Thanksgiving

There has been quite a bit of excitement around the Kelly household these past few days.  There is a internal cable which attaches directly to Dicks pump in his body; this same cable then comes out of his body through a port and attaches to a computer/control panel that is on his body at all times.   Well, we had noticed the connection between the cable and the metal housing  on this cable was pulling apart. We have been trying to keep it together  with tape until someone from the company could come to Sioux Falls and repair it.  Tuesday evening Dick was changing from batteries to AC when his alarms went off.  We were able to get the alarm silenced and immediately reported it. By noon Wednesday a representative from Thoratec had flown in from Chicago and had fixed it.
Wednesday evening, I had already taken my back brace off and had laid down for the night when I heard Dick's alarm go off again.  This time it was a solid alarm which indicates a life threatening pump problem.  Dick was yelling and I was trying to get out of bed as fast as I could to get to Dick.  The solid alarm still was ringing; immediately I called the LVAD coordinator who identified the problem and helped me exchange his computer to a backup computer.  The disconnection of his control computer instantly took his flow from 90% to 10%.  If he had not been laying down, he would have pass out.  Once changed everything was quiet and was back to normal.  Even though we both were a little rattled, all that training from this summer proved itself absolutely necessary.  Thanksgiving morning, another control computer arrived by curior; it is vital to always have back ups, just incase something like this happens.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and aside from the scare, the good new that we all are very thankful, is Dick's name on the heart transplant list!  The hard surgery is over, the most difficult transition has been completed.  From here on out it is downhill.  The transplant itself is a much easier surgery than this LVAD implant. So we are counting our blessings for the worst is over.

This Thanksgiving I am thanking God for each of you.  You have carried us in your heart and carried us in your prayers.  God has answered your prayers and Dick is living proof of the faithfulness of God to answer prayer.  How can we ever thank you?
We love and cherish each of you.