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photo by Vanessa Pike-Russell
It’s hard to imagine right now that exactly two weeks ago, my Mom was fine (or at least we thought she was), and we were gearing up for a week of visiting with my eldest sister and her family. It’s funny how some of the most life changing things are those that you just completely don’t expect, aren’t they?
On Tuesday, June 29th, the kids and I stopped at my parents house and my Mom admitted that she was still having a very mild burning in her chest that she had been having for a week and a half. After much urging to call the doctor, we finally settled on me calling the doctor (when she said she wouldn’t, and I insisted). I talked to them for a while, and then she did. They suggested she go to the emergency room, so off my parents went.
In the ER, they did an EKG and a variety of blood tests. Everything came back normal (she had also had a normal stress test about six months prior), but they decided to admit her and keep her overnight until she could see a cardiologist. The cardiologist saw her late that night and asked her to have a heart catheterization the next day, just to rule out any heart problem. The doctor who did the procedure the next day said that he told his staff they would be in and out in about 30 minutes, as he didn’t expect to find anything.
The cardiologist’s nurse came to get us after Mom had been in the procedure for a while. She asked us to go to a room, even though most every other family in the room had been getting results from nurses right in the waiting room. I thought it was odd, but didn’t really worry.
After we sat down, the nurse told us that they were scheduling my Mom for open heart surgery for first thing the next morning for what would be at least a quadruple bypass. (This is the part where I admit that both my Dad and I cried.) We called family as we waited for the doctor.
Two different cardiologists came to talk to us, and were just as shocked as we were — most of her arteries were more than 90% blocked, with one major one 99% blocked. When I asked how it was that she could have been walking around like that, they said they didn’t understand it. And, even though they said that (shockingly) her actual heart muscle looked really healthy, they said that given the state of her arteries, it was very possible that she would have had a heart attack, and it could likely have been massive and life-ending. (This is now the part where I admit that I felt pretty light headed during all of this and sometimes couldn’t make sense of the words they were saying because it was just simply too much to process for this Mama’s girl.)
The surgery went well the next day, with only a few complications (including a difficult time with the breathing tube and then my Mom having to have the breathing tube stay in for over 24 hours after the surgery which was just horrible for her and us). We were all happy when the breathing tube came out! Shortly after her breathing tube came out when we were alone, my Mom held my hand and referred to my having made her call the doctor, “You saved my life. I’ll probably appreciate it more later though.”
While we knew the recovery would be horribly difficult, it has been a blessing to watch Mom as she has seemed to get so much better every day. She was in the hospital for nine day (starting from when she entered the ER). I probably have a lot I could say about her time in the hospital, but it would take forever to write about it all. As I already have said, I spent way too much time at the hospital. Except, of course, it wasn’t way too much time, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
She came home from the hospital a week after surgery, and we’ve all been so proud of how well she is doing. She is a hard worker and she’s also had a lot of support from us, as well as the prayers and thoughts of so many others.
(And this is the part where I admit that I just don’t have a good ending to this post. There is so much I left unsaid — so much more that I could share, but it just isn’t feasible in this setting. But, I will promise to update from time to time on how she is doing, and thanks so much for all the prayers that have been offered up for her.)
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You’re all in my prayers.
@Laura,
Thank you so much, Laura! We appreciate the prayers!
Keeping all of you in my prayers…and asking especially for a speedy, thorough recovery for your mom. Open heart surgery is rough…simple things like sneezing and coughing can be very painful. Slow and purposeful movements are in order!
Hang in there! You are NOT alone!
I know it’s probably a tad inappropriate to giggle at your mom saying “You saved my life. I’ll probably appreciate it more later though.” I’m hoping that I’m interpreting how she said it (and how you took it) correctly. And giggling through tears is freeing. You and your family are in my prayers.
@Kelly,
No, it wasn’t inappropriate, Kelly — she really did mean to be funny. She was sincere when she said about saving her life, but she just couldn’t help herself but to add on something funny, especially since she was feeling pretty miserable right then.
It actually gets a little funnier still. I mentioned a couple of days later that I still thought that was funny that she said that, and she said, “You need to write a blog post with that as a title.” LOL
Praise God that you have been given more time with your mom! Continued prayers for her and your family.
We lost my mother-in-law two years ago (July 3rd) to a massive heart attack, so this post had tears streaming down my face.
Treasure every moment God gives you….thankfully, you felt that “push” to get her in and acted on it!
@Jessica,
Oh Jessica – I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. Reading your comment made me cry. I will remember your family in my prayers – especially with the recent anniversary of your loss. (((HUGS)))
I’m so glad to hear that she’s been feeling better. I’ve been praying for her and for you & your family who are supporting her. Keep us posted!
wow, it does sound as if you saved her life! Praying that her recovery continues to go well.
I’m sorry to hear about your mother but glad that she is doing better. What an ordeal to go through for both of you! I imagine you are so behind at home after all of that time spent at the hospital!
Samantha
@Samantha,
Oh yeah — I’m pretty horribly behind in just about everything. I just kind of put my life on hold. Then, when you throw into the mix that, at her urging, I went to Savvy Blogging Summit the day after she got out of the hospital, I’m behind even worse.
Oh the holy Spirit was prompting you to insist that the doctor be called, and yes, you truly saved your mama’s life. y heart aches for your family. I too am a mama’s girl and so I say an extra prayer for you today.
Angie – I am so glad you updated us! I was becoming concerned, since you usually don’t go this long without a post. I am glad your mom is doing better, but that last “not a happy ending” bit still has me worried…
I will be thinking of you all.
@Deb,
Oh, Deb — don’t worry. 🙂 What I said was I didn’t have a “good ending,” and I really just meant I didn’t know how to wrap up the post. 😉 She is doing very well considering that less than two weeks ago, she had her sternum cut in half and a machine keeping her alive while they worked on her heart. But, now she’s up and about (a little at a time), getting many things for herself, and is in pretty good spirits. Thanks for your concern!
What a blessing that you insisted on calling the doctor. I’m glad to hear that she’s doing so well. Praying for a quick, complete recovery.
Thank you for the update Angie. I am glad your mother is recovering well and that you made that call. You have all been in my thoughts since I found out she had surgery and will continue through her recovery.
Wow, sorry to hear, but glad she is out of the hospital. We’ll keep you guys in our prayers too.
Angie, so glad your mom is back home and recovering well! I have said many prayers for her and will continue!
Prayers for her and for you. I remember once my grandmother had a stroke and my mom found her and called the EMTs and my grandmother said, “why did you call them?” and my mom said, “I wasn’t ready to let you go”
It reminds me of this comment. Your mom is blessed to have you. You weren’t ready to let her go, and she wasn’t ready to let go.
Prayers.
God is awesome in His works! I can only imagine it was God who orcestrated this, as it is all too much to have been man. It took a “gut feeling”, an overnight “just in case”, a simple procedure “just in case”… it’s awesome that she’s alive and doing well, Praise God 🙂
Your mom and you and your family will be in my prayers.
God Blesss!
Shellie
@Shellie,
I totally agree, Shellie! I thought many times, “What would have happened if anyone along the line hadn’t made the choices they did?” Truly it was God guiding us all along to keep my Mom safe.
Angie, I am so sorry. I haven’t been on the computer as much either and had no idea this had happened. How frightening for you all!
“What I said was I didn’t have a “good ending,” and I really just meant I didn’t know how to wrap up the post.” I’m so glad I read the comments and you clarified that, I was kind of scared!
I have to say, I’ve had way too much experience with heart stuff in my family. My Memaw had a few heart attacks, but luckily never open heart surgery, just stents put in. My Dad has had several caths, but good results. My husband, at age 40, had a heart attack. His right coronary artery was 100% blocked! I got him to the ER just in time. He had to have a stent put in.
How long will your Mom have to stay at the hospital? My Memaw had an additional 6 weeks of rehab after one of her major heart attacks. It was so hard having her at the hospital for that long.
Anyway, I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers and I’m so glad she’s doing better!