Clare's catheterization is over, but all did not go as planned. She is in the ICU right now for numerous reasons. Her heart disease is worse than originally thought (something we keep hearing over and over). Her main left and right pulmonary arteries were so narrowed that she had a stent placed in each one to keep them open. Because of the stents, she needs antibiotics (to prevent infection) and blood-thinners (to prevent blood clots). She also is still on a breathing tube. The stents allow so much increased blood flow to her lungs (which is a good thing in the long run - one of the goals of these caths), that there is the risk of pulmonary edema. So Clare remains intubated to decrease that risk. She is capable of breathing on her own, she just isn't yet. Hopefully she will be extubated tomorrow morning and can try breathing without the tube.
We always like sharing good news, so here it is! Her vital signs are good, and she tolerated the actual cath procedure fairly well. Her ICU stay is due to the stents and breathing tube and not because she had "problems" during the cath. Pre-cath, her pressures in the right side of her heart were twice as high than in the left side (a normal heart should have lower right-sided pressures), which is very dangerous. With the cath, the doctor was able to get her right pressures a little lower than her left. So the cath was successful in achieving that goal. Plus the doctor was able to dilate more of her smaller pulmonary branches, so her blood flow has been increased.
Because of the severe narrowing throughout her heart, Clare will have another cath in mid-to-late November to open more pulmonary branches and re-dilate her stents; then 2 days later, she will have open heart surgery to widen her aorta. It's been a rough, very long day with lots of unexpected news. We are not coming home tomorrow as originally planned, but will probably be here into the weekend instead. Please keep the prayers coming. I feel like we are always saying that, but Clare needs them!
1 comment:
Shawn & Teresa- Prayers are always sent your way, but tonight may you feel the loving hands of God. You both deserve to be taken care of as much as little Clare is right now. I truely hope you both can get some rest tonight, and face tomorrow with strength. Clare will do good tonight, and she will have a good day tomorrow! As always, she (& all of you) will remain in our prayers always. Thanks for the update. We love you all! Aunt Joan
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