Mom's surgery
Some of you wanted me to let you know how things went so I figured I'd just make a post rather than send a bunch of separate emails. I wish I could say things went perfectly well and as expected but that is about as far from the truth as you can get. Yesterday was just....well....AWFUL (to be totally honest). She went in to have her aortic valve replaced (by a mechanical one) as it was leaking, and she had a 5cm anyeurism just above it. This is something we knew would have to be taken care of at some point as apparently it is genetic (unfortunately my brother and I may have this same problem too). Anyway, they took her back just 10 minutes before I got there so I was kinda upset about that -- I wanted to see her before she went back. They started the surgery around 7:30 am-- the surgery itself was supposed to take about 2-2.5 hours. It took more like 5.5-6 hours. Every phone call update we got was worse and worse it seemed. They got the valve replaced (the thing they went in to do) and when they went to attach the artificial sleeve part of it to her other vein, the vein just crumbled. The doctor later explained that it looked so diseased and would not stay in tact. They made the decision to also do a bypass surgery along with this other surgery -- so that automatically made this so much more risky. Well they completed that part of it and then they couldn't get the bleeding to stop.....I think they called 3 times with the same thing -- just saying they were trying to get the bleeding to stop and couldn't. This went on for 2.5 hours. This whole time I just had this lump in my throat like I wanted to just explode but I held it together. I just knew that she had to make it out of this. They finally called hours later and said they had mostly gotten the bleeding under control and they were going to close her up. We didn't get to go back and see her until probably 2-3 hours after that. We waited....and waited....
The doctor finally came out and explained some of the details of what happened -- he told us much more than the nurses calling along the way. Knowing what I know now I am glad they only told us what they did, but still let us know it was serious. He indicated that if she had waited even another 6 months, she may not be here. And this was a very real possibility because she was going to push the surgery back so she would be o.k. for our wedding. I'm so glad we all encouraged her to go ahead and have this done. The doctor said that they also, as a last resort, used some sort of very controversial drug to stop the bleeding. He said that is what saved her life -- she would have kept bleeding. I was just.....I can't even tell you.... We waited the 4 hours, through the 'critical period' as he said if there was additional bleeding or other problems that is when they would most likely occur. Once that had passed we were allowed to see her. I LOST it before I even walked in her room. I think it was a combination of seeing her in such a state along with holding back all of the emotions throughout the day. To be honest, and mostly because I don't know any other way to describe it -- she looked dead. No color, breathing tubes, all of the machines -- it was awful.
My dad and my brother finally went home to try to get SOME rest, as they deemed her somewhat stabilized. I stayed as I just didn't want to leave. They kept talking about trying to wake her up (and also removing the breathing tube) at some point late last night but never could say exactly when that could happen. I just didn't want her to wake up and not have anyone there 
They encouraged me to go home and sleep as she would not remember anything anyway. I did as they suggested and came back first thing this morning.
Apparently they took the ventilator out and slowly began to try to wake her shortly after I left last night. By the time I got back this morning she was awake and they had her sitting up in a chair. I think she had also been able to drink some fluids. They said she did great throughout the night and that she was doing pretty 'normal' for what she had been through the day before.
We haven't told her all of the details as I don't want to upset her or cause unneeded stress. We will save that information for later, when she is completely coherent and able to maybe even carry on a conversation. I only saw her for 15 minutes this morning as I could tell she was very tired -- exhausted really -- and I think she wanted to try to sleep some more. She kept saying she felt very "asthma-y" and they said that was due to the fact that they had to give her SO much blood.
I am so glad she pulled through. I can't even imagine life if she hadn't. I guess my thinking is fairly normal.
Just wanted to share everything with those of you who knew what was going on. I appreciate the prayers and kind words along the way and I think this road will be a long one for her.
