Tuesday October 7th  

Hey Everyone,  I just wanted to let everyone know about Mom. 

To make a very long story short, she went to surgery today and had a triple bypass.  I had no clue, but they can somehow go in with a lapriscope (sp?) and remove the veins from the legs, but they tried to do that on Mom, but they couldn't so as the nurse says, "they had to go in the old way" to get the veins. The short history of the surgery, is that after the caterization on Monday Oct 1, 2003, they found that  she had 99% blockage, 80% blockage in two arteries/veins.  The postponed her surgery until Monday the 6^th because of the high blood pressure.  They got her blood pressure down alright, one day it was 118/28 !!! Since the BP was down they were a go for that, but then her platelets (the blood clotting cell in your blood) was dropping.  So the doctor called in a Hematologist to look at the low platelet count. So they drew a bunch of blood on Sunday evening and told us they MAY NOT do the surgery on Monday.  The lab that they have to send it to, was closed on Sunday.  So we waited all day on Monday for the results of this  test.  Well at about 4 pm the test results came back negative (what the hematologist wanted) so all they had to do was get clearance from him and we were a go. 

So Dad, Joan and I went home about 6pm on  Monday. Mom called and told us they were prepping her for the surgery, so we thought it was a go for Tuesday at 6:30 am. The Surgeon told us to be there at 6am so we could see her before they took her.  Well none of us slept well and we were up at 3 am and got to the hospital at 5:30am.

The hematologist still had not cleared her for surgery!!!  So about 7:15am they came and took all of us to the pre-op area.  We had to wait till 8:45am until the hematologist cleared her. Mom went in to surgery at 8:45am and the surgeon came to see us at noon to tell us she was fine and he was finished with the by-pass.  It took them till 1:45pm to bring her to the ICU. 

We had to leave at 2 to take Joan to the airport.  Dad and I got back from the airport and saw Mom at 4 pm.  At that time she was awake, but had the respirator tube in her throat and she couldn't talk.  Her eyes looked bright and she was aware that we were there and talking to her.  She squeezed our hands.  The nurse said that she would have the breathing tube out this evening and be sitting up tomorrow.  Dad and I will see her at 11am and 4pm.I will let everyone know her status each evening that I am here. Thank you all for all the prayers, I know it helps, and keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

Oh, and an update on Dad.  He is good.  He has been excellent for Joan and myself and is no trouble.  He has been very sad that Mom is in the hospital and he told Joan that his head hurt that she was sick.  He was upset when he saw her today and said "she doesn't look too good"  I explained that this is the worst and she will begin to look better and she is on the downward slope towards home.  He really misses her. I will sign off now, thanks for everything

Love Mary