Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Home Again

Dick's going back into the hospital for one more night proved to be advantageous.  The medical team was able to adjust his meds, stop the allergic reaction, and get his pain under  control, so on the whole,  "all things God worked for the good for "Dick" who loves Him and who have been called according to his purpose."


It is natural there is anxiety with transitioning back to a normal life style after this kind of surgery.  Most of you, like me, really know very little about the LVAD.  Dick now wears a fanny pack that carries a computer that controls his heart pump.  This control panel is powered by two lithium batteries which he wears in a harness.  The Vad itself has a drive line that at one end is implanted into his heart and at the other end is plugged into a control panel (computer) that he wears in the fanny pack around his waste.  At the point where the drive line come out side his chest cavity, there is a sterile dressing and this entire dressing is then covered with a large velcro belt.  SO.......  Dick is wearing lots of contraptions that he will continue to wear until he is gets his new heart. All of this is so needed yet so hard to get used to.  Like anything, it will take time to have this become second nature. I think he doing great, but he still needs your prayers.  
As one who like to sleep on her stomach, it sounds awful to have to always sleep on my back.  Lots of changes, but all for his good.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the explanation....I wasn't sure how it works. I know sleeping that way must be difficult but in time, I am sure he will adjust. I am so happy they adjusted his meds and he is feeling better. Love and prayers for both of you, Nancy

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