Angie & Jim

The Procedureby Jim

They’ve taken her back to get started.  It should be a quick one.

Back at the Hospitalby Jim

We’re back at Stanford for the cardioversion.  We were supposed to check in at 9, so we got up early and braved the commuter traffic this morning.  We made good time and arrived a bit early.  It is really hard to gauge what it will be likein the mornings.

So, today’s schedule includes a transesophogeal echocardiogram to check for clots and then a cardioversion (electric shock to get the heart out off arrhythmia).  Normally this is just a same-day procedure, but with Angie’s history I anticipate that we’ll be staying for observation for at least a day, maybe two.

Check back here or sign up for notifications for updates throughout the day.

Thanks!

Infusion & Check Upby Jim

We’re here at Stanford for our weekly appointment and for an iron infusion.  Dr. Romfh decided she wanted Angie to get an infusion of iron because she thinks Angie’s iron is low because she isn’t absorbing it.  So, since we were coming out to Palo Alto anyway, we just came several hours earlier (and had to fight commuter traffic).  A regular iron infusion lasts 4 hours, so we’ve got a long day ahead of us.  Since Angie has had such bad luck with IVs over the last few weeks, we requested the crisis nurse right away.  While we wait for the crisis nurse, they always put your arms on heat to open the veins.  The crisis nurse arrived in a few minutes and got the IV in on the first try.  Phew!

They have nice comfy reclining chairs here for the patients because they have to sit for so long.  We brought a good book and plenty of things to keep her entertained, so hopefully it will be (somewhat) relaxing.

This afternoon we’ve got an appointment with Angie’s cardiologist.  We’ve also got an X-ray and blood work scheduled.  We’ll probably be done just in time for rush hour on our drive home.

On our way homeby Jim

Yeah!  It’s official.

Telepackby Jim

When you’re in the intermediate ICU, you have to be monitored constantly.  Most patients (especially the mobile ones) wear a little wireless transmitter to keep them monitored anywhere on the floor.  The hospital gown has a little pocket in the front, but it uncomfortable to carry the telemetry pack or telepack (as I’ve heard some nurses call it) in that pocket.  The other day I remembered that in the past, they’ve had little pouches that sling over the shoulder to carry the telepack.  Since they hadn’t offered us one, I figured I’d just make one.  My mom taught me to crochet when I was a teenager, and I haven’t used it very often, but I still remember how.  I think it is kind of like riding a bicycle — my fingers remember how to do it even if my brain can’t recall the exact motions.

I found a nearby fabric store and went and bought a crocheting hook and a skein of yarn.  I tried to pick a color that went with the very fashionable hospital gown.  I didn’t have a pattern, but I had a good idea of what I wanted to do.  It took me a few hours to finish it (not including interruptions).  I had picked a thicker yarn thinking that it would mean I could use larger knots and therefore make it more quickly.  While this was true, it also meant that it wasn’t as long as a regular skein.  I ended up using the entire length of yarn and it turned out just about right.  Several times while I was working, nurses or doctors came in to check on Angie.  Everyone was surprised to see me crocheting.  More than one laughed and said something to the effect of, “you don’t normally see a man crocheting!”

Once it was finished and we started using it on our walks around the unit, someone always stopped us in the hallway and asked where she got her little telepack pouch.  One of the nurses, when she heard that Angie’s husband had made them, said, “you should sell them down in the gift shop!”

While I was down at lunch the next day, one of the nurses saw Angie wearing it and said, “That’s so cute!  Where did you get that?”  Angie replied, “My husband made it for me.”  The nurse got excited and said, “He should totally make swimsuits!”  Angie didn’t know how to reply to this and the nurse could see the confusion on her face and then the nurse added, “You don’t wear them for swimming, just for sunbathing.  And they put a layer of fabric inside them so you can’t see through them.  But they’re so cute!”

Um… yeah.

The plan is still to go home today, unless something changes, which is always a possibility.  We’ve got oxygen at home now, because Angie’s saturation levels have been somewhat low this week.  The next few weeks will probably be long and challenging and hopefully uneventful.  We have weekly appointments here at Stanford to check up on her condition.  After a month of anti-coagulation, they’ll do the cardioversion.  That will probably hospitalize us for a few days again while she recovers from that.  Here’s hoping and praying for the best.

Thank you all for everything you have done to help us.

Latest Newsby Jim

Today was pretty slow and nothing new developed.  Our going-home plans have solidified a bit and it looks like tomorrow is the day we’ll go.  The doctors want Angie on oxygen at home because it has been so low lately.  We’re all hoping that this is a temporary thing.  Angie’s fluid seems to be down, but not quite as low as they’d like.  Her lung capacity is still diminished, but it isn’t getting worse, so we’ll be okay.  The important thing is to keep her body steady for the next 4 weeks while we wait to do the cardioversion.  It will actually take a lot of diligence, but we’re up to the challenge.

Thank you all for everything you do.  It is really so good to have such supportive friends and family.

Exit Strategyby Jim

We’ve reached that point in our stay here that the doctors are talking about discharge.  We’ve heard different things from different doctors about when it will be, but I think it is looking like as early as tomorrow or as late as Monday.  Personally, I think Sunday is likely when we’ll be free to go.  It is hard to say, and it depends on how the next couple days go.  They are transitioning her to oral medication so that it is more similar to what we’ll be doing at home.  That way we won’t lose our balance when we leave the hospital.

This afternoon, some doctors came to talk to Angie and they said that standard procedure for patients with pacemakers in arrhythmia is to send them home on anti-coagulation medication to reduce the risk of clotting and then after 6 weeks have them come back and cardiovert them.  The complication in our case is the fluid and respiratory problems.  I believe in my last post I may have indicated that they were planning on doing the cardioversion next week, which isn’t true.  Dr. Lui wants Angie to come for a follow-up appointment next week, and the week after, and each week until they cardiovert her after 4 weeks.  During that time, she’ll be taking it easy and we’ll be monitoring her at home.  The doctors also trust us to manage Angie’s health and stay in contact with them throughout each week.  It will be lots of work, but I think we can keep things under control and detect problems before they become dangerous.

One of Angie’s IVs expires today, which means they will probably have to replace it tomorrow (they get 24 hours of leniency), which she isn’t excited about.  I think we’ll request that the crisis nurse come to do it, since they’ve already had a few failed attempts on this visit.  The crisis nurse is a special nurse that covers the whole facility that they call when they need some extra help.  They are nurses that have been here for many years and have experience in many areas.  They are the SWAT team of nurses.  The one that came the other night was super nice and very supportive.  She sensed that Angie was stressed and anxious and so she chatted with us and made her feel better.  As she left, she even reached out her arms to offer a hug (which Angie graciously accepted).  I can’t remember any nurse doing that before.  They really have wonderful doctors and nurses at this facility.

Thanks for reading and thank you all for your love and support.