I'm kind of late here with my narrative...several months, actually...
Well, first, my deepest appreciation to those who let you know how I was doing after my February 16 operation. You knew more than I ever will, since I have no memories - hallucinations, yes - but no memories of actual events until five weeks afterwards.
The Vanderbilt doctor lined my aorta with 23 inches of Dacron tubing during the 8-hour operation. My spleen was accidentally nicked during the procedure, so it was removed. This used up extra precious time, so the (I'm going to get very medically technical here, but bear with me) blood vessels or arteries or thingies that go from the aorta to the...other places...lungs, I guess, or kidneys, or wherEVER the heck they go...well, there wasn't time to use the parts of the Dacron tubing to attach to them, so the original aorta was used to, well, go to them, or something sort of like that. So in a few months I'll have to get another ct scan to see if those places have grown or ballooned or whatever. Sorry to get all technical on you there...
Complication arose a couple of days after the operation. LOTS of bouts of pneumonia, fungal infections all over the place, a bit of coma, congestive heart failure; couldn't breathe without a vent for 8 weeks, was fed through a tube for 8 weeks, couldn't stand up for 7 weeks. My lung capacity is now low, but for the past month I have been able to both sneeze and yawn. Not at the same time, but STILL...
Oh! And I no longer have to use my walker! Yea!
A hernia developed in my diaphragm, another complication from the operation, and I had to get that operated on August 29 (so much for my I'll-never-step-inside-another-hospital-for-the-rest-of-my-life vow after 2-1/2 months of hospital life after the February operation.)
The surgeon at Vanderbilt said the aorta was ready to rupture...6.5 cm from the heart on down. And many doctors told me that there was a 25% chance of my being permanently paralyzed from the operation. I am SO glad I went to Vanderbilt!!!
I'm so happy with life now...I was so happy with life before the aneurysm as well...but I feel so very fortunate that I'm still around to enjoy my family, see the Colts' games, watch the new TV season, eat like there's no tomorrow (I'd lost a lot of weight), crochet, put things on eBay, read, ah...um. Here is where I should say I'm very fortunate that I'm still around to Serve Mankind and Do Good Deeds and Nice Stuff Like That. But the TRUTH...watch Magnum, P.I. re-runs, write lots more mystery stories, see "The Klumps" when it finally comes to the Cheep Movie Theatre near us...you know...LIFE!!!!! I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!
Finally, a couple of questions: First, did you hallucinate after your operation? If so, what was the "theme"? (I asked four people at the re-hab hospital, separately, this question. All four - and me, too - had the same hallucination.) Secondly, did any of you have your entire aorta operated on? If so, how are you doing now?
Love,
Annie
Update 18 Mar 2001
Just a note to let you know that I just found out that my right kidney has shriveled up and died. (ct scan) The left one has enlarged to take over the job. The doctor said it was from the aneurysm operation. I THOUGHT but I did not SAY, "Well! Thank GOODness you removed my spleen, because now there's more room for the left kidney." I sure as heck am going out with a LOT less than I came in with!
Update 6 Apr 2001
The original aneurysm surgeon at Vanderbilt looked at the ct scans and let me know yesterday, via letter, that a simple nephrectomy through a laparoscopic approach would take care of my atrophied kidney, if this is causing hypertension. And "The axillofemoral bypass utilized as a shunt during the operation remains patent and should require no further attention." A WHAT used as a WHAT remains WHAT?! Well, it all sounds good, by golly, especially the ending of the letter, "I would suggest that a repeat ct scan be entertained in about five years." Fiiiiive years!!! YES!!!