My Dad's Surgery

[Lou]

Sorry, I don't remember everyone I told about my Dad's surgery and I didn't want to leave people out since everyone's been so sweet.

My Dad flew to Cleveland last weekend and had surgery today to fix a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm.
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/guide/disease/aorta_marfan/aorticaneurysm.htm

I don't have a LOT of info, I know that he was rolled into surgery about 8 am and my Mom called a little after 10 to say they were sewing him up. It went a lot more quickly than we thought. They told us 4-6 hours.

They haven't woken him up yet because they said his blood pressure went up and caused a bleed, so they're trying to keep him under a bit longer to give that time to heal in case his blood pressure goes back up when he wakes up.

I just wanted to thank everyone who's been so sweet and, although I'm VERY tired and ready to pass out for a couple of days myself, HE is looking like he's doing fairly well. I just wanted to give an update!
Thanks again!
Lou

 

[Blondie Bear]

That's great! I hope he continues to get better and there's no mysterious House-esque complications.

Go get some sleep, sweetie!

 

[Lou]

LMAO! I told him to stay FAR away from the MRI machine because that's where things like to go wrong on House. I don't think he got it, but it made my brother laugh!

 

[palabravampiress]

I'm glad your dad is doing better. I, too, send lots of good, complication-blocking wishes your way.

 

[white avenger]

You, your father, and your entire family will be in my prayers.

 

[Lou]

It looks like we won't have much more news until tomorrow. They're gonna keep him on the breathing tube tonight because he woke up and somehow communicated he was in pain. (duh) So, they're gonna drug him into oblivion for the night.
But, he did wake up and somehow relayed a message, I count that as good.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. They help! Not as much as some sleep, but the darn phone keeps ringing! He's a tough cookie, though. It's gonna take more than a saw to the chest to take him down!

 

[randiann]

I'll be thinking of you guys, and remember, those drugs they are giving him are darn good! I remember very little of when I was in the hospital due to dilaudid and morphine except fuzzy happy thoughts....

 

[RogueHunter]

I'll add you and your dad to my prayers.

Just make sure they stay clear of the hellmouth.

 

[Lou]

Update:
Dad's doing SO well.
He sounds horrible on the phone and he's in pain, but he's really doing amazing. They're talking about discharging him to the "hotel" part of the hospital TOMORROW!
It's just mind boggling. I mean, I get the flu and I'm kind of resigned to being in bed at least a week and pretty miserable for another week, coughing and hacking for a month.
The idea that they can cut his chest open, pry out his heart, take out part of it, stick in a new part, stuff it back in and sew it up and 5 days later be talking about how he can get up and walk and take care of himself well enough to be out of the hospital, is just inconceivable to me.

I mean, if they lived in Cleveland, they'd be sending him home. By, NEXT Saturday, he WILL be home. I can't quite wrap my head around it.

He's had a couple of minor issues that have seemed to work themselves out. I wish he didn't sound so bad. He sounds like he has some horrible cold or is recovering from throat cancer or something. It only sounds a TINY bit like him and mostly in the way he forms sentences, not in the sound. I had a split second of wondering if something bad had happened to Dad and Mom was having some homeless man from the 7-11 call us to keep us calm until she found a way to tell us.
It's just really weird to talk to a guy you talk to all the time and have known your entire life and have it NOT sound like him. He knows what he should know and talks about all the things he's supposed to, but sounds like a total stranger.

Oh well. That's my update.

 

[Blondie Bear]

I'm so glad your dad's doing well, Lou. Here's hoping it continues as planned and, again, no freakish House-esque issues arise. (But if Hugh Laurie shows up at your dad's hospital room, KEEP HIM THERE cause I want to put him in a little room and keep him all for me. 😀)