Update on Dad

[aniper]

Well, I'm exhausted and emotionally drained.

Dad has a new bovine aortic valve, and dacron aortic graft. Surgery was compicated by plaque build-up in his aorta. This, apparently, was the cause of the aneurysm. The aortic tissue itself was very thick, so I guess we won't worry about the hereditary connective tissue disease. Also, there was no bicuspid valve, (although the natural valve was in very bad shape). Dr. Raissi was shocked at the amount of "junk" in there, (especially since all his arteries showed clear on pre-op). He was very concerned during surgery that my dad might have had a big stroke from the loose plaque. He suctioned all the plaque in the ascending aorta, to avoid any future problems.

Right now dad is still in Cardiac ICU. He did have a stroke, and we were very worried yesterday that it was bad. Today we arrived and he was moving all his limbs and recognizing us. He still can't talk, but Dr. Raissi is very encouraged, and still believes dad could make a full recovery. His heart is doing great, they removed all the heart catheters this afternoon. He is taking oxygen, but no breathing tube. They are feeding him through a tube in his nose.

This is an emotional rollercoaster. I just hope we've seen the worst now.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Anita

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Anita,
Thank you for the update on your dad. I hope his recovery goes well. You and your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Please keep us posted.
Take Care

 

[Nancy]

Hi Anita-

Your dad's operation was a lot more involved than you could have imagined. I am sorry to hear about the stroke. Good thing he was in the hospital when it happened, they could get right on it and he'll have a much better chance of recovering. If he didn't have this surgery, he might have had one and not be able to get help. It sounds like his heart was in very bad shape.

He will be in my thoughts and prayers for a successful recovery, and that the stroke symptoms go away completely.

God Bless.

 

[suz]

Anita,

I am so happy to read that your Dad pulled through the surgery. I am so sorry that you and your Mom are going through the additional worry of a stroke, but from your post it sounds like the doc is very optimistic for a full recovery and I am sure that he wouldn't voice optimism unless he felt certain that it was appropriate. My prayers are still with you all during this difficult time. I think that the breathing tube is out is a really good sign. I hope that you Dad is enjoying a great run down his favorite ski slope during his sleep and that he will be back in the chairlift line for the next ski run in no time.

best,
suz

 

[SJJ]

Anita,
Y'all have had a really stressful experience! Sorry to hear your dad's had such a rough ride but I'm encouraged that the doc's are optimistic that he'll have a full recovery. I'll keep y'all in my thoughts. Keep us posted.
Sue

 

[Heather Fisher]

So sorry to hear about the stroke. They should be able to pinpoint the location in the brain for you in a couple of days. It usually takes a little time to show up on a CT scan or MRI. The fact that he is able to move all extremities is very good as the speech center is very close to the motor cortex in the brain. Sometimes brain swelling impedes progress for a few days but you will probably see rapid improvement. I assume he's having difficulty with swallowing and thus the reason for the feeding tube? I'm a speech path and worked in hospitals for a number of years so I'm used to seeing and evaluating this kind of thing. I'm sure they will have someone evaluate him soon. Meanwhile, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I went through a very similar experience with my dad so I know what you are going through. Feel free to PM or email me if you need more info.

Heather

 

[aniper]

Dad's gettiing better!

Dad's gettiing better!

WOW! My dad is incredibly strong! Today, he is walking the halls of Cedars, (pushing his oxygen), breathing in the spirometer (all the balls are going to the top), eating, and talking in full sentences. He says he is in no pain. He keeps looking at us, and saying, "ok, lets go home!" He is not quite lucid yet, but we are very hopeful. I ask him about all sorts of things and he answers correctly most of the time. He can read the signs in the hospital hallways. He seems disconnected somewhat, but boy what a difference from yesterday. Dr.'s are all very impressed.

I felt so bad when I found out that the nurses had to strap him down last night because he kept trying to get up and leave!

Oh yeah! He thought he was 21 years old at one point. My mom said, "well your married to an old lady then!". Dad just laughed.

Thanks everyone for your continued prayers!
Anita

 

[Nancy]

Hi Anita-

That is so wonderful to hear. I bet a lot of the "disconnected" stuff is still the lingering effects of the anesthesia and pain meds. They take a long time to leave the system. The greatest thing is that he feels so godd, can breathe well and is walking down the halls. Sounds like all systems are healing.

Really very, very hopeful news.

 

[Heather Fisher]

Hi Anita,
I replied to your PM. That lack of lucidity could be the meds but it could also be from the stroke. It sounds like he is havinging rapid improvement though. If it does not clear soon, ask for a speech and language evaluation. I'm glad to hear he is getting the CAT Scan today. That should answer a few more questions. I would say he has an excellent prognosis based on what improvements there have been so far. Give him time, he's been through a lot. Take care and I hope today is another great day for him.

Heather

 

[suz]

Anita,

Having had a head injury years ago and having been told that they had to strap me down because I was kicking at the doc's one good kidney and calling my mom alternating love, hate names, I can say that the experience is much harder on the loved ones then on the patient. I hadn't a clue.

I am so happy to hear that there is progress and improvement!!!! It is amazing how resellient (sp?) the brain is after trauma. I feel good that your dad is going to come through with flying colors.

lots of good wishes,

suz

 

[aniper]

Dad's doing GREAT!!!!

Dad's doing GREAT!!!!

Here's another update:

I think this will be helpful to those of you who are older.

My 78 year old Dad went to a step down cardiac room yesterday. He's in a private room w/ an incredible view of the city. He says he's in no pain. Dr. Raissi says older people feel much less pain and discomfort and require much less pain meds than younger people. Dad is able to sleep on his side, and sit up with no assistance. He sneezes and coughs w/o that pillow! I can't believe how well he is doing now. He walked over 800 ft today throughout the hospital hallways. He had a walker, but kept lifting it off the floor saying it was too squeaky.

He is beginning to engage in conversation much more than the other day. He is still disoriented though. The neurologist thinks this will slowly pass w/in a few weeks or months.

Here are some more details about his surgery:
In order to remove the plaque build up in the aortic arch, Dr. Raissi put dad under circulatory arrest for just 3 minutes. During this time he suctioned all the loose "junk". He is very confident that dad is now much safer than he was before the surgery. He says it will take many years to build up a dangerous level of plaque. He did not do the bental procedure. He instead was able to preserve the area around the coronary artery connections and sew the dacron graft in place. Dad now has a very smooth and clean aorta. Dad recieved a Carpentier Bovine Pericardial 25 mm valve. His valve is working beautifully.

Nancy, your are right. All things considered, if a stroke was inevitable, (as it now seems it was), then I'm so happy that it happened in a much more controlled environment. Also, it seems that even the aneurysm took a back seat to the arterioscleosis in the aorta. Although Dr. Raissi said the surgery was urgent due to the aneurysm, he now believes there was a greater danger of a massive stroke than rupture of the aorta. They just don't know everything until they get in there.

Dad is probably coming home on Thursday. My mom is staying in his room at Cedars Sinai w/ him until then. She is very happy! We all are!

 

[Nancy]

Hi Anita-

This is such hopeful news about your dad. I'm very happy to hear it.

I just found out that an older cousin has had a massive stroke. She was not as lucky as your dad, and was not in the hospital where it would have been addressed immediately and it did a great deal of damage. Her entire right side will probably be affected, and possibly her vision and speech. She's been in the ICU for 5 days now in a partial coma, and will be there for probably another week, and then will have to have a month or so of rehab. Her symptoms are still developing.

It sounds as if your dad has superb care and that a greater tragedy has been averted.

 

[suz]

Oh happy day! What wonderful news. When I was at my Dad's this weekend I bought him some Flaxseed oil which is high in Omega 3 and is supposed to reduce plaque build up. I am going to take it too! Of course I said that he should check with his doc before starting to take it. Here is some info on the subject of the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids from the American Heart Assoc.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632

all the best,

suz

 

[Marge]

Wow, what amazing and wonderful news, Anita. I am so glad for you, your dad and mom and the rest of your family.

 

[aniper]

Thanks everyone!

Thanks everyone!

Suz,
I read the article. I just don't get why my dad had such plaque build-up. My mom is Japanese, and always cooks w/ tofu, fish, and all healthy. Dad never smoked... Dr. Raissi is amazed at the condition his aorta was in. So much so that he took pictures of the affected areas during surgery. He will use this in his research, (glad dad could help!). It seems that my dad is somewhat of an unusual speciman. As I said before, all his arteries were clean. The technician even commented that he had carotids of an 18 yr old! Dr. Raissi asked if his work place was smoke-filled before he retired, or if dad's parents smoked. That would have been some 60 yrs ago? He says he sees patients that are married to smokers frequently who have the arteries of a smoker. 2nd hand smoke is no less dangerous than actually smoking!

Nancy,
I'm sorry about your cousin. Don't be surprised though. My sister in-law's dad was in a coma for a week, came out of it w/ similar symptoms. Although he does have some problems w/ his right side, his speech, vision, cognitive abilities all came back after some time. This man is older than my dad.

 

[Raverlaw]

Aniper,

I'm so glad to hear that your Dad is doing so well now. I'm sure the stroke episode scared you and your family, but it sounds like he's coming through OK.

They told me the same thing about older people feeling less paind, due to having less muscle mass. I guess that means I'm still a youngster!

Suz,

Check with your Dad's doctor on the Omega-3 stuff. Although it does what the article says, it also effects clotting time. I can't remember right now (pumphead? ) if your Dad has an artificial valve or not; but he might be on Coumadin all the same and should not introduce any new supplements until he checks with the Dr.

 

[suz]

Bill,

Thanks for the info. Dad has a Bovine valve, but they do have him on coumadin right now. I guess it might be a post surgery thing.

best,
suz

 

[suz]

Anita,

My major in college was japanese cultural anthropology. I lived in Japan 2 yrs and love all things japanese, including the food! The japanese diet is very healthy but I have to watch what I eat a bit more now and stay away from soy products, not strictly, but don't include tofu as a mainstay as I did in the past because of its estrogen influence. I don't eat read meat and my Dad has cut down big time in the last 10 yrs due to my mom's influence. I still want to promote clean arteries and am starting this regimine myself. My Dad's condition was due to a birth heart defect, but he does love his ice cream, chocolete and these do contribute some plaque in the arteries. I found this paragraph which touches on the many benefits of Omega 3

"It might sound like a weapon of mass destruction straight out of a James Bond thriller. But it's actually proving to be a formidable weapon against heart disease, eczema, arthritis, inflammation, autoimmune disease, hypertension, cancer and even depression"

Keep the good news acommin !!

best,
suz

 

[aniper]

Heparin

Heparin

Hey Suz,

My dad is on Heparin while in the hospital. He's also back on baby aspirin. I think Heparin is used in place of coumadin sometimes. I'm not sure if they will continue the Heparin once he comes home.

I'm off w/ my family, (took the kids out of school today), to see dad(Grandpa). More later....