In Hopes that Bob will know that others are still
concerned for his health and that he do what he can to take care of his many factory
defects.
From: Jayson Elliott [jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2002 2:03 AM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 9
This evening at 8:30 he was wide
awake. Still unable to talk due to the
large tube down his throat but he was more alert then he has been since this
began last Monday. They had gotten him
out of bed and let him sit in a chair for a brief period of time. He is moving around (uncomfortably) and saw a
physical therapist Friday morning who began working on his legs.
When he is awake he is breathing
some on his own (not sure how that feels with a tube down your throat
but…). They also took the chest
“drainage tube’s” out. He is down to
about 4 drip medications including his nutrition, the respirator, the temporary
pacemaker, and a bunch of monitoring stuff.
Mom and I decided to limit his
visitors to the ‘real’ immediate family (Wife and Kids) because he was getting
aggravated and upset every time someone came in and tried to talk to him. That on top of the fact that everyone thought
that they were immediate family including some pastor friend of his brothers
that we don’t even know. To avoid a
family argument the surgeon made it “Doctors Orders”.
Probably no more updates for a
couple days unless something goes wrong.
They think it will still take a few more days for his lungs to clear and
until then his status will remain the same (uncomfortable, grumpy and just
generally pissed off).
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 9:58 PM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 8
Oxygen from the respirator is now
down to 45%.
He was conscious for a bit around
8pm. The combination of the tube down
his throat, gagging, and trying to talk made me Sarah decide to leave him
alone. It was all a little too much for
him, he kept thrashing around. He just
refused to relax.
He nodded yes when I asked him all
of the following.
Do you know who I am?
Do you understand what is going on?
Are you in pain right now?
Mom got him to settle down for a
few minutes by telling him “If you try to talk I will just leave”. Guess he needs some tough love.
They loaded him with Morphine a few
minutes after that so he was sound asleep when we went back in at 9. Hopefully they will keep him that way until
the tube is out and he can communicate.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 9:51 AM
Subject: RE:
Bob - Heart Surgery - update 6
Good news this morning by
phone. His oxygen is still in the
acceptable range and the respirator is only pumping out 65% oxygen. Might be able to get him off the respirator
tomorrow? He will be in the ICU for
several more days.
Just a note: They will not let anyone in to see him who is
not his immediate family.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 7:52 PM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 6
Not a whole lot of change today,
some good news about his oxygen levels though.
Late this afternoon the test came
back at 83 which if he was breathing normal air would be enough to get him off
the respirator. A few hours later,
6:30ish, his oxygen level was at 115.
The nurses were very happy about that.
The pulmonalagist had them lower his oxygen intake from the respirator
down from 100% oxygen to 95%. Hopefully he will continue to improve at these
rates, if so he may be off the respirator by Friday.
Other then that there is nothing
else of significance to report. They did
remove the balloon from his heart but it was mostly for monitoring and as I
said before his heart seems to be doing well.
They also moved him off the operating gurney onto a normal hospital bed.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 9:58 PM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 5
Just got back from the
hospital. Very little difference from
this morning. Dad is still in Critical
condition.
Good News is that the bleeding has
almost completely stopped.
Bad news is that his lung situation
has not improved at all.
FACTS:
·
We (healthy non-post open-heart patients) usually have
a blood oxygen level of about 100
o
100 what I’m not sure – maybe parts per ?
·
We breath air that consists of 21% oxygen
·
Dad is on 100% oxygen
·
His oxygen level is 60 (not 100)
Between our visits today he had a
period when his levels fell as low as 40.
Even when we are talking to him we have to balance the assumption that
he needs encouragement with the fact that his levels fall due to the
interaction. The have him – for lack of
a better term – “Paralyzed” because any movement lowers his oxygen levels.
They also can not increase his
oxygen because of the carbon leakage, which can and does cause other tissue,
organ and bone damage. Same reason
divers can’t stay under water for more then the predetermined time/depth
calculations.
On top of all that…Mom being the
cognitive practitioner that she is…we are all aware that the low oxygen levels
can/do have long term affects.
I think we all feel much as we did
last night – Hopeful but very worried.
Mom and Sarah are both having a hard time.
I guess
that is it for now.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 6:22 PM
Subject: RE: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 4
Evening,
We went to the hospital this
morning and spend a better part of the morning and afternoon there.
The bleeding has slowed to an
acceptable level. 25 to 50 cc’s an hour
vs. 400 to 600 cc’s an hour. It
continues to improve. All major organs
are working properly (including his heart) with the one exception of his lungs. He is now under the care of a pulmonary
specialist in addition to the cardiologist and surgeon.
Because of the lung issues he
remains on the respirator and therefore sedated. He was able to nod his head when Mom and I
saw him at about 10:30 am. After that
they put his drugs in the IV so he is now in a constant “sleep”. He probably still thinks it is mid-day on
Monday.
Before we arrived this morning he
did ask the nurse “Am I going to make it”.
So at least his brain is working.
He did not complain about being in pain.
We are going back to see him
tonight after 8pm. It is Keegan’s 5th
birthday so we are off for cake and presents.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 11:22 PM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 3
Humm, 5 hours sleep since
Saturday…forgive the misspellings.
At 7:45pm (1 hour after I sent the
previous email) they decide that they would need to take dad back in and reopen
his chest due to a large amount of bleeding.
He was in the O.R. from about 8:20 to 9:40ish…
They did find a couple of spots
that were “oozing” blood. They
cotterized (sp) them and watched him again for a time before resealing his now
huge abdomen.
This time was really hard on
Mom…this was supposed to be a fairly strait forward 3 to 4 hour procedure. Now dad’s been under the knife 4 different
times. For a total of almost 12
hours. Don’t think anyone was prepared
for all this.
I stuck around until they would
let me see him in the ICU. He still
looks unnaturally swollen. If you saw
the movie “Blade” his face looks like “Pearl” the records keeper. Sarah and I decided that he is a “Puffy
Daddy” or “P Diddy” if you would.
If they don’t call me before
morning then things are “status quo” or better.
Thanks for all the supportive
emails.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 6:49 PM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 2
Quick update,
I will send detail later.
Dad is out after 10 hours (approx)
of surgery. Which included 2 separate
open heart surgeries and 1 open chest exam of the heart functions, due to
complications with the first “repair surgery”.
Bottom line is that the first
operation was not successful and after a short time in the Post Op/Recovery
room he ended up back on the operating table.
He is now the proud owner of a Titanium Mitral Valve/“St Jude’s
Valve”. He will not be up and on his feet
for at least another day due to the extended “Table Time”. Most open heart patients are up within hours.
Mom, Sarah and I will be returning
to the hospital later tonight. If I am
up to it I will send another update. If
not tonight…in the morning. It has been
a long day.
Jayson
From: Jayson Elliott [mailto:jaysonelliott@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 1:47 AM
Subject: Bob - Heart Surgery - update 1
All,
As some of you already know my dad
woke up last weekend with a shortness of breath. After some basic tests at ‘Urgent Care’ they
determined the problem was with his heart and checked him into the
hospital. After a week of tests we (Mom,
Dad and I) had a meeting with the surgeon and cardiologist this afternoon.
The problem is with his Mitral heart
valve, basically it is a one-way valve that is not closing due to bad and
torn/stretched tissue. They are going in
to attempt to remove the bad tissue and repair the damaged half of his ‘Mitral’
valve. He goes into surgery Monday
morning before 7:30 am. The surgery can
last from 3 to 5+ hours. As a
contingency if the repair does not look good to the surgeon they will remove
and replace the entire valve with a titanium prosthetic.
Here is some info on the repair
operation – not for the weak stomached:
http://heart-surgeon.com/ms-slides.html
If he ends up with the titanium
valve he will be on blood thinners for the rest of his life. The up side of the titanium over a pig valve
is that the pig valve’s only last 8 to 10 years for the most part. Since he is so young (for a heart patient)
if he lived to be 85 it would mean at least 3 more open heart surgeries to
replace valve’s. He is currently on Oxygen but is able to eat and walk around
the ward with a portable tank. He has
lost over 20lbs, much of which was fluid in his lungs. With all the testing they did determine that
his arteries are very clean and healthy.
To each their own, but please -
Pray, Wish him luck, etc…
He is in Doctors (room 221) and
will be having a very boring weekend if anyone wants to stop by and entertain
him.
Jayson