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   Buster's rabies vaccine was out of date so he was taken to be quarantined for 10 days.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.