Routine Physical...
23 June 2001
I am a 44 year old male. Almost exactly one year ago, at 490 pounds, I elected to have a Roux En Y Gastric Bypass (state of the art stomach stapling) and now almost a year later have lost 170 lbs and now weigh 320 pounds. As the result of a job change, and new insurance, I decided to break in my new physician with a routine physical about a month ago. Much to my surprise, he discovered a heart murmur which lead to an echocardiogram. The echocardiogram showed a marked dilation of the aorta, and a CT with contrast was ordered. The CT showed an aneurysm of the ascending aorta, measuring 7.7 cm. The Cardiologist has ordered a cardiac stress test, and has me on two different medications, Accupril and Toprol XL. He is trying to gather past x-rays to make a comparison and a surgical consult as well as perhaps some more x-rays are in the not to distant future.
I am lucky to have found this site as there are some interesting people and stories here. I can honestly say that I am not scared as I have a faith in God, but I am a bit apprehensive as I do not like the unknown. After going through the Gastric Bypass, I am not a stranger to surgery, but I am a bit intimidated by the thought of being on a heart lung machine and am hoping for the less invasive type of surgery.
I welcome correspondence from anybody as I am a total "newbie" at this aneurysm thing. Hope to hear from some of you soon.
Update 30 Jun 2001
I had a bit of an adventure and a scare the last few days. I went in Tuesday to have my angiogram and somehow upon removal of the catheter my femoral artery was pierced and I suffered the loss of over 800cc of blood due to the large hematoma I was rushed to emergency surgery and patched up and spent a night in ICU and a night in telemetry. I was sent home today.
The prognosis of my aneurysm. The attending Physician said that it was one of the biggest that he had ever seen. They are going to be doing an open repair and replacement of the aortic root, the aortic valve and some surrounding vessels. I will be on cardiac bypass for the whole five hour procedure. I should plan on being hospitalized for eight days and off of work for six to eight weeks. My surgeon is the chief of staff at one of the fines hospitals in the valley. My cardiologist who is a strong Christian man came over and prayed for me bedside today.
I ask you all for your prayers and support as July 9 rapidly approaches. I need prayers for both my faith and for the strengthening of my elderly parents who are prone to worry very much.
May God bless you all very much, and please know that I welcome your emails.
Update 5 Jul 2001
In four days I will have my sternum cracked, heart stopped and be put on a heart lung bypass machine for the five to six hour surgery to replace my aortic root, aortic valve, and also to repair some of the coronary arteries. The new mechanical valve,root mechanism will be made out of titanium and dacron. I will be on Coumadin for the rest of my life. I must say that I am scared.
I have had two Doctors blurt right out and tell me that my 7.7 aneurysm is the biggest that they have ever seen. On the same token though, I am somewhat comforted by an email from a friend. This friend said, "Brian, I don't believe that The Lord is ready to take you home yet as he wouldn't have directed you to just "out of the blue" go have a complete physical when it has been less than a year since your last one.
My cardiologist confirmed today that he believes the aneurysm to be congenital as my last chest xray on July 12 showed no sign of it, so that confirms that it is fast growing and I would have been "toast" in a few months if I hadn't gone in for the physical.
Please keep those cards and emails coming and know that I really appreciate you guys. I will have Kathie, my roommate's wife send an update on my surgery sometime of the ninth to keep you all posted.
We love you,
Brian, Sheba and Cool Hand Luke
Update 8 Jul 2001
Well gang, it is Saturday night (July 7) and I will have surgery in about 36 hours. This will be my last post to you until after my surgery and I am looking forward to being on the other side with you all.
I talked to the surgeon and anesthesiologist yesterday. They were quite supportive. The are using an artificial aortic valve called the Sultzur Biomedix. They will be doing a dacron graft on the aortic root as well and doing some work reattaching the coronary arteries to the new contraption.
I can feel the prayers of the Saints and I thank each and every one of you who is praying for me. If I could, I would give you a big hug. As I think that I mentioned earlier I will be in Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix and the surgery will be at 7:30 a.m. Phoenix time this Monday. It should last four to five hours.
I have made peace with God and I ask that you all pray for my family and my two cats Sheba and Cool Hand Luke as well as me on Monday. The cats can sense something is up, and, as might be expected, my elderly parents are quite worry. I am their eldest at 44.
Thanks again for your support and I will see you on the other side.
Love, Brian
Update 21 Oct 2001
The surgeons and Doctors where excellent, with few exceptions the nursing staff was substandard. I suffered a small stroke a few days post-op and had a difficult time getting it diagnosed. As I am sure is common in this day and age, the hospital was dreadfully understaffed and the help was very overworked, which I am quite sure contributed to some of my unfortunate circumstances.
I suffered more as a result of my stroke than I did from the surgical procedures. I used to be the editor of my company's newspaper, now I nave to rely an awful lot on my spell checker and the "hunt and peck" method of typing! But God is merciful and great and by His grace and power alone, I have recovered from my stroke and was back to work within eight weeks of the stroke and surgery. I have also had a "Roux En Y Gastric Bypass' procedure in July of 2000 and have gone from weighing 488 lbs to 288 Pounds. I Had my Aortic surgery in July 2001 and am now under no physical restrictions and am walking over three miles at a time. I also might add that a week before my aortic surgery, while undergoing my Cardiac Catheterization, my femoral Artery was punctured in two places and I was rushed to emergency surgery remove a huge hematoma.
I have recovered magnificently by God's grace and I would encourage others faced with having this type of surgery to network with others if at all possible, check out the hospital and Doctors and above all else, Seek God.
You will feel pain from the sternumectomy and a great deal of fatigue. It is possible that you may also suffer some postoperative depression, as I did. I think that the main thing that kept me going was the sense of wonderment that I experienced and still experience when I think that God saved my life and He definitely has a purpose for me. When I think of the way that I just "happened" to have the physical and went through the two surgeries and the stroke and am now a testimony and example to others, I am amazed and feel very humbles and unworthy, and at the same time so very grateful and desirous of being used to help others.
Update: 6 November 2005
Most of you know the health maladies that have befallen me in the last five years. I now have another enemy to fight. I am going to be seeing a urologist who will try to rule out cancer of he bladder, prostrate or kidney. I am 55 days away from my Medicare coverage kicking in and the county is managing my health care but they won't even give me AHCCCS so they are somewhat reluctant to treat me so please pray that this doesn't hurt me.
The urologist will be performing a cystoscopy. I will leave you to look it up yourself as it is not a pleasant procedure. Please pray for my health and the fear that is hitting me and the words in my mouth that I can't be saved because I have done so many things in the past that are bad. I need your prayers desperately. I will keep you posted on my progress. I love you and need you.
Discussion, comments, or questions: Brian Griffin
© Copyright 2001 Brian Griffin
All Rights Reserved - Fair Use
acknowledged
