Commencing Operation Christmas Miracle Trip 2010: PTR

[jenseib]

So glad you found a good Dr.!
I knwo what you mean about mentioning Disney to the Dr. I don't know yet if Skip wants me to come to the Dr with him tomorrow, but I kind of want to, just to keep Disney in everyones minds. LOL!

 

[Mich123]

Thinking about you and your family...sending prayers and best wishes!

 

[Tinker_Tam]

Isn't it an amazing feeling to find a dr that works with you!!! I am so glad you were able to get some information. I will keep your DH in my prayers and hope that you get best possible case on Weds.

 

[disneyfan55]

That must have been a beautiful drive yesterday! The leaves are so pretty right now. Are you in Gettysburg now? My DS LOVES Gettysburg. He and his friends like to get dressed up in Civil War costumes and play on the battlefields.

Thanks for thinking of us.

Yes, it sure was! Actually there was more of a color change in MD and PA (and here in NJ) than in Shennandoah NP! I was quite surprised more leaves hadn't turned. Gettysburg was just on the way home since we love it as well. We have visited there quite a few times and have added it to many of our trips on the way home. In 2007 we went for the anniversary. It was pretty neat! Aside from the battle reenactments which are not on the actual battlefield, there were many other reenactors at Gettysburg battlefield. They were almost better and free! Anyway we just stopped by on the way home yesterday and are home today.

We my kids were young we visited many of the battlefields across the country, most being east of the Mississippi. We did visit Little Big Horn in MT when it was still called Custer Battlefield in 1988!

Well, enough of that. Hope your husband is feeling better today. In my prayers. Have a nice night.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

He gave us a couple of options and then his recommendation which is for DH to go to Washington Hospital Center in D.C. (one of the best heart hospitals in the country) for a heart catheterization. There are 4 options whenever someone has one of these: 1. nothing is wrong--start over in a totally new direction 2. condition treatable with medication 3. one blockage--put in stent--he stays overnight--2 day recovery at home 4. multiple blockages--heart surgery--a week in the hospital and long recovery. They will treat him for whatever condition they discover when he goes in on Wednesday. The only way to know for sure is to do this test. (You see how much I can learn when something is wrong with DH?)

That procedure isn't too bad. They strip you down, and take you into a very cold room. Ok, that isn't much fun. But they go in through an artery in your groing. You feel a small pinch. Then the work their way to the heart via the artery and check things out. There is also a machine that gives X-rays or something that they use to see what's going on. I suggest just sitting back with your eyes closed since it gets close to your head somethimes. They aren't going to hit you but it sure looks like it.

Glad to hear you got a good doctor. Mine gave me a bunch of crap for my lifestyle too. Not eating breakfast, eating cheesesteaks/hoagies/McDonalds for lunch everyday...

 

[PoppyGirl]

Sorry to hear about DH! That must have been scary! I'm glad you finally found a good doctor though, and I will cross my fingers that all goes well Wednesday!

I go along and don't realize I'm scared until I'm alone....and then it hits me. My mom called last night and I had to make her not be emotional because then I would get all emotional. I know that I would be ok no matter what happened (eventually) but it's scary to think about it for the kids.

Just started reading your ptr around last week! It's been interesting! I'm all caught up and praying everything goes good for your DH!!
Tiffany

Thanks for joining us here! And thanks for reading....even through the last couple of weeks! I do still find my sense of humor through all of this. Thanks for your prayers.

So glad you found a good Dr.!
I knwo what you mean about mentioning Disney to the Dr. I don't know yet if Skip wants me to come to the Dr with him tomorrow, but I kind of want to, just to keep Disney in everyones minds. LOL!

I hear ya, sister! My DH liked it that I drove him to his appointments recently. Remember: "NICE" is our middle name right now!

Thinking about you and your family...sending prayers and best wishes!

Thanks so much! I really appreciate everyone's kind words.

Isn't it an amazing feeling to find a dr that works with you!!! I am so glad you were able to get some information. I will keep your DH in my prayers and hope that you get best possible case on Weds.

Yes! I really felt so blessed to have him. He was actually not our first choice but after we scheduled with him, we found out 3 different people from our church who see him and really raved about him. Why don't they train doctors to be more like that????

I told my DH yesterday that I wished it was still the days when you could bring the doctor a chicken in payment for services.....this is going to cost us! We just went to a new insurance with a really high deductible . So...there goes all the health savings account.... plus!

Yes, it sure was! Actually there was more of a color change in MD and PA (and here in NJ) than in Shennandoah NP! I was quite surprised more leaves hadn't turned. Gettysburg was just on the way home since we love it as well. We have visited there quite a few times and have added it to many of our trips on the way home. In 2007 we went for the anniversary. It was pretty neat! Aside from the battle reenactments which are not on the actual battlefield, there were many other reenactors at Gettysburg battlefield. They were almost better and free! Anyway we just stopped by on the way home yesterday and are home today.

We my kids were young we visited many of the battlefields across the country, most being east of the Mississippi. We did visit Little Big Horn in MT when it was still called Custer Battlefield in 1988!

Well, enough of that. Hope your husband is feeling better today. In my prayers. Have a nice night.

That's pretty cool that you got to visit those battlefields. When they do a good job with them, it really makes you appreciate our country and what other people have gone through. DH and I visited some of the civil war battlefields in TN a few years ago. I never liked history until I was an adult.....now I find it fascinating!

That procedure isn't too bad. They strip you down, and take you into a very cold room. Ok, that isn't much fun. But they go in through an artery in your groing. You feel a small pinch. Then the work their way to the heart via the artery and check things out. There is also a machine that gives X-rays or something that they use to see what's going on. I suggest just sitting back with your eyes closed since it gets close to your head somethimes. They aren't going to hit you but it sure looks like it.

Glad to hear you got a good doctor. Mine gave me a bunch of crap for my lifestyle too. Not eating breakfast, eating cheesesteaks/hoagies/McDonalds for lunch everyday...

Thanks for the advice! I'll be sure to tell him. How long was your recovery? And how many stents did you have to have?

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm so glad that you have afound a good doctor for your DH. They make such a difference!

My dad had a stent about 5 years ago after having a heart attack. He had to take it slow for a bit after that but everything is back to normal now and he's healthier than ever, for my Dad he needed that wake up call to get healthier.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

Thanks for the advice! I'll be sure to tell him. How long was your recovery? And how many stents did you have to have?

I had two stents put in. Stayed in the Intensive Care unit for a full day, then moved to a regular room for a day, they released me on the third day. I was out of work (office work) for two weeks. Would have been longer if I had a physical jub. I was put on Coumadin which is a blood thinner. They have to take periodic blood tests to make sure the levels are correct and adjust your dosage accordingly. It took a couple of days for my blood pressure to go up to a good level so they could send me home. I doubt you will have to go through all that.

 

[PoppyGirl]

So, here I am at the hospital. Up at 4:30 this morning (hmmm...sort of like a dairy farmer ) and on the road to D.C. by 5:30am. DH had to go over to the farm and dry off a couple of cows before we could leave this morning. Apparently that was some sort of farming emergency and could not wait. (That means he gave them something to make them stop producing milk because they are getting a rest before they have another calf and start the process over again).

I barely slept at all last night between anxiety over today, DD waking up about 3 times with a stomachache and then deciding to be chatty kathy....and for some reason I've been having a nighttime cough for the last 3 nights. Very annoying.

After getting lost (not on the way but INSIDE the hospital--it's like a maze in here. As if people coming here weren't stressed enough....) about 12 times, we made it to the cath lab waiting room at about 7:30am. DH's appointment was for 8:00am. They took him back at about 8:30....and it's now 10:00 and they still haven't started his procedure. *sigh* It's going to be a loooooonnnnnnnggggg day. I brought my computer along for something to do....keep my mind occupied so I don't worry too much....think about Disney so I have something happy to look forward to. Catching up on everyone's PTRs.

On a happy note, there are some VERY cute things in the Disney Store Holiday Shop. Maybe I'll think about THAT for a while.

 

[Tinker_Tam]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and DH today.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

So, here I am at the hospital. Up at 4:30 this morning (hmmm...sort of like a dairy farmer ) and on the road to D.C. by 5:30am. DH had to go over to the farm and dry off a couple of cows before we could leave this morning. Apparently that was some sort of farming emergency and could not wait. (That means he gave them something to make them stop producing milk because they are getting a rest before they have another calf and start the process over again).

I barely slept at all last night between anxiety over today, DD waking up about 3 times with a stomachache and then deciding to be chatty kathy....and for some reason I've been having a nighttime cough for the last 3 nights. Very annoying.

After getting lost (not on the way but INSIDE the hospital--it's like a maze in here. As if people coming here weren't stressed enough....) about 12 times, we made it to the cath lab waiting room at about 7:30am. DH's appointment was for 8:00am. They took him back at about 8:30....and it's now 10:00 and they still haven't started his procedure. *sigh* It's going to be a loooooonnnnnnnggggg day. I brought my computer along for something to do....keep my mind occupied so I don't worry too much....think about Disney so I have something happy to look forward to. Catching up on everyone's PTRs.

On a happy note, there are some VERY cute things in the Disney Store Holiday Shop. Maybe I'll think about THAT for a while.

Hope everything turns out ok. The delay may be due to someone needing the lab for an emergency.

My wife had a c-section for our first born, and because of the way the cut her, the second had to be born via c-section as well. We scheduled it for morning, but they pushed us back to the afternoon because of a couple of emergency c-sections. Of course, me being the idiot in the family kept complaining that them pushing it back was preventing me from eating since I was going to go eat while they did the surgery. I don't know why she got mad

 

[disneybarbie]

thinking of you & your husband today

 

[PoppyGirl]

Hey...where's my ticker?

So, DH is in recovery. Well, actually now he's in the MRI lab. They are chemically inducing a stress test on his heart (since he's not allowed to move his leg for a couple more hours) because they found a lot of unstable plaque in his arteries. Coronary Arterial Disease is the diagnosis the doctor gave us. (GREAT doc, BTW--took his time with us, clearly explained things, answered all our questions.... ) They are loading him up with meds to treat the plaque and making sure he is stable enough to go home. If so, it's continue on the meds, no strenuous activity for 2 weeks but he will be allowed to milk (that was his FIRST question! ) and then reduce the meds as his condition improves. The funniest thing was that the doctor asked him, "Would you be offended if I told you that you need to give up dairy?" DH did one of these: and then one of these:

I'm relieved that they found SOMETHING because now at least we know. And we can do something. He will have to change his diet (THAT should be fun....now I'M doing one of these: ) and take meds (he's complaining already...sort of) but the doctor says he should be able to resume his normal life....as normal as our lives ever are!

Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes. I'll post again as soon as I know about the MRI lab. I've got nothing else to do since he's sleeping/resting and I'm waiting/waiting.

 

[TiggerFan3590]

Continued good wishes coming your way.

 

[PoppyGirl]

Ahh....and DH has regained his ornery sense of humor....we are discussing his limitations after discharge...no work tomorrow...no strenuous activty for 2 weeks...and he says to me: "It's too stressful to go to Disney."

Oh haha. DH thinks he is SO funny. He's messing with me again!

Oh and guess what. We can get our parking ticket validated before we leave. We will save $12. DH and I find this quite amusing. I wonder if they would validate our hospital bill too??

 

[disneybarbie]

glad to hear he has his sense of humour back

and that's good about the parking, I guess! in the UK we have a 'free' health service, but then the hospital car parks cost a fortune lol


Hope you have a relaxing evening x

 

[PoppyGirl]

Feeling a bit like a soap opera today....the doctor just came in to tell us that the MRI showed there was a "large area of damage to the front of the heart, it's swollen," and he wants DH to be admitted to the hospital until Saturday. The heart needs to heal and he doesn't want to take any chances that something could happen if we leave.

NOW DH is grumpy. He was all dressed and ready to go and the nurse had taken out his IV (oops! Now they have to put it back in ) So....the drama continues.

I'm actually a little relieved since it means he can't sneak in any work for a few days. I also feel validated since I KNEW it was a heart attack that he had on Oct. 8 and now we have proof.

Are you still reading? Thanks for sticking with me! I'm planning to print out my PTR to put in the scrapbook....we need to tell the story!

 

[jenseib]

We should start a new soap. the lives of Dairy farmers and their wives. I am glad they are getting things taken care of right away. We had to wait forever for a diagnosis...one we kind of new all along too.
I feel for you. I hate sitting at the hospital. I remember with Skips last surgery it was hours and then hours more for him to recover. This one is supposed to be harder on him, I guess, so I get to do it all over again. yippee!

 

[Tinkermom76]

Wow what a crazy week you have had. Heart problems run in my family so I know how you are feeling. I hope everything works out for you!

 

[TiggerFan3590]

Wow!! What a day.... You are right about your DH having to rest now... His heart must heal. Speedy recovery wishes coming your husband's way....