LVAD

LVAD ~ Fighting Daily with Heart Failure pt. 5

Drs. had mentioned an LVAD to do the work of my heart but at UVA they are prepping for it. One of the last tests I remember taking before I mentally checking out, was an echo. An echo is an ultrasound of the heart. They can measure the size of the arteries, the blood flow and how many beats. You can also turn up the volume and hear the Lub-Dub. That is the last thing I remember of that day and the days following. I was going down hill fast. My husband said my children came to visit and his family, my mom and dad. Was this going to be the last time they were going to see me? Was this the final goodbye?

My husband watched as the nurses prepped me for surgery, Open Heart Surgery. Was the Lord going to swoop in at the 11th hour and say this surgery was unnecessary? Were the Dr.s going to see a miracle at the last moment? Were they going to start the surgery and just have to close me up again because my miracle working God came to my rescue?

God was there with me but it was in the form of guiding the surgeons hands. He was there in the form of no infections. He was there in the form of the mechanical equipment working as it should. He is with me always and I was alive.

The breathing tube was removed and I began following the nurses directions. I was learning to sit in a chair while dragging all the tubes and wires with me. My pain was manageable. Physical therapy came daily to start my legs marching. I had chest xrays daily to make sure everything was where it needed to be. It was a long road but I was moving forward. I was up to the challenge.

After almost a week I was moved from ICU to the Floor. I began the education side of the LVAD.  What do you do if this or that alarm goes off? How do you connect the wires, correctly? How to put your controller and batteries in the shower bag to take your shower, when you cant get anything wet? Lots of questions. My husband was a A+++ student. He read the manuals and took the tests. He was ready to take care of his battery operated wife.