Update on Gary's Aortic aneuyrsm

[Chrisandgary]

Received Garys cat scan results :{ Worse than the echo. It is 5.6 and the cardio recommends surgery within the month.

So far I have surgical appts. with a Dr. Landsen or Lansen (not sure of spelling yet) He and his partner Dr.Spievogel are both from Mt.Sinai in NY and have moved to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla NY. They were a team in NYC at Sinai that specialized in Aorta aneurysm and have brought their skills to WMC along with doing heart transplants. Anyone know of them??

We will also be seeing Dr. Oz at Columbia in NYC and Dr Griepp at Mt. Sinai. I hear these 2 are awesome and am hoping Dr. Griepp knows Dr. Landsen since he came from there!

Good thing I got some Xanax - my fears have been calmed and can conquer this next mission full speed ahead!
I also called the cardio back to ask for bp medication until the surgery for Gary - I hope that will keep it at 5.6 and not go higher before. I am concerned that the echo was end of May and was 5.0 and its only 7/13 and was at 5.6 That seems like an awfully big change.
Gary is doing well so far - he is just very pissed off because he was opening his own business in Sept or October (woodworking with a buddy) and fears he may lose this opportunity. If they hold off 1 month more he'll be healed and ready to go - I am afraid he will be seen as a huge liability and will not be wanted anymore. Oh well. He will have to get through that part on his own, I just will work on keeping him here!

Thanks for listening!
Christine
Also - what questions am I to ask the surgeons during my rounds?

 

[geebee]

Christine,

I think the only question to ask the surgeon is how fast can he do the surgery? 5.6 is very dangerous.

Please get this done ASAP.

 

[Chrisandgary]

The first surgeon appt isnt until Tuesday - will he be okay until then - He also wants to sheetrock our kitchen on Sunday - Should I tie him down?! He wont listen to me to lay off!

Christine,

I think the only question to ask the surgeon is how fast can he do the surgery? 5.6 is very dangerous.

Please get this done ASAP.

 

[geebee]

I am hoping someone else chimes in here who has actually had an aneurysm but my understanding is exertion can be a problem with aneurysms. I would try to talk him out of physical exertion until after he sees the surgeon for guidance.

 

[PJmomrunner]

My restriction relative to the aneurysm is not to lift, push, pull or otherwise apply more than 20 lbs. of pressure, don't run or do anything else to cause my heart rate to exceed the "low 100s." After much agonizing I have given up running and I do limit my heart rate as prescribed. Relative to lifting (and I would think this would apply to sheetrocking) I do not do anything that causes me to involve my chest muscles or otherwise strain. When I do lift, I make sure not to hold my breath and I keep my elbows close to my body and keep my chest out of the plain of motion. I could not lift a 4 x 8 piece of sheetrock without straining. If this is something Gary always does, maybe he can do it without straining. I would offer to Gary that his family needs him to be alive more than they need the kitchen sheetrocked. If he really just HAS to sheetrock the kitchen, he should get help with the carrying and holding in place. He doesn't really have the luxury of time to get used to the idea. I found it really difficult to accept my limitations, as one who was pretty physically active, including home repair/improvement projects like replacing toilets and building storage cubes, removing/installing baseboards and changing out light fixtures, shovelling snow and laying concrete, etc.... Where he's looking at the short-term, maybe he's tempted to say, "what the heck...I'm having surgery soon anyway. Nothing's happened yet, what are the odds." He would probably be fine. But is it really the responsible choice to make relative to the family? Maybe he'll be fine for the first 6 sheets and then...you go to the nearest hospital, he's at the mercy of the surgeon on call or whomever.... Is it worth it?

So...I say cuff him to the bed 'til surgery.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I would recommend SERIOUS LIMITATIONS on physical activity, i.e. NO sheetrocking this weekend.

FWIW, Ross's aneurism BURST at 4.7 cm.
He's one of the lucky few to survive such an event.

YES, this is intended to get Gary's attention.
Think: walking on eggshells until after surgery!

FWIW, the difference between 5.0 and 5.6 could very well be due (in part) to differences in the two test methods, or viewing angles. Even repeating the same test could result in some 'nominal' variation. It's still better to be SAFE than SORRY.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Ross]

Lets put it like this, he is a walking time bomb that can blow at any moment. I would not want anyone to go through what I did, ever! To me, 5.6 would say emergency surgery as it is now well past the point of if, it has reached the when stage, of when is it going to dissect.

No physical strains of any kind. I mean that!

 

[Chrisandgary]

Lets put it like this, he is a walking time bomb that can blow at any moment. I would not want anyone to go through what I did, ever! To me, 5.6 would say emergency surgery as it is now well past the point of if, it has reached the when stage, of when is it going to dissect.

No physical strains of any kind. I mean that!

Thank you guys for all of your posts I would be a mess without you! Gary is working today - I told him NO EXERTION and NO STRESS. I am going to whisk him away tomorrow to a FEIS (pronounced fesh) which is an Irish dance competition - our 2 girls are Irishdancers and 1 will compete tomorrow. Then my parents are coming for dinner - which means too bad for him no time to sheetrock the kitchen - HEE HEE!

Our oldest daughter is in Montreal this weekend with Garys parents on a mini vacation. We have not told his parents yet as we didnt want them to cancel the trip or be so upset while there. They are coming home Monday nite and I am so nervous to tell them - they are very supportive and we are very close to them - I think they are going to be mad that we waited. This was Garys choice so it is what it is!
Thank you all again and sorry for babbling - I dont know what to do with myself as I watch the minutes slooooowly tick by.
Christine

 

[Georgia]

Re: telling parents and other relatives -

No matter what you do you'll be in hot water for not telling them immediately. I'm one who wants answers before unloading on my kids and mother - and boy, was I unpopular when I told them about both the breast cancer (post lumpectomy) and heart (post cath).

All you can do is what you think is best; and get pretty thick-skinned and let their recriminations roll off you.

I'll echo the rest and urge you to keep Gary quiet until the doc sees him. My father-in-law died from a dissection last fall and it ain't a pretty way to go.

 

[coryp]

Received Garys cat scan results :{ Worse than the echo. It is 5.6 and the cardio recommends surgery within the month.

So far I have surgical appts. with a Dr. Landsen or Lansen (not sure of spelling yet) He and his partner Dr.Spievogel are both from Mt.Sinai in NY and have moved to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla NY. They were a team in NYC at Sinai that specialized in Aorta aneurysm and have brought their skills to WMC along with doing heart transplants. Anyone know of them??

We will also be seeing Dr. Oz at Columbia in NYC and Dr Griepp at Mt. Sinai. I hear these 2 are awesome and am hoping Dr. Griepp knows Dr. Landsen since he came from there!

Good thing I got some Xanax - my fears have been calmed and can conquer this next mission full speed ahead!
I also called the cardio back to ask for bp medication until the surgery for Gary - I hope that will keep it at 5.6 and not go higher before. I am concerned that the echo was end of May and was 5.0 and its only 7/13 and was at 5.6 That seems like an awfully big change.
Gary is doing well so far - he is just very pissed off because he was opening his own business in Sept or October (woodworking with a buddy) and fears he may lose this opportunity. If they hold off 1 month more he'll be healed and ready to go - I am afraid he will be seen as a huge liability and will not be wanted anymore. Oh well. He will have to get through that part on his own, I just will work on keeping him here!

Thanks for listening!
Christine
Also - what questions am I to ask the surgeons during my rounds?

Hello,

Ok someone said "I hope someone with Aneurysms will chime in" so here goes my responses.

Keep in mind I ma 34 and not conservative (just had surgery 5 weeks ago). I would keep any activity to a min, why push the obvious and chance it? Surgery should be done ASAP (I am not a Dr nor making an unbiased and uneducated diagnosis without seeing any film), this is my opinion. I was 5.2cm and scheduled and had surgery within 2 weeks of the final MRI and measurement.

As far the Dr goes, my only reccomendation here is Dr Griepp. He trained my surgeon ( Dr Sharo Raissi)18 Years ago and is the inventor of the procedure call total cirulatory arrest (this procedure is almost a mandatory thing in Aneurysm patients and in my opinion carrys the most risk) I can explain it in detail if you would like.

That is my 2 cents.

Cory

 

[tobagotwo]

I suggest Gary tell his parents, and also explain that he wanted them to have their vacation first, as their worrying would not have helped the situation in any way, nor would there have been anything they could have done to help. Then he can follow up by saying now that he's glad they're back, and now they're on board, and he'll be looking for their support.

Kinda tough for them to be too hard on him right now, I should think. It'll help them get past it.

I agree with no sheetrocking. No carrying water softener salt. No picking up children. No carrying trash or garbage cans, heavy plants, rocks, pushing lawnmowers, using wheelbarrows, or moving bags of mulch or potting soil. Lots of things that he's used to doing off-hand. It's just for a few months. Promise him he'll ba able to do it later. It's not the skeletal muscles that are the problem. He's still capable of lifting these things. It's his large arteries that are delicate right now, and he has to realize that his other physical strength doesn't help them hold together at all.

Best wishes,

 

[Granbonny]

Christine

Christine

Good that you are making Gary relax ..Tuesday will be here soon and I'm sure the Surgeon will schedule Gary ASAP.. My 5.0 aneurysm was found on a Thursday..In a large hospital in Atlanta..Surgery was for early Monday A.M... I had NO symptoms.. Just a Great Cardio that found something 3 days before..(My Cath in Atlanta)...B/I/l not so lucky..Died at age 50..NO Symptoms..from dissection Reading in bed that night Bonnie

 

[CCRN]

Go directly....

Go directly....

Received Garys cat scan results :{ Worse than the echo. It is 5.6 and the cardio recommends surgery within the month.

So far I have surgical appts. with a Dr. Landsen or Lansen (not sure of spelling yet) He and his partner Dr.Spievogel are both from Mt.Sinai in NY and have moved to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla NY. They were a team in NYC at Sinai that specialized in Aorta aneurysm and have brought their skills to WMC along with doing heart transplants. Anyone know of them??

We will also be seeing Dr. Oz at Columbia in NYC and Dr Griepp at Mt. Sinai. I hear these 2 are awesome and am hoping Dr. Griepp knows Dr. Landsen since he came from there!

Good thing I got some Xanax - my fears have been calmed and can conquer this next mission full speed ahead!
I also called the cardio back to ask for bp medication until the surgery for Gary - I hope that will keep it at 5.6 and not go higher before. I am concerned that the echo was end of May and was 5.0 and its only 7/13 and was at 5.6 That seems like an awfully big change.
Gary is doing well so far - he is just very pissed off because he was opening his own business in Sept or October (woodworking with a buddy) and fears he may lose this opportunity. If they hold off 1 month more he'll be healed and ready to go - I am afraid he will be seen as a huge liability and will not be wanted anymore. Oh well. He will have to get through that part on his own, I just will work on keeping him here!

Thanks for listening!
Christine
Also - what questions am I to ask the surgeons during my rounds?

to surgical intervention. Do not pass go and do not........well, you know. There's something else you and Gary need to know: My surgeon found a nice fat clot hanging around my aortic aneursym. I could have had a stroke and met my maker earlier than expected for a person in relatively good health for my age. OR, I could be severely diabled for the rest of my life.....there can be worse things than death, at least that's my opinion. Oh, my fat boy's size was 4.5 cm. You must keep in mind the size of the aneurysm is relative to the size of the person. 4.5 was three times the size of my decending aorta. Do NOT fool aroound with this! Keep him calm and don't let him do anything in the form of lifting or increasing his heart rate. In addition, I would beg the surgeon to perform the surgery ASAP. As far as the business situation, what good is having your own business if there is a possibility of not being around to run it? Having an ascending aortic aneurysm of his size gives a mortality/morbidity of about 5-6%. Having the surgery electively and on time with an experienced surgeon gives a M&M of about 2% depending on the patient's good health status. Having the surgery was a no brainer to me when I was told those stats. Oh, I should tell you I'm an Operating Room Nurse and I worked in open heart cases every day or I did until about 5 weeks ago when I had a Bentall procedure. I plan to go back to work after labor day. Believe me, the hard part is getting through until the day of the surgery. Every day gets better after that. My very best wishes and prayers to you and Gary for a safe course of treatment.