MIA

[Justwondering]

Okay ..
Been 5 weeks and it looks like I have one more to go and we will get to go home from the hospital (a second time).
Lebaron is still sitting over at the alignment shop waiting for me to come get it.

Once I get my husband out of the hospital, I'll figure out how to get it back home.

Have about two weeks of dealing with home health care, rehab, and therapy before I can get back to cars.
Husband's prognosis is crap.
Told him he needs to buck the odds cause I need more time to get the LeBaron in good shape and the paint job done on the Fifth Avenue.

JW

 

[Oldiron440]

I'm sorry I must have missed something I haven't been following this forum like I used to. What is your husband in the hospital for?

I sure hope you're doing ok, I know it is a stressful time to get through.

 

[Justwondering]

Started out it was pain in his left knee.
Two weeks of nagging to get him back to doctor.
They aspirated the knee and said it looked worse than pond water -- infection.
Turns out it was staph. Took a week in the hospital for Knee washout on someone with severe CHF.
4 weeks of home iv and swelling didn't go down.
Into heart hospital for a week getting water off him.
Suggesting an LVAD now (left ventricular assist device).
Heart cath on Monday.
Home on Wednesday (I hope).

And because no sad story is complete without true misery, my 15 year old dog (got from my dad) had to be put down this week while I was at the vet trying to save the 14 year old cat.

This should be a country western story including tears in my hot beer.

JW

 

[69-]

Oh sh*t. That obviously is murphey...

We feel with you and our prayers to your husband.
Did at the cat make it?

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Damn...hang in there! Remember, all the toys can be replaced, the other stuff...not so much...take the time to get the family well.

 

[80mirada]

Prayers, from Wisconsin for you and yours

 

[MiradaMegacab]

OMG, sorry to hear this!

 

[MoparDan]

Prayers for you both

 

[Justwondering]

Dog was put down.
Cat is hanging on but not looking well.
husband is home for 3 weeks to build strength.
He is having an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) put in sometime in mid July.
Open heart surgery... 2 weeks in hospital, 2 weeks to 2 months in rehab, then back home if all goes well.
Packrat filled the blower motor full so I had to clean that out yesterday, but rheaostat was already toast.
No a/c right now in suburban.

I hope to go get the LeBaron this week... probably have to take the truck and trailer it back. No one to drive me over to it 46 miles away.

JW

 

[69-]

Oh my. If you have a run - you'll have a run. Would give you ride anytime... Just like 6000 miles away.

Trust all comes out well - my prayers are with you folks.
Keep your head up, better times will come.

 

[Justwondering]

I made all 3 lights in town (green) this morning on the way to the doctor.... life is good.

July 22 is day husband is having an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) put in his heart.
We have a month to get prepared.
And about a half dozen doctor visits.

JW

 

[Mr C]

Sending prayers and well wishes from Canada.

 

[Aspen500]

Well, I made all 8 lights green on the 2 miles to the grocery store I shop at, a couple evenings ago. Wouldn't you know it, on the way home I hit every single one JUST as they turned red. Son of a.............

Hoping all goes well, and to plan, with your husband.

 

[kkritsilas]

Hope it all works out for the best.

 

[slant6billy]

I've been off site a while. sorry to hear this. Hope for the best

 

[Justwondering]

Thanks Billy...
JW

 

[Justwondering]

What a whirlwind!
It was a month in the hospital, then two weeks inpatient rehab.

Went in for the LVAD (open heart surgery to install a pump in the chest cavity) and instead had 3 other surgery/surgery attempts before and many more days of extra meds before he his heart was strong enough to undergo the fourth surgery.

We didn't realize his heart was going to try to fail completely once the process started.
So about an hour and half into the first LVAD surgery they called it and backed out. Put in a temporary external pump and regrouped.

I'll save you all the details, but eventually he made it through the fourth surgery -- repaired the tricuspid valve, installed the new LVAD (internal) pump and came back to the room with 3 chest drain tubes and 11 IVs.

I slept in the room with him and helped as best I could.
My circadian rhythm became the same as the ebb and flow of nurses, dressing changes, chest x-rays, bed baths, med schedule ... etc etc.

Only casualty was the oldest goat My Mister bottle fed from a baby ... died the week after his surgery. Course it was 20 years old.

After a month in the hospital, it was 2 more weeks of inpatient rehab where I wasn't allowed to sleep there. Then he came home and the first week home I don't even remember. This second week, yesterday we just did our first return visit for device checkup and they said everything was good -- whew.

Hope to get back into the cars in another week once the temps come out of the 100's. I've become a wuss -- too much time in the a/c and not acclimated to the summer.

JW

 

[M_Body_Coupe]

Damn...that's a real up-hill battle, but you guys made it, so "thumbs up" to you both, appreciate the little wins and may the turn for the better stay with him for a long time!

 

[80mirada]

Glad things are trending upward

 

[69-]

Good to hear & keeping fingers crossed going forward.