Well that didn’t go as planned! The cath revealed a blockage in Amanda’s right coronary artery. This is the artery that supply’s the heart itself with blood, it was occluded 95%. All were shocked including the doctors this was totally unexpected. A blockage of this kind doesn’t normally happen in someone of Amanda’s age much less shape. The doctors were perplexed and think it was caused from a previous open heart surgery. Likely from something constricting it on the outside. Not sure how this was missed with as many test as she’s had over the years but none the less I’m glad they found it now. Think 100% blockage equals cardiac arrest. They are thinking that this could be the cause of some of her symptoms but not all of them. It was unclear how much improvement would be seen with the blockage fixed.
There were two options to approach this problem. First they could stent the artery right then during the cath and second we could wait and another bypass could be performed during the open heart procedure. The decision was not as cut and dry as it would seem though. The stent would be the quickest being fixed immediately but it would 3 months before any open heart surgery could be performed. Also Longevity of a bypass could not be great, as we know all to well with having a failed graft and then a stent afterwards.
The doctor was leaning towards the stent option with the chance of improvement and the possibility of avoiding a major surgery. I knew Amanda wouldn’t like this decision much, just as I didn’t. The more I thought it over I began to see the wisdom of the doctor in taking the conservative was approach. Even if we are primed and ready for everything to be fixed now. It is only 3 months with the possibility of some symptom relief. After all I would image with at 95% blockage surely we would see an improvement of something. Amanda is still not to happy about this decision, wanting everything fixed now. I wasn’t at first either and was chatting with my good friend and pastor YJ about how I thought we’d likely see another open heart surgery anyway but he was quick to remind of Ephesians 3:20 now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. I needed that reminder, God could use this to fix all issues Amanda as been having.
It just so happened that in the OR next door to Amanda there happen to be the surgeon that placed her SVC stent and the valve in valve. He has been on board for a few years now and is intimately familiar with our case and Amanda’s unusual anatomy. He was able to step right over after the procedure he was working on and place Amanda’s stent. He also expressed he’s amazement with the blockage occurring in someone Amanda’s age. There seemed to even be some discussion in the OR about which solution would be the best for her.
We are now in a recovery room not a private room as we thought. Just as we got to the room the other patient was leaving and no one else will be coming in tonight, so I’ll be able to spend the night here with Amanda. She is still pretty groggy, out of it, and having some chest pain. The pain doesn’t seem to be to bad, at least nowhere near like the pain of the last stent. She understandably upset about the postponement of the surgery. I’ve just been trying to stay out of the line of fire, which is usually not a good quality of mine! So I went to grab my bag and some dinner after I made sure she was settled.
They left a tube in her groaning incision after the surgery. She’s had many caths before but never had a tube left. After my interrogation of the nurse about the tube I realized it was because her clotting factor was to high to take it out. It needs to be at 130 or below it was at 300 when she first got to the room and was at 200 the last time they checked. Once the expectable number is reached they will remove it, which I imagine will not be a fun. Once it is removed she will start the clock on bed rest for 6 hours. After that she’ll be allowed to get up and move around a bit. The doctor did order some pain medicine we are just waiting for the pharmacy to send it up.
Baring any complications we will likely be released tomorrow. We never make the drive home the day we are discharged so we’ll stay till at least Friday possibly even Saturday. Please pray that we will both be at peace with the decision of the doctors for placing the stent and that her pain will be kept at a minimum.