Well I didn’t expect to have to do an update to Barb’s cancer story, was hoping remission would be the happy ending.

However, as you may know part of remission is periodic checkups and CT Scans to insure the monster doesn’t return disguised in a different location. Well Barb has been getting quarterly checks and scans, and on a couple scans there appeared to be an area of calcium deposits near the heart.

She took copies of Scan reports to discuss with her cardiologist at her annual checkup with him. He suggested an angiogram to check the blood vessels around the heart, to ensure they were functioning properly. The angiogram was done Monday 2 August. After the procedure the cardiologist came to her bedside and said they’d found areas of 80 -  90% blockage. Stents were not a option because of the locations. Inserting a stent to correct one area would block another area. The block vessels involved were ones that provide blood to the heart so they are of some importance ! He further suggested surgery within the next month as the possibility of a heart attack were not in her favor. In fact he could have the resident surgeon come talk to us. He further stated there was a possibility she could be admitted today and have surgery tomorrow.

Surgeon  came in and discussed options and suggested coming in next week to further discuss and then set date for surgery. Barb asked if there was a possibility of being admitted today and surgery tomorrow? He took a step back,  then checking his calendar said “ yes I think we could make that happen”. 

We were already at the Baylor Scott and White Heart Hospital, a place we felt very comfortable with and had a surgeon highly recommended by our cardiologist, why wait and chance possible catastrophic issues when we’re already here. So she went from day surgery patient to being admitted and prepped for bypass surgery the next day. She was the first surgery patient Tuesday morning,  

They did a triple bypass surgery, bypassing blocked vessels with clear blood vessels taken from her leg, just below the knee. Surgery was major, they “ cracked “ her sternum and opened her up as required to get to the heart area. She left her room at 07:30 and was in ICU around noon. At 4:00 they had her get up and shuffle to a recliner where she sat for 2 hrs. I was amased!!  Now it’s just a matter of healing, being very careful not to put stress on the chest area, no lifting, no raising elbows above horizontal, no pushing off to get out of chairs. No climbing stairs, (our bedroom is on second floor). 

And so it goes, we take a couple steps forward and sometimes another one back, but we’re still here and working toward 50 years next June 😊

Thank you one and all for your thoughts and prayers,   Dan