Kinda' worried tonight...

[I DClaire]

My husband has had two open-heart surgeries and has been doing well until yesterday when he went into an A-fib situation that refuses to convert back to normal heart rhythm. He actually had his checkup last week and the cardiologist put him on a new drug to help prevent strokes - something like Coumadin but without all the blood tests, etc.

Pradaxa kept Paul constantly sick so he stopped taking it and went back to the one baby aspirin routine he has followed for over 25 years...and then the A-fib started. I don't know if this is related to the new drug or not.

Paul NEVER complains - so when he told me tonight that he is going to try to see his cardiologist tomorrow, I know he is worried.

He had A-fib problems prior to his second surgery to have a valve replaced and he is not a candidate for any future surgeries so I don't know what to expect - but I feel seriously concerned right now.

[desrtbloom]

I'm so sorry. Any reason why your husband wouldn't go to the emergency room so you can make sure everything is okay? I'll pray that if he doesn't go to the ER tonight, that he gets into the cardiologist first thing tomorrow and gets the care he needs. Prayers for you too.

:hugs:

Patti

[webster2]

Sending prayers for both of you.

[Alicia123]

Praying for you and your dear husband.
Get him to that Dr. I would be terrified too

[Andros]

My husband has had two open-heart surgeries and has been doing well until yesterday when he went into an A-fib situation that refuses to convert back to normal heart rhythm. He actually had his checkup last week and the cardiologist put him on a new drug to help prevent strokes - something like Coumadin but without all the blood tests, etc.

Pradaxa kept Paul constantly sick so he stopped taking it and went back to the one baby aspirin routine he has followed for over 25 years...and then the A-fib started. I don't know if this is related to the new drug or not.

Paul NEVER complains - so when he told me tonight that he is going to try to see his cardiologist tomorrow, I know he is worried.

He had A-fib problems prior to his second surgery to have a valve replaced and he is not a candidate for any future surgeries so I don't know what to expect - but I feel seriously concerned right now.

Does Paul have a pace maker? Keeping you "both" in prayer! You know I love you guys!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/LuLu1471/thoughts.jpg

[joplin1975]

Oh no...I'm hoping things are better this morning. Please check in with us!

[Alicia123]

How was the night? Said many prayers for you and Paul.

[I DClaire]

No pacemaker, Andros. This has been a strange one! Paul has had heart problems his entire life. Sometime I'll share the circumstances under which it was discovered (in his late 50's) that he only had one coronary artery - he had lived his entire life with an undetected birth defect. Is he a fragile, sickly man? No, he has worked hard all his life, raced sportscars and motorcycles, and did everything he wanted to do until he developed angina...which eventually led to the heart catherization that nearly scared the cardiologist to death!

This A-Fib. episode has been different. Paul will think his heart rhythm has converted, then it'll become irregular again. He is not in any pain. Wednesday he took a ride on a World War II bomber and then played golf until dark. I guess he has lived with heart problems so long that they're part of who he is.

Last night his heart converted and we were thrilled - during the night it happened again. This morning things are basically normal but he knows this isn't normal so we're sitting here waiting to hear back from the cardiologist. Usually when Paul has A-Fib that doesn't convert within 24 hours, we go to the ER...pretty much to use equipment not available at the doctor's office.

Paul just had an excellent checkup a couple of days before Thanksgiving including electrocardiogram, ultrasound of carotid arteries, nuclear stress test and several other tests and scans...then the doctor put him on the new drug Pradaxa, which I am very suspicious may be behind this sudden turn of events.

I'll holler back when I know more. I don't believe this is a life-threatening situation but in the past angina and A-Fib have pretty much signaled significant changes. In Paul's mother's family not one person has escaped heart disease. His mother was one of Dr. Michael DeBakey's first patients. He even lost a 38-year old female cousin to a massive heart attack. His cousins all have heart disease but miraculously our only child (43-year old daughter) escaped those genes so far.

[Octavia]

Thinking of you and your husband...

[Andros]

No pacemaker, Andros. This has been a strange one! Paul has had heart problems his entire life. Sometime I'll share the circumstances under which it was discovered (in his late 50's) that he only had one coronary artery - he had lived his entire life with an undetected birth defect. Is he a fragile, sickly man? No, he has worked hard all his life, raced sportscars and motorcycles, and did everything he wanted to do until he developed angina...which eventually led to the heart catherization that nearly scared the cardiologist to death!

This A-Fib. episode has been different. Paul will think his heart rhythm has converted, then it'll become irregular again. He is not in any pain. Wednesday he took a ride on a World War II bomber and then played golf until dark. I guess he has lived with heart problems so long that they're part of who he is.

Last night his heart converted and we were thrilled - during the night it happened again. This morning things are basically normal but he knows this isn't normal so we're sitting here waiting to hear back from the cardiologist. Usually when Paul has A-Fib that doesn't convert within 24 hours, we go to the ER...pretty much to use equipment not available at the doctor's office.

Paul just had an excellent checkup a couple of days before Thanksgiving including electrocardiogram, ultrasound of carotid arteries, nuclear stress test and several other tests and scans...then the doctor put him on the new drug Pradaxa, which I am very suspicious may be behind this sudden turn of events.

I'll holler back when I know more. I don't believe this is a life-threatening situation but in the past angina and A-Fib have pretty much signaled significant changes. In Paul's mother's family not one person has escaped heart disease. His mother was one of Dr. Michael DeBakey's first patients. He even lost a 38-year old female cousin to a massive heart attack. His cousins all have heart disease but miraculously our only child (43-year old daughter) escaped those genes so far.

Suspecting the Pradaxa is quite logical. Oh, dear!

Well...........................we all know and love you and I am certain many prayers and well wishes are being sent Paul's way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v129/LuLu1471/thoughts.jpg

[I DClaire]

No change whatsoever to report tonight. Paul's cardiologist did tell us that the most recent tests revealed that his heart is suddenly beating extra beats and that was why he prescribed the Pradaxa. He wants to wait until Monday to decide what (if anything) to do...saying Paul is not in a life-threatening situation.

We're both tired from little sleep last night. It's been all I could do to keep going today - it seems like when I need energy the most is when it's not going to be there. Beginning next week we're supposed to have choir activities almost every night (caroling at hospitals, etc.) and I'm not altogether sure how we're going to participate.

[Sharon]

Saying prayers for you and your husband.
Sharon

[Andros]

No change whatsoever to report tonight. Paul's cardiologist did tell us that the most recent tests revealed that his heart is suddenly beating extra beats and that was why he prescribed the Pradaxa. He wants to wait until Monday to decide what (if anything) to do...saying Paul is not in a life-threatening situation.

We're both tired from little sleep last night. It's been all I could do to keep going today - it seems like when I need energy the most is when it's not going to be there. Beginning next week we're supposed to have choir activities almost every night (caroling at hospitals, etc.) and I'm not altogether sure how we're going to participate.

Well.................you 2 might just have to slow down a bit and savour the moments.

Keeping you in prayer for all good things and outcomes.

[I DClaire]

Paul's A-Fib has hung in there all weekend. He says this time, for the first time ever, the A-Fib is there but it isn't exhausting him like it always has in the past. Anyway, we're going to see the cardiologist tomorrow.

We went to church this morning but it's cold and has been raining continually since before dawn so we've enjoyed a lazy day.

I want to take a minute and share what happened with Paul's first surgery. He had had mild angina for years but it was totally controlled with a beta blocker. His longtime doctor had retired and he was having his #1 checkup with a new cardiologist.

We had paid for a 2-week vacation in Silverton, CO. and were due to leave town the morning after the checkup. Silverton is a historic mining town, about as inaccessible as a place can be as far as medical care. We'd been many times before.

Paul had his first nuclear stress test and the new cardiologist said he wanted him to go to the hospital the following morning (as an outpatient) for his first heart catherization. Paul said no, that whatever was wrong could wait two weeks. I said I couldn't enjoy the trip worrying about whatever was wrong. Paul agreed to have the heart cath. but continued packing our SUV for the trip.

Paul's lifelong friend, Bill, was a retired doctor, at that time an administrator of the hospital and he went with him for the heart cath., leaving me in a little waiting room. Eventually Bill called and told me to bring Paul's things and meet him at ICU. Bill was waiting when I stepped off the elevator.

Paul only had one coronary artery and it was almost totally blocked! The cardiac surgeon Bill recommended was on vacation but just happened to stop by the hospital and ended-up doing Paul's surgery the next morning. The surgeon said Paul had the "damnest" network of auxillary blood vessels of any human being he'd ever seen!

The surgeon created what he called a "perfectly functioning heart" and did four bypass grafts...and my husband went home a week or so later feeling better than he'd ever felt in his life. If we'd gone to Colorado, I doubt seriously Paul would have survived...if he'd had a heart attack, it would have been massive.

[Andros]

Paul's A-Fib has hung in there all weekend. He says this time, for the first time ever, the A-Fib is there but it isn't exhausting him like it always has in the past. Anyway, we're going to see the cardiologist tomorrow.

We went to church this morning but it's cold and has been raining continually since before dawn so we've enjoyed a lazy day.

I want to take a minute and share what happened with Paul's first surgery. He had had mild angina for years but it was totally controlled with a beta blocker. His longtime doctor had retired and he was having his #1 checkup with a new cardiologist.

We had paid for a 2-week vacation in Silverton, CO. and were due to leave town the morning after the checkup. Silverton is a historic mining town, about as inaccessible as a place can be as far as medical care. We'd been many times before.

Paul had his first nuclear stress test and the new cardiologist said he wanted him to go to the hospital the following morning (as an outpatient) for his first heart catherization. Paul said no, that whatever was wrong could wait two weeks. I said I couldn't enjoy the trip worrying about whatever was wrong. Paul agreed to have the heart cath. but continued packing our SUV for the trip.

Paul's lifelong friend, Bill, was a retired doctor, at that time an administrator of the hospital and he went with him for the heart cath., leaving me in a little waiting room. Eventually Bill called and told me to bring Paul's things and meet him at ICU. Bill was waiting when I stepped off the elevator.

Paul only had one coronary artery and it was almost totally blocked! The cardiac surgeon Bill recommended was on vacation but just happened to stop by the hospital and ended-up doing Paul's surgery the next morning. The surgeon said Paul had the "damnest" network of auxillary blood vessels of any human being he'd ever seen!

The surgeon created what he called a "perfectly functioning heart" and did four bypass grafts...and my husband went home a week or so later feeling better than he'd ever felt in his life. If we'd gone to Colorado, I doubt seriously Paul would have survived...if he'd had a heart attack, it would have been massive.

That is some story and thank God for the happy ending! Whew!!

[I DClaire]

Yep! It was a pretty incredible situation at the time. Everyone was floored! There was just a little stump where Paul's other coronary artery should have been.

Paul recuperated wonderfully well and went back to doing everything he wanted to do and then about 10 years later he got in trouble again and had to have his aortic valve replaced and he had either three or four additional bypass grafts...but the old graphs were still open and functioning normally.

The BIG scare the second time was that the "artery" and all the surgeon had constructed the first time might not be able to endure a second surgery but everything went relatively well.

Paul's heart slipped into normal rhythm last night and the cardiologist (the same one who has been with us all these years) wants to watch and see.

[Andros]

Yep! It was a pretty incredible situation at the time. Everyone was floored! There was just a little stump where Paul's other coronary artery should have been.

Paul recuperated wonderfully well and went back to doing everything he wanted to do and then about 10 years later he got in trouble again and had to have his aortic valve replaced and he had either three or four additional bypass grafts...but the old graphs were still open and functioning normally.

The BIG scare the second time was that the "artery" and all the surgeon had constructed the first time might not be able to endure a second surgery but everything went relatively well.

Paul's heart slipped into normal rhythm last night and the cardiologist (the same one who has been with us all these years) wants to watch and see.

Thank you for the update. Good news on both counts. Paul has had enough surgeries.

Hugs,