I hope you're right Stealth, I hope it's just a blip on the screen. I will continue to keep your family in my prayers.

 

I failed to mention that a member from vascular surgery at Plaza Medical did a follow up sonogram, she felt a pulse in the so called clogged artery as well as heard blood flow in the artery with the sonogram.

 

That sounds encouraging...good luck!

 

So far, nothing happened to him overnight. No signs of stroke. Like I said previously, he'll only be in NICU for 24 hours, then he'll be put in a regularly admitted hospital room. Mom didn't get any sleep, so me and sis are going up there to relieve her so she can go home and get some sleep, like that will happen, but hopefully she'll try.

My mom went to get some breakfast this morning and when she went back to be with dad he said he didn't like being alone. That's a lot coming from a stubborn old German. To me that means he ain't giving up.

 

He's scared. Poor ole guy.

If possible, your family needs to work shifts being with him. That is what we did with my father when he was in the hospital. I know he slept better with someone in the room at night.

Your mother needs her rest as well, send her home if she can sleep there

 

Yeah, we're doing shifts. My sister took Mom home today so she could take a shower. I stayed with dad. We had an awesome talk.

OK, for the news. They did another sonogram of his carotid. It's 80 to 99% blocked, which is good, because that means it's operable. The other side is normal. Tomorrow they'll do the angiogram and see the percentage of flow going through the blockage. Then they'll figure out what to do. My money's on surgery, where they open up his neck, put a shunt in before and after the blockage, and clean out the junk, then sew him up.

He'll be good as new soon. He told me yesterday he knew he was done, that he was going to die. Now he acknowledged he has another chance, some hope. I can tell he's happy. He said he has to make it since my sister announced she's pregnant with their 3rd child. Perfect timing.

Thanks for the prayers. I'll keep this updated.

 

That "80 to 99% blocked" sounds scary but if the Drs are saying that due to the situation that its good, then OK.

Good deal with the 'talk'. Im sure that relieves his stress some as well.

He is gonna have to eat better after and I bet he will hate it also
Make him do it for your sister and his 3rd GC from her. Congrats on that as well Uncle Stealth.

 

It's funny, their oldest GC will be 19 and the youngest will be a newborn.

The blockage thing, when it gets gradually blocked, in cases such as my dad's, the other side compensates for the side that is lacking flow. That's why my dad never had a stroke. They do that surgery routinely, so it's not a big deal for the surgeons, but it is for us.

Also, my parents had long before adopted a healthy eating routine, and all my dad's bloodwork is for the most part normal, just a luck of the draw thing with the blockage.

 

Y'all are still in my prayers Stealthy!

 

Thanks RC!


Update: Just got the results from the arteriogram test, his carotid was 99% blocked, so he's going into surgery tonight! I'm so happy, this neans he'll be back to normal really soon. Well, actually better than normal, but how normal can a cranky old German be? **Relief sigh**

Thanks for the prayers!

 

LMAO! About as cranky as an old Cossack - the orniest tribe on earth; been there, done that

We're with y'all, Stealth.


bubba

 

BTW, he used to live in Canada, almost a decade.

 

Glad to hear the good news! Take it easy man...

 

OK, I just got back from the hospital. Dad made it through surgery and is recovering and is in Neural ICU. He's sore and cranky, but the cranky is normal. He just doesn't like pain or Hospitals. Mom is staying with him, and soon all this will be over. The surgeon said the procedure was normal, no surprises.

It's quite amazing what they can do these days. They basically vertically laid his neck open like a bananna split, vertically sliced his carotid and cleaned out the plaque blockage, and sewed him up. He'll have a scar, but we'll have him, a fine trade off.

We're all exhausted.

 

one very stealthy prayer sent up