11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131,PMPS 299,+3 235

Yesterday's condo

Well today's the day. Mom goes for triple bypass surgery in a few hours, so I'll be out most of the day I suppose.

Went ahead and gave China a tiny .25...she always seems to know when I can't be here and has been safe when I returned, so just to not totally lose momentum, I figured a little was better than nothing....and I feel totally comfortable giving that little amount with her.

Lots of food left down, and if Mom's doing well, I will probably dash home sometime after noon. The surgery is scheduled for 8am and is supposed to take a couple of hours, and then she'll go directly to ICU....not even the recovery room first. The ICU nurse said he'd be the one caring for her after surgery and he always tried to make sure his patients were breathing on their own before his shift was over. Hopefully everything will go well and he'll be successful getting her off the ventilator by the end of today too

Hope everyone has a great Caturday and all your kitties surf safely!

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204

Sending prayers for your Mom and for China to surf safely for you today. :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204

My thoughts will be with you today and positive prayers sent for a smooth surgery for your mom :YMHUG: China will be a safe sweet surfer girl today, she's good like that

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204

Hi Chris,

Sending prayers for you and your mom today for a successful surgery. Let us know how things are going when you can.

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204

Sending prayers for your mom's successful surgery and quick and complete recovery.
China will be fine

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204

Chris,
Sending prayers for you and your Mom. It sounds like she is in good hands with a great nurse for after the surgery.
I bet China will surf smoothly today!
I will be thinking of you lots today

11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131

Well it's been a long day and it's not over yet

We absolutely made the right decision to have the surgery immediately, but until it was over, I didn't know that. As they started the anesthesia, Mom coded. Because she was where she was, the surgeon was able to get her chest open and get her heart beating again quickly and the rest of the surgery went OK except the electrical impulses that regulate her heart went haywire so they had to put in pacing wires. For now, she's still being paced, and although the bypass was successful and her heart is now getting plenty of oxygen, we will just have to wait to see if time will fix the electrical problems. She may have to have a pacemaker put in if her heart doesn't come back to normal in a few days.

When we were allowed to see her, she was still totally out. They didn't want to use any of the reversal drugs because of the added stress on her they'd cause, so she's just being allowed to slowly wake up....but that means she'll be on the ventilator longer too....and the longer she's on the vent, the harder it will be to get her off of it

The cardiac nurse that stays with her in the ICU said that if she'd decided to wait until Monday to have this surgery, she wouldn't have made it...she would have died this morning because with as bad as her left main disease was, once they have a heart attack, that's almost always the end. I guess they call it the "widowmaker"

For now, I'm not allowed to sit with her, so I'm in a hotel across the street (and China is with me...confused a bit, but at least I don't have to worry about her). They say that for now, IF something were to happen, her room would become very busy very quickly, so they don't allow family to stay.

We were allowed to go in for a few minutes, but not long..but a few minutes was enough. It's horribly hard to see someone you love like that..tubes and IV's and machines doing everything for her. Her eyes were open, but there was no "life" in them..just a totally blank stare. There's no way to know at this point if there was any brain damage but they say they got her heart going so quickly there shouldn't be, but since they were letting her wake slowly, she was still fully under the anesthetic and it just looks really creepy.

Thank you everyone for the good wishes and prayers. For now, it's one minute at a time, and China and I will stay as long as we need to until she's stable.

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131

(((((Chris)))) Big huge hug coming your way. Whew on the timing of the operation - mega healing vines going to your mother. I'm glad you found a place close by for you and China - she's looking good today in spite of a reduced dose. Like you said, she knows when to be good. :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131

Oh Chris, I am sorry for all your going through right now. Your mom will be lifted up in my prayers. Thank God she

went for the surgery when she did. That's good that you and China are close by.

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131,PMPS 299

I'm actually fairly shocked at her PMPS! Not only is it at +13 (because of the early shot) and getting only the .25 this morning, PLUS an hour long drive in the car and being in a strange place, I was totally prepared to see a 400 or higher!!

For as much stress as I've put her through, plus the reduced dose this morning, plus being at +13 before shooting tonight, she's doing great!! I was hoping to get the PMPS at +12 but didn't get here and set up in time, so tomorrow she'll still be back at her 6am/6pm schedule

China's such a good kitty!

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131,PMPS 299

Chris, sending prayers for your mom. I'm glad you are able to be near by and have China with you. :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

Re: 11/9 China AMPS 204,+8 131,PMPS 299

China is a great kitty! Loves her mama and doesn't want to cause added stress I am thinking of you and your Mom and sending hugs and prayers for a speedy recovery from this. I'm happy for you that you can be close by, I'm sure that takes at least a bit of the edge off. Get some rest tonight if you can. :YMHUG:

(((Chris)))

I'm so sorry for all you've been through today but I'm sending prayers for your mom and for her doctors. I know it is so hard to see them like that...so helpless. I will pray for her quick recovery.

I'm sure China will be back to work soon. Right now, you have to do what you need to for your mom and not have to worry so much about China.

Hope you get some rest...I am sure you are exhausted.

Thanks for the update chris....I have been thinking of you three all day......

so so sorry what you ALL are going through right now...the situation you are dealing with is so difficult, stressful, and sad. As I have always said: you are such an amazing caretaker to both mom and China.

Speaking of which: Wow, what great numbers considering right? She really is such a good girl....

I am glad you have China close to you tonight....may she give you great comfort and love...as i know she always does

Prayers and healing for mom......

Try to get some rest....

~kelly

(((Chris)))
Adding more prayers for your mom.
And soothing vines for you too, Chris.
This all must be so stressful and worrying for you.
Hang in there!

Hi Chris,
I've read through a few of your posts and want to let you know that your Mom, you, the doctors and nurses, and little China are being prayed for. It's good to read that you have China with you; I hope your Mom is awake and very coherent this morning, and China comes down a bit.