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.

Today's visit to the heart clinic....

Well, we are at 5 1/2 weeks post surgery. Russ is doing good. Just had another visit to the heart clinic. And as usually, all is well. We have been struggling to get his INR up. (this is what measures his thickness of his blood). Last test was 1.4 and today it was 1.7, the doctors want him at 2.0. We are finally heading in the right direction at least. So no green veggies for him until further notice (And I just got him used to eating salads now, hahaha). Our next visit is on Dec 20th and it is looking more and more like they will be moving him up to status 1a (top section of the transplant list). They want to have him up there for Christmas and new years.


Well, until next time.....

Well, it has been about 5 weeks since Russ got the LVAD.  We both are doing ok with it.  He says he feels good and better than before the LVAD.  One thing, we can't seem to raise his INR.  Frustrating.  Also, now he seems to be breathing rough again.  I am hoping that this is not a sign of a new or reoccurring problem.  Since we are getting closer to the 6 week mark we may be looking at being moved up to the 1a status and that means higher priority for a transplant.  Well, not much more.  More posts to come....

Bringing everyone up to date....

Well, the last post here was on Oct 18. Let me bring you up to date...... On Oct 20, we got a call from Loma Linda Hospital telling us that Russ needed to head over to the hospital and was going to be admitted.  The transplant team had met that morning and decided that he needed to be brought in so they can lower the pressures in his lungs and heart.  This was done so they could put in the LVAD.  On Oct 21, we got our training on the device.  On Oct 27, he went in for surgery to have the LVAD put in.  He did very well and was able to come home a week later on Nov 4.  With each followup visit we go to we are told he is doing very good.  So it is now November 27 and a month after surgery and still Russ is doing good.  We both continue each day to get used to this device since it is still new to us.  The adjustment seems to be going good for him.  Me, I just do what needs to be done, if I think to much about it I just get freaked out still.  I know that everything is easy to work and all but when you really think about it this is all so surreal and scary.  But I am sure glad for modern technology and what it can do now.

October 18th test at Loma Linda

Well, today we went in for the Right Heart Catheterization test.  The doctor wanted to this so that it will help determine where Russ(Scott) is at regarding a heart transplant.  Pictures are taken of your heart, the pressure inside the heart and lungs are measured.  The doctors can check how strongly the heart is pumping and the oxygen levels in the blood.

Here is a website I found in hopes that it can help explain a little better what the test is all about and why one would need it:   http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003870.htm

We are now waiting for the results.  The doctor is taking this information to a heart transplant group meeting on Thursday to discuss the results and all the information she has on Russ to see what our next move is.  She is hoping that he will be a candidate for a heart transplant.  Both the Loma Linda specialist and our regular heart doctor seem to think he is a good candidate.

Visit to Loma Linda 10/14/11

Well went to see the other Dr at Loma Linda today. She was just conferring with what Dr Razzouk said about the fixing the valve and possibly a transplant. I go back on Tues for a right ventricle Cath test that measures the pressure, this test will also give them a lot more information. We will keep you all posted as were learning too.