My Heart Cath

Prior to yesterday’s heart cath my wife Lynnette and I were fortunate to visit with a cute little boy named Grant and his parent’s Kyle and Allie. Grant was born with HLHS and needed some repair work on his liver, which was shaped like a horseshoe around his other organs. But, gratefully, after many prayers and good medical care, Grant is on the mend and doing better. Doctors need to keep him in the pediatric intensive care unit (P.I.C.U.) for another couple of weeks before Kyle and Allie can take him home. In the meantime, his parents have an RV they can stay in parked at the hospital. Kyle has been attending school in Logan, Utah.

While in the P.I.C.U. we saw many familiar faces and had a brief conversation with one of my surgeons. We also learned that little Jack Trent is recovering very well from his Fontan and they hope to take him home soon.

As for my cath, we checked in at noon and waited with other same-day surgery children. I always enjoy sitting in there as the only adult going into a procedure. Toys are everywhere. There was one woman telling her grandson how to play his video game. So I pulled out my Iphone and played a golf game.

We were called into a room after 30 minutes. They checked my vital stats and had me take off my clothes and put on a gown. Doctor Gray came in and we discussed the procedure, which would be my third cath since being listed for a heart last August.

My anestiologist came into the room and we discussed how they wouldn’t put me completely under like the children but they would give me an anti-anxiety drug and another causing amnesia. (In my childhood I remember being awake for most of these caths although they now put the kids completely out).

After saying goodbye to my gorgeous wife I walked into the cath lab which looks like an operation room. There were several nurses and techs prepping the room. We joked about the temperpedic mattress on the narrow operating table. We laughed about many other things as I laid flat on the table.

They hooked me up to machines and began a slow drip of the drug in my picc line. Once the drip was going they put an IV in my left hand so I could have my 24/7 medication Mileranone running into my picc. I continued joking about my vulnerable situation. The radio was playing “round and round” by a metal band called RATT. I hadn’t heard that song in a long time. I mentioned, “you’re putting me out to this 80s song?” Slowly, I faded or drifted off and the procedure went forward.

I remember talking through the procedure although I was very sleepy. I felt the wire going into my body through an artery in my left groin area. It was somewhat uncomfortable, but not painful. It’s like being at the dentist after they’ve numbed you and you feel the pressures of the drill in your mouth but no pain. Doctor Gray checked my heart's pressures, the stent he had put in six months ago, and clot off a large collateral artery.

I awoke in the recovery room surrounded by other children in their beds, plenty of nurses, and a lot of movement. I have to be honest I felt extremely uncomfortable and had a lot of anxiety. I’m not sure if I had a bad reaction to a drug or if some evil power overcame me. I was discouraged and mentally drained. I felt like the character Andy in The Shawshank Redemption trying to escape through the narrow tunnel he had spent years try to dig to his freedom.

After an hour Lynnette put my socks on my feet. I put on my shirt and eventually the anxieties went away. I became calm and asked for some food. I asked my nurse for the popular root beer slushy many have grown to love. I downed a few of those and by 10:30 pm we were able to pack up and head home after getting a dose of antibiotics through my IV, which they would remove. I still have a large bandage over my left groin that I’ll take off in a few hours.

In the midst of suffering I try to remind myself that it does end. It might seem like a million years away. But, the pain ends. Some suffering last our whole life – but it ends. I am comforted by my faith and knowing there is a loving God who does not find joy in our suffering but finds joy in what it makes us become.

(Pictures: Top - Grant and his parents Kyle & Allie, Middle - Me and Lynnette, Bottom - With my Mom whose spent years in a children's hospital with me)

Cath Today & Medical History Diagram

I'm heading into the hospital for a heart cath in a little bit and wanted to post this picture by Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News ©2009.

His photo completely captures our little family at Primary Children Medical Center. Eden is in the back showing my wife Lynnette a toy she loves. This is the 1st floor waiting room for labs on the southside.

Also, I've posted a diagram at the bottom of this blog showing hand drawn images of my heart when I was born and the progression of it's anatomy up to this day. It's fascinating to learn the function of the heart. What a magnificent creation!

Thanks again for everyone's continued support. We feel the power of your prayers and love.

Clinic Update & Concert Story

My bi-monthly clinic concluded that my health is stable. Isn’t it nice to be told your clinically stable? I have more color in my face. I’m producing more red blood cells. (This could explain my leaning toward college blue BYU all of these years.) On Tuesday, I will undergo a heart cath or cardiac catheterization.



My fellow cardiac pal Grant
We continue to get feedback from the concert and are hearing wonderful stories about people who attended the show. My wife and I are still humbled by the outpouring of love and support!

This came from Kyle & Alli, the parents of my fellow cardiac pal Grant, who is recovering from some challenging surgery.

“Last night, we had another huge blessing. We have wanted to attend a benefit concert for Paul Cardall (an musician who has a similar heart defect to Grant and who is waiting for his heart transplant), but we were unsure of where life would take us and so we did not buy tickets.

Yesterday, after we decided we trusted our nurses for the day and we knew our night nurse, we decided we could attempt our first real outing away from the hospital! To our dismay, tickets were sold out. We started trying to find some tickets and just after posting and emailing a few people, someone came on the intercom here and announced that they had tickets for the concert that they were not using that they wanted to donate to a family here on the floor. What a fast answer to a simple hopeful prayer! We claimed the tickets and were able to go with a few friends last night.

What a wonderful concert it was. I had major anxiety leaving Grant for so long, but it was good to be there. We met many heart families who we had previously known only through the world of blogs and thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment. Paul was able to stand with his family and thank those in attendance for their support and it was wonderful to see him, though weak, still full of hope.

There was a beautiful tribute to Gracie Gledhill and recognition of the many other families with "cardiac kids" and the whole heart community was there to embrace another. We spoke with Tom and Michele Gledhill right before the concert and I was so glad for their family to continue to see little Gracie living on and touching lives just as each of these sweet angel babies do to all who know them and their lives.

I loved being there, but I was glad to be back with my sweet baby.” - grantmeaheart.blogspot.com

There are a lot of cardiac kids who are in need of help and there are mother's with empty arms who need our prayers. And when you retire this evening remember them and don't forget to say one for Grant and his family.

Heart Cath & Stent Done

I'm home after Monday's heart cath where they also put a stent in the right pulmonary artery. I feel much better. They were not however able to upgrade the use of my pacemaker. Oh Well. I'm home!!! I'm still a little tired and in bed most of the day but I am with Eden & Lynnette.

Home for the Weekend| Back to the Hospital on Monday

After a difficult week of being in the hospital to help me with my exhaustion my cardiologist pulled some strings to get me home for the weekend. My daughter has been sleeping at my parents home and also at my sister n' laws home. My wife has been working. So, I am happy to be with them for this short weekend. Tomorrow, after church and a nap my wife will work a night shift. I'll be with my daughter at my parents overnight before I go back to the hospital on Monday for several more days of procedures and minor surgery. I will have another Heart Cath and they will put a stent in. They may also change my pacemaker. Then I'll recover for a few days.

While in the hospital they inserted a pick line (mid line) so I could be on a new medication. I am also taking lovenex shots twice a day. In addition, and the most difficult thing is that I am wearing a defibrillator life vest 24 hours a day in the event I have a horrible arrhythmia or heart attack. It is like sleeping on 4 rocks and a think hard cover book. Because of these and other issues I was moved up on the list.

I am sick. It's sometimes difficult and frustrating having no mobile freedom. I am not allowed to drive with the vest. And I rely heavily on my wife and family for support. But, I know God has blessed me. Though there is suffering, I know that He cares for all those hurting. We feel His love and strength through the service of others. It's so important to strengthen our family relationships. There will come a time when you will need them. I am grateful for mine. I wish everyone had the support I do. But, sadly many do not and it breaks my heart. We need to reach out to those in need.

On a spiritual note; there were a couple things this week that helped me greatly. One, prayer. There were nights in the hospital where I felt like I wouldn't be able to make it through the night. But, it was the prayer with my wife, and on another night, my mother, and on another night my father. I felt peace and comfort from that simple principle of opening up your heart to God and thanking Him for all that is good in our lives. The other thing that helped me is a beautiful message on "HOPE" by a man I greatly admire Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Read his discourse.

Back In The Hospital. . .

I've been in the hospital all week and this is the first time I've had a chance to write. I became so weak that they admitted me. Much of my care has been transferred to a children's hospital because most of the experts that have worked with me once a week through a clinic in another hospital could manage my care more closely because they're always here.

I am anxious to get home. On Monday I'm scheduled for a couple of minor procedures; a heart cath, possibly a stint to help get more blood to my lungs, and maybe a new pace-maker. Lucky me!

I'll try to write later and keep you posted! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

My Heart Defect

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to write to let everyone know that I am feeling well and thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Our family is really blessed! And we feel it from you. We will find out on Tuesday what the doctor’s plan is for me and my future after they study through the test results of my Heart Catheterization. I've had them several times and usually it's like going to the dentist for a root canal. No big deal. But this one was a little wild.

They put me completely under for the procedure paralyzing my muscles temporarily so I would not move. Then they thread a small tube up through an artery on my left leg. The shot some type of dye and were able to map out my heart and view things they can never see externally. They learned that the left side of my heart is functioning really well and was miraculously in sinus rhythm (normal heart rhythm). But, the other side of my heart, where the right atrium has been blowing up over the years like a balloon full of blood that swirls around, is having a hard time finding where it is supposed to go. It’s cutting off blood flow to my lungs and I get less oxygen to my body.

Waking up from the procedure was uncomfortable. My body was put completely under. They give you a little something to help your body start up again and pulled a tube from my throat which was helping my lungs expand so I could breath. But we ran into a problem and for almost 2 hours my lungs struggled to take over the breathing process. I felt like I was drowning or had a bag over my head and just trying to grab on to something to try and get a good long breath of air. It was not fun. But, I’m glad it’s over and they have great information to evaluate my case.

I've been blessed my whole life to have this heart defect. I am far from perfect and needed this in my life to teach me things I could have never learned without it. I want to live a long time and enjoy my family and the life I've been blessed with. With every struggle I continue to be reminded by a sweet feeling of peace that our Savior, and Messiah Jesus, his atonement, & resurrection, are real truths. God is my friend. And I know everything works out according to His plan of happiness and purpose for living.

So again, I will find out Tuesday what they would like to do. All the prayers and fasting will undoubtedly influence their decision. Thanks for everything . . . Let us also know if any of you are having some challenges that we should pray for.

All the best,

Paul