Time for a new blog

Well, now that Russ has a new heart, we have come to the end of this road.  Now onto a new road......so I will no longer post on this but will be starting a new blog.  Hope you will follow me.  Thank you.

New heart

On friday Jan 13, we got the call we have been waiting for.  We were having a nice lunch with new friends and fellow transplant recepient when just as we sat down to eat the phone rings. It was time, there was a heart available and we needed to get to hospital asap.

We arrive at 1pm, Russ gets prepped and then we wait.  About 6 i think, he went into suregery.  At 7:37 the surgery starts, all is going good he is doing well, about midnight the new heart is in and working well but there is excessive bleeding which goes on for 4 hours. By about 4:30 Russ is back in his room and resting comfortably.   Most of Saturday, he was sediated but was awake and off breathing tube by about 4 pm.  Doing good and watching football.

Sunday morning he hit a speed bump.  He had extra fluid buildup and trouble breathing so he went back on breathing machine.  He spent all of sunday on it but they are hoping to remove it on Monday.

One step at a time, one day at a time.  Tomorrow is a new day with new challenges.  He is a fighter, we will look back at this with so many thoughts of how far he has come.  And what he has had to overcome.

Don't Quit

When things go wrong,

as they sometimes will,

when the road 

you're trudging seems all uphill,

when the funds are 

low and the debts

are high,

and you want to smile,

but you have to sigh,

when care is pressing

you down a bit, 

rest,

if you must,

but don't you quit

First Heart clinic visit of 2012

Well, today was a good visit. Russ is still doing good, all his LVAD numbers are good. He had his INR checked and today it went up from 1.3 to 1.9. Finally we are back to heading in the right direction with it.

The talk around the clinic is that we are getting close to getting a heart. I would love to know how they can tell. I was being curious, I asked the heart transplant coordinator to give me her estimate, when she thought it could be, she said this week. Now again, I ask how would they know.

We are both anxious and scared for the call. But, for now we continue to wait .........

Thank you
AuraLee

Goodbye to 2011

Happy New Year to all.

It has been a rough road since August for us but you all have been so great with your support, we want to thank each of you. We go into the new year still waiting patiently for a new heart, but we are so glad for modern technology and the LVAD device. We wish all of you a safe and awesome New Years eve and New Years day.

Thank you Russ & AuraLee

A lil scary moment

Well, we had an exciting thursday night.  It was dressing change night and I was working it when we noticed that Russ` perc lead site was bleeding.  Boy, we were both kinda freaking out a bit.  Made a call to the hospital and was told to head in to ER.  Turns out it was nothing serious.  We went in today to see the LVAD coordinator, she said most likely it was a scab that came off.  Both she and the surgeon said everything looked good.

We are thankful it wasnt serious.

We got the call....top of the list

Well, we heard from Loma Linda today....Russ has moved to status 1a.  He is now at the top of the list for a heart transplant as of today.  We are now on call.  When the call comes which could be any time day or night we run to the hospital.

We are both looking forward to a new heart but are also kinda scared over the procedure.  It all goes with the territory I guess.

Any and all prayers and thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Russ & Auralee

MikesChair - Someone Worth Dying For (Official Music Video)

Today's heart clinic visit

We had a appointment today at the heart clinic. Russ is still doing good. Looks like everyone is in agreement to put him up to status 1a which is at the top of the transplant list. All that is needed is Dr. Razzouk's ok. Once he is at the top he will be there for 30 days. We will be on call 24hrs a day 7 days a week. They call we run.....but for now we wait for the dr's ok.

Wow...we just tonite we got call from the clinic and his INR went up from 1.6 to 2.3, we are thrilled.

Please continue the prayers but this time for a new heart in addition to continued healing.

Thank you all,
AuraLee

Well, we are now six weeks out of surgery and Russ is sitting here with me waiting for a close friend of our family to have open heart surgery himself.  Now that I am sitting here I can honestly say I am nervous.  Never knew how nerve racking it was to sit and wait.  I guess I was to numb that day.

I am so glad that we can be here for support.  Russ is planning to visit the unit he was in.