husband Update

[Hound dog]

We went to see husband this afternoon. He's still in the cardiac intensive care unit.

easy child and I were the first ones to go back. He had an attitude going......a rather snarky one at that. Then an abrupt change and started acting loopy, off, strange....with a little attitude thrown in. I think to some degree he was actually attempting to be humorous. Being autistic, he wasn't succeeding very well. easy child thought his color was a bit better........and considering what we know now......I'm sure it is but he still looks horrible to me. Both easy child and I refused to take his snarkiness so he knocked it off, that or the pain medications kicked in, not sure which.

Cardiologist is concerned he's still having the pain that he had at the same level as when I took him to the ER. But does NOT want to keep the heavy duty pain medications going. Well, yeah. He shouldn't be in pain right now, not like that, not with just sitting in bed. His pain should have subsided.

I'm not so sure I like his docs much. He came in, looked him over a bit........and vanished. Not a peep really. Info easy child got was from his nurse, not the doctor. I know they're super busy, but really, it wouldn't kill the man to take 5 mins to do some explaining to family.

So, we've got the straight low down. It doesn't do a thing to make me feel better.

husband had a massive heart attack. The echocardiogram showed that the entire inferior part of the heart is damaged. (sorry I said interior before I think) His output should be in the 50's, his is about 25, half of what it should be. Which is why his b/p is really low and his heart rate is fairly low. Just about every major artery in his heart is blocked. Between the damage and the blockages going in to "do" anything about anything would most likely just kill him. So there is nothing they CAN do, except try to make him feel better with medications. And he has the whole Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema, and congestive heart failure on top of it.

He's still on 4L of O2 which is not very good. And we noticed circulation issues while we were there. The kidney's are still functioning poorly.....but it's not too horrible right now.

His prognosis is extremely poor. While he may make it home, and probably will, it won't be long before the next massive heart attack that will probably kill him. Most especially if he doesn't do an abrupt and extreme (for him) lifestyle change.

His attitude is really poor.

He's fairly stable. They are hoping to move him to a room tomorrow afternoon out in the cardiac care unit. .

Now.........when he was here at our hospital his triponen was 16.5 (normal is like 0.6 something) When he arrived at the dayton hospital it was 400, which explains why he looked so horrible last time I saw him. Now, it's at 40. (cardiac enzyme that indicates heart attack, and I probably spelled it wrong) The worst easy child has ever seen was 100.

Will he be compliant? Probably not, although I'm going to do my best to see he sticks to the diet ect........but you can lead a horse to water, it doesn't mean you can make them drink it. And even with the lifestyle changes, it may not make a bit of difference.

So now I know. It's better than only guessing, but not by much.

If he's lucky he might get discharged wed or thursday.

Thank you so much for all the support and prayers. They mean so much.

Hugs

 

[TerryJ2]

Oh, dear, Lisa, that's so hard.
The prognosis does sound poor. It seems to be a frustrating waiting game.
I have to admit, you gave me a chuckle in regard to your comment that either your not taking his snarky attitude sank in, or the painkillers took effect.
I'm sending strength and hugs to you all.

 

[klmno]

((HUGS)) I'm sorry - I know that doesn't help - remember that many people are there with you in spirit.

 

[TeDo]

I am so very sorry. This has to be awful for you and easy child. I will continue to pray, pretzel, and rattle for you all. Many, many {{{{(((HUGS)))}}}}

 

[HaoZi]

*hugs* hon. These things can be so unpredictable. You see what seems to be a normal, healthy, fairly young adult suddenly drop dead from a heart attack to people like how my mom was, they predicted a max of six months from her first heart attack as life expectancy, and even with several co-morbid conditions making it worse she held on another ten years, through a second heart attack and two strokes before the third heart attack got her. Not to give false hope or anything, I know you see the realities, just pointing out from personal experience that the docs aren't that great at predicting it all even now.

I hope you're taking up Step's offer of a room to stay closer to the hospital.

 

[DDD]

Sending hugs. Must be much harder for you since you have medical knowledge. Ignorance is bliss and although I am a smart cookie in most areas...health is not one of the. Gee, I will be saying prayers that his recovery is not too stressful on you. More hugs, DDD

 

[1905]

Oh no...(((HUGS))). I hope his pain goes away soon, the doctors NEED to talk to you! I'm so sorry, know that we're here for you.

 

[tiredmommy]

Any chance he'll be discharged to cardiac rehab? I'm sorry you're going through this... I second staying with Step for awhile. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[crazymama30]

Hugs. I am so sorry, and I so hope he can prove the doctors wrong, that would be great!

 

[hearts and roses]

I'm so sorry, Lisa, to hear this news. Sending hugs and prayers that he does what he needs to.

 

[Steely]

Gosh, I am so sorry......wow. So there is not any way they can do a quad bi-pass, or is his heart too damaged??? Boy, a lot to take in on your part, I know. *HUGS*

I know when my Dad was in ICU the doctors were a pain in the pootitie - the only person that gave us straight and good info were the ICU nurses.

What kind of medications are they going to put him on to help with all of this?

 

[DammitJanet]

Lisa, I dont understand why they wont do a bypass on him. I realize he is in his 60s but that isnt old anymore. I know he has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) but my dad had that also and he had several surgeries after he was in his 70's including one aortic bypass because they found an aortic aneurism on a scan.

I would really get a second opinion on if he could have that done.

 

[gcvmom]

He wouldn't qualify to be put on a transplant list, would he?

I'm so sorry to hear things sound so dismal. It's such a helpless feeling. I hope they can at least get him pain-free before he's discharged.

((((Hugs))))

 

[Marguerite]

Hugs, Lisa. Let the nurses keep you informed. I know it's frustrating, but if the doctor is too busy to talk, hopefully it means he's actually doctoring and not PR-ing. What if you ask the nurse to ask the doctor to make time to talk to you? You want to get the info from the horse's mouth, as it were. We had the same problem with doctors when mother in law was in hospital - we would be told, "She can go home tomorrow morning, after she sees the doctor," but the doctor might not make his rounds until the afternoon as a routine. Or mother in law would tell the nursing staff she was going home in the morning after the doctor came, only for us to find out that this was blatantly untrue, it was merely wishful thinking (mother in law is ex-nurse and a horrible patient).

My mother had congestive heart failure for years. It was tricky trying to manage it at times. I was 15 when she first began to have problems with her heart. I was 40 when she died, and that was not primarily her heart. She chose to take herself off her heart medications following mismanagement of a stroke, but she was almost 90 by then and doing one last act of personal control by choosing how and when she could die.

Your husband's low BiPolar (BP) is probably the main reason for poor renal function; if diastolic pressure is too low, kidneys don't perfuse properly (or at all) and toxins build up. This won't be helping him feel any good at all, kidney toxins make you feel really lousy. The heart muscle damage really doesn't sound good. You said the first hospital were amazing when you took him there, it sounded to me like he got treatment a lot faster than a lot of other people would under those circumstances and with those symptoms. So if that damage is there despite the early action, then I don't see how anything you did could have greatly reduced the degree of problems now. It does sound like this was the heart attack waiting to happen, big time.

There are things they can do for now, conservative things, while they see how he goes with management and his own attitude to getting well. If it looks like their efforts will pay off, they may choose to do more once he picks up a bit. Fluid drainage, short-term dialysis (you are not necessarily stuck on it for life, I don't think I need to tell you that though). With his history, he's probably not a good candidate for surgery though. But who knows?

How are his BSLs? Elevated BSL could also cause complications especially with circulation and healing.

If he can accept no more smoking, and if the doctors can manage his problems short-term, the main longer-term problem is that heart damage. And depending on whether the damage also involves the cardiac contractile muscle or just neurological damage will also determine what his chances are down the track.

What about you? Are you getting enough sleep? Have you got something to do with your hands? I've found it is the best way to keep my stress under control at such times. I took up knitting again during my breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, there were times when it felt it was all I could do, and the repetitive physical activity helped me stay calmer, I think. I use circular needles because you can put it down in an instant if you need to, to see doctors etc. Or crochet, which can always be put down with only one stitch hanging on the hook. Anything. I find my brain goes to mush at times like this and reading old magazines in the waiting room is the worst kind of torture.

Be kind to yourself, it is perhaps the best you can do for your husband right now.

Marg

 

[ML]

I'm really sorry to hear this Lisa. I have you and your family in my prayers.

 

[BusynMember]

I'm so sorry about his. Hugs and prayers...hoping things go better than predicted.

 

[Hound dog]

Makes it much worse that today is our 28th wedding anniversary.

The damage to the heart is too extensive for them to do anything. Palliative care is basically it right now.

He thinks they should be trying to "fix" him. I think due to pain medications ect he's not fully understanding that he can't be "fixed". And yet every once in a while, like with Nichole, he'll very soberly say "I'm dying".

So I really don't know if he's "getting" it or not. And I can't bring myself to be bluntly honest with him so far. I guess because that means that I have to accept it too, and I've not quite reached that point yet. When I have to update someone on his condition.....I have all I can do to get the words out. Because that makes it real. I don't want it to be real. I guess the shock has worn off.

 

[crazymama30]

Oh honey, I am so sorry. There is something about the words palliative care that hit it home, at least for me.

If he qualifies, when he goes home, can you get hospice services for him? They are very helpful, and cover the cost of the medications that sent the pt to hospice. Also will pay for a housekeeper to come in, a bath aide, a nurse, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and maybe other things too. PM if you want to know more, I would think there would be hospice agency that covers your area. They do have certain requirements that the patient has to meet. PM me or facebook me if you want more info.

 

[HaoZi]

I wish your anniversary could have been better.

 

[TeDo]

Oh Lisa, I am soooo sorry. I know how it is to hold it together and try to convince yourself it's not real. been there done that. The only problem is that when it does happen, it hurts that much worse when the worst happens. Sending huge, consoling {{{{(((HUGS)))}}}} to you. Now look at that, you have me crying. (*leaves to blubber a bit*)