Over the past few days certain tests were showing minor improvement even while Nancy did not seem better.\u00a0 She was not eating much, her speech was more labored and difficult, and she continued to require a smallish amount of supplemental oxygen.\u00a0 Eating grapes, yogurt, water, and a few bits and sips of other things isn\u2019t much nourishment regardless of the good stuff the kitchen sends to the room.<\/p>\n
The team of doctors contributed in various ways to a meeting this morning to examine evidence and plan a corrective course of action.\u00a0 They reflected on the Friday morning (11\/27) heart attack and the following cardiopulmonary collapse on Saturday.\u00a0 The reason for this has not been known but they now think it was part of the heparin allergic reaction (I\u2019ve previously discussed).\u00a0 This collapse landed Nancy in intensive care fully sedated and on life support for eight days.<\/p>\n
When the ventilator and the rest were removed this was a sign that things were improved and likely to continue.\u00a0 But, she was never able to function without some small amount of supplemental oxygen.\u00a0 Studying this situation the team collectively believes Nancy\u2019s system took a big \u00a0‘insult’ \u00a0from the heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) (low platelet counts) leading to the condition she is in and the inability of her body to heal and strengthen.<\/p>\n
So, they are going to try to help things along by inserting an intra-aortic balloon pump. This device consists of a cylindrical balloon threaded through an artery and into the aorta \u2013 the main artery that brings oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. \u00a0The connected apparatus inflates\/deflates this small balloon in a timing sequence with the beating heart such that there is a greater supply of oxygenated blood being generated and sent to the body with less of a demand on the heart.\u00a0 This should effectively mimic a more healthy heart not unlike repairing leaky valves.<\/p>\n
Thus, they are going to try to cause improvement in her cardiopulmonary functions and, simultaneously, get a clue as to improvement expected from valve replacement and\/or repair. \u00a0They will also supplement her food intake, especially with the protein necessary for better kidney function.<\/p>\n
The pacemaker is of no relevance in all of the above as her heart has not needed it \u2013 so any change there is on hold.<\/p>\n
While the intra-aortic balloon pump is in place Nancy will have to be fully reclined (flat on her back).\u00a0 \u00a0[ WHY? \u00a0I didn\u2019t ask. ]<\/p>\n
I left at about 2:30 when a 3-member-team from the catheterization lab swept in to take her to their home roost.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll see her again at 7 PM.\u00a0 A later post tonight is unlikely.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s to a great Christmas Eve! \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(it’s 4:57 here)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over the past few days certain tests were showing minor improvement even while Nancy did not seem better.\u00a0 She was not eating much, her speech was more labored and difficult, and she continued to require a smallish amount of supplemental oxygen.\u00a0 Eating grapes, yogurt, water, and a few bits and sips of other things isn\u2019t … Continue reading “THURSDAY — an interventionist approach”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p72iNf-1B","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":243,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99\/revisions\/243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=99"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rocknponderosa.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=99"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}