Hello there,
We're back, and Barry is back at the Braintree Rehab after a short return to the Beth Israel Hospital.
On Tuesday, during Barry's physical therapy session, he was experiencing lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and chest pain, and upon exhertion, his blood-pressure dropped. The Rehab thought it best to send him to the South Shore Hospital Emergency room. We spent four long hours there while they performed an EKG, CT Scan, blood work, and chest x-ray. The doctor there was concerned about the EKG pattern and abnormality in the pericarditis (heart lining) He then phoned Barry's surgeon at the B.I. who instructed the doctor to send him back to the B.I., where we waited another 3.5 hours while they performed the same exact tests.......and you wonder why your health insurance premiums are so high?!!!!
Upon initial examination, they determined that there was fluid around Barry's heart (in the percarditis) and that the abnormal EKG were both perfectly normal for the surgery that Barry went through. After being kept overnight for observation, they performed an echocardiogram and additional testing. The great news is that he his graf is healing wonderfully and there is no additional disection to the descending aorta.
They determined that the lightheadedness was caused from dehydration from the dosage of Lasix that Barry was on. Lasix is a diarrhetic that he was taking to remove the 20 pounds of excess fluid that he retained after surgery. They determined that the drop in blood pressure was caused by the dosage of blood pressure medication that he was on. They expect the blood pressure to go up during physical exertion and Barry's was going down. His heart was having difficulty pumping blood to the brain as the blood pressure medication also slows the heart down. They have since reduced the blood pressure medication dosage and stopped the lasix. Oh, and the chest pain, they believe was caused by indigestion from the Chicken A La King that he had for lunch!!
Before sending him back to Braintree rehab this morning, they thought that there was a possibility that he may be able to come home today. They brought in a physical therapist to put him to the test, and his blood pressure dropped yet once again and he became lightheaded. The physician's assistant indicated that he still has a lot of the lasix and blood pressure medication in his system and that we would have to wait and see what reaction his body has to the reduction in medications. He was sent back to the Braintree Rehab today where they will continue with his therapy and try to get his blood pressure under control.
Once under control, Barry will be able to come home. For the first month, he will have the VNA come to the house to do his therapy at home and monitor his blood pressure. He will then be required to attend therapy at the Braintree rehab on an outpatient basis.
Are you still awake?? Now that I have bored you with all this medical information, Barry was quite content sitting outside on the patio amongst friends this evening. I left him around 8:30 this evening tucked into bed with his vanilla hoodsie, gingerale, and his new book, "The Last Lecture", by Randy Paulst. Thank you Janie!! He has lost the add'l 20 pounds in fluid and an add'l 17 pounds of his own body weight! His appetite has improved and he is getting about 6 hours of sleep each night. He is looking forward to his therapy sessions tomorrow and to the day that they give him the ok to come home.
It's all good and we are back on the road to recovery. If you would like to visit him, he has been moved to room 209! Thank you all for checking in! Goodnight!
Lisa
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Day 21
Hello there,
Well, here we are three weeks into this ordeal! Barry has made significant progress since arriving at the Braintree Rehab. His days are filled with therapy sessions; today he had 5! By 7:30 p.m., Barry is asking to be put to bed as he is physically exhausted! His appetite has somewhat improved; however he is still having difficulty sleeping for any extended period of time.
During one of his sleepless nights, the nurses brought Barry to a family room where the patients have access to a p.c. One of Barry's morning routines is to read the CNN news web page. Although difficult for him at this time, he managed to pull up the CNN web page to read about Randy Pausch's death and a lecture that Randy Pausch gave prior to his death called the "Last Lecture". For those of you who have visited Barry recently, this hit very near and dear to home and he becomes quite emotional speaking about it. He has made mention of it with every visitor that he has had since reading it. If you would like to read more on this lecture, please click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F87yvlDWzUs&NR=1
Barry has also indicated that when he is more comfortable using the computer, he would like to post an update to his own blog!
On Friday, Day 18, Barry was able to enjoy the light of day during his first visit on the hospital's outdoor patio. Friday evening, we enjoyed a "take out" dinner amongst friends on the patio. He has enjoyed his daily visits outdoors since then. On Sunday, Marissa, Steve, Haley, Cody, and I brought a home cooked dinner to him and ate together, once again, as a family in the hospital's cafe. Cody was thrilled to spend some time with his Grampie!
I met with his case manager this morning. His intraveinous (sp?) antibiotic ends on August 1st so the pic-line will be removed at that point and some of the many medications that he is on will end this week as well. His physical therapy progress has been slow and steady and we are told that this will be a slow process. During his physical therapy sessions, he gets very winded and his blood pressure has to be consistently monitored. If it rises, they have to stop the therapy until it comes down. His case manager, as well as his nurses, consider him to be unstable on his feet; however, when speaking with Barry he feels that he is quite stable. His bed and his wheel chair are alarmed for this reason!!! We are ecstatic that he has come this far considering that we were originally told that he would have to go to rehab to learn how to walk again and he was able to walk prior to arriving at the Rehab!!
He has also made great progress with his occupational, speech, and ALS (Adult Life Skills) therapy. His neuropsychologist stated that Barry's initial evaluation indicated that he had an inoxic brain injury. This is caused by lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. This has had an impact on Barry's reasoning, short-term memory, and eye/hand coordination. Daily, we see significant improvements in all three areas and he is now able to differentiate his "dreams" during sedation from reality; another topic that he readily shares with his visitors!!
His case manager indicated that they were aiming for him to come home as early as this weekend; however he will require 24/7 supervision. Her primary concern is his stability, stamina, and blood pressure. After his discharge from Braintree Rehab, Barry will still require outpatient occupational and physical therapy. She will meet again with his therapists tomorrow to re-evaluate Barry's condition, determine his date of discharge, and his outpatient treatment.
As Barry would say, "It's All Good!" If you have an opportunity, please stop in and say Hello. He is at the Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital on Pond Street in Braintree. Visiting hours are Mon - Fri, 12:00 -1:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Sat - Sun, 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. Until tomorrow........
Lisa
Well, here we are three weeks into this ordeal! Barry has made significant progress since arriving at the Braintree Rehab. His days are filled with therapy sessions; today he had 5! By 7:30 p.m., Barry is asking to be put to bed as he is physically exhausted! His appetite has somewhat improved; however he is still having difficulty sleeping for any extended period of time.
During one of his sleepless nights, the nurses brought Barry to a family room where the patients have access to a p.c. One of Barry's morning routines is to read the CNN news web page. Although difficult for him at this time, he managed to pull up the CNN web page to read about Randy Pausch's death and a lecture that Randy Pausch gave prior to his death called the "Last Lecture". For those of you who have visited Barry recently, this hit very near and dear to home and he becomes quite emotional speaking about it. He has made mention of it with every visitor that he has had since reading it. If you would like to read more on this lecture, please click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F87yvlDWzUs&NR=1
Barry has also indicated that when he is more comfortable using the computer, he would like to post an update to his own blog!
On Friday, Day 18, Barry was able to enjoy the light of day during his first visit on the hospital's outdoor patio. Friday evening, we enjoyed a "take out" dinner amongst friends on the patio. He has enjoyed his daily visits outdoors since then. On Sunday, Marissa, Steve, Haley, Cody, and I brought a home cooked dinner to him and ate together, once again, as a family in the hospital's cafe. Cody was thrilled to spend some time with his Grampie!
I met with his case manager this morning. His intraveinous (sp?) antibiotic ends on August 1st so the pic-line will be removed at that point and some of the many medications that he is on will end this week as well. His physical therapy progress has been slow and steady and we are told that this will be a slow process. During his physical therapy sessions, he gets very winded and his blood pressure has to be consistently monitored. If it rises, they have to stop the therapy until it comes down. His case manager, as well as his nurses, consider him to be unstable on his feet; however, when speaking with Barry he feels that he is quite stable. His bed and his wheel chair are alarmed for this reason!!! We are ecstatic that he has come this far considering that we were originally told that he would have to go to rehab to learn how to walk again and he was able to walk prior to arriving at the Rehab!!
He has also made great progress with his occupational, speech, and ALS (Adult Life Skills) therapy. His neuropsychologist stated that Barry's initial evaluation indicated that he had an inoxic brain injury. This is caused by lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. This has had an impact on Barry's reasoning, short-term memory, and eye/hand coordination. Daily, we see significant improvements in all three areas and he is now able to differentiate his "dreams" during sedation from reality; another topic that he readily shares with his visitors!!
His case manager indicated that they were aiming for him to come home as early as this weekend; however he will require 24/7 supervision. Her primary concern is his stability, stamina, and blood pressure. After his discharge from Braintree Rehab, Barry will still require outpatient occupational and physical therapy. She will meet again with his therapists tomorrow to re-evaluate Barry's condition, determine his date of discharge, and his outpatient treatment.
As Barry would say, "It's All Good!" If you have an opportunity, please stop in and say Hello. He is at the Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital on Pond Street in Braintree. Visiting hours are Mon - Fri, 12:00 -1:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Sat - Sun, 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. Until tomorrow........
Lisa
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Day 16
Hello there,
Barry was transported to the Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital today and has settled in nicely. His roommate is a 30-40 something male, who cries out throughout the day, cannot get out of bed, has to be fed, and changed. I was saddened by this sight and count my blessings that Barry has made it this far.
He actually took an 1 1/2 hour nap today, which is the longest period that he has slept thus far. He still is suffering from sleep deprivation and the nurses assured me that they intended to move him to another room tomorrow; that this was the only bed available at this time. I am praying that he gets some sleep tonight as he continues to have transient thoughts and is seeing things which they believe is caused by the sleep deprivation.
He still does not have an appetite which they say is normal. It has been difficult to bring him his favorite foods as he has to remain on a very strict diet of low sodium, low fat, and low cholesteral, for the remainder of his life. For now, these restrictions also include caffeine and chocolate. For those of you wishing to bring him food, please keep this in mind and we ask that you honor our wishes as his diet is a critical component of his recovery. Also, they do not have the capacity to store patient's food, so whatever is brought in must be consumed of disposed of.
We rec'd the results of the PET/CT Scan today. The descending aorta dissection extends into his pelvis however it has not had an impact on any of his organs. Yesterday's CT Scan will serve as a baseline for them to monitor the dissection in the future. Barry will have to have CT Scans every 3 months. They will be monitoring him to see if the dissection gets larger. If it does, he will require another surgery to repair the descending aorta. For now, they feel it can be controlled by medication, diet, and exercise. Their biggest concern is keeping his blood pressure under control.
On a brighter note, he starts his physical therapy and occupational therapy tomorrow. For the next three days, they will basically be analyzing his capabilities. On Monday, his therapists will meet with his case worker to detemine their course of action. They will then contact me with further info.
The Braintree Rehab is located on Pond Street in Braintree. Visiting hours are from 12:00 -1:00, and 4:00-8:00. Barry is quite lucid however he may throw you a curve ball or two. As Brian stated in his post, "He was so good, it took me awhile to realize he wasn’t entirely with me at times." Barry's "stories" have provided us with quite a few yucks over the past few days. Be sure to ask him about Lexus of Norwood, The Birdcage, and Dr. Frank and the Asian Prostitutes!! He is now cognizant that these were in fact fabricated under sedation; however they remain very real in his mind. He, though still exhausted, remains positive and continues to amaze us every day. The road to recovery will be a long and difficult one, but we, too, remain optimistic. Until tomorrow....
Lisa and Marissa
Barry was transported to the Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital today and has settled in nicely. His roommate is a 30-40 something male, who cries out throughout the day, cannot get out of bed, has to be fed, and changed. I was saddened by this sight and count my blessings that Barry has made it this far.
He actually took an 1 1/2 hour nap today, which is the longest period that he has slept thus far. He still is suffering from sleep deprivation and the nurses assured me that they intended to move him to another room tomorrow; that this was the only bed available at this time. I am praying that he gets some sleep tonight as he continues to have transient thoughts and is seeing things which they believe is caused by the sleep deprivation.
He still does not have an appetite which they say is normal. It has been difficult to bring him his favorite foods as he has to remain on a very strict diet of low sodium, low fat, and low cholesteral, for the remainder of his life. For now, these restrictions also include caffeine and chocolate. For those of you wishing to bring him food, please keep this in mind and we ask that you honor our wishes as his diet is a critical component of his recovery. Also, they do not have the capacity to store patient's food, so whatever is brought in must be consumed of disposed of.
We rec'd the results of the PET/CT Scan today. The descending aorta dissection extends into his pelvis however it has not had an impact on any of his organs. Yesterday's CT Scan will serve as a baseline for them to monitor the dissection in the future. Barry will have to have CT Scans every 3 months. They will be monitoring him to see if the dissection gets larger. If it does, he will require another surgery to repair the descending aorta. For now, they feel it can be controlled by medication, diet, and exercise. Their biggest concern is keeping his blood pressure under control.
On a brighter note, he starts his physical therapy and occupational therapy tomorrow. For the next three days, they will basically be analyzing his capabilities. On Monday, his therapists will meet with his case worker to detemine their course of action. They will then contact me with further info.
The Braintree Rehab is located on Pond Street in Braintree. Visiting hours are from 12:00 -1:00, and 4:00-8:00. Barry is quite lucid however he may throw you a curve ball or two. As Brian stated in his post, "He was so good, it took me awhile to realize he wasn’t entirely with me at times." Barry's "stories" have provided us with quite a few yucks over the past few days. Be sure to ask him about Lexus of Norwood, The Birdcage, and Dr. Frank and the Asian Prostitutes!! He is now cognizant that these were in fact fabricated under sedation; however they remain very real in his mind. He, though still exhausted, remains positive and continues to amaze us every day. The road to recovery will be a long and difficult one, but we, too, remain optimistic. Until tomorrow....
Lisa and Marissa
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Good Bye Beth Israel, Hello Braintree Rehab
Hello there,
We have wonderful news to share with you today. Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23rd, Barry is being transferred to the Braintree Rehabilitation Center. Since being off the ventilator five days ago, Barry has made great progress. We were originally told that he would need rehab to have to learn how to walk again, feed himself, dress himself, and fine tune his neurological functions.
He is now walking on his own without assistance, feeding himself, took a shower today without assistance, and as some of you that have heard from him can witness, he is quite able to dial his own cell phone. As much as I love my husband, and had hoped for the day to hear his voice again, I personally can’t wait for his cell phone to die!!!
Today, they also did testing to determine their next course of action on his damaged descending aorta. We were originally told that he may need further surgery to repair this. We were told today that it may be controlled for the time being with medication. The surgeon will be calling me in the a.m. to give me an update on this condition.
When Barry learned of the possibility of going to a rehab facility instead of home he was quite upset. After having his first session of occupational therapy he soon realized the extent of his injury and is now receptive and anxious to begin his road to recovery. First stop on his road to recovery "my wifely duties", second; playing his drums, and of course "The Wonder of it All".
He will be in the Braintree rehab for approximately one month receiving both physical therapy and occupational therapy to fine tune his neurological functions as well as his fine motor skills. His total recovery period should be approximately three months.
While visiting Barry at the hospital I have read to him the many cards, e-mails, and responses on the blog. He is in awe at the outpouring of support from all of you and sends his thanks to you all.
I would like to thank the nursing staff at the Beth Israel; Claire in the ER, Jillian, Jenna, Karen, Rodrigo, Jason, James, Caroline, Dawn, Donna in the CVICU, Ena, Tymone, Ellen, Amy, Anna, Micheline, Jim, on the 6th floor in the Farr Bldng, and those of you whose names I can’t recall. There were so many of you. I would like to send a special thanks to my buddy Frank, Margie, and Jackie who were especially there for me during my darkest moments.
To Doctor Sentil Nathan (sp?), Doctor Kabbazh, and the surgical team at Beth Israel, my heartfelt thanks. Barry is here today because of the miracles you performed. You truly saved Barry’s life.
To the Doctors and nursing staff in the Brockton ER, thank you for never giving up in your quest to diagnose Barry’s condition. He is here because of your expertise and quick response in a critical situation.
As one door closes, another door opens. I am looking forward to meeting the many new faces who will assist Barry in regaining his strength on his road to recovery.
Lisa
We have wonderful news to share with you today. Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23rd, Barry is being transferred to the Braintree Rehabilitation Center. Since being off the ventilator five days ago, Barry has made great progress. We were originally told that he would need rehab to have to learn how to walk again, feed himself, dress himself, and fine tune his neurological functions.
He is now walking on his own without assistance, feeding himself, took a shower today without assistance, and as some of you that have heard from him can witness, he is quite able to dial his own cell phone. As much as I love my husband, and had hoped for the day to hear his voice again, I personally can’t wait for his cell phone to die!!!
Today, they also did testing to determine their next course of action on his damaged descending aorta. We were originally told that he may need further surgery to repair this. We were told today that it may be controlled for the time being with medication. The surgeon will be calling me in the a.m. to give me an update on this condition.
When Barry learned of the possibility of going to a rehab facility instead of home he was quite upset. After having his first session of occupational therapy he soon realized the extent of his injury and is now receptive and anxious to begin his road to recovery. First stop on his road to recovery "my wifely duties", second; playing his drums, and of course "The Wonder of it All".
He will be in the Braintree rehab for approximately one month receiving both physical therapy and occupational therapy to fine tune his neurological functions as well as his fine motor skills. His total recovery period should be approximately three months.
While visiting Barry at the hospital I have read to him the many cards, e-mails, and responses on the blog. He is in awe at the outpouring of support from all of you and sends his thanks to you all.
I would like to thank the nursing staff at the Beth Israel; Claire in the ER, Jillian, Jenna, Karen, Rodrigo, Jason, James, Caroline, Dawn, Donna in the CVICU, Ena, Tymone, Ellen, Amy, Anna, Micheline, Jim, on the 6th floor in the Farr Bldng, and those of you whose names I can’t recall. There were so many of you. I would like to send a special thanks to my buddy Frank, Margie, and Jackie who were especially there for me during my darkest moments.
To Doctor Sentil Nathan (sp?), Doctor Kabbazh, and the surgical team at Beth Israel, my heartfelt thanks. Barry is here today because of the miracles you performed. You truly saved Barry’s life.
To the Doctors and nursing staff in the Brockton ER, thank you for never giving up in your quest to diagnose Barry’s condition. He is here because of your expertise and quick response in a critical situation.
As one door closes, another door opens. I am looking forward to meeting the many new faces who will assist Barry in regaining his strength on his road to recovery.
Lisa
Monday, July 21, 2008
A Note from our close friend Brian Maxfield
Below is an update from our very close friend Brian Maxfield that I wanted to share with you all. Thank you Brian for the update!
Barry is up and about. He is conversing. Sometimes he is even making sense!
I was told Friday morning they expected to keep Barry in ICU 3-4 more days. His surgery was 9 days earlier, on Tuesday. He had been pretty much out since then. Imagine my surprise when I heard they moved him to a private room (607) in the Farr Building later on that day! I saw him Sunday morning. It’s unbelievable. He was holding court in his easy chair. He was able to walk, unsteadily, to the bathroom and shower. He was even able to open a bottle of soda unassisted. He is not on any pain meds now and, surprisingly to me, is in no pain.
Conversation was random as Barry touched on areas near and dear. He was looking forward to the Red Sox game later on in the day. He was “ready” to play some golf. And, of course, “the wonder of it all.” Yes, Barry was going to teach an aide how to play craps before the day was over. That said, he did spend some times spinning yarns with a straight face. He was so good, it took me awhile to realize he wasn’t entirely with me at times. I guess it takes time for the meds to clear out.
Lisa spent Saturday night with him on a cot. He kept trying to get out of bed, so the staff was jumping all night. He was wide awake @ 2 am, sitting in his chair, listening to his ipod, and “playing” his drums with both hands and feet. Lisa got him back into bed, fired up the computer, and he enjoyed playing craps into the morning.
Sunday morning, I could tell he was tired, but he was so excited to be alive, he wanted to be engaged in everything, and he was. I could tell mentally he is working hard piecing his life back together searching (and finding, for the most part) his mind for connections and memories.
Please keep Barry in your thoughts and prayers, now that he has rejoined the living and is now working to regain his old self.
Brian Maxfield, CFP® , CLUCertified Financial Planner™ practitioner
Richardson Financial Services
165 Village St
Medway, MA 02053
Barry is up and about. He is conversing. Sometimes he is even making sense!
I was told Friday morning they expected to keep Barry in ICU 3-4 more days. His surgery was 9 days earlier, on Tuesday. He had been pretty much out since then. Imagine my surprise when I heard they moved him to a private room (607) in the Farr Building later on that day! I saw him Sunday morning. It’s unbelievable. He was holding court in his easy chair. He was able to walk, unsteadily, to the bathroom and shower. He was even able to open a bottle of soda unassisted. He is not on any pain meds now and, surprisingly to me, is in no pain.
Conversation was random as Barry touched on areas near and dear. He was looking forward to the Red Sox game later on in the day. He was “ready” to play some golf. And, of course, “the wonder of it all.” Yes, Barry was going to teach an aide how to play craps before the day was over. That said, he did spend some times spinning yarns with a straight face. He was so good, it took me awhile to realize he wasn’t entirely with me at times. I guess it takes time for the meds to clear out.
Lisa spent Saturday night with him on a cot. He kept trying to get out of bed, so the staff was jumping all night. He was wide awake @ 2 am, sitting in his chair, listening to his ipod, and “playing” his drums with both hands and feet. Lisa got him back into bed, fired up the computer, and he enjoyed playing craps into the morning.
Sunday morning, I could tell he was tired, but he was so excited to be alive, he wanted to be engaged in everything, and he was. I could tell mentally he is working hard piecing his life back together searching (and finding, for the most part) his mind for connections and memories.
Please keep Barry in your thoughts and prayers, now that he has rejoined the living and is now working to regain his old self.
Brian Maxfield, CFP® , CLUCertified Financial Planner™ practitioner
Richardson Financial Services
165 Village St
Medway, MA 02053
Friday, July 18, 2008
Update, July 18, 2008
Hello again to all. I realize how many of you have been following here and I deeply apologize for having kept you waiting. For those of you who do not already know, my father is awake, off the ventilator and making very slow but definite progress. Despite having been asleep for the last week under heavy sedation, he has not actually had any REM cycle sleep and is now suffering from severe sleep deprivation. He is often confused and/or incoherent, and is also having problems regaining movement on his left side. This is a normal side effect and will certainly take some time to recover from, but for now, he is in dire need of some serious r&r to catch up on his sleepless, difficult week. While we understand how eager many of you are to come up and visit him, for the time being, only immediate family is being allowed in to see him until he is eventually moved out of the ICU; however, we will definitely let you all know as soon as he is ready to begin having visitors.
Also, because of the hospital's privacy policy, we are requesting that everyone please refrain from calling there for updates. My mother is the designated spokesperson for reports on my father's condition and therefore, is the only person who they are willing and able to share this information with over the phone. We will do our best to continue to relay information about his progress on here, and we greatly appreciate your patience and understanding while we wait out his neurological recovery.
On a lighter note, he is still very much responsive to his music! We were finally allowed to give him his IPOD, at which point he began tapping his feet (most importantly, his left!) and even attempting to sing along with the music. Despite his confusion, fear and obvious exhaustion, moments like this continue to give us hope that he'll be able to recover and return to us soon.
Until next time (hopefully not too long from now!),
Marissa and the F/G family
Also, because of the hospital's privacy policy, we are requesting that everyone please refrain from calling there for updates. My mother is the designated spokesperson for reports on my father's condition and therefore, is the only person who they are willing and able to share this information with over the phone. We will do our best to continue to relay information about his progress on here, and we greatly appreciate your patience and understanding while we wait out his neurological recovery.
On a lighter note, he is still very much responsive to his music! We were finally allowed to give him his IPOD, at which point he began tapping his feet (most importantly, his left!) and even attempting to sing along with the music. Despite his confusion, fear and obvious exhaustion, moments like this continue to give us hope that he'll be able to recover and return to us soon.
Until next time (hopefully not too long from now!),
Marissa and the F/G family
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Barry awakens if only for a brief moment!
Hello there, Lisa here,
First, I would like to apologize for not updating the blog on a more timely basis. Our time has been mostly spent at the hospital awaiting the moment that Barry awakens. That time came yesterday, if only for a brief moment. I was ecstatic to see his hazel green eyes again.
There is now a neurology team involved in his case monitoring his neurological functions daily. Barry is currently on a quick-acting sedative, so the instant they stop it he awakens within 5 minutes, frantic and confused which causes his blood pressure to rise. In order for the neurology team get a baseline assessment, they had to stop the sedation and within 5 minutes he was awake, opening his eyes on his own. This however caused his blood pressure to spike. The nurses then had to quickly sedate him following the neurological exam. The neurological team was happy that he was able to follow commands to a minimal extent. They now have a baseline and will continue to repeat this process to look for improvement.
Today, they repeated this process at 5:00 a.m. and attempted to take him off the ventilator but to no avail he remained on it and heavily sedated. He has gained 25 pounds in fluid and they have put him on a high dosage of lasix to try to alleviate the fluid. His surgeon and nursing team explained today that it is a delicate balance of trying to manage the fluid in his body, his neurological functions, fluid and mucous in his lungs, his temperature, blood pressure, and the stress on his sternum and aorta. He continues to breathe on his own however they felt it necessary to remain on the ventilator to help expand his lungs until they are clear of the mucous and fluids. This way they are able to suction his lungs as well.
Because of the heavy sedation today, we saw no responsiveness from him. The surgeon assured us that this was good as he is resting peacefully and that most importantly, during this time he is healing. They will be attempting to take him off the ventilator again tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. Cross your fingers and say a prayer!! The doctor and nurses are optimistic and have advised us to take this one day at a time. As Marissa wrote in her previously post, "Everyone is just waiting...."
Until tomorrow,
Lisa
First, I would like to apologize for not updating the blog on a more timely basis. Our time has been mostly spent at the hospital awaiting the moment that Barry awakens. That time came yesterday, if only for a brief moment. I was ecstatic to see his hazel green eyes again.
There is now a neurology team involved in his case monitoring his neurological functions daily. Barry is currently on a quick-acting sedative, so the instant they stop it he awakens within 5 minutes, frantic and confused which causes his blood pressure to rise. In order for the neurology team get a baseline assessment, they had to stop the sedation and within 5 minutes he was awake, opening his eyes on his own. This however caused his blood pressure to spike. The nurses then had to quickly sedate him following the neurological exam. The neurological team was happy that he was able to follow commands to a minimal extent. They now have a baseline and will continue to repeat this process to look for improvement.
Today, they repeated this process at 5:00 a.m. and attempted to take him off the ventilator but to no avail he remained on it and heavily sedated. He has gained 25 pounds in fluid and they have put him on a high dosage of lasix to try to alleviate the fluid. His surgeon and nursing team explained today that it is a delicate balance of trying to manage the fluid in his body, his neurological functions, fluid and mucous in his lungs, his temperature, blood pressure, and the stress on his sternum and aorta. He continues to breathe on his own however they felt it necessary to remain on the ventilator to help expand his lungs until they are clear of the mucous and fluids. This way they are able to suction his lungs as well.
Because of the heavy sedation today, we saw no responsiveness from him. The surgeon assured us that this was good as he is resting peacefully and that most importantly, during this time he is healing. They will be attempting to take him off the ventilator again tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. Cross your fingers and say a prayer!! The doctor and nurses are optimistic and have advised us to take this one day at a time. As Marissa wrote in her previously post, "Everyone is just waiting...."
Until tomorrow,
Lisa
Sunday, July 13, 2008
A note to all from Marissa
Hello again, to all of you have been following on here. The past few days in particular have been a tense, emotional ride as we've anxiously waited for my father to wake up. I've personally been very distraught, even more so than in the beginning, with all this waiting and concern about the very real possibility that my father may have had a stroke. As the days passed and he remained asleep we became increasingly concerned that there was, in fact, some neurological damage and that this was the reason that he still was not awake. Today's visit, however, was a major relief though because he was so responsive to all our talking, singing, concern and care. He knew we were there and he consciously communicated with us, and I was especially comforted in knowing that we were able to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by that awful breathing tube (I so wish we could just take it out!) because he was able to, in his own way, let us know that he needed it moved. The preliminary results from all of the neurological tests were also VERY reassuring, even though they cannot guarantee that anything is not wrong, but he is in good hands, we are getting closer and we'll hopefully have him back with us again soon.
So, in the meantime, I thought I'd share a little piece from Dr. Suess's book, "Oh the Places You'll Go." It's an adorable book, very inspirational via the verbiage of Dr. Suess, but this particular passage has not stopped running through my head and now that waiting is simply all we can do, I thought it appropriate to share while we pass the time. Good wishes to you all, enjoy and good night.
Marissa
“The Waiting Place… for people who are just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come,
or a plane to go or the mail to come,
or the rain to go, or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No or
waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night or
waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.”
So, in the meantime, I thought I'd share a little piece from Dr. Suess's book, "Oh the Places You'll Go." It's an adorable book, very inspirational via the verbiage of Dr. Suess, but this particular passage has not stopped running through my head and now that waiting is simply all we can do, I thought it appropriate to share while we pass the time. Good wishes to you all, enjoy and good night.
Marissa
“The Waiting Place… for people who are just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come,
or a plane to go or the mail to come,
or the rain to go, or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No or
waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night or
waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.”
Update, July 13th - Evening
Today ended on a positive note. We met with Barry's doctor and he had good news. The results of the MRI were negative which means there is no brain damage. He can hear people when they are talking to him and has been very responsive throughout much of our visit today. When we asked him to squeeze our hands, he did attempt to do so (though the response was very subtle), but he did move his head to communicate that the breathing tube was bothering him. Once the tube was adjusted, he seemed to settle down considerably and appeared much more calm and comfortable. The doctors are now giving him a new medication to help stablize his blood pressure in the hopes that this will make the wake up process a little easier when they try again in the morning. He is resting comfortably now for the duration of the night, and we are thankfully leaving here feeling hopeful and reassured that things will be better tomorrow.
Until next time,
Lisa, Marissa, K. Kinsman (thanks for the help!) and the F/G family.
Until next time,
Lisa, Marissa, K. Kinsman (thanks for the help!) and the F/G family.
Update, July 13th - Evening
Hello there,
Today Barry went down for an MRI to check on his neurological functions. We received a preliminary report saying that nothing was alarming however he was waiting for a neurologist to review the MRI. The doctor will come up to speak with us between 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. EDT. He is currently sedated and resting peacefully and he is breathing 100% on his own. We will update you again later once we hear from his doctor.
Lisa
Today Barry went down for an MRI to check on his neurological functions. We received a preliminary report saying that nothing was alarming however he was waiting for a neurologist to review the MRI. The doctor will come up to speak with us between 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. EDT. He is currently sedated and resting peacefully and he is breathing 100% on his own. We will update you again later once we hear from his doctor.
Lisa
Friday, July 11, 2008
July 11th, Evening
Hello there, Lisa here,
Today, the nurses in ICU made several attempts to wake Barry but to no avail he remains resting peacefully this evening. He had a pretty rough day today. Upon attempting to wake him, his blood pressure would rise and he would become agitated which is detrimental to the recovery of his aorta. The nurses would them give him blood pressure medication that immediately reduced the blood pressure and they would then start the process over again. This process continued throughout the day. Because of his non-responsiveness, they ordered a CT Scan to rule out edema (swelling of the brain) and clots in the brain. The results were negative. Thank you God!
Haley, Marissa, Steve, Janie, and I went to visit Barry this afternoon and JC joined us there. The nurses asked us to talk to him and ask him to open his eyes, squeeze our hands, or wiggle his toes in hopes that he would respond to voices that he recognized. Upon hearing our voices, he was very responsive and would turn his head in our direction. He however became agitated and the blood pressure would rise again, the nurses would give him the B.P. medication, and we again repeated this process until about 7:00 p.m. this evening at which time they retired him for the evening. We are thrilled that he was responsive to our voices!!
He was also running a temperature of 101 all day and they have been constantly checking his blood for infection and administering tylenol. Tomorrow the nurses will again repeat this process. If he remains unresponsive to commands, they will send him for an MRI to rule out neurological damage. Please keep him in your prayers.
He remains on the ventilator until he is conscious. Rest peacefully tonight Barry and continue your fight tomorrow!!
I have quite a few thankyous to post and if I missed anybody, I sincerely apologize. Thank you Auntie Sandy for picking me up at the Brockton Hospital and getting me to the Beth Israel hospital. Thank you Kathy for the muffins, bagels, and coffee and for leaving your out of town company to be with me Wednesday morning; Dawn and Heather for taking half days on Wednesday to be with me; Mom and Curt for helping Marissa get her license renewed; Janie and Donnie for dinner and cocktails this evening; Janie, Donnie, John, Lynae, Ken, and Kathie for keeping us company in the ICU and Janie and Dawn for fielding phone calls from family and friends.
Thank you to the Egans, Brookers, and Sloans, for offering Meals on Wheels and Heather for the little orange pills that help me sleep!! Thank you to my colleagues at Mount Washington Bank for covering my department and all the well wishes that I have rec'd; especially to my boss George for being so understanding through this ordeal, Alex for working during her maternity leave, Melinda for "covering the fort" and coming in on her vacation days, and my commuting buddy Mary, for picking up my lap top and delivering it back to me as well as helping out in my department. Thank you to Barry's colleagues at Ameriprise for covering his office in his absence and thank you again to you all for your kind sentiments and prayers. Please keep Barry in your prayers.
Lisa
Today, the nurses in ICU made several attempts to wake Barry but to no avail he remains resting peacefully this evening. He had a pretty rough day today. Upon attempting to wake him, his blood pressure would rise and he would become agitated which is detrimental to the recovery of his aorta. The nurses would them give him blood pressure medication that immediately reduced the blood pressure and they would then start the process over again. This process continued throughout the day. Because of his non-responsiveness, they ordered a CT Scan to rule out edema (swelling of the brain) and clots in the brain. The results were negative. Thank you God!
Haley, Marissa, Steve, Janie, and I went to visit Barry this afternoon and JC joined us there. The nurses asked us to talk to him and ask him to open his eyes, squeeze our hands, or wiggle his toes in hopes that he would respond to voices that he recognized. Upon hearing our voices, he was very responsive and would turn his head in our direction. He however became agitated and the blood pressure would rise again, the nurses would give him the B.P. medication, and we again repeated this process until about 7:00 p.m. this evening at which time they retired him for the evening. We are thrilled that he was responsive to our voices!!
He was also running a temperature of 101 all day and they have been constantly checking his blood for infection and administering tylenol. Tomorrow the nurses will again repeat this process. If he remains unresponsive to commands, they will send him for an MRI to rule out neurological damage. Please keep him in your prayers.
He remains on the ventilator until he is conscious. Rest peacefully tonight Barry and continue your fight tomorrow!!
I have quite a few thankyous to post and if I missed anybody, I sincerely apologize. Thank you Auntie Sandy for picking me up at the Brockton Hospital and getting me to the Beth Israel hospital. Thank you Kathy for the muffins, bagels, and coffee and for leaving your out of town company to be with me Wednesday morning; Dawn and Heather for taking half days on Wednesday to be with me; Mom and Curt for helping Marissa get her license renewed; Janie and Donnie for dinner and cocktails this evening; Janie, Donnie, John, Lynae, Ken, and Kathie for keeping us company in the ICU and Janie and Dawn for fielding phone calls from family and friends.
Thank you to the Egans, Brookers, and Sloans, for offering Meals on Wheels and Heather for the little orange pills that help me sleep!! Thank you to my colleagues at Mount Washington Bank for covering my department and all the well wishes that I have rec'd; especially to my boss George for being so understanding through this ordeal, Alex for working during her maternity leave, Melinda for "covering the fort" and coming in on her vacation days, and my commuting buddy Mary, for picking up my lap top and delivering it back to me as well as helping out in my department. Thank you to Barry's colleagues at Ameriprise for covering his office in his absence and thank you again to you all for your kind sentiments and prayers. Please keep Barry in your prayers.
Lisa
Update, July 11, 2008, Afternoon
Hello all, just checking in to update you all with today's news. There hasn't been much change since last night, but the doctors did try to wake him again this morning; however, as with previous attempts, he awoke aggressively, fighting them every step of the way. Again, this kind of response is normal, given that he has been so heavily sedated for the past four days, and the fighting is actually just a result of the obvious confusion and fear that he must be experiencing after having gone through this entire ordeal. The doctors are still working with him and are determined to get him off of the ventilator today, hopefully by changing his medication and using "a different approach" in their efforts, though we aren't quite sure what this approach actually is.
The whole family is home right now, waiting for the call that will give us the ok to head into Boston to see him. I will try to give another update a little later on tonight to let you all know how the visit went as well as to report any further changes in his condition.
Hope everything else is well with you all, and we will be in touch again soon.
Marissa, Lisa, Haley, Steve and Cody
p.s. I would also like to say thank you to all those who have offered their time and support, in particular for today, Jenny, Nana, Auntie Heather and Uncle Kenny. Thank you all, everyone, so much again; you are all quite deeply appreciated.
The whole family is home right now, waiting for the call that will give us the ok to head into Boston to see him. I will try to give another update a little later on tonight to let you all know how the visit went as well as to report any further changes in his condition.
Hope everything else is well with you all, and we will be in touch again soon.
Marissa, Lisa, Haley, Steve and Cody
p.s. I would also like to say thank you to all those who have offered their time and support, in particular for today, Jenny, Nana, Auntie Heather and Uncle Kenny. Thank you all, everyone, so much again; you are all quite deeply appreciated.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Update, July 10th, Evening
Hello there, Lisa here,
I would also like to replicate Marissa's sentiments and thank all of you for your sentiments, phone calls, e-mails and overall support that you have given to our family during this difficult time. I know that Barry has touched all of your lives in one way or another, be it friend, family, colleague, Easy Access fan, or client and please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you as we go through this together.
Haley and I visited Barry this evening and I am happy to share with you that he looks PHENOMENAL. Before leaving, his respirtory therapist indicated that his lungs were clear and that they would be removing the respirator in the morning. During this time, his nurses had to reposition Barry's body so that the fluids would not settle in his lungs. His nurse Donna commented that Barry was solid as a rock and that she and another nurse had to seek assistance to move him! Thank you, Body by Jane and although you won, thank you Steve for your $500 weight loss bet!!
His nurse also indicated that Barry could hear us in that moment; however he would not remember anything that was said. I tried to pass along the many prayers and sentiments that you all have sent.
His nurses and doctor are all amazed at the recovery Barry has made thus far and are very optimistic about his recovery. Until tomorrow, good night to you all.
Lisa
I would also like to replicate Marissa's sentiments and thank all of you for your sentiments, phone calls, e-mails and overall support that you have given to our family during this difficult time. I know that Barry has touched all of your lives in one way or another, be it friend, family, colleague, Easy Access fan, or client and please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you as we go through this together.
Haley and I visited Barry this evening and I am happy to share with you that he looks PHENOMENAL. Before leaving, his respirtory therapist indicated that his lungs were clear and that they would be removing the respirator in the morning. During this time, his nurses had to reposition Barry's body so that the fluids would not settle in his lungs. His nurse Donna commented that Barry was solid as a rock and that she and another nurse had to seek assistance to move him! Thank you, Body by Jane and although you won, thank you Steve for your $500 weight loss bet!!
His nurse also indicated that Barry could hear us in that moment; however he would not remember anything that was said. I tried to pass along the many prayers and sentiments that you all have sent.
His nurses and doctor are all amazed at the recovery Barry has made thus far and are very optimistic about his recovery. Until tomorrow, good night to you all.
Lisa
Update, July 10, 2008
Hello Everyone! Thank you all for kind thoughts and words here. Today was a somewhat chaotic day at the hospital for my dad but for now, he is doing well and resting comfortably. As you can imagine, things are also still a bit chaotic and emotional here at home, so I do apologize for keeping many of you waiting all day to hear. I will do the best I can to update often from here on out.
This morning the doctors realized that there was a clot in my father's heart catheter which was causing fluid and blood to back up around his heart. This sort of collecting is normal for any heart surgery, but his vitals were strong and they felt that this morning would be a better time, rather than waiting further into recovery, to go in and clean things out. This afternoon we also recieved a call informing us that there is now mucus building up inside his lungs, which is also common, but he will now remain on the ventilator overnight while a tube continues to suck this fluid out. He will remain asleep until at least tomorrow morning, but for the night will just continue to rest. They will try again in the morning to rouse him but, given how aggressively he reacted the last few times, they felt it best to just let him sleep through the night.
Thank you all again so much. For now, we will continue to wait while our hearts hope and pray together for things to get better soon.
Until next time,
Marissa
This morning the doctors realized that there was a clot in my father's heart catheter which was causing fluid and blood to back up around his heart. This sort of collecting is normal for any heart surgery, but his vitals were strong and they felt that this morning would be a better time, rather than waiting further into recovery, to go in and clean things out. This afternoon we also recieved a call informing us that there is now mucus building up inside his lungs, which is also common, but he will now remain on the ventilator overnight while a tube continues to suck this fluid out. He will remain asleep until at least tomorrow morning, but for the night will just continue to rest. They will try again in the morning to rouse him but, given how aggressively he reacted the last few times, they felt it best to just let him sleep through the night.
Thank you all again so much. For now, we will continue to wait while our hearts hope and pray together for things to get better soon.
Until next time,
Marissa
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Update, July 9, 2008 4:00 - 9:00 p.m
An ultrasound was performed on Barry's kidneys today and they appear to be normal and are producing urine. They again tried to rouse him this afternoon and he awoke thrashing. His vitals were erratic at this time, so they had to sedate him again for the evening. They again indicated that all of this behavior was normal. As of 9:15 p.m. Barry is resting peacefully. He is breathing 90% on his own however he remains on the breathing tube. His vitals are all good and they will again try to rouse him in the a.m.
I too have been touched by the love, care, concern, and outreach from all of our friends, family, and colleagues. Thank you all for your support during this difficult time.
Lisa
I too have been touched by the love, care, concern, and outreach from all of our friends, family, and colleagues. Thank you all for your support during this difficult time.
Lisa
Welcome Everyone
First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone, on the behalf of our entire family, for all of the care, concern, warm wishes and love that you have shown us over the past few days. Although word has travelled fast and many of you have been in contact with us for updates, I have decided to start this blog as a means of mass communication regarding my father's condition from here on out. Because he is who he is, and because he has touched the hearts of so many in his lifetime, I'm sure you all can imagine the flood of calls that have continued to come in over the last day or so, and though all the calls are greatly appreciated and received with a great deal of gratitude and love on our end, maintaining communication through this blog will certainly be much easier for everyone involved.
I suppose I'll start just by giving a brief overview of what has happened over the past 24 hours, for the benefit of anyone who has not already heard all the details. Around 8:30 am yesterday morning, my father began having chest and lower back pain and, suspecting a possible heart attack, proceeded to call his doctor, who told him to go to the emergency room immediately. Once there, they began to run tests and quickly discovered that he had a rare condition called aorta dissection, or aorta split. Rather than to try to explain what that is, I have copied a brief explanation here.
"The aorta is the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta’s artery wall splits open (dissects). This is more likely to occur where pressure on the artery wall from blood flow is high. One such place is the ascending aorta (the first segment of the aorta), where the aorta originates from the heart’s left ventricle (pumping chamber). This is the part of the aorta closest to the heart (thus the name proximal aorta).
When the aortic wall splits, the pulses of blood get inside the artery wall and under the inner layer. This makes the aorta split further. This tear usually continues distally (away from the heart) down the descending aorta and into its major branches. Less often the tear may run proximally (back toward the heart)."
Just for a visual, the aorta is shaped like an upsidedown horseshoe, with the heart on the lower left end. As you continue up around top curve (the ascending aorta), there are the two major vessels that carry the blood up to the brain (smaller vessels that carry the blood through the arms also branch off of these). Coming down the other side of the horseshoe is the descending aorta, which eventually branches out to carry blood to other major organs like the kidneys, liver, spleen, etc.
In my father's case, the split ran from just above his heart (through the ascending aorta) up along two major vessels at the top and all the way down the descending aorta toward his other organs. Upon diagnosis, the doctors at Brockton Hospital phoned immediately for the Medflight to take my father into Beth Israel where two cardiovascular teams were already waiting. Once there, his condition was assessed and he was taken in for surgery to replace the ascending aorta entirely with a synthetic aorta. They also discovered at that time that the valve between the heart and aorta was damaged and replaced it with a tissue valve (or pig valve) that will eventually need to be replaced 15-20 years down the line. He did have the option of a mechanical valve, but this would have required him to be on powerful blood thinners for the rest of his life, so my mother and aunt decided together that the tissue valve would be best.
The surgery began around 2:45 in the afternoon and lasted late into the evening. He made it through the operation without too much complication, aside from some internal bleeding that is common with any heart surgery, and this was taken care of and carefully monitored throughout the rest of the night. He was, however, at a major risk for stroke during the surgery. Replacing the aorta involved attaching the synthetic aorta to the two major vessels to the brain and left arm. Because of the proximity of the tear to those two main vessels, the surgeons had to stop the bypass to the brain in order to replace the aorta, which actually stopped the bloodflow to the brain for a period of time. We wouldn't know whether a stroke or other brain damage had occurred until morning.
Much to our relief, we received a call around 11am this morning letting us know that they had roused him up and that he was responsive, his vitals were strong and he was able to move his arms and legs upon command. Thus far, there is no evident paralysis that would have been indicative of a stroke. He woke up out of the anesthesia fighting the doctors (which is also normal for younger men after surgery) so they did have to put him back under for safety's sake, but, all things considered, he has pulled through thus far with very little complication. He remains on a breathing tube and sedated and they will try to rouse him again this afternoon. The doctors will continue to run tests on other organs that may have been affected by the tear in the descending aorta, which will most likely also require further surgery to repair. Last night's surgery, however, was the most crucial, and I cannot even begin to express our relief and gratitude to the many doctors, nurses, and medflight team who worked so quickly to save his life.
The next few days will be crucial, of course, and I will keep everyone posted on here. I do not personally have everyone's phone numbers or e-mails, so if you are able, please pass along this url to anyone else who may need or want to remain informed. Thank you all again for your love and support. You are forever in our hearts.
Marissa, and the Forman/Guild family
I suppose I'll start just by giving a brief overview of what has happened over the past 24 hours, for the benefit of anyone who has not already heard all the details. Around 8:30 am yesterday morning, my father began having chest and lower back pain and, suspecting a possible heart attack, proceeded to call his doctor, who told him to go to the emergency room immediately. Once there, they began to run tests and quickly discovered that he had a rare condition called aorta dissection, or aorta split. Rather than to try to explain what that is, I have copied a brief explanation here.
"The aorta is the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta’s artery wall splits open (dissects). This is more likely to occur where pressure on the artery wall from blood flow is high. One such place is the ascending aorta (the first segment of the aorta), where the aorta originates from the heart’s left ventricle (pumping chamber). This is the part of the aorta closest to the heart (thus the name proximal aorta).
When the aortic wall splits, the pulses of blood get inside the artery wall and under the inner layer. This makes the aorta split further. This tear usually continues distally (away from the heart) down the descending aorta and into its major branches. Less often the tear may run proximally (back toward the heart)."
Just for a visual, the aorta is shaped like an upsidedown horseshoe, with the heart on the lower left end. As you continue up around top curve (the ascending aorta), there are the two major vessels that carry the blood up to the brain (smaller vessels that carry the blood through the arms also branch off of these). Coming down the other side of the horseshoe is the descending aorta, which eventually branches out to carry blood to other major organs like the kidneys, liver, spleen, etc.
In my father's case, the split ran from just above his heart (through the ascending aorta) up along two major vessels at the top and all the way down the descending aorta toward his other organs. Upon diagnosis, the doctors at Brockton Hospital phoned immediately for the Medflight to take my father into Beth Israel where two cardiovascular teams were already waiting. Once there, his condition was assessed and he was taken in for surgery to replace the ascending aorta entirely with a synthetic aorta. They also discovered at that time that the valve between the heart and aorta was damaged and replaced it with a tissue valve (or pig valve) that will eventually need to be replaced 15-20 years down the line. He did have the option of a mechanical valve, but this would have required him to be on powerful blood thinners for the rest of his life, so my mother and aunt decided together that the tissue valve would be best.
The surgery began around 2:45 in the afternoon and lasted late into the evening. He made it through the operation without too much complication, aside from some internal bleeding that is common with any heart surgery, and this was taken care of and carefully monitored throughout the rest of the night. He was, however, at a major risk for stroke during the surgery. Replacing the aorta involved attaching the synthetic aorta to the two major vessels to the brain and left arm. Because of the proximity of the tear to those two main vessels, the surgeons had to stop the bypass to the brain in order to replace the aorta, which actually stopped the bloodflow to the brain for a period of time. We wouldn't know whether a stroke or other brain damage had occurred until morning.
Much to our relief, we received a call around 11am this morning letting us know that they had roused him up and that he was responsive, his vitals were strong and he was able to move his arms and legs upon command. Thus far, there is no evident paralysis that would have been indicative of a stroke. He woke up out of the anesthesia fighting the doctors (which is also normal for younger men after surgery) so they did have to put him back under for safety's sake, but, all things considered, he has pulled through thus far with very little complication. He remains on a breathing tube and sedated and they will try to rouse him again this afternoon. The doctors will continue to run tests on other organs that may have been affected by the tear in the descending aorta, which will most likely also require further surgery to repair. Last night's surgery, however, was the most crucial, and I cannot even begin to express our relief and gratitude to the many doctors, nurses, and medflight team who worked so quickly to save his life.
The next few days will be crucial, of course, and I will keep everyone posted on here. I do not personally have everyone's phone numbers or e-mails, so if you are able, please pass along this url to anyone else who may need or want to remain informed. Thank you all again for your love and support. You are forever in our hearts.
Marissa, and the Forman/Guild family
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