Monday was a good day. Nana got moved from ICU to PCU in the morning. She had another (and much shorter) dialysis session sometime before Laura went to see her. Some of Nana's friends visited for about an hour, which is always a good thing. The biggest good news yesterday was when Nana called around 9pm to say that one of her doctors confirmed that her heart went into a normal heartbeat rhythm (not a-fib)!
Tuesday was good then turned kind of so-so. Nana had a busy day--some more friends visited. She's able to get up and out of bed when she needs. She had a really good lunch today and ate just about everything.
Dr. C came by and said that Nana's kidneys are doing much better. Nana's heart doctor came by and listened to her heartbeat, and everything seemed to be in order. Her heart is still in normal heartbeat rhythm. Dr. M - thinks she might get out in 2-3 days.
This afternoon, they took out Nana's PICC line. The area on her arm was starting to turn red and puffy, and an infection is suspected. If she didn't pick up this infection, she might have been released tomorrow.
The IV to dialysis catheter connection is leaking, which is a bit concerning. Laura said the nurses were going to change the bandages and see if that helps. They are trying to avoid putting in an IV line in her arm since they just took the PICC line out (and her left arm is sort of reserved for a more permanent dialysis connection).
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Bad day in the hospital...
Nana had a bad day in the hospital today... When Laura went over to visit her this afternoon, she found out that Nana's swelling had gone down a little bit. Nana went to sit up, and move her legs to sit on the side of her bed. When she did this, she stopped and was having difficulty. Laura said that Nana's heart rate dropped to 40, and she started having a very hard time breathing.
They summoned nurses, and Nana was soon surrounded by people trying to figure out what was wrong. I'm kind of running from memory here, but she was administered calcium, glucose, a chest xray, an EKG and probably some other stuff. The nurses also wheeled in the emergency cart so if something more happened, they'd have what they'd need.
Laura told me that Nana was given cardizem, and it was probably too much for her. The hospital staff was giving her calcium to absorb the cardizem, and glucose (I think) to help thin it. But they have to be careful with the glucose, as too much fluid isn't a good thing for someone with failing heart valves.
The hospital has moved Nana to the ICU, and Laura came home because they were in the middle of their shift change. Fortunately, the hospital is less than 10 minutes away.
Laura also told me that Dr. M came by and he, Dr. W as well as the head cardiologist for the hospital are trying to locate a surgeon who's willing to perform Nana's heart surgery. He indicated that it might be hard to find someone because of the high risk involved. Age, heart rhythm, kidney function and breathing difficulties are all factoring in to the level of risk.
I really hope that someone will be willing to do this surgery, otherwise, we're likely to have to keep bringing Nana back to the hospital seemingly every 10 to 14 days.
Laura left about 20 minutes ago to see how things are going, and to make sure that Nana's all settled. She just now got home..around 10:30pm. Nana's all settled in the ICU as much as possible. A doctor should be by sometime in the morning and hopefully she'll be returned to her normal room.
They summoned nurses, and Nana was soon surrounded by people trying to figure out what was wrong. I'm kind of running from memory here, but she was administered calcium, glucose, a chest xray, an EKG and probably some other stuff. The nurses also wheeled in the emergency cart so if something more happened, they'd have what they'd need.
Laura told me that Nana was given cardizem, and it was probably too much for her. The hospital staff was giving her calcium to absorb the cardizem, and glucose (I think) to help thin it. But they have to be careful with the glucose, as too much fluid isn't a good thing for someone with failing heart valves.
The hospital has moved Nana to the ICU, and Laura came home because they were in the middle of their shift change. Fortunately, the hospital is less than 10 minutes away.
Laura also told me that Dr. M came by and he, Dr. W as well as the head cardiologist for the hospital are trying to locate a surgeon who's willing to perform Nana's heart surgery. He indicated that it might be hard to find someone because of the high risk involved. Age, heart rhythm, kidney function and breathing difficulties are all factoring in to the level of risk.
I really hope that someone will be willing to do this surgery, otherwise, we're likely to have to keep bringing Nana back to the hospital seemingly every 10 to 14 days.
Laura left about 20 minutes ago to see how things are going, and to make sure that Nana's all settled. She just now got home..around 10:30pm. Nana's all settled in the ICU as much as possible. A doctor should be by sometime in the morning and hopefully she'll be returned to her normal room.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
And here we go again...
Well, Nana's back in the hospital again. She had been having difficulty breathing, and her body hasn't been flushing fluids efficiently. Laura took her to see Dr. M today, and during the appointment Dr. M called the hospital and arranged for a regular hospital room. At least Laura and Nana didn't have to wait for hours in the ER, just hours for the hospital to have a room available.To add to the confusion, the admitting department has moved to a different building and the faxed admitting papers kept going to the wrong place.
One challenge was Nana's oxygen tank. Laura took one tank with her, and the tank ran out during the admitting process. The hospital employee handling the admission called over to have some nurses come and get Nana moved into her room. Since the hospital is in the midst of opening a new building, the nurses initially got lost which added to the time.
Right now the plan is to get the excess fluid off of her, and then they'll probably schedule open heart surgery to replace her defective heart valves. Both her mitral valve and her aortic valve are leaky. This most likely means that Nana will have to go on dialysis afterwards due to her reduced kidney function. There are so many variables right now, it's difficult to wrap our heads around it all.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Catching Dr. Y
Dr. Y (at Dr. W's request) came and presented an option to Laura and Nana: A catheter ablation procedure to help control her heart rhythm. He said that it could be done soon, or Nana could return and have it done. He then left the room.
Nana decided that since she was already in the hospital, that it would be a viable option. Laura had to go hunt down Dr. Y to let him know their decision. Laura spotted him in the elevator, and the door was closing. She jammed her arm in the elevator, and managed to catch Dr. Y and get things set up. The ablation procedure is scheduled for Friday the 11th.
Nana decided that since she was already in the hospital, that it would be a viable option. Laura had to go hunt down Dr. Y to let him know their decision. Laura spotted him in the elevator, and the door was closing. She jammed her arm in the elevator, and managed to catch Dr. Y and get things set up. The ablation procedure is scheduled for Friday the 11th.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Transferred again & Busier Tuesday
Isn't this the way things always seem to go? A vital piece of equipment at the hospital where Nana was supposed to have her stent inserted and LAD angioplasty has broken. So far, I have not heard what that equipment was, but apparently it was pretty vital to the procedure because Nana was transferred to yet another hospital in Orange County.
I took the day off work, and Laura and I made the hour or so long 60-mile drive up to Orange County. Our plan was to arrive after Nana's procedure, as Aunt D was there visiting. My wife and I had never been to this hospital, and we had quite a time navigating our way throughout this particular maze to find where they had hidden Nana. We found her in a recovery room, and Aunt D was still with her (of which we were very thankful).
Nana was in and out of sleep and had to lie flat on her back for another 7 hours after these procedures. She stayed in recovery until a little after 5pm, when she was moved to a room in the cardiac recovery area at the hospital. By the time she was sort of settled in her room, it was just about 6pm -- time for the shift change in the hospital. This gave Laura and I the opportunity to get a rather disappointing dinner at a restaurant we hadn't visited in probably 20 years.
We got back to her room shortly after 7pm and stayed until a little past 8pm. She was able to sit up at 7:30pm, and was brought a dry turkey sandwich for dinner. Laura was able to get the nursing staff to bring us some pudding and some yogurt, which she fed to Nana. There was talk about Nana being discharged the next day. We were a bit skeptical at this prospect.
I took the day off work, and Laura and I made the hour or so long 60-mile drive up to Orange County. Our plan was to arrive after Nana's procedure, as Aunt D was there visiting. My wife and I had never been to this hospital, and we had quite a time navigating our way throughout this particular maze to find where they had hidden Nana. We found her in a recovery room, and Aunt D was still with her (of which we were very thankful).
Nana was in and out of sleep and had to lie flat on her back for another 7 hours after these procedures. She stayed in recovery until a little after 5pm, when she was moved to a room in the cardiac recovery area at the hospital. By the time she was sort of settled in her room, it was just about 6pm -- time for the shift change in the hospital. This gave Laura and I the opportunity to get a rather disappointing dinner at a restaurant we hadn't visited in probably 20 years.
We got back to her room shortly after 7pm and stayed until a little past 8pm. She was able to sit up at 7:30pm, and was brought a dry turkey sandwich for dinner. Laura was able to get the nursing staff to bring us some pudding and some yogurt, which she fed to Nana. There was talk about Nana being discharged the next day. We were a bit skeptical at this prospect.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Transferred & Busy Monday
Nana was transferred via medical carrier up to Orange County for her heart exam. I don't know why they decided to ship her up there at 5am Monday morning...that part may forever remain a mystery. Her procedure was supposed to start at 7:30am, but it didn't start until later in the morning.
Laura made the 60 mile drive up to Orange County to visit Nana. She arrived shortly after 12pm, when Nana was in recovery. Poor Nana had to lie flat on her back for 7 hours after the procedure, and it was a bit trying for everyone. Dr. W decided that she needed a stent and some angioplasty in the left anterior portion of her heart. These procedures are scheduled for tomorrow. Dr W is hoping this is enough to fix the swelling due to poor circulation and not do the riskier heart valve replacement surgery.
One frustrating yet kind of amusing thing that happened this day was what the hospital brought Nana for dinner--a big beef, onion and bell pepper burrito. Think Chipotle, and you're getting close. Now, please answer me this: How on God's green earth are you supposed to eat a massive burrito while laying flat on your back with a severe fluid restriction? Laura wound up having most of the burrito for her dinner, and asking the nurses for some jello and pudding for Nana's dinner.
Laura made the 60 mile drive up to Orange County to visit Nana. She arrived shortly after 12pm, when Nana was in recovery. Poor Nana had to lie flat on her back for 7 hours after the procedure, and it was a bit trying for everyone. Dr. W decided that she needed a stent and some angioplasty in the left anterior portion of her heart. These procedures are scheduled for tomorrow. Dr W is hoping this is enough to fix the swelling due to poor circulation and not do the riskier heart valve replacement surgery.
One frustrating yet kind of amusing thing that happened this day was what the hospital brought Nana for dinner--a big beef, onion and bell pepper burrito. Think Chipotle, and you're getting close. Now, please answer me this: How on God's green earth are you supposed to eat a massive burrito while laying flat on your back with a severe fluid restriction? Laura wound up having most of the burrito for her dinner, and asking the nurses for some jello and pudding for Nana's dinner.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The start of the 12-day stay
Nana was admitted to the hospital because of fluid retention and breathing difficulties again. She was in a hospital about a mile and a half from our house. She was scheduled to be transferred to a hospital in Orange County (about 60 miles away) to have her heart examined via catheter and camera on Friday, March 4, and schedule a valve replacement.
Dr C, Nana's kidney doctor, came by to tell her that it's almost a sure thing that if she has this valve replacement surgery, she will need to go on dialysis. She only has 1 kidney working, and it's at about 40%. He wants Nana to drink more to help her kidney. Of course Dr M doesn't agree and still wants Nana on the fluid restriction. Wouldn't it be great if doctors could agree on a course of treatment?
On March 3, they performed an electrical cardioversion (shock treatment) on Nana's heart to try to correct her a-fib (atrial fibrillation) heart rhythm. She came through this procedure with flying colors. The problem with this was that her heart returned to it's a-fib rhythm within a few days...
Dr C, Nana's kidney doctor, came by to tell her that it's almost a sure thing that if she has this valve replacement surgery, she will need to go on dialysis. She only has 1 kidney working, and it's at about 40%. He wants Nana to drink more to help her kidney. Of course Dr M doesn't agree and still wants Nana on the fluid restriction. Wouldn't it be great if doctors could agree on a course of treatment?
On March 3, they performed an electrical cardioversion (shock treatment) on Nana's heart to try to correct her a-fib (atrial fibrillation) heart rhythm. She came through this procedure with flying colors. The problem with this was that her heart returned to it's a-fib rhythm within a few days...
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