DH in for surgery

[vickilyn32]

Well they did the cath lab yesterday, and he needs to go in for bypass surgery. They said he is a mess and needs 5 bypasses. However his heart is healthy, no damage, so that looks good. He will be recuperating for 2 to 3 months, then should be feeling better than normal. His surgery is scheduled for 12 or 1 today. He is the second surgery, so when they get done with the first. I am home making phone calls right now, but am heading to abilene in 1/2 hour to spend some time with him before he goes in. Last night I took the kids out for Ice-cream so we could talk, and explained what was going to happen today. Andy and I talked about it last night, and the kids went to school today. He will be in surgery and then in recovery for about 6 hours, so we did not want the kids hanging around the waiting room that long. I think they will be better at school. The teachers and coaches all know about their dad, and have been great talking to the kids, so I feel they will getting lots of comfort at school today. I will let you all know how things turn out when I can get time to get back on my computer.

[finnmom]

Vicky to you and Andy, I´ll keep him on my thought´s and prayer´s!!

I´am sure he´s doing allright, if the hart is healthy, it´s a good thing

I agree with you on sending kid´s to school, it´s better for them expecially when their theacher´s know what´s going on.
Lot´s of hug´s and ++++++Prayer´s+++++ to you all

[Linda]

Vickylyn....I will be thinking of you and your family today...especially Andy....this is a common procedure and I just know he will be fine.

I know you are probably a mess right now so take care

[tridlette]

And lots of prayers for all of you. It is such a stressful time for you and the kids. But if you look out for each other, and rely on those that are important to the kids, it will be alright again soon. Let people help you until he is back up and running. It will be healthier for you and the kids.

Let us know when you have time and have rested!

Again, hugs and prayers.

Laurie

[Kaiti]

:-Xand ++++prayers++++++

Like Trid said, let people help you, it'll be a whole lot easier.

Glad to see that the kids are in school though, that being a constant is helping them tremendously.

Take care
Kaiti

[camismom]

WOW! 5 blocked arteries? It is amazing that he has been walking around so to speak with this and hasn't had an attack! I don't say that to scare you but to show that Andy is obviously a very strong man and this is a good thing. I just hate like he** I didn't see this thread earlier! I hope, hope, hope someone tells you what I am going to tell you in this post at some point today. I have been thru bypass surgery with a an uncle, my mother, and most recently my grandfather all within the last couple years. What they are telling you is pretty accurate. Biggest thing is the way he will look tonight...that's why I hope you will get this before you take Dan and Amber in to see him. Prepare them for what they will see because he will look bad, he will look scary at first. Prepare yourself as well. He will have tubes coming out of him from everywhere monitoring everything..but that is normal. He will be on a ventilator so prepare for that. He will be in a lot of pain...but it will all be relatively short lived. Once recuperated he will be a new man. Again he is obviously strong so I'm sure he'll come thru all of this just fine. What you did with the kids is good...keep that sense of normalcy going because they will need it. But also make sure they know dad will need some help for a while and although it will be added pressure on them they will need to pitch in as much as they can to help. As for you....seek help because all the added pressure will first fall on you. You will be responsible now for doing or finidng someone else to do the things like grass cutting, taking out the trash, whatever it is that Andy would usually do on top of doing all the things YOU normally do. I know you talked of seeking out financial aid, but seek out this kind of help as well. Do you have a church family you can lean on, or good friends to help out with things Andy normally does until he can get back on his feet? This will not only help you, but him as well. It will be hard on him as a man to know he won't be able to "meet his responsibilities." He will feel useless, he will deal with depression. You have a hard few months ahead, but keep that light at the end of the tunnel in full view and know the end result will make it all worth it. Constantly remind him of that as well. My grandfather went thru such a rough spell because he felt so "worthless". He would see us cutting the grass and cry because it "wasn't our job." I would remind him that we were only helping out right now and once he was fully recovered he'd be running circles around the yard cutting grass again and not fighting for air while doing so. Anyway, I am rambling like crazy. I hope I'm not scaring you....instead I am just wanting to prepare you for what's to come. Right now, he just has to focus on getting thru surgery and his first night of recovery. Tomorrow focus will turn on to getting him up and moving, the next day moving a little more....take it one day at a time. I have been where you are and know the drill pretty good...if you need to talk, I am here. My private email is [e-mail]. Email me if you need anything. I wish like crazy I was closer and could do more. I will be praying....

Take care,

Christy

[AnneM]

Vickilyn

Christy has given you so much good, solid, first-hand information ... I too hope you see Christy's post before the surgery or that (as Christy said) someone speaks to you about it all sometime today ...

Thinking of you and Andy and the kids so much today!! and I also agree that school is by far the best place for them today ... keep things as much as "normal" as possible!! ...

[vickilyn32]

Well I am finally back home. Just as I was about to leave the house yesterday, the hospital called. Andy was having more episodes of severe pain, and the nurses called the doc. He sent his partner to see andy and they rushed him into surgery. He was told he could not wait untill 1:00, and went in around 11:00. I got to the hospital 10 minutes after he went into the OR. He was in for just over 2 hours, and came out just fine. As it turned out, they only did 2 bypasses. When they got in there, they found out they could combine some of them. He was removed from the breathing tube at 8:00 last night, and was semi alert at 1:00 this morning. I sent the kids to a friends house, and spent the night in the waiting room so I could see him each hour for a few minutes. At 6:00 this morning he was up and joking with the nurses. They removed all the IVs, pic line, and tubes this afternoon, and moved him into a regular room. They said he is doing great. I came home to work tonight, and will go back up tomorrow after a good nights sleep and work. We decieded to take the kids to see him on Saturday, but they can talk to him each night.

While I was in the waiting room a young man was brought in from the OR with a gun shot wound in the stomach. The doc told the family he has only a 30% chance of survival. I dont know if he is still alive, he was when I came home, but I would like to ask for some prayers for him and his family. Those prayers worked wonders for my DH, I would like to share them with this family. I dont know their name or where they are from, but the mother just broke my heart when she heard the news. I have never heard anything so sad in my life.

Mean while, I am now in the process of trying to get some assistance while he is out of work. I am hopping for only a few months, but I guess we will just have to see how things go.

[Kaiti]

Vickilyn, you are amazing :-XYou really are an angel aren't you. I will say a special prayer for the family of the boy

And I will say an extra special prayer for Andy. He needs to keep an angel at his side like you.

For the past few years my family has been seeing the heart thing too, and have all been pretty good.

Vickilyn +++++++prayers+++++++

the family of the boy+++++++prayers++++++++ as well.

[camismom]

I am so happy to hear from you Vick! I have had your Andy on my mind all day today wondering how he was doing. From the sounds of it, he is doing real well. Sounds like he is a real trooper and he is going to come thru this just fine. By Saturday he'll be real well and the kids will have avoided all the bad stuff.

As far as the young man, I will definitely turn my prayers towards him and his family. Sounds like a very bad situation. Please keep us posted on it.

I will not stop prayers for you though because you're not quite to the end of the tunnel yet. Recoop time is still ahead and of course the prayers for the financial help are still in order.

Keep the faith my friend and remember you have a shoulder here when needed!

[Linda]

Vickylyn I am relieved for you and glad Andy came through the surgery well.

My thoughts are with the young man....I hope he makes it.

[SKay]

I'm glad he's doing ok and hope he will continue to gain strength each day.

[finnmom]

Vickilyn, I´am so happy to learn that Andy is doing well Today´s medicine can work wonders sometime´s, so let him recover in peace and he´ll be fine, I´am so clad for you and your family.

As for the boy, my thought´s and prayer´s are with them too... and I agree Skay, you truly are amazing woman to care about other´s when you have more than your share to deal with

[Amsmom]

continued to you vicki and andy. he sounds like he is doing well and i am so happy to hear that!

i am also so touched by the story about the young man and your concern, even tho you have so much going on yourself. i cant even let myself imagine what they are going through my thoughts are with them.

[sportsmom]

I am so glad to hear that Andy's surgery went well and as for the young man in the emergency room I will say something extra for his family.