All patched up!

The hole in my heart (PFO) is now patched!

Surgery was not too bad. It all happened in one day. I showed up at 8 and got to leave a little after 5. They used a femoral line to get to my heart. This is the 2nd femoral line I've had in 2 months. I'm so glad they didn't have to crack open my chest, but I've got to say I don't find femoral lines very comfortable.

My mom LOVES pictures so she gave one of the nurses a camera.

Just before they started

This is the device they used to close the hole. It is bigger than I expected

You can just make it out on the x-ray.

They had a hard time getting around the pacemaker wires but eventually they got it where it needed to be. Before I even came to my heart started to beat irregularly. That was the complication we were most worried about. For now we are going to give it time to gets used to the device and see if it goes back to normal, or whatever my hearts approximation of normal is.

The hardest thing at the moment is my blood pressure is super low. I can't stay up for long before I black out. I'm trying to be especially careful not to fall. The doctor said not to jar the device or it could break loose, also I don't want to hit my head while on blood thinners.

Everyone has been so nice. I've got candy, movies, and books to keep myself occupied, plus before the closure a friend did glitter toes for me! (thanks Mette)

I'm very grateful for all the prayers said for me. Thank you for all the support and love you've shown me.

Bubbles

I recently had a test to figure out how big the hole in my heart is. The test is called "Transcranial doppler with bubbles". They put a something like a hat on my head that ultrasounds the main arteries in my brain. Then through an IV they push some air bubbles. They use the ultrasound to see and hear if bubbles are getting through the hole into the wrong side of my heart and then into my brain. PFOs (the type of hole I have) are given a rating between 1-5 . 1 meaning not much gets through. 5 a lot gets through. I got a rating of 5+ it sounded like pretty much everything was getting through.



My cardiologists were arguing about whether or not to go through with the closure since there is a risk of arrhythmias, however now that we know so much is getting through they feel that the only option is too close it soon. The closure is set for March 28th.


The video below is what we expected to hear during the test. He said to expect 2-10 bubbles.


This next video is what we heard when we did my TCD bubble. (Warning it is kinda loud)


Cool right? I had to chuckle to myself because while they were doing the test all I could think was THIS.