Yes, a lot has happened since my last post in July, 2009. Some good things, some really good things and some really sad things, too. I lost my job in January of 2011. That was the really sad thing. But, now that there is hindsight to provide understanding, I realize I had to lose my job so that my husband could continue to live. This does sound very dramatic, but it is true.
Keith has had continuing illness from the effects of a very serious heart attack in 1999, at the age of 41. He only lived to see another day because of a wonderful team of doctors who managed to keep him alive for a week to get strong enough to have a five-way heart bypass on July 11, 1999. He continued on with more problems with his heart, until February 2008 when his cardiologist suggested that a ICD would help his heart and his ef (ejection fraction). Then, in December of 2010, his cardiologist said, after yet another heart catherization, he could help Keith no more. He had researched what could be done, still, and suggested he make an appointment to see a doctor in Richmond, who specialized in advanced heart failure. Oh my heavens-so, this is where we are-how can this be?
We went to see Dr. Zeevi in February 2011. I had lost my job a month before. Dr. Zeevi suggested that we consider Keith have a LVAD surgery and they would only do this if he had full time help at home after the surgery for a full three months. So, I understood and Heaven, Providence, and or the Great Karma message in the sky made everything clear.
I am still sad about my job, but I also understand, still, why, I don't have a new job, yet. OK, Keith had the LVAD surgery. Nothing was easy about this surgery for him, but it taught me that I could be a nurse and I went back to school in December 201l, to become a CNA. I was certified for this in January 2012. I also knew that I could take additional education and become a Medication Technician. I only have to take the boards for this to be able to do this job. But, I am getting ahead of myself.
The LVAD surgery was a very invasive and complicated surgery, due to Keith's problems from diabetes, propensity to bleeding and the severe illness of his heart at the time of surgery in May 2011. He also had to have a RVAD attached to his heart for a full week after the LVAD surgery. They had to leave his chest open for this whole week to see if his own heart would decide to start beating and then they would take out the RVAD. His heart started beating after seven days and then they took the RVAD off and closed him up.
Since all this happened, he had to stay in the hospital for a full month and also got Cdif. Because he got Cdif, is why I knew that I could be a CNA. So, something so completely yukky that we had to deal with that happened to him and me, is why I decided on a whole new career path.
The LVAD worked for a while. But, about seven months ago, it pretty much could do no more. Keith needed a new heart-he needed to be listed for a heart transplant.
Can you think about this for a minute. In the media a transplant is treated as a commonplace. Believe me, it is not a very easy thing to fathom or to get ready for. First, a transplant center has to evaluate you to even talk to you. If you don't pass this first test, then, you pretty much know that you will need to get your life in order and make your peace with it.
Keith was able to get the transplant center at Inova Fairfax in Falls Church,VA to talk to him and they asked him to do ten things to be able to be listed for a heart transplant from their center. One of these included a colonoscopy-for this he also needed to have some sleepy cheese (put under, sedated, etc.) and this was yet another risk no one was comfortable with due to his heart problems. We got through this and this was only the beginning of praying and hoping.....
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