Sorry for not posting, but just haven’t had the time. Here is the low-down… Hope this all makes senses. I think I started this post on Tuesday, and it is now Friday. Also, for some apparent crazy reason while I am typing the cursor will jump up a few lines and start typing on that line. I think I fixed most, but there may be some that I missed. When I started this on Tuesday, I was so sleepy and would catch myself drifting off. I apologize for anything that doesn’t make sense
Around 4, they came to the waiting room to get us before they took him back, so my mom and I went back to see him. While we were in there, they gave him the shot they told him he had been waiting all day for, and it didn’t take long to kick in. The surgery was finished between 8 and 8:30. Dr. Lawrie talked with me, my mom and dad. He said everything went well, and he was very pleased. He wasn’t able to do the ablation procedure b/c of too much scar tissue. I want to ask him about that scar tissue. (I asked him Thursday and he said that it is from everything Wes has had done. He said there was no cancerous tissue in there. He said this procedure is 95% successful for at least 10 or 15 years. He is a very nice doctor, and took the time to answer our questions even though it was almost 9. He apologized for being so late, and explained to us why it took so long to start the surgery. He had a carryover from Friday that had to be worked in. We got to go in and see him for the last visitation hour at 10. When I first saw him, it upset me, but the more I was in there it got better. He looked a lot better than I thought he would look, but seeing the ventilator just was too much especially after the long stressful day. While I talking to the nurse, he started waking up. She said he hears your voice, and he started reaching for my hand. He started fighting the vent, so she tied his hands back down and gave him some medicine to knock him out. His nurse that night is a distant cousin of his. When I walked in, she said, “Where are y’all from, because I think I am kin to y’all.” I looked at her name tag and it said Monceaux. I said he is from Oberlin and she said, “Yep, I am kin to him.” I said, “is that where you are from,” and she said, “sort of.” It is such a small world. I felt a little better knowing she was taking care of him, so I decided to go back to hotel. I knew she would call if something went wrong. Tuesday: I got up at 4:45 so I could be at the hospital for the 6:00 visitation. He was a little alert, and had the vent off. They took it off about 3. He was in and out. Went back in at 8, and he was about the same, in and out. He would talk a little more every time we would go in, and by 12 he had all but one tube out. He said those chest tubes WERE NOT FUN. They said he was ready to be moved out, but they were waiting on a room. They moved him about 5:30 to a semi-private room. We told them we wanted a private room, but there were not any available. We were assured as soon as one came available we would get one. He was put in the room with an older man, and bless his heart(no pun intended). He kept Wes from sleeping, because he would have dreams and make noises. He did that a lot this morning too. He did it one time and scared me. I thought he was dying. His mother was there with him and she jumped up calling his name, and the nurse came running in there too. They finally got him awake and he said he was having a bad dream. I told Wes I want a private room, but I don’t want him to die. He seemed to be a nice man, but he was what you call an “Old Fart.” I can assure he doesn’t like the food here either. He told the food service girl that the food tasted like crap and that he wanted a damn ham sandwich after she told him he couldnt’ have one. He keep saying I just want a ham sandwich and I don’t know why they will not give it to me. He told his mother that he believes that if it is on that menu then it isn’t good. They give the patients a menu to order from for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It takes about 45 minutes to get it. They did that in Vicksburg when I had Emma Grace. They gave me a menu and I chose what I wanted for each day. Wes hasn’t chosen much, just jello, ice cream and juice. Back to the old man.. He was a character, and he spoke his mind. I don’t think he liked the male nurse today, and he all but told him that. He later said he doesn’t have an ounce of patience . When they moved Wes in the room, there were three women there. Wes said they were talking about Emma Grace, and that they shouldn’t allow children to come in the room because of infection. I am glad I didn’t hear them. Only his mom had been there today (Wednesday), but the other two ladies were coming later. They were suppose to be bringing soup to his mother, and he said I sure wish they would bring me some. She told him that they were bringing her some soup so may be they would bring him, and he said, “but I know Pauline isn’t going to bring me any.” His mom said, “She might, and why do you say that.” He said, “Because we don’t get along, and I don’t like her.” He said, “All she ever does is argue with me.” He said, If I say it, she says or does the opposite.” I got the drift that he doesn’t like her. Thank goodness we got moved before the other two came. Wes said today (friday) that all those women did were argue or fuss the whole time they were in there. They moved Wes between 5 and 5:30 on Wednesday. A cardiologist came by shortly after and said that he needed to eat, move around and use the bathroom before he could go home. He said everything looked good. My mom and Emma Grace went back to the hotel room, and I stayed with Wes. He had chills and fever, which made his chest hurt because he was shaking so much. They gave him medicine and it seemed to help. I think he got a little bit more sleep than the night before, but he cannot get comfortable in the bed. Yesterday morning, he just wasn’t feeling good. He had no energy and fever on and off all day. He gets the chills and shakes so bad that it makes his chest hurt. Yesterday(Thursday), was the third day after surgery so I expected it to be bad. Dr. Lawrie, the surgeon, came by and said he had ordered an echo-cardiogram to check the sac around the heart to make sure Wes doesn’t have an infection. He said this is common after heart surgery. He will start him on some steroids today that should help it. Wes is down right now having the echo. They gave him one unit of blood last night b/c he count was 7.7, he was a little pale and just didn’t feel well. The cardiologist doctor said anytime you go below 8 they will give blood. His blood count was really good after surgery, but my aunt, who is a lab tech, said that it is common to get a false reading after major surgery. She said it will show high, but a few days later you get the true reading. He still doesn’t feel real good this morning. He is very sore, and has no energy. He only eats jello, so I think if maybe he would eat a little more he might get some more energy combined with getting the blood. I think that is all concerning the surgery and after. I have been trying to write everyday, but just get distracted. It is nice that they have wireless here. At least, you can get on the computer and it doesn’t seem like the day is just dragging on and on.
We are now staying at the Marriott, which is connected to the hospital. It is so nice to just walk across the crosswalk and never have to go out and fight traffic. It is also nice because my mom and Emma Grace can just walk across and then go back when EG gets tired. We had been at the Holiday Inn a few blocks away, but we moved on Wednesday once everybody left. Wes’ parents left Tuesday evening, and Tammy and my dad left Wednesday afternoon. Kim flew in Monday morning and left Monday night, b/c she had to have a stress test done on Tuesday. She was able to get us this room at the Marriott for much, much cheaper than the regular rate, and so thanks to her for doing that. Bro. Ron Ferrington came down Sunday evening and left Tuesday morning, and thanks to him for coming down. We have had phone calls after phone calls, text messages, instant messages, emails, etc, and thanks to all who have been checking in on us.
Also, thanks for all the prayers. Please keep them going.
Emma Grace has been very good. She loves to come see her daddy. She has given him a few cards that she found down the hall in the waiting area. She drew him a heart and then colored it red to match his heart pillow they gave him. She wants to see her cousin Lizzy. She asked all yesterday afternoon for her. Everywhere we went is was where’s Lizzy, I want to see my cousin Lizzy, etc. She even woke up this morning at 6:45 asking my mom for Lizzy. Last night, Karri emailed a picture of Lizzy and Emma Grace had a FIT. My mom said I should have heard her. We wish we had a webcam, so they could see each other. Other than that, all she does is color, watch dvd, sing and dance. She discovered that the hotel clock has different buttons to push and different types of music will play. She thinks that is so neat. She is starting to talk so much in sentences that I don’t know where she has learned all these words and when to use them. It is amazing. Tuesday night, my mom, dad, Tammy and Emma Grace rode the schedule bus back so I could come to the hotel later. Emma Grace calls it the school bus. She NEVER shut up on that bus. She had them all laughing. She sang the wheels on the bus go round and round. The driver said, “there isn’t a little girl on here, there is a big girl on here.” She gave him his tip and he said thank you and she said your welcome. She is becoming so polite with her manners except she will not say yes ma’am, etc. When she sees a taxi, she starts singing the taxi song from noggin. it is so funny. We took her to the pool Sunday, and that is all we have heard. We had to have the key to get to the pool, and now, every time she hears key, she says go to pool. She loved it. At first, she wasn’t so sure of it. The hotel we are at now has an indoor pool, but she hasn’t see it yet.
They just brought Wes back from his echo, and I am going to go take a shower. Like, I said, I hope this update makes sense. I have been typing it for four days. I will update later with echo results.