" In a Nutshell "

Alrighty, I went to see the surgeon Thursday. She will be doing the procedure that will unblock my left Carotid Artery. The procedure is called an Endarterectomy. I am so happy that I don't have to say it as I can't, I've tried.

 

 

I will be at the hospital on Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. And of coarse no food or drink after midnight previous. This should make for a cranky Diana. I don't deal well with fasting but this will be when I will call on our Lord to help me through. And to help Jake as I will most likely be pretty cranky by then! 

The following is what the procedure will look like only they don't show the shunt in this diagram. The shunt will bypass the clamps to allow continual blood flow to the brain. The artery itself will be clamped off at both ends and then the inner layer of the artery that contains the plaque will then be removed. Once removed the surgeon will stitch it up.

 

 

 

I have to say that I was very impressed by this surgeon. She was very articulate and seemed to answer ALL of my questions BEFORE I even asked them. She has done this many times and said that I wouldn't notice any scar after. When I told her that scars didn't really bother me, she said " They bother me!". 

She also told me that after this surgery, I should never have to worry about a stroke again. I will have to go for an annual Cartorid Doppler to keep an eye on both arteries. Right now the right side is 30 percent blocked but supposedly that isn't bad enough to warrant surgery.

When I asked her why this happened to me, she had a great answer. I told her that I had abused my body in the seventies, always ate whatever I wanted, drank and smoked until the past few years.

She said that there isn't any one answer to that question. Some people are just predisposed to this. It can also be hereditary. That could explain my grandmothers strokes. She was very healthy , never smoked and ate a healthy diet. We never did understand back then why she had them.

I have to say that I was very impressed, in a short period of time, with this doctor. It seemed as though she has done this many times. She was very young. As I told my friend Jackie yesterday on the phone, it makes me feel older when the doctor doesn't look old enough to be one!! But I walked out of her office feeling very confident and relieved. I will take that as a good sign.

I will have to spend the night in the hospital. Since I was there just five months ago, I wasn't too happy about that but it is only overnight. The doctor said that most of her patients complain of very little pain, mostly numbness and swelling. As soon as I can turn my head from side to side, I can drive again. She said I will be very tired for awhile. A week or two, especially since I just had major surgery five months ago.

I wish this hadn't have happened but I am glad that I know now and something can be done about it. The doctor said she would get me back to riding my bike in no time. So this is all good news.

My husband won't be coming home this weekend. He should be home on Monday so he can be with me. My son and Daughter-in-law will be here too. I asked my DIL if she would make me some of that soup she makes with the corn in it for when I come home. She said "What the heck are you talking about?" I said "You know, the soup with the corn and the hamburger or whatever you put in there. I love that stuff." She said "Oh, the succotash soup!". I told her "Whatever it's called, that's what I want!". So I will have something good to heat up after I get home. I've been eating a lot of soups lately.

Which reminds me. I am going to make some Ham and Beans today. I have a lot to do around here before Tuesday. So I bess get busy!!

We'll talk soon O.K.?