We are home!!! Got released about 3. I've unpacked the van, with help from Joe next door, thumbed through the mail and sat here to let everyone know we're home. Still have a few emails to send out.

Everything has gone well. He has only had to take 1 pain pill and that was yesterday right after he came back to the room. He's checking email and seeing if he can sit at his computer (he wants to play Farcry).

Now I need to take stock and see what food there is in the house and make a run for the grocery store. Then we will settle in and watch the baseball game.

Thanks everyone for your prayers. We know they work!

Bill has been back in the room for about 2 hours now and has had lunch. He's had some pain, but Percocet is working. Dr. Burnett and Dr. Garrett's assistant have both been in and have given the OK to go home tomorrow. We're still waiting for Dr. Lan to come in but I don't expect him until later. Dr. Burnett wants him to start with some mild walking but not to plan any long trips for awhile, although Christmas in Florida is still on. He's going to adjust his meds some to see if that will help with the weakness.

I actually think that Bill has learned from this that he has to pay attention to the changes his body makes and not keep things to himself. Enough people in authority (meaning not his wife)have told him how close he came to dying Monday, because he didn't want to worry me. I don't think he'll do that again.

Dr. Lan just called and said Bill is in recovery. Everything went well and now he thinks he'll be able to go home tomorrow instead of waiting until Monday. He will get with Dr. Burnett and discuss it and let us know later.

The nurse just called and said that the new lead is in place and the dr. was implanting the device. He was able to use the same incision as last time instead of moving it to the other side. They will have to shock him to make sure the device is working properly but he won't feel it. Should take another 30 minutes and then off to recovery.

Jackie, the transplant coordinator, and Dr. Amos, the transplant psychologist, popped in a few minutes ago. They didn't know what time he was supposed to be taken. Jackie agreed that if I had not come home from work when I did Monday that Bill probably would have been dead when I got home. Maybe he won't be as stubborn now since he's had this little scare.

Just got the first call and the surgery will start in about 10 minutes. She said Bill was on the table and HAPPY. They will call again in about an hours.

Good Morning! We had a relatively quiet night and Tony from transportation came and got Bill about 30 minutes ago. This procedure isn't supposed to take as long as the one yesterday, depending on if they have to move it to the other side or not. When I get some news I'll get it posted.

Dr. Lan was just in and was very pleased with Bill's progress. He has a lot more energy even now and is breathing much better. Everything is on track for the pacemaker upgrade tomorrow. He is having a small reaction to the cath dye but he's been taking steroids so maybe it won't be too bad a reaction. We are just going to kick back now and watch the World Series.

Bill is back in the room and looks great! He also said that he feels better and that it is much easier to breathe. Dr. Lan did not explain too much to him about what he did so he has a million questions. They have ordered him some lunch and then he just has to lay still until 3:30.

Praise the Lord! Just talked to Dr. Lan and he said everything went well and Bill is in recovery. Will probably be there for an hour and then brought back to the room. Everything is still on schedule for tomorrow and the upgrade to the pacemaker. He didn't say how big an area they burned or what the prognosis is now, but I'm sure he'll be in later this afternoon or evening to let me know.

I just talked to the nurse again and they have found the area that is causing the problem and has started burning it. She didn't know how long it would take but she said that he was very comfortable. So, prayers are being answered.

Things are going well. The nurse called at 8 and said they were just getting started and that he was fine. I just talked to her again and they are still mapping his heart to find the area and he is still doing well. Once they find the area they can begin the laser treatment.

The wait begins! They came and got Bill about 6:45. Dr. Lan said it will take about 3hours. Pastor Paul from Emily's church came by at 6 for prayer with us and said if I need anything to let him know. He lives here in Memphis and can get here pretty quick if we need him. He's new to the church, very young but very nice.

We had a much better night last night. We weren't bothered as much since he doesn't have any IVs right now. We were even sleeping when the pastor got here which really surprised us since they said they were going to get Bill at 6.

As soon as they call and say they have started the procedure I'm going to head to the cafeteria for some breakfast. I got some coffee from the nutrition room but the only food I have in here is jelly beans and I don't think that would be a good breakfast!

As soon as I know anything I'll get this updated.

Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I left this morning Dr. Lan came in! But he told Bill to have me come over to the office this afternoon and he would explain what he was going to do, so I finally know what the procedure is called that is going to be done and what it entails.

It is called an ablation and it starts out like a heart cath. Probes with electrodes will be fed into the heart through the femoral artery and the electrical activity will be collected. When the area is found that is causing the irregular heartbeat it will be removed with the laser. Dr. Lan said it's like going fishing, but wanting to catch a specific fish. It will take about 3 hours and then there will be a 6 hour resting period where Bill has to stay pretty much still. The pacemaker replacement is still on for Friday morning and then he will be monitored for the week-end to see if everything has worked.

While I was home this morning he had all of his IVs removed and was able to shower. After I got back with his electric razor (which he absolutely hates) he shaved while I went to Dr. Lan's office. Cardiac Rehab also came in and they took a little walk down the hall. Emily's new pastor who lives in Memphis came by and said he will be here in the morning before the procedure. I don't think that Charlie will be able to be here because of his other job, but that's understandable.

The rest of the evening we are going to sit back and watch the World Series, although it may be an early night since we didn't get much sleep last night. Until tomorrow, goodnight.

Oh what a night! Our nurse told us that the care in this section is not as intense as the care in ICU. She came in about 8 and said that we would not be disturbed most of the night. Well, let me tell you...vitals were taken at 12 when we suddenly got a new nurse, 1 of the IVs started beeping at 1, vitals at 2, labs at 3, vitals at 4, another IV ran out at 5, vitals at 6 and 7! If this is less intense it must have really been terrible in the other unit.

I'm going home today to pick up a few things and get my flu shot. Since this was just a recovery day with nothing really going on we figured it would be a good time to do it.

We haven't see the drs. today, but it's cath lab day for Dr. Burnett. I don't know about Dr. Lan. I would like to find out more about the laser procedure, for my own reasons. Maybe someone will be in before long.

So, this is it for this morning. I'll let you know more when I know more. Have a great day!

Thanks for updating this Phillis. I was finally able to get the internet connection to work and get on myself. It is amazing how wonderful your friends are! I've read so many posts on Facebook from so many people that it's unbelieveable.

We are now out of ICU and in a step-down room. For those of you who want to call and talk to Bill since I forgot his cellphone the number is 901-226-2405. His nurse today is one of the nurses that he had the last time he was here and she remembered him.

I haven't talked to the doctors yet. They came in before visiting hours this morning. I don't know if they will be back this evening or not.

Phillis did a good job with the last post so I don't really have anything else to add to it right now. Thank you my friend! When I have some more news I'll get it posted.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2009

Here is the latest news concerning Bill's journey. Yesterday he was airlifted to Memphis (I think this the 4th time, maybe he has earned his wings or at least a front seat). Beth called me this morning said Bill had a good night, her night was choppy to say the least. She slept a little and read a lot. Bill is going to be moved from ICU to a room sometime today. His pacemaker Dr. is going to preform a laser procedure Thursday, he thinks there is a possibly he may be able to repair some of the damage to his heart, and then Friday they will replace his pacemaker, so it will probably be Monday before they can come home.
I suppose you have guessed that I am not Beth, I am Phillis her partner in crime. She us unable to log on at the hospital so I am updating this for her.
Bless his heart, Bill is not a good patient. Heaven help if he actually tells someone he feels bad or has pain. From what I gather he was feeling bad Monday, shortness of breath and coughing possibly from fluid build up, and he would not go to the ER. Beth called his Doctors office and they said to get him to ER ASAP. Finally he went and once he got there is BP dropped and he needed to be shocked one time. He was sedated for that. Good thing is he never lost consciousness. Beth told me she was really impressed with Blytheville Hospital and with Dr. Fergus (he is a surgeon at the hospital)
Beth told me his Doctors nurse lit into him this morning. He could have had is pacemaker read by Memphis but he did not want to. I am glad she did. He needed his butt chewed. Beth told him if she hadn't called home yesterday when she did, she would have come home to a dead man. Well enough said. I will post this for better or worse LOL. Beth may not ask me to update her blog after she reads this LOL.

Bill's not having a good day today. He has even less energy than usual and says he's having trouble breathing. His color is not good either and he's coughing some. I'm thinking this means he has some fluid build-up. I've got a call in to Dr. Burnett's office, but haven't heard anything back yet. I've come home from work and I'm trying to get him to go to the ER but he won't do it.

He seemed OK yesterday and last night so this is pretty sudden. Maybe that's what the alarm sounding yesterday was telling us. Of course, they didn't tell us what we should do it the alarm went off.

So for now we wait to hear from the doctor.

We both survived my trip to Nashville, but we both ended up sick. Bill was sick the day I left (although he didn't tell me he felt bad until that evening) and by Sunday evening I was sick. I missed the entire first day of meetings. But I wasn't the only one who got it. I still don't feel well and we were so busy the rest of the week that I'm still really tired.

Everything is set for the pacemaker change on Thursday. We're going down Weds. night to stay. He doesn't have to be there until between 7 and 7:30, but we still don't want to have to drive down that morning. And it's overnight in the hospital at least 1 night so we won't be home until sometime Friday at the earliest.

I heard the alarm go off during church this morning. That means that it isn't firing correctly. It's the first time that I've heard it and recognized it for what it was. I think I've heard it during the night but I didn't think about it, just wondered what the noise was that woke me up. Bill can't hear the alarm as it's in the area of his hearing loss. It's a very high pitched whine. So, I guess it's a good thing that he's getting a new one.

I'm trying something this week that is kinda scary, for me anyway. I'm going out of town for 5 days, without Bill. It's a little unsettling to be apart for that long, but as the transplant coordinator said, "Go live your lives". So, I'm going to the H & R Block Convention in Nashville.

My friend Phillis wanted to know what would happen if "the call" should come while I'm gone. I told her they would send a plane for Bill if necessary and before I could say anything else Tommy (my boss) said "Well, I guess we go to Memphis". I told him we just need to go as far as the airport and then Jalena said that their brother-in-law knows the owner of the Tennessee Titans football team. I jokingly said that since all of the bigwigs from Block would be in Nashville, I could just use the corporate jet and Jalena thought that might be a good possibility.

I'm not too concerned about getting to Memphis if need be. My concern is that something would happen to Bill here at home, especially in light of this new problem with his heart rhythm. But, I just have to go on faith that everything will be alright. So, as of Sunday morning, I'm off to the big city until Thursday!

Sorry it's taken me so long to get the latest news posted. It's been a verrrrry long day. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 this morning, and got home at 5:30 this evening.

The right heart cath went very well. The pulmonary pressure was elevated some, but it responded well to the medication and Dr. Burnett saw no reason that it would keep Bill from having the transplant.

The electrophysiology study did not go as well. This study was necessary because of the bad ventricular rhythms. Dr. Lan was hopeful that medication alone, or a shock would cause the heart to start a normal rhythm, but he discovered it was not going to be that simple. He has suggested, with Dr. Burnett agreeing, that Bill's ICD (pacemaker/diffibulator) be replaced with a bi-ventricular pacemaker. This type of pacemaker has 3 leads, 1 to the top of the heart and one on each side of the bottom. It will in effect beat for the bottom of the heart. For now, until the placement can be done, he has set this pacemaker to pace the heart instead of pacing if needed, to keep the device from firing and shocking him. He said that the positive side of this new one will be less fatigue and a little more energy.

They are going to do the implant on Oct. 29. This will mean an overnight stay in the hospital. From what I have read, and if I understood what I read, during this time Bill will move from status 1b on the transplant list to 1a and stay at that status for 30 days. This could be a blessing in disguise since it could mean that a heart will be available sooner.

That's where we are now. But, the first order of business will be a good night's sleep in our own lumpy bed with our own pillows. Bill asked me earlier this evening what my agenda was for tomorrow and I told him to sleep until I woke up, or until the phone rang. I think that I'm just tired enough tonight that I may sleep most of the night without waking up every hour or so!

So, for tonight....good night.

Time moves so quickly when you don't want it to. It's been a crazy week since we saw Dr. Lan. The reason he wanted to see Bill is because the device monitor picked up an odd rhythm. It looks like he's going into v-tach about every hour. This is where the bottom of his heart starts beating too fast. This can lead to the v-fib where his heart just quivers which causes the heart attack. Anyway, Dr. Lan wants to try to create the problem in the lab to make sure the pacemaker is picking up on it properly. I actually think that is the strange sound he's been making in the night. I think the device is shocking him, but since he's asleep he's not aware of it. He doesn't even feel when his heart starts racing.

Anyway, after the heart cath Monday, they going to do that procedure. He's also scheduled to see Dr. Garrett's nurse practitioner and have his labs done. Dr. Lan has said that it will be a very long day, especially for me! I'm planning on packing a few more items of clothing, just in case we end up staying an extra day or two.

Bill has also been sick since we went to Memphis. He has the virus that has been running through the schools. He's feeling better now and sleeping better since I made him start taking some Benadryl to stop his sinus drainage. I had almost decided not to go to my Little Rock meeting, but he started to get better. I don't know what will happen if I have to cancel going to Nashville. We'll cross that bridge when we get there I guess.