First post:
Dec 12, 2019 Latest post:
Dec 13, 2019
Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.
As most of you already know, Jackie has been having problems with her left arm due to an old Dialysis access port.
Recently she had been experiencing increased pain and swelling in her right arm causing her to seek medical attention.
So Thursday her doctor ordered an ultrasound which confirmed there was a blockage in her old dialysis site but an MRI was needed to determine exactly where the problem was.
Unable to obtain the specialized MRI ordered by Friday, her Vascular Surgeon c/b to say Jackie needed to be admitted immediately as time was of the utmost.
With that being said, fast forward to Monday morning, she received a call stating the hospital had a bed for her and she would be admitted as soon as she could get to the hospital.
On arrival to the hospital, a "STAT," MRI was conducted, and revealed Jackie had what appeared to be a "large, baseball size, pseudoaneurysm," pressing on her right brachial artery."
In other words, she had a "huge hematoma or sac of blood," that needed to be removed immediately!"
With that being said, surgery was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Surgery was long and unfortunately more complicated than anticipated as the "Pseudoaneurysm of her Brachial Artery had by this time ruptured. "
Unable to save the artery, a ligation of the artery was performed and a vein was removed from her leg and used to construct a Bypass around the blockage and facilitate blood flow.
Surgery was long, (approx. 4 hours), complex, tense, but ultimately successful. Recovery will be slow and unfortunately painful but she has a good mental attitude and understands the recovery process.
Because she lost a fair amount of blood, and her Hemoglobin was low, she was transfused with 2 units before surgery. Because her "Hemoglobin continued to be low post surgery and her Potassium was now high," she required an additional 2 units of blood after surgery.
As of this writing, she is in dialysis and having her blood transfusions. Her pain is being managed with the use of a PCA pain management pump that she can control herself as needed.
She is for the most part relieved this is behind her and quite anxious to be discharged and return home to the comfort of her family, friends and surroundings.
Until she is dschg, she can be reached at her cell #386 873-9665 or at ORMC Rm#N516 tel. 407 841-0094.
On behalf of Jackie and the rest of the family, thank you all for all the love, your heartfelt words of encouragement and continued prayers.
We will continue to keep everyone updated as we are.
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