy to hear that Victor's cath is over. I know how he wasn't looking forward to it. I'm also happy to hear that you have both agreed on a path that is right for you.

It sounds as if you got some conflicting information from the doctor, but it might just be me not totally comprehending it. It sounds as if the doctor said that it was dangerous to do the valve surgery because of Victor's situation, but he really needed to have it done, and soon. It also sounded like that he said if things were left alone, there was imminent danger of a heart attack.

That's a lot to deal with. I hope you will stay with us and keep us up to date on what is happening.

God Bless.

 

[Ross]

Not to beat a dead horse on this, but he shouldn't have had problems with the Cath. Sounds like someone didn't do it correctly. I'm getting the same impression that Nancy is about the interpretations. I'm not going to sit here and play armchair physician. I'm just happy that things are getting done and stuff is being revealed that is having a positive effect on Victor and thinking about the situation. He would surely be in trouble soon without some necessary modifications to his life.

You better not disappear on us. We need all the help we can get around here.

 

[2hartsas1]

LOL! well i dunno how much HELP i will be, but naw, we aren't gonna leave here this time. and you both DID get it right about the docs dx. and victor and i both kinda knew it already. we are just gonna go ahead and live as healthy as possible and NO smoking!!!!!! and the docs have misdx, how "long" someone had about a quadzillion times before , so we are hoth doing fine enough, we figure.
currently getting our share of needed sleep........only been awake about 5 hours out of the last 24.
so with that in mind, i'll be back later.......
......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
~shirley

 

[2hartsas1]

ok, we're awake now.....the v.a. just called and asked how victor is doing, etc. you know-follow up. then they mentioned his by-pass on monday.......
there was no by-pass talked about and certainly not scheduled for monday nor any other day!! the lady said it was in the computer.....needless to say, we aren't having it, but i do have a question. my brain is almost all gone and i cant remember: why is victor injecting lovenox and taking coumadin at the same time? this is just since release from the hospital. is it to get his level back to normal quicker?
dazed and confused,
~shirley

 

[Ross]

They're trying to keep him from clotting until the Coumadin levels get restored.

 

[2hartsas1]

ROSS

ROSS

thanks honey,
my brain returned shortly after i posted that.......we are on our way now for his inr/pt check up and the rest of it. i'll be back with the results.
WHEW!!!!!!
man, having perpetual brain fog is rough when you're the caregiver.........(write it all down shirley, write it all down.......)
~shirley

 

[sylviayasgur]

wow shirley!!!!
i just got back from vacation and was shocked to read your posts!
sounds like you've run a marathon!!!! you must both be soooo exhausted from all the tension and lack of sleep.
how frightening, all this.
sounds like you are in control of things though and have made some important choices.
i'm glad you are both comfortable with this and that things seem to be ok for now.
wishing you both all the best, sylvia

 

[2hartsas1]

GOOD MORNING

GOOD MORNING

thanks sylvia.....
well here's the latest.
we talked with the docs yesterday.....no pt/inr lab.....whatever.....
and they explained that victors valve is now at a (have i got this right?) "0.07" as opposed to a 1.07, where it was last year..... they are taking into consideration all his risk factors, and they sent him to the dentist yesterday and he will have to have several teeth pulled, and then more tests to find out why he keeps getting cellulitis, and if his legs have clots.......good lord,.......anyway, we are going with all the tests (i intend to get the pt/inr today) but victor is still,ioho,too risky for the operation. the docs have laid it all out real plain and again, as far as we can see, we prefere to go w/out it. victor has quit work and that's fine.
we're workin' with it.
haven't been reading here much right now, we're pretty busy w/the tests and all.....hope everyone is doing good.
~shirley&victor

 

[2hartsas1]

REPEAT

REPEAT

saw dental surgeon yesterday. got on antibi's. planning 4 extractions for the first, depending.....v's inr is 1.3. so doc doesnt reccomend holding but is going to check on day of procedure to make sure, then in the meantime, lots more tests.
~shirley