How did your husbands surgery go? I dont think I've seen any updates on that. Hope it went well.
My husband's surgery... a roller coaster
Posted by Yvonne on 2/5/2019, 9:10 pm, in reply to "Yvonne"
I haven't touched base with you in a while because it has been a whirlwind with my husband.
My husband underwent a carotid endarterectomy at Columbia on January 22nd with Dr. Connolly (neurosurgeon). There was a complication (his neck started to swell considerably) and he had to be taken back to the O.R. I was at wit's end!!!!
The neurosurgeon determined that it was NOT a hematoma, but a seroma (most likely a reaction to the antibiotic-impregnated sutures used to close the incision). He had seen this reaction before in some patients.
He cleaned up the area, removed the sutures and replaced them with regular sutures. Now, my husband needs to take the antibiotics by mouth for a week.
Everything is stable now. He was in the PACU (Recovery Room) for two days and then the Neurological ICU (intensive care unit).
He has been transferred from the Neurological ICU to a neurosurgical unit now.
He still has some swelling in his neck, but it is stabilized.
We are still waiting for a bed in an acute rehab hospital. Kessler, Helen Hayes, JFK Rehab all have refused to accept him.
It’s like trying to apply to an elite Ivy League university with a pretentious Admissions committee.
I keep praying. I know God will put him where He wants to put him.
It's been a long and winding road, but Shearwood and I are still here and hoping for the best.
Just today, (thank God) he was transferred to an acute rehab hospital (Burke). It's one of the best in the country. However, the doctor was SO NEGATIVE about his prognosis. I told her to just do her best and God will take us the rest of the way. She was such a Debbie-Downer.
I had some cookies. It was like I needed something to counteract all the aggravation, negativity and down-right frustration all of this has caused my husband and ME!!
Anyway, it was 68 degrees today and it was a nice day to be discharged from the hospital. God is good!!
This is all so unbelievably wrong. The amount of struggle you have been through to get him taken care of is just so so wrong.
How is he doing at Burke? What in the world was his doctor saying? If she is not going in to this with a positive attitude then I would doubt her motivation to fight for him.
I just got home yesterday so I'm sorry I didn't see this until now. I only had my phone with me and most of my time was jammed full of trying to make their house more livable and safe for baby Ben. I was not successful. It's hopeless.
I hope he's doing well there and that his Dr has developed a better attitude.
Yes! Because I have inundated her with hope and sunshine for my husband, she seems to have a better attitude now. I believe high spirits are infectious and one only needs to "spread it around".
Burke is INTENSE!!! But, that is why I fought so hard to have him accepted into one of these acute rehab hospitals. If he is going to get better, he needs vigorous therapy and not the mediocre attempts at the subacute facilities. I know they will "throw him out" of Burke in a couple of weeks due to their addiction to insurance companies, but for now he is doing okay. Thank God!!
