Re: having heart surgery

[Guest guest]

Kay,

I hope everything turns out well for . I will keep you all in my

prayers and thoughts.

Mabel, mom to Carolina, Cristian, a-ds (10.5 months old)

>From: " Tiernan, Kay " <kay.tiernan@...>

>Reply-Multiples-DSonelist

>'Multiples-DS' <Multiples-DSonelist>

>Subject: having heart surgery

>Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 08:58:27 -0500

>

>Good timing on the SBE notes. is scheduled to have her little heart

>repaired on 2/17. She will have two tiny holes stitched shut and her mitral

>valve repaired for a leakage. Doc. says she'll be in a min. of 5 days,

>probably closer to 10. The problems haven't worsened, but since she is

>gaining weight so slow (only 12 lbs. at 10 mos.) and she doesn't have any

>other health problems at this time, the Doc. says it's time to do it.

>

>We're nervous as heck and would like to hear from everyone on support,

>questions we should ask, what to expect after surgery, etc... Any words of

>encouragement are appreciated! Our pre op with the surgeon is the 10th.

>

>Kay - Mom to , , -ds

>

>

______________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Kay..nothing can prepare you when she comes out w/

tubes and things everywhere! They look so tiny and

helpless in that huge bed BUT kids are so strong and I

went thru it twice so say prayers (which I will be

sure to say that day) and know she will be fine! once

she is off respirator your home free and the stay is a

drag.

Remember a mitral valve repair means pre-med for ANY

type of dental work or surgery prior to getting it! As

a hygienist we run into this all the time and have to

turn pts. away when they dont realize they tell us

they had mitral valve and we end up rescheduling.

Will they have to do open heart or can they go thru

the leg arterys for hers? its the latest thing now and

if you can avoid the chest scar..why not! that is a

question to ask!

--- " Tiernan, Kay " <kay.tiernan@...> wrote:

> Good timing on the SBE notes. is scheduled to

> have her little heart

> repaired on 2/17. She will have two tiny holes

> stitched shut and her mitral

> valve repaired for a leakage. Doc. says she'll be in

> a min. of 5 days,

> probably closer to 10. The problems haven't

> worsened, but since she is

> gaining weight so slow (only 12 lbs. at 10 mos.) and

> she doesn't have any

> other health problems at this time, the Doc. says

> it's time to do it.

>

> We're nervous as heck and would like to hear from

> everyone on support,

> questions we should ask, what to expect after

> surgery, etc... Any words of

> encouragement are appreciated! Our pre op with the

> surgeon is the 10th.

>

> Kay - Mom to , , -ds

>

>

>

=====

mom to Katy (10) and Denton (5)

both DS.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Kay: We'll keep (and you!) in our thoughts and

prayers for a speedy recovery.

Judi-Mom to Sam and , 3, Identical Twins

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay,

I'm thinking of you and your family as your prepare for to have heart

surgery. I don't know if you're familiar with our story, but Sara (DS) age 5

did not have a heart defect, but her twin, (not DS) did, so I have

been through it. was 13 months old when he had a Patent Ductus

Arteriosis closed. It certainly is probably one of the more minor repairs in

the world of heart surgery, but he still had to be anesthesized and the

surgery had to be done at a special pediatric center in a city about three

hours from where we live and we were very nervous about it. We had a choice

of two different procedures--one was somewhat new and would not have been so

invasive and the other was the old tried and true method of opening him up

and going into repair the PDA. We struggled with that decision quite a bit,

but chose the tried and true method and are glad that we did, now. What I

remember most, was how quickly he was up walking around (He had just started

walking a month before the surgery). On the second day after the surgery, he

was on the go again. I know will do just great and you will be very

happy to have it behind you.

Marcia

Mom to Sara (DS) and Age 5 and Lucas 9

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay. I was just wondering since we live close to each other, which

hospital are you useing? And does she have a gentics doc? We have been to

most of the hospitals around the area, so I can give ya hints on what is safe

to eat!!!!! And tell ya where the importent things are, like coffee machines!

mom to Bill(DS) , and ALec age 4 and Hunter age2

[Guest guest]

Tiernan, Kay wrote:

>

> From: " Tiernan, Kay " <kay.tiernan@...>

>

> Good timing on the SBE notes. is scheduled to have her little heart

> repaired on 2/17. She will have two tiny holes stitched shut and her mitral

> valve repaired for a leakage. Doc. says she'll be in a min. of 5 days,

> probably closer to 10. The problems haven't worsened, but since she is

> gaining weight so slow (only 12 lbs. at 10 mos.) and she doesn't have any

> other health problems at this time, the Doc. says it's time to do it.

>

> We're nervous as heck and would like to hear from everyone on support,

> questions we should ask, what to expect after surgery, etc... Any words of

> encouragement are appreciated! Our pre op with the surgeon is the 10th.

>

> Kay - Mom to , , -ds

>

OH Kay! I wish I could be with you and help you out with your family! I

feel like WE are family, I often tell other family and friends about

your triplets and Mabel's triplets and my twins are all the same age!

{what a play group that would be!} The best I can do and will do is pray

that " our " will be strong as a horse when she is through! And I do

know that this will be a strain on the rest of your family, I'll be

thinking of you, please, if you can, keep us posted{I've been there with

the surgery thing before, years ago the husband was very sick in a NY

hosp. for months!} God bless you ANNA!!!!!

Gail.......Bobby 6, Jillian 3.5, and Tara{Ds} 10 months

> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

Kay,

Our thoughts and prayer are with you and and you all family.

Hope things go well. Keep us posted how well things are going.

Gob bless you

mom to 6(DS) and Dayton will be 20 months in 2 days (DS)

Re: having heart surgery

>From: GVanHouten <rjvh@...>

>

>Tiernan, Kay wrote:

>>

>> From: " Tiernan, Kay " <kay.tiernan@...>

>>

>> Good timing on the SBE notes. is scheduled to have her little heart

>> repaired on 2/17. She will have two tiny holes stitched shut and her

mitral

>> valve repaired for a leakage. Doc. says she'll be in a min. of 5 days,

>> probably closer to 10. The problems haven't worsened, but since she is

>> gaining weight so slow (only 12 lbs. at 10 mos.) and she doesn't have any

>> other health problems at this time, the Doc. says it's time to do it.

>>

>> We're nervous as heck and would like to hear from everyone on support,

>> questions we should ask, what to expect after surgery, etc... Any words

of

>> encouragement are appreciated! Our pre op with the surgeon is the 10th.

>>

>> Kay - Mom to , , -ds

>>

>

>OH Kay! I wish I could be with you and help you out with your family! I

>feel like WE are family, I often tell other family and friends about

>your triplets and Mabel's triplets and my twins are all the same age!

>{what a play group that would be!} The best I can do and will do is pray

>that " our " will be strong as a horse when she is through! And I do

>know that this will be a strain on the rest of your family, I'll be

>thinking of you, please, if you can, keep us posted{I've been there with

>the surgery thing before, years ago the husband was very sick in a NY

>hosp. for months!} God bless you ANNA!!!!!

> Gail.......Bobby 6, Jillian 3.5, and Tara{Ds} 10 months

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi Judi,

Thanks for sharing your story about your boys and their PDA repairs. My

twins were not preemie's. In fact 's problem was not found until he

was eight months old. Wow! It does sound like the method we didn't use was

much quicker than the more invasive kind that we used. Four years ago,

before we had our computer, I only received referrals of others who had had

the procedure done from the Hospital.Somehow, I was not conncected to anyone

who had had the catheterization done, but did talk to a family whose little

girl had had the surgery done. I think I would have been less nervous if

someone would have told me it was not considered " heart surgery " as well.

How helpful this list would have been back then and what a great resource it

is now!

Marcia

Mom to Sara (DS) and 5 and Lucas 9

[Guest guest]

Marcia: Both my boys had their PDA's closed too. Were

your twins preemies? First they tried closing it

w/medicine (forget the name) but that didn't work, so

when was 8 days old, (and less than 2lbs, at

that point) he had surgery to have his closed.

Because he was so premature and his skin was so thin

and no body fat to speak of, they actually " glued " him

back together! They couldn't use stitches or staples.

Boy, that was a sight! The Doc's told us they don't

really consider PDA surgery " heart surgery " because

the y are closing the artery that connects the heart

to the lungs and the heart is not invaded (still nerve

wracking no matter what you call it!). Sam had the

same problem, but he had an additional complication, a

coarctation (or narrowing) of his aorta, where it

joined the heart. In his case, he needed his PDA open

to ensure adequate blood flow to his heart and

extremeties. Of course, the open PDA meant more blood

to his lungs, and a longer stay on the vent, and more

chance for infections, etc. We were told that he

would have to be 5lbs to do surgery to correct the

coarctation and close the PDA. They just didn't have

instruments small enuf to do it on him at 2lbs. To

make a long story short, as he slowly grew and gained

weight, the coarctation grew out, and opened up, and

his PDA almost completely closed. We went to the

cardiologist for a follow-up at 9mos and he still had

a tiny pin-hole PDA. We were told about the less

invasive procedure he we a candidate for: PDA Coil

Embolization. They go in via cardiac catheterization

and place a coil in the PDA to close it. We were able

to go with Sam in to the Cath lab has he got

anesthesia and he was done in about 30 minutes. If he

were a year old, he would have been released that same

evening, but since he wasn't he stayed overnight. The

cardiologist who did the surgery said it was unusual

for them to have a baby w/DS that only had the PDA and

no other heart problems! This was a peice of cake

compared to having " glued " back together!

Judi-Mom to Sam and , 3, Identical Twins

--- Rrietmann@... wrote:

> Hi Kay,

>

> I'm thinking of you and your family as your prepare

> for to have heart

> surgery. I don't know if you're familiar with our

> story, but Sara (DS) age 5

> did not have a heart defect, but her twin,

> (not DS) did, so I have

> been through it. was 13 months old when he

> had a Patent Ductus

> Arteriosis closed. It certainly is probably one of

> the more minor repairs in

> the world of heart surgery, but he still had to be

> anesthesized and the

> surgery had to be done at a special pediatric center

> in a city about three

> hours from where we live and we were very nervous

> about it. We had a choice

> of two different procedures--one was somewhat new

> and would not have been so

> invasive and the other was the old tried and true

> method of opening him up

> and going into repair the PDA. We struggled with

> that decision quite a bit,

> but chose the tried and true method and are glad

> that we did, now. What I

> remember most, was how quickly he was up walking

> around (He had just started

> walking a month before the surgery). On the second

> day after the surgery, he

> was on the go again. I know will do just

> great and you will be very

> happy to have it behind you.

>

> Marcia

> Mom to Sara (DS) and Age 5 and Lucas 9

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay,

Skye had heart surgery when she was 8mths old to repair a VSD.We were

prepared for the surgery(so we thought) read and talked to other

parents.When They rang us up on the Friday to say she was having surgery

the following Thursday,it was real and everything we read etc did not

even come into thought the week passed in a blur.The night B4 we were

shown the ICU ward and there was a little boy(DS) in there with and I

just burst into tears thinking Skye will be there tomorrow.The week in

hospital went but again it was a blur.I had with me the whole

time as I was breastfeeding them both.It went well.

I took pictures of her in the ICU ward and I am glad I did as now she

will have a look at the photos and relate her scar to the picture but

when she is older she will understand a bit more (I hope).If I am

feeling sad I myself look at the pictures and think how very lucky we

are that Skye is here today full of energy.

You will have so much on your mind that the time she has her op till the

time you go home will pass in a blur.

I will be thinking of her.

Easterbrook

mum to Kane 11yrs,Sian 8yrs,Skye(DS) and 6yrs.

Tiernan, Kay wrote:

>

> From: " Tiernan, Kay " <kay.tiernan@...>

>

> Good timing on the SBE notes. is scheduled to have her little heart

> repaired on 2/17. She will have two tiny holes stitched shut and her mitral

> valve repaired for a leakage. Doc. says she'll be in a min. of 5 days,

> probably closer to 10. The problems haven't worsened, but since she is

> gaining weight so slow (only 12 lbs. at 10 mos.) and she doesn't have any

> other health problems at this time, the Doc. says it's time to do it.

>

> We're nervous as heck and would like to hear from everyone on support,

> questions we should ask, what to expect after surgery, etc... Any words of

> encouragement are appreciated! Our pre op with the surgeon is the 10th.

>

> Kay - Mom to , , -ds

>

> ---------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi Kay,

I will keep in my thoughts and prayers. Keep

us posted. Landon still has a small VSD that hasn't

closed yet. It is getting louder and that is supposed

to be a good sign. mom to Landon (ds) and

Ashton 19 months

--- Shellhutch@... wrote:

> Hi Kay. I was just wondering since we live close to

> each other, which

> hospital are you useing? And does she have a gentics

> doc? We have been to

> most of the hospitals around the area, so I can give

> ya hints on what is safe

> to eat!!!!! And tell ya where the importent things

> are, like coffee machines!

>

> mom to Bill(DS) , and ALec age

> 4 and Hunter age2

>

__________________________________________________