Report on Grandpa Haslems procedure: The Dr came out afterwards (a procedure that usually takes 45 min, that took over twice that long), and talked to mom and I. He said that dad had a block in one of the main arteries of the heart, and that he had a really hard time punching through it. He thought that he might have to call a surgeon to do open Heart surgery, to clear the problem. But he did finally clear the problem, and put a stint in to hopefully prevent it from happening again. He said it was a good thing we got him in there. The sad thing is that he has been waiting since his initial visit about the problem for about 5 months so that they could finally do this. That is without having the National Health insurance Hillary would try to bring in....heaven forbid! But if it is like this now, what would it be like then? This next presidential election is scarrey already and it isn't for a whole 1 1/2 years!
Kathy came briefly to see dad before he went into surgery. She had Micheal with her...going for more blood tests. He is sick nearly all the time. At first they thought it might be mono. Now they know, it isn't. They are testing him for cancer. He has dropped another 10 pounds in the last month. He used to be chunky. Now he is thin, and LOOKS sick. Pale. His white blood cell count is dangerously low. They don't know yet for sure what is causing his health problems, but I would think it has to be fairly serious. Kathy would appreciate your prayers for him, I know.
They are keeping dad overnight. Ann is staying the night with mom. Dad was doing good, and because the hole they had to put into his femoral artery to go up into the heart was only as big as a pinhole, the chance of him having a problem of it breaking loose and creating a hematoma like mom had, or breaking on the outside and squirting blood all over the ceiling and walls like I did, is very unlikely. And I am thanking the Lord for the fact that he didn't have to have open heart surgery. His recovery would have been a nightmare...and mom would have been a HUGE problem. I really don't know how dad can stand taking care of her anymore. SHE HAS SO MANY problems, that I find that the only way I can abide being with her, with all of her negative stories on DAD neighbors, relatives....etc is to pull out the picture books so she can focus on something else. I took one to the hospital today, so I could get through 6 hours with her there without losing it. And she was mostly fine...until we started back to her house....
It always makes me sad when I come home from being with her. And I really wonder how long it will be until she needs to go into a care center. As quickly as she is going, I think it may easily be within the year.

Comments

Marilyn said…
Got some more specific info for you medical people who knows what it means: The blockage was in the Left anterior Descending Artery. It was 99% blocked.
Dad is home now (Thurs noon), and a bit dizzy, but otherwise fine.
Cambrienelson said…
glad to hear that grandpa got it fixed and that grandma survived it too.

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