December 22

I told Michael that trouble occurs during the Christmas holidays because the Christmas story, joyous music,   bright lights, card and letters, phone calls, happy parties, baking, and gift giving helps lift our spirits and enables us to deal with the stress.   I hope that Nicole, Kathleen, and the Buckley family have found the comfort that Christmas brings.   James had a follow-up appointment after his last heart catheter to open old stents and ease a heart attack at Doctor's Hospital in November.   On December 22 the cardiologist was concerned about the low pulse rates in both feet and wanted James to have stents implanted in the right vein.   James went into Doctor's Hospital on December 23 at 6:30 AM for the procedure but after the dye pictures, Dr. Ali said the blockage in both legs would require a more intensive procedure that he would discuss with us on Thursday, December 29 at his office.   James was dismissed at 6:00 PM and Michael told Michelle we were on our way home.   When Michelle tried to get Buster, our 11 year old Akita dog, to go into the house he growled a warning, and he snapped when she attempted to put his leash puncturing two fingers and putting a gash on the third.   When we got home, Michael drove her to Prima Care for 3 stitches, a tetanus shot and antibiotics. I got James to bed.   On Christmas Eve the girls and I made Tea Rings and Press cookies.   They went to see grandma Nita and James and I rested.   Dog bites are reported to the city.   The Dog warden was going to just leave a message on Christmas Day, then come back later for Buster, but I told him I would help get Buster in the Truck.   I figured it would be easier now then later because Michael had driven Michelle over to her house and they weren't home.   Buster's rabies vaccine was out of date so he was taken to be quarantined for 10 days.   James, I and the driver discussed expenses, the possibility of future bites, and his deteriorating health. so we surrendered Buster.   Buster's back hips were making it hard to walk.   He had a large fatty growth under his tail that made him growl, snap, and bite.   Beo, Michael's Christmas gift from two years ago, was raised by Buster and is a great guard dog, but he has some really big paws to fill.  

Right Leg stents

  James had two stents implanted in his left leg on December 30 and came home today.   Dr. Ali, the cardiologist, said he wanted to see James this Thursday to discuss surgery to repair the left leg which has hard calcium deposits.   He has already had surgery behind the knee, and groin.   When James had open heart surgery 17 years ago they stripped the veins from both legs from groin to ankle to repair his heart.   Last year he had a y shaped stent put in his groins and abdomen due to aneurysms but the pulses in both feet were faint,caused edema, and poor circulation which caused Jim to fall several times,   On the 17th he goes back to the VA to check on his Thoracic aneurysm.   He walked to and from the car without any problems and feels good.

September 11, 2011 Chemical Peel

Last month James went to the VA to have some moles removed from his back.   We still have another week before his mole test results are known.   The Dematologist wanted to remove some pre-cancerous spots on his face so he went back a couple of weeks ago for the chemical peel and Phototherapy.   His face is still pink and peeling, but the nurse agreed that after the peel he will be as pretty as Mohammid Alli.   His next appointment is September 19, with the vascular department who corrected his leg circulation last February.   Michael took Dayquil and went to work althought she had been fighting a cold and sore throat all last week.   I mopped my floors for the first time since my surgery on Saturday...couldn't stand the mess anymore and actually I feeling well.

July 15 VA Thorastic Appointment

The Thorastic Surgeon is waiting for the Cardiologist's recommendations for heart surgery and that appointment is 7/19   Michael and Michelle will attend that appointment with James while I am at my pre-op visit.   We couldn't get the heart clinic to move this appointment to July 7, 12, 14, or 15th when we were already at the VA.   The aorta aneurysm is less bulging since the stent implant and extremely low blood pressure, but the root of the aorta is weakened now too.   If Cardiology wants to open other branches not reachable by the last heart cath then Thorastic will repair the aorta at the same time with open heart surgery.   It all depends on James symptoms.   Last night he has some chest pain he thought was heart burn but took nitro.   It was accompanied by GAS.   Hopefully the last stent procedure will enable the heart surgery to be put off at least another 6 months.

Heart Attack

On June 26, 2011 James had chest pain and shortness of breath so I drove him to Medical City Emergency Room.  I told the ER about his 5.2 aneurysm in his Aorta Arch and he was rushed into the Heart Cath Lab.  The aneurysm was bulging and mildly sclerotic, but had no tears or leaks. The Left ventricular cavity size was severely dilated.  The left ejection fracture was 40-45%.  The left Atrium was moderately dilated. The LAD is 100% occluded.  The right Coronary artery was 100% occuled at the astium.  He was placed in the ICU and dr bowers escorted Michael and I to the waiting room on 4th floor.at 2 o clock am Michael went home and I called back asking to see James.  He refused oxygen and medication until the morning shift arrived and then he ate breakfast, took his meds and allowed the nurse to put on oxygen.  He was transferred to the Advance Heart Failure wing in Building E 5th floor.  That night he asked twice to make the bed stop moving, but the nurse explained that it was the air mattress circulation movement he felt.  He grabbed up his pillows and blankets and wanted to go outside to sleep.  His nurse said he could not allow James to sleep outside but that they would change out the bed.  He got James to bed and we went to sleep.  The next morning everything was fine, but there was a note on the door alerting everyone not to disturb until 5:45 am.  He was dismissed and went home with instructions to follow up with Dr Rosenthat.  I stated we had appointments at the VA and would follow up with the Vascular Clinic and Cardiologist care at the VA.  On July 7 he had a CT Scan of his heart.  July 12 he saw his doctor, July 14 the orthopedic specialist and then on July 15 the Thoracic Clinic.  His blood pressure was extremely low at all clinics.  His doctor asked that I bring copies of his heart cath to his Thoracic appointment and Cardiologist Appointments. On July 15 the Thoracic specialist said that the aorta aneurysm was smaller but the root was weakened.  Thoracic would follow Cardiologists lead if he had any heart surgery then they would repair the Aorta at the same time.  Tomorrow James and Michael will go to the Cardiologist Clinic and hopefully we will have some answers.  Today the Dermatologist Clinic called to set up an August appointment for his back moles.  I tried to get the cardiologist Clinic to change his appointment to one of the days we were already at the clinic but no...so I will get the news by phone as I take care of my own issues.

Broken Arm

10 weeks ago, While exiting the Waffle House, James slipped his flip/flop on the cement bumper and fell breaking his fall with his right elbow.  We went over to Medical City and after an ex-ray showing a fractured radial head, the nurse put James' arm in a brace from fingers to shoulder.  Poor James needed help with toileting and bathing which the girls did not volunteer to perform.  The next day we went to the VA to talk with his primary doctor who has to request consults.  She sent James for another ex ray and to the Orthopedic Clinic.  The doctor recommended that he continue to use the sling but removed the brace.  After 6 weeks the fracture was slightly displaced and not mending.  The doctor told James not to lift anything heavier than a dinner fork and return in 4 weeks.  James was declared healed on 7/14/2011.   

Vascular Lab 3/11/2011

I took James to his follow up appointment at the Vascular Lab.  The PA Davidson explored the incision site with hands, looked at the fading purple and read the CT reports.  He recommended 6 more weeks of recovery before Jim could participate in Physical Therapy.  I had him complete FMLA papers for the follow-up appointment so that I would not be docked after returning to work.  I asked him about the last Aorta Aneurysm that was measured at 5.1.  He said that within 6 months to a year the aneurysm could grow the last CM that would require surgery.  James has an appointment in July with the Thoracic Surgeon to discussion the Aorta Arch aneurysm.  Open Heart surgery will be necessary to correct the Aorta arch aneurysm. James came through Open Heart surgery and cranial surgery really well in the past and this last aneurysm surgery went really well so hopefully he will bounce back from the next one, however all of us are worried.