davidswife
Well-known member
Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to let you know that David had his surgery yesterday and we are really happy that the surgeon was able to use the On-X valve along with a separate graft to repair his aorta.
Unfortunately the surgeon had to open him up again while he was still in the OR because he would not stop bleeding. They couldn't find anything so they closed him up again but he continued to bleed in the ICU and there was a time when they thought they might have to bring him back in and open him up again. It was very scary but the nurses were great and answered all of my many questions and made me feel as at ease as possible. Thankfully I had my sister with me the whole time for support. Fortunately David did respond to the blood products that they gave him (including 8 pints of blood, platelets and clotting factor) and the bleeding finally slowed to a trickle and they did not have to go in again. When I left the hospital last night at 9:30pm (after getting there at 5:30am) his chest x-ray showed no bleeding and all of his labs were good. They took him off of the ventilator at 6am this morning and he was drinking and eating today and he looked pretty good. He even visited with our three daughters for a while and they felt much better seeing him today (I didn't let them see him yesterday when he was still intubated and totally out of it). The only issue we are dealing with now is that he may need a permanent pacemaker but they are waiting until Thursday to make a decision. He is still in the ICU. They may move him out tomorrow or keep him there until Thursday. David said that he does not have a lot of pain, just a lot of discomfort. And he got his heart pillow (which our three daughters signed already
)!
Thanks again to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers! I will try to post daily on his progress.
Nadine (and David)
Just wanted to let you know that David had his surgery yesterday and we are really happy that the surgeon was able to use the On-X valve along with a separate graft to repair his aorta.
Unfortunately the surgeon had to open him up again while he was still in the OR because he would not stop bleeding. They couldn't find anything so they closed him up again but he continued to bleed in the ICU and there was a time when they thought they might have to bring him back in and open him up again. It was very scary but the nurses were great and answered all of my many questions and made me feel as at ease as possible. Thankfully I had my sister with me the whole time for support. Fortunately David did respond to the blood products that they gave him (including 8 pints of blood, platelets and clotting factor) and the bleeding finally slowed to a trickle and they did not have to go in again. When I left the hospital last night at 9:30pm (after getting there at 5:30am) his chest x-ray showed no bleeding and all of his labs were good. They took him off of the ventilator at 6am this morning and he was drinking and eating today and he looked pretty good. He even visited with our three daughters for a while and they felt much better seeing him today (I didn't let them see him yesterday when he was still intubated and totally out of it). The only issue we are dealing with now is that he may need a permanent pacemaker but they are waiting until Thursday to make a decision. He is still in the ICU. They may move him out tomorrow or keep him there until Thursday. David said that he does not have a lot of pain, just a lot of discomfort. And he got his heart pillow (which our three daughters signed already
)!Thanks again to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers! I will try to post daily on his progress.
Nadine (and David)
