Emotional week. Sorting it out.

I just found this post. I will be thinking of you and your family.

xo

Sending all good thoughts and healing wishes your way!!

Thank you all.

We are at the hospital now. We got here an hour early. They just took him back to prep him and will be getting me shortly to wait with him.

prayers & a BIG HUG!

Well they just took him back to the table...now the waiting starts.

Praying hard for you all my dear, but especially for Mike.

So just got the update. Mike's heart is very very sick and they had to put in a special catheter in his aorta to help it after the surgery. They had to put in an order for it as I understand it is not typically required. It's purpose is to help provide additional blood flow during recovery. It will eventually be removed. This has caused a delay of about 2 hours in the time line. They have harvested the arteries now and are putting him on the heart/lung machine. So given time lapse. Mike's heart is currently stopped.

He's on the "Bypass" machine, which effectively does the work for the heart & lungs during this surgery. Hoping you have loved ones w/you right now. Your Forum friends are keeping you in our hearts.

That is correct Pat thank you.

Physically it is just me here. But it kind of works since I am constantly updating or responding to someone. Between 2 smart phones and a computer full of sites, well at least I am kept busy! Lol

Thinking of you LadyJynx and wishing you and Mike all the best!!

mike is off the heart/lung bypass machine and they are getting ready to close.

**UPDATE**

Mike has survived the surgery and in his room now.

However, when I met with the surgeon afterwards, they found that only 10% of his heart was functioning, much less than the 30% he had working last week. the partially blocked artery had become fully blocked and WHEN his heart Would beat it was nothing more than a flutter. This is why they had to do the catheter in his heart. The next 24 hours will tell what Mikes chances for recovery are.

This is very worrying. The doctor stated that his heart was borderline on being able to even do the surgery. Had the surgery not been this morning I would have been posting a very different update in the next 48 hours.

I can honestly say that I have personally laid my eyes on Mike now. He really does look horrible lying in the bed with all those tubes and wires. Also he is very ashy and pale. How much of that is situation related and how much is because he is so clean shaven I will not take a guess. lol His fingers and extremeties have good color though. His numbers look good with the assistance of the machines they have him on and the nurse is sympathetic as she tells me that he is stable. If he awakens early he will pull out all his tubes and such and send himself into cardiac arrest. I will admit it takes a little skill to get close without getting tangled right now.

They are not waking him up at this time. He is in a state where he can hear everything and could for all intents and purposes "wake up" if something provoked him to do so, like a cell phone but they are keeping him "out" for the next 48 hours. I was initially told it would be 24 post surgery. It was supposed to only be a couple going in.

Visitors are pretty much a no go at this point. The only time people will be allowed in is if they are with me. Any objections will be given my phone number by the nurse. lol There are the concerns of well meaning visitors trying to wake him up and a severe risk of infection. He really is the hole-iest person I know right now. OK bad pun. Sorry guys. Even my visit was kept short. Basically less than 10 minutes. I was really torn in half as I twisted him some balloons (Yeah sappy me pulled off a pair of lovebirds and a teddy bear both put in hearts.) and wanted to leave them for him but was afraid they would pop and wake him early. The nurse was great listened, understood, and still taped them on the wall where he would be able to see them when/if he woke up.

It is a very scary situation but we are expecting a positive outcome. After all this is Mike we are talking about. I expect this to be his greatest magic trick ever!!! Please nobody try to duplicate it! OK I am babbling like an idiot. I will go back a little later after I talk to the kids. They should be on the way home...

Shannon

Prayers for you and Mike!   

I've been visiting college campuses with my son this week, so I didn't even realize he was at the hospital already, let alone having the surgery!

Hopefully things will continue to improve steadily everyday for him.

You are doing a good job of staying strong and keeping calm, Mama.
 

Prayers and well wishes for all of you Mike and lady Jynx and family. Prayers for Strength and Healing  

I went to see him again last night. His color was looking much better, in fact it was better than it has been for a long time. They were slowly weaning off some tubes and meds. The nurse informed me that the doc is worried but they are optimistic. His numbers are holding, even his blood sugar is stays steady. He is supposed to be evaluated by the doc again this morning.

Make sure you eat, rest and take care of yourself... often pushed to the side by loved ones but oh so important.
 

Still thinking of you and sending all good vibes!
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his numbers are looking good. They have about 6 IVs and lots of tubes running in him. Still on life support, heart catheter and ventillator. he is still being kept comatose, but they did wake him briefly to check his response. they had me ask him to wiggle his toes, give a thumbs up, and open his eyes. he did it all for me then was put back under.

Doc was in. They will be keeping him under a Minimum of another 24 hours. Likely longer. He is doing good but still has a long way to come. It is possible he will be kept under till Monday. It is a small possible the heart catheter may be able to come out tomorrow. But they are concerned with his lungs/breathing.

 

Fingers and toes crossed!!

So mike keeps trying to wake up. He has had a few episodes of abnormal heart patterns today. He is still "stable" and I am assured its all normal but every time those alarms go off I am reminded how far he has yet to go. The doctors still won't really look past a 24 hour increment. It seems to me he is having a bit of a rough patch tonight. I just can't seem to shake the feeling that I need to be here. I keep trying to convince myself to go home but well I just can't seem to leave.

Follow your inner feeling!

I hope you rested a little. I am sure it gave Mike peace to know you stood vigil with him. Still praying.

You guys were my last prayer before I fell asleep and my first prayer when I woke up.