Hospital, Week #2

The results from the TEE came in on Sunday, and the results showed bacterial growth on SY's heart where her pacemaker was connected. Though it's unlikely the pacemaker was original cause of the infection, it's currently preventing a full recovery (there are no capillaries there by which to deliver the antibiotic).

So the pacemaker has to come out -- although it may not have to be replaced.

According to the cardiologist, the lead wire going to the atrium somehow became disconnected, meaning the pacemaker hasn't been effective for some unknown period of time.

He said this this sort of thing usually happens within the first few weeks after installation because scar tissue hasn't grown over and held it in place -- not after 16 years. So just how long has this problem been around?

There's no telling. Between the two kids, the jet-setting we've done, and the moving around, I wonder if the cardiologists SY had been to ever checked for disconnected leads. I know that during her pregnancies, they wouldn't do any X-rays, but what about before?

That'll probably remain one of life's mysteries.

In any case, the question as to whether a replacement will be needed will be based on how SY does after the surgery, which was scheduled for Thursday.

By Monday her breathing had gotten a little better, but she still suffered from pleural effusion, so they performed a thoracentesis. Better details are available at Wikipedia, but basically they stuck a needle into her back (after anesthetic) and drew the fluid out of her pleural space. She started breathing much more easily afterward.

Because there wasn't much need for me to be at the hospital during the night, we switched up my visiting schedule starting Tuesday. Instead of taking the kids to friends' houses for the night, I keep them at home and leave them with others during the day while I check in with SY. This fits better with the doctors' schedules, so now I can be a part of the discussions, rather than acting like an orderly.

On Wednesday she got a blood transfusion to better prepare for the surgery. All total, she'd given about two pints of blood since she came to the hospital (for blood tests and such), so I'm sure she could use it.

So now, having controlled the infection, increased her blood counts, and solved the respiration issue, she was ready for surgery.

Thursday's operation went well. The pacemaker came out and it looks like she won't need a replacement, but we'll have to see how things go with her recovery before the doctors can make a final decision.

The question came up, "Didn't anyone notice that it wasn't doing anything?" Well, according to one cardiologist I asked, it's likely they did, but considered taking it out to be a bigger risk than leaving it in.

By Friday the 20th she was ready to accept visitors again, so I took the kids to see her for the first time in a week and a half. She was very happy to see them -- I think that will go a long way to shortening her recovery time.