Prayers Please

[the daydreamer]

He is in our thoughts and prayers!!!!!!!!!!!

[RidgeRunner]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
He was in cardiac rehab doing well post bypass and he got pneumonia, then he stopped urinating and the supplemental potassium built up to dangerous levels. They were marching on with therapy and he just couldn't get his wind. O2 levels won't hold without oxygen. Friday was a bad day as he just couldn't breath with all the fluid in his lungs. Renal failure is mainly due to the lasics I think. HE is retaining water like I never seen, catheter helped a lot as his output rose drastically and he is getting rid of fluids but it isn't a fast process. They rushed him from the rehab facility to the ER Friday morning where they worked on him for 8 hours trying to get him stable. I was concerned he might not make it then, that being the worst day post surgery. His problem from the beginning has been Congestive Heart Failure. He has improved since, but has drawn the line in the sand and refuses to do all they have to offer. Dialysis for one.. He is not convinced he will recover (depressed) and his mind is so sharp, he has a strict DNR in place and wishes upon wishes not to linger about as his mother and father both did. Granny spent 12 years in a nursing home. Roy went to see his mother there nearly every day for 12 years, a real testament to the kind man that he is. He does not want to end up in a nursing home because it would be such an imposition on my mom. As it is I think he is pissed off at all of us for making him take the medicine and have the surgery. He had no choice if he wanted to survive. I think that is the part we don't understand fully. He can't see making it back to do the things he enjoyed the most and isn't pleased and we couldn't see doing without him on any level so in that regard we are selfish. At any rate, a new cardio medicine yesterday seemed to help. Helps with the "squeeze" portion ??? of his heart rhythm which is weak. Supposed to help with everything else also.. It is out of our hands, hope and pray he responds to the treatment. Thanks again, keeping the faith. Vic

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

At any rate, a new cardio medicine yesterday seemed to help. Helps with the "squeeze" portion ??? of his heart rhythm which is weak. Supposed to help with everything else also.. Vic

It's called the ejection fraction. It's the amount of blood that the heart pumps out with each beat vs the amount of blood that enters the heart with each beat. Normal is between 50 -70%. Mine was very week and was at 20%. Not good. There are meds that can strengthen the heart, but most doctors do not know/prescribe CoQ10. (Co Enzime Q 10) It is ESSENTIAL for a healthy heart, and the body tapers off making it around age 35 in men... By my age (70) my body was making less than half of what is needed for a healthy heart. My brother is a chemist, and told me about CoQ10, so along with the meds they prescribed for me I also did some research, found out about CoQ10 and started taking 300 MG per day. (100mg is normal, 300mg is optimal) My ejection fraction went from 20 to 55 in 3 months and is at 65 now (Considered excellant for my age). Understand, CoQ10 is a NATURAL occuring enzime that your body makes, and WILL NOT interfear with ANY meds they place him on. I urge you with the strongest possible force to start him on 300 mg per day. Oh, and there are 2 types of CoQ10...the cheap type has to be converted by the body into a type it can use, so about 90% of it is lost in the process... the other type (Ubiquinol) is already converted and so the body uses all of it. Your dad will thank you for it years from now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubiquinol EVERY MAN HERE should be taking this supplement daily to maintain a healthy heart. It saved my life... use it to save his.

[RidgeRunner]

Great Info Desroyer.

Numbers improving, having a chest x-ray at this moment but the pneumonia must be lessening as he is clearly breathing easier. Very optamistic this morning, we have seen numbers improve two days running.

I told him this flirting with the edge of the woods needs to stop.
And If he needed more attention all he had to do was ask for it. This all wasn't necessary.

He got a chuckle.

His attitude has improved along with his condition.
It has been so long since surgery his chest isn't sore. Otherwise the coughing from the pneumonia would really smart.

Thanks again for all the warm wishes/prayer.

[bradford]

Prayers for you and your Dad.

Good info Destroyer.

[randlemanboater]

Praying for Roy.

[RidgeRunner]

Thank you for all the blessings. After looking at the x-rays he had to have chest tubes installed to drain fluid from around his lungs. They removed a considerable amount at 3 liters as of 2100. it is a wonder he could get a breath. That is ongoing Congestive Heart Failure as I understand it. He is alert and talking better now that he can get a breath of air. Meanwhile every minute that goes by he gets weaker and weaker. Well past concerned and second guessing every decision now.

[cfelton]

Prayers sent for your Dad and your family.

[RidgeRunner]

As of now dad still has chest tubes but they are not producing anything since about 6:00 pm Saturday. They are driving him nuts. The doctor does not like the sound of his right lung. It isn't making the correct noises.. Otherwise, stable, good vitals, eating well, input output is withing range, still on oxygen but they reduced it to 2 liters and he was holding his own. It sounds bad, but he is actually stable with numbers improving. Alert, clear eyed and breathing easier. He finally got rid of all the excess fluid in his legs, they look like prunes now.. Any time now he can get the chest tubes out and maybe the catheter, so he can start rehab.
ALL PROGRESS STOPS with pneumonia. The strong grow weak and the weak often just don't survive. Prayers used, thanks to all... Still working..

[bradford]

Hang in there Ridge, said another one.