Grandpa Rick

I just wanted to post a quick update, easier here than on Facebook.

As everyone knows my Grandpa Rick had his heart surgery this morning. We've been waiting for about two months now for him to be healthy enough for this procedure.

So I got here (Sparks) at about 9 this morning. His surgery started at 7:50 a.m.. Mom, Wayne, sisters and I just hung out while we waited. I think all 5 of us were on our phones/hand held technology most of the time. Liz had to leave at around 10:30 to take a test. So anyway, at around 11ish they called us to the counseling room for Dr. Miller to talk to us. He basically told us it went as good as possible considering his heart was as bad as it gets without being dead. Scary!

He said they replaced the aortic valve and repaired 3 arteries (triple bypass) and what they call a "maze procedure". He said it would basically be a waiting game to see if it works. We will know in 3-6 months. He said it'd be an hour or so before we could see him and he was settled. Thanks doc..

So we walked across the street to Wendy's. I mean we were over there for 30 minutes.

We come back and settle in the waiting room. The Chaplain comes to mom and asks if she's ok and tells her she will be with us for the rest of the day and will be periodically going back to get updates from the doctor. When she walked away we all looked at each other confused. Then Wayne's cousin Sherri who has worked at the hospital forEVER comes in. She's just having small talk with us and mom asks her about why the chaplain did that. She says "well probably because he coded, that's normal". WHAT?!?!!!!! She quickly realizes this was news to us! She tells us not to quote her and quickly goes back to figure out what on earth is happening.

She comes back out and says the doctor wants to meet with you all again. My theory--she went back and told them we hadn't heard yet so they knew we needed to be filled in. He comes in and tells us has coded and had to be shocked. He told us this is completely normal and was still very positive. About 5-10 minutes later the "house manager" of ICU (I think he was a nurse) comes and gets us and tells us we can all 4 come back. Liz hadn't made it back yet.

When we get back the RN who stayed with him all day told us he had coded 3 times. They said his potassium was very low. They were trying to get that up. We were told two of us at a time could come back to visit from now on every hour. His RN would be staying in the room non-stop the rest of the day so it was up to us to come in every hour, she wouldn't have time to come get us or update us, she would be doing that as we came in.

So the first time I went back his eyes were open and he was answering my questions by nodding. He is intubated which they are working tonight on pulling him off of that. Then he mouthed "I love you" to me when I was telling him bye.

Then we find out he had to be shocked again. So 5 times all together. It's so confusing to me on how he can be awake and know who we are and answering our questions but having to be shocked back to life. They are telling us this is all normal his heart is just having to work very hard to work.

In a nut shell, he is stable. He hasn't had an episode since 3:40 this afternoon. Please keep him in your prayers. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him. Grandpa Rick, I will be thinking so much about you the next couple of days. I love you so much and I hope you get a lot of rest.

Please keep my mom and Wayne in your thoughts too. They are caring so well for him.

Love,

Sarah