OldTrucker Posted June 27, 2020 Posted June 27, 2020 Hopefully the last and the wife can come home. She went up to Northwestern Hospital Tuesday morning for a pre-op dental exam and clearance and the Cardiac surgeon decided to admit he that day so they could get her INR where they wanted it nd to get excess water weight off before her Tricuspid valve replacement. They used a new procedure for the replacement that was less invasive and worked sort of like when they place a stent. While this procedure has FDA clearance for an aortic valve replacement it has not been cleared for this particular valve yet but under the order signed by President Trump they were able to use it on her because she is such a high risk for conventional heart surgery being this is her fourth one and having COPD. They have done 15 in this country so far and she was the first at Northwestern Hospital. Because she is in a study the cost of the device and surgery and all the tests and appointments are covered. Only cost to our insurance are the two days stay prior and the stay in the step down unit after she was moved from CCU. I cannot remember last when her legs were this skinny! First night they took off over 6 pounds of water weight! Everything seems to be going just great although she had to have a second procedure right after because the replacement valve damaged a pacemeker lead so they had to replace it but the plus she got a new generator a year and a half early as the old one only had about 18 months left on it.
Tom Geiger Posted June 27, 2020 Posted June 27, 2020 My very best wishes to you and your wife. It’s amazing what doctors can do today! About 15 years ago my wife needed a valve repair. It was going to be the full open chest crack. The surgeon opted not to do the surgery, she could wait. They’d watch her closely and decide when it was necessary. About 5 years ago it was time. Medical science had advanced enough that the surgery was less invasive and was accomplished through a small incision in her side. Much better. And she’s been fine ever since. I wish the same for your wife!
DrKerry Posted June 28, 2020 Posted June 28, 2020 Tell your wife good luck and wishing her the best!!
OldTrucker Posted June 28, 2020 Author Posted June 28, 2020 Thanks guys. She spiked a temp (low grade) last night and this morning and her platelet count was down so they kept her another night and are running a blood culture test just to be sure and to get her count back up.. Poor wife has so many scars she looks like a road map.
High octane Posted June 28, 2020 Posted June 28, 2020 I hope that things go well for your wife. Hang in there.
OldTrucker Posted June 28, 2020 Author Posted June 28, 2020 About to head north again. Hopefully today will be going home day! Her blood cultures came back negative and he platelets are going up. One more scan of chest and arms to make sure there are no clots and she should be ready to rock!
OldTrucker Posted June 29, 2020 Author Posted June 29, 2020 No go again yesterday and looks no joy for today either until they can get her platelets up.
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