Asking for prayers for Monica as she passed out over a week ago and ended up in the hospital with a subdural hematoma on her brain. 2 nights ago the bleed became larger and she was rushed for emergency surgery to remove a large piece of skull to relieve the pressure and try to stop the bleeding. While finishing surgery they discovered bleeding inside her brain also. She is in ICU in a drug induced coma and is very critical. Repeat CT scan this am shows no new bleeding with still lots of swelling. Yay God that when they turn the medicine off she is able to wiggle her right toes and squeeze her right hand. Doctors tell us this recovery will a slow process and she will be in hospital for weeks. We've taken turns seeing her the past 2 days and Darren is getting very little sleep. Please pray for complete and total healing and for peace and rest for Darren and all the family/friends.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Saturday, January 21, 2012
One Year
Oh how things can change in one year! This time last year I was suffering from Heart Failure and didn't even know it. I had nose bleeds, insomnia, rattling in my chest and it was very difficult to breath. It wasn't until so much fluid had accumulated in my lungs , that even sitting upright was difficult to take a breath, did I finally decide I should go to the ER. I remember when the doctor came out and said I was suffering from Congestive Heart Failure. I didn't even know what that meant! Was I dying? What was going to happen to Darren and the boys? How could a person my age have CHF, I thought that was only for "old" people?
One year later, and I'm wondering about a whole set of other questions. How many medicines can I take to improve my heart function? How long do the Dr.'s really think I will have this LVAD? What kind of test are out there to lower my antibodies? Can I go back on the transplant list? Hopefully some of those questions will be answered Monday at my clinic visit.
Thursday I received a call from the Emory Coumadin Clinic. They are in charge of adjusting my coumadin levels to help with preventing blood clots. Coumadin is a blood thinner I take everyday, and most likely will take as long as I'm alive. I started taking Coumadin before my surgery in May, and now my blood INR levels (to read more about INR, click here ) are supposed to be in a range of 1.8 - 2.0. That range is a VERY small window, and very difficult to maintain. I have to go into the clinic or the hospital to have my levels checked sometimes 2 times a week. When Emory called me, they said my level was 1.4, and I needed to go the following morning to have it rechecked. The recheck came back as 1.5, so I'm still too thick.
I spoke to the VAD clinic yesterday, and they prescribed me Lovenox. Lovenox is an injection that I must administer to myself, however that is absolutely impossible. There is no way I can give myself a shot, so Darren is having to do it. Now... the actual injection does not hurt, however the push of the medicine feels like fire going through my stomach. See the pictures below.... Can you tell where the injections were?
One year later, and I'm wondering about a whole set of other questions. How many medicines can I take to improve my heart function? How long do the Dr.'s really think I will have this LVAD? What kind of test are out there to lower my antibodies? Can I go back on the transplant list? Hopefully some of those questions will be answered Monday at my clinic visit.
Thursday I received a call from the Emory Coumadin Clinic. They are in charge of adjusting my coumadin levels to help with preventing blood clots. Coumadin is a blood thinner I take everyday, and most likely will take as long as I'm alive. I started taking Coumadin before my surgery in May, and now my blood INR levels (to read more about INR, click here ) are supposed to be in a range of 1.8 - 2.0. That range is a VERY small window, and very difficult to maintain. I have to go into the clinic or the hospital to have my levels checked sometimes 2 times a week. When Emory called me, they said my level was 1.4, and I needed to go the following morning to have it rechecked. The recheck came back as 1.5, so I'm still too thick.
I spoke to the VAD clinic yesterday, and they prescribed me Lovenox. Lovenox is an injection that I must administer to myself, however that is absolutely impossible. There is no way I can give myself a shot, so Darren is having to do it. Now... the actual injection does not hurt, however the push of the medicine feels like fire going through my stomach. See the pictures below.... Can you tell where the injections were?
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