For those who still care about a fellow brother, smoker and very good man. Bearcarver (John) was scheduled for a heart valve surgery to replace a bad valve. I received this email for Linda, his mama bear, and thought it only appropriate to share here with those who still care.
Just received this email from Linda on John :
John is recovering in the open heart unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Yesterday he had a pre surgery cardiac cauterization before his valve replacement surgery that was scheduled for next week. The cauterization procedure caused a dissection of the aorta and he needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and save his life. The surgery lasted almost 8 hrs. They cut out the dissected part of the aorta and graphed a new piece and also replaced the bad aortic valve. He got to ICU around 9:00 last night and the surgeons said he was doing well. I'm leaving for the hospital shortly this morning and will keep you posted on his recovery.
The good part is he didn't even know he was having the surgery done. The wire from the cauterization tore his aorta and they had to take him to surgery immediately to repair it. So when he wakes up he'll think he's waking up from the cauterization. Now he won't have to worry about the valve surgery because it' been done.
John is doing better tonight. This morning he was still out of it. They finally took the breathing tube out around 4:30 and by 5:30 he was talking politics with the nurse. We had a scare around 11:00 when the doctors thought he suffered a major stroke. The Cat scan showed no evidence of stroke and 30 minutes later he was better. They have no idea what caused his body to react like he had a stroke.
The doctors are concerned about the descending part of his aorta where there are 2 aneurysms and a coarctation. They said the top part of the aorta that was dissected by the cauterization was very thin and weak. So, they suspect the descending part may also be thin. I think they may have a hard time talking him into another surgery to repair that. They have to do that surgery from his back.
His chest hurts but I guess it would since they sawed it open!!! They started to give him pain medication around 5:00 and that helped a little.
The hospital is taking good care of him - he has his own nurse who is in the room with him all the time. Many tubes and wires but that is to be expected.
I'll keep you posted.
Thanks for your concern,
Linda
AlaskanBear Rich
Just received this email from Linda on John :
John is recovering in the open heart unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Yesterday he had a pre surgery cardiac cauterization before his valve replacement surgery that was scheduled for next week. The cauterization procedure caused a dissection of the aorta and he needed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and save his life. The surgery lasted almost 8 hrs. They cut out the dissected part of the aorta and graphed a new piece and also replaced the bad aortic valve. He got to ICU around 9:00 last night and the surgeons said he was doing well. I'm leaving for the hospital shortly this morning and will keep you posted on his recovery.
The good part is he didn't even know he was having the surgery done. The wire from the cauterization tore his aorta and they had to take him to surgery immediately to repair it. So when he wakes up he'll think he's waking up from the cauterization. Now he won't have to worry about the valve surgery because it' been done.
John is doing better tonight. This morning he was still out of it. They finally took the breathing tube out around 4:30 and by 5:30 he was talking politics with the nurse. We had a scare around 11:00 when the doctors thought he suffered a major stroke. The Cat scan showed no evidence of stroke and 30 minutes later he was better. They have no idea what caused his body to react like he had a stroke.
The doctors are concerned about the descending part of his aorta where there are 2 aneurysms and a coarctation. They said the top part of the aorta that was dissected by the cauterization was very thin and weak. So, they suspect the descending part may also be thin. I think they may have a hard time talking him into another surgery to repair that. They have to do that surgery from his back.
His chest hurts but I guess it would since they sawed it open!!! They started to give him pain medication around 5:00 and that helped a little.
The hospital is taking good care of him - he has his own nurse who is in the room with him all the time. Many tubes and wires but that is to be expected.
I'll keep you posted.
Thanks for your concern,
Linda
AlaskanBear Rich
