Sharon update 10/19/06

[kookykat]

Surgery went very, very well. They're closing now, so I have to get my butt to the hospital.

Apparently, it was pretty much a textbook case. They started late and finished an hour and a half ahead of schedule, so that's good news!

Will let you know later when I get back for a bit of time with puppies and then back to the hospital for a couple more hours with Our Girl.

I just want to say up front: If this went as well as they're saying it did, then Sharon did EXTRAORDINARILY well, because she went *in* in a compromised physical condition - between the stroke and the back stuff and the fact that she's been basically bed-ridden for the last two weeks...but who knows, that might have worked in her favor, all that rest and not taxing the heart.

I'm taking a photo with me to see if any of the nurses were there when Sharon was there the first time (this is the same ICU). Should be interesting if any were!

Later, gators.

Mikki (whose heart is much lighter right now than it started out this morning!!!), Princess Cookie (who's gonna be in a world o' hurt and will quickly make friends with Mr. Drug Pump), and the furbies (who would really, really, REALLY like to have Mommy home again SOON!!!!)

[pamuk]

Mikki

Great to hear that all went well for Sharon, she has been through so much, hope you manage to get the photos you were after, keep us updated on her progress

pam from england

[kookykat]

Thanks, Pam and everyone else who replied. I apologize for not writing back, it's just been kinda nutzy around here lately.

Sharon's doing really well. Her BP has dropped back down. They're concerned, I'm not - she's normally *got* low BP. They put her back on Celebrex, which I will be getting stopped at the earliest available opportunity. I do NOT want her on that. I feel very strongly that's a big part of what caused her stroke to begin with. :mad: They can put her on Motrin, which will do the same thing and will more than likely NOT cause another problem. She's got 3 more aneurysms in the right hemisphere, which is why I'm so upset about this.

She's got some lung issues, because they haven't been able to sit her up, not even in bed. They're going to put her brace on today and sit her up for a bit and get her lungs working some. She's oxygenating well, but she's got some crud building up in the bases of both lungs and wet breath sounds, so if they can't get that under control, pneumonia will result.

The incisions look really good (for incisions), her spirits are fairly good, she's doing remarkably well from a medical standpoint...but she's got no appetite, which I'm told is fairly common after bypass surgery. BTW, I was *not* told that by any of the medical personnel here. I was told that by a friend in another state whose stepmother had bypass surgery.

She's got all her drains out, all but one of the catheters are out (besides the Foley), her leg has been unwrapped, nearly all the incisions have had the bandages taken off - she still had a couple of bandages on last night from where the catheters (arterial line, central venous and Swan) were pulled out. She's off of all IV medications and has been since about 24 hours after surgery. They even finished quicker than usual - we were told it would take about four hours, but it only took a bit over three!

So, she's doing pretty well, all in all. We're concerned about the not eating, especially since she's on antibiotics. I will leave a message for the doctor about the Celebrex.

If she continues to do this well and can get the breathing thing handled, they'll probably kick her upstairs in the next couple of days. We're at 2.5 weeks out of the 3 to 4-week bed rest restriction, so hopefully we'll be able to start getting her out of bed a bit soon!

Huggers,
Mik

[Happydaze]

Hi - I'm so glad to hear Sharon is doing so well - my prayers have been with both of you - thanks for the update!

Martie
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Happydaze