Pre-Op
We arrived safely in LA at 5:30 a.m. Friday. Dad had all his pre-op testing done yesterday. We spent 8 hours at Cedars getting test, test results, talking with the doctor.
Learned a little more about what operation they're doing. Apparently, Dad's aneurysm is right in the aortic valve coming off of the heart. They're going to go in and "scrape" off the aneurysm so that he keeps his "old" valve and they don't have to replace it. Then they're putting a dacron pipe (my word) fitting around the area where the aneurysm is.
We didn't realize that his aneurysm was in the valve. But this explains the urgency for the surgery. If the aneurysm would have burst in the valve, the valve would have been destroyed and the heart would not be pumping any blood out, it would be pooling in his heart.
The surgery will be long. Dr. Trento (Dad's cardiologist and the head of Cardiology) only does one of these surgeries per day. So don't expect any news until about 4-5 p.m. PST. Sorry about that, but I'll be waiting for 12 hours in the hospital myself.
We found a ward down here near the hotel (and the hospital), so we'll be going tomorrow.
Oh, another plus (and I am kidding), I sprained my ankle just before driving down here, so right now, Dad is helping me around. We are going to be quite a pair for the next two weeks. Hopefully, my ankle will heal before that. I told Aunt Leslie what I had done and that it would be quite a sight, me getting around in a wheelchair while taking care of Dad in bed. She said it gave her some ideas. (Those of you who know Aunt Leslie know what that means).
We've had several calls with people wishing Dad well and keeping him in their prayers.
He also gets an angiogram (tube up the groin into his heart) before surgery Monday morning, so I guess that's a bonus; right? But that will make the surgical time even longer. So I'll call you children as soon as I know, ok? But apparently, you will be able to call me while I wait if anyone is so inclined. I will be getting updates as the surgery goes on they tell me. And I won't be back to blog until Tuesday morning. But I fully expect to call you all before then for sure.
Take care.
Learned a little more about what operation they're doing. Apparently, Dad's aneurysm is right in the aortic valve coming off of the heart. They're going to go in and "scrape" off the aneurysm so that he keeps his "old" valve and they don't have to replace it. Then they're putting a dacron pipe (my word) fitting around the area where the aneurysm is.
We didn't realize that his aneurysm was in the valve. But this explains the urgency for the surgery. If the aneurysm would have burst in the valve, the valve would have been destroyed and the heart would not be pumping any blood out, it would be pooling in his heart.
The surgery will be long. Dr. Trento (Dad's cardiologist and the head of Cardiology) only does one of these surgeries per day. So don't expect any news until about 4-5 p.m. PST. Sorry about that, but I'll be waiting for 12 hours in the hospital myself.
We found a ward down here near the hotel (and the hospital), so we'll be going tomorrow.
Oh, another plus (and I am kidding), I sprained my ankle just before driving down here, so right now, Dad is helping me around. We are going to be quite a pair for the next two weeks. Hopefully, my ankle will heal before that. I told Aunt Leslie what I had done and that it would be quite a sight, me getting around in a wheelchair while taking care of Dad in bed. She said it gave her some ideas. (Those of you who know Aunt Leslie know what that means).
We've had several calls with people wishing Dad well and keeping him in their prayers.
He also gets an angiogram (tube up the groin into his heart) before surgery Monday morning, so I guess that's a bonus; right? But that will make the surgical time even longer. So I'll call you children as soon as I know, ok? But apparently, you will be able to call me while I wait if anyone is so inclined. I will be getting updates as the surgery goes on they tell me. And I won't be back to blog until Tuesday morning. But I fully expect to call you all before then for sure.
Take care.
Labels: Pre-Op
posted by Mom Nixon at 16:21
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