Heart Surgery

 After months of not feeling the best, a routine physical in July 2016 uncovered a defect in Nathan's heart that quickly became life threatening.  A conservative treatment approach was taken upon first discovery of Nathan's mitral valve regurgitation, but when his heart quickly began weakening and he was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in November 2016, surgery was scheduled for December 2016.  This picture was taken at Nathan's pre-surgery testing to look for any other heart problems and determine whether his surgeon could perform the surgery robotically, a much less-invasive method than the traditional open heart surgery.  The tests concluded that his arteries were "pristine" with 0% blockage and his arteries could handle the robot.  Surgery was set for December 16.

Two days before the scheduled surgery, a blood clot was discovered in Nathan's right lung during the routine CAT scan before surgery.  His surgeon said it was no longer safe to perform the surgery unless it was immediately life threatening.  Nathan was told he would need to take blood thinners for 3 months until the blood clot was dissolved.  Further tests were ordered to determine the source of the blood clot, but the tests were inconclusive.

Our family tried to continue on with normal life while we waited.  It was not easy and honestly, that time period is a complete fog to me.  I have little memories of Christmas or New Years Eve and probably couldn't tell you a single detail about either.  I lived in survival mode pleading in prayer 24 hours a day.  I prayed Nathan's health would stabilize long enough for the surgery to happen.  I prayed that the blood clot would stay put and shrink quickly.  I prayed that more blood clots would not form.  I prayed that he would not have a stroke.  I prayed that his surgery would be a success when it finally happened.  I prayed that he would survive surgery.  I prayed his heart would heal and shrink back to normal size after surgery.  And, mostly, I just cried.  My duties as a mother were the only things that kept me putting one foot in front of the other and forced me out of bed each morning.  I am grateful they were there to distract me.

 After just three weeks on the blood thinners, Nathan's surgeon met with us and told us that he no longer felt we could wait three months for surgery because of the weakening condition of Nathan's heart.  It was quickly deteriorating and might become too weak to operate on in three more months.  The risk of waiting to perform the surgery was higher than performing the surgery with the blood clot in his lung.  Surgery was scheduled for January 17 and would have to be open heart due to the risks involved with the blood clot.  It was a mind numbing blow and very scary time.

This picture was taken the day of surgery at 5:00 a.m.  We both had barely slept a wink and I was afraid I wouldn't remember where the car was, so we snapped this picture in the parking garage.

 This was taken just before he was wheeled away into surgery.  We were in this room for over an hour, but it felt like just minutes when they came in to take him.  I was anxious to get the surgery over with, but wasn't ready for them to take him.  Nathan was his usual self joking with the nurses and me.

 After 6 1/2 hours of surgery, the surgeon met with us to tell us that the surgery had been a success.  Dr. Smith had been able to repair Nathan's mitral valve and didn't have to replace it, which was the best news we could have received (after the fact that he lived through surgery)!  After repairing the valve where the pre-tests had shown it needed fixed, a second previously undiagnosed tear was found in a different area of his valve, so a second surgery was performed.  This was the reason his surgery took 2 hours longer than expected.  It was the longest 6 1/2 hours of my life.  Dr. Smith also told us that once the valve was closed, he could visibly see the enlarged heart chamber start to shrink!  It was miraculous!

We were so happy to finally see him once he woke from anesthesia a few hours after surgery.  Nathan was very sleepy and groggy, but he wanted to know if Dr. Smith had been able to repair the valve instead of replacing it with a pig valve as soon as we entered the room to see him.  This picture was taken 1-2 days after surgery so that I could show Nathan how many tubes were in his neck.

 He started with two pump machines and dozens of wires and tubes, but then it seemed like each day  a new wire or tube was removed from him.

 This is towards the end of his hospital stay.  He was in a tremendous amount of pain and the medicines he was taking didn't make him feel well, but he worked hard on the things he was told he needed to do to go home.  He wanted to go home so that he could sleep without being interrupted.

 Walking laps around the nurses station without oxygen was one of the milestones needed to go home.

 Visitors brightened his mood tremendously as he was able to joke about his teddy bear (aka chest splint) and the mean nurses.

 After just six days in the hospital, Nathan was released to go home to continue his recovery.  Our first night home was miserable and Nathan actually said he thought he needed to go back to the hospital.  Neither one of us slept a wink and I felt like I had a newborn baby again.  He needed help with everything and without being hooked up to monitors anymore, we had no idea what his vitals were.  I had a cardiac nurse from our church on standby those first few days, but luckily didn't need her.

The next few weeks went well.  Nathan got a little stronger each day and was slowly weaned off a few medicines.  He came home from the hospital with 15 medicines to take throughout the day.  It was a full time job keeping track of all that.  Things continued to go well until about week 3 when Nathan's atrial fibrillation came back.  We were warned this could happened, but it was quite devastating when it did.  We were both anxious to have this behind us after such a long road, but this little setback meant things weren't quite back to normal yet.

This picture was taken nine weeks after surgery when Nathan's heart was shocked back into rhythm with the machine to the right of him.  It was hoped this would get rid of his atrial fibrillation and it seems to be working.  I have now seen more of the inside of hospitals than I ever thought I would in this lifetime.  I sure hope to see a lot less of them in the months and years ahead.  

We are eternally grateful for Nathan's amazing heart surgeon, Dr. J. Michael Smith, and the excellent care he received from the nursing staff at Good Samaritan Hospital.  We were incredibly blessed by many family members, friends, neighbors, and church members throughout the past six months.  

All trials and difficulties bring the opportunity to learn, and although I am still learning from this trial, this quote definitely sums up one of the biggest lessons I have learned.  I am grateful for this truth.