So consider yourself warned :)
Oct. 3, 2012
As some of you may/may not know, my daddy was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy several years ago (around 2001/2002). Cardiomypathy is when the heart is enlarged and has to work harder to pump blood which causes the heart muscle to weaken. Cardiomyopathy is a long-term condition that can become worse very quickly. Cardiomyopathy can lead to irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and death. He had a pacemarker implanted in his heart. For almost 10 years he has been his usual self (and if you know him- you know what I mean).
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This past summer, he began having problems again. After some doctors appointments, his doctor in Birmingham told him that he needed a heart-valve surgery but he wouldn't survive the surgery so it wasn't an option. They also told him that his pacemaker may be faulty because the wire was connected to his heart anymore...I guess it was floating out in space somewhere:)
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A few weeks ago he had a heart cath done in Dothan and they found a clot on the back side of his heart. They put a stint in. After surgery, he was doing a lot better. Until Monday afternoon--his pacemarker shocked him. Since the doctors believed his pacemarker was faulty he was instructed that if it every shocked him he needed to go the ER. He went and was told that if he hadn't had the pacemarker--he would have been dead...he had a heart attack. He stayed in the hospital Monday evening, yesterday and they hope to come home today, but that's unsure. He says he feels better.
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Some of you may know more than I do...he has been very reluctant to keep me up to date with all of this...he doesn't want to worry us and from the way I reacted 11 years ago---when he was first diagnosed...I kind of don't blame him...if I could stay ignorant---I would :)
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And he may get angry cause I've told yall all this this---but when Phillip Holland has to drive him to the ER---all of Skipperville will know something is up by the time he gets home :) Yall know what I mean :)
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All I ask is that all of you please pray...pray for what I really don't know.....all of my prayers since he was diagnosed have been answered--he walked me down the aisle at my wedding and he was at the hospital when my first child was born --even if I did have to wait until he got back from north Alabama---cause he went to see a man about a dog :) And my prayer for all of my family members to live forever (here on Earth) isn't realistic :)
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And to be very frank with yall---please don't feel you have to tell me your praying if you see me in the hall :) it just might bring on the water-works :) I will know that yall are :)
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> Thanks so much!
> Julie
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| Daddy @ Aunt Kim's Wedding |
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| Au & Papa January 2012 |
Julie,
ReplyDeleteMy husband has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and has an implanted diffibulator. His diagnosis and open heart surgery was in 2005. He is now starting to have problems and we were told in 2005 that his heart was in such bad shape that they will no longer be able to do surgery that once the disease starts to progress again he will eventually need a heart transplant. This story hits really close to home for me. Tim has an appointment the 16th to see if his diffibulator needs to be replaced as the five year battery life is 2 years overdue. His dr told him last year that it would probably need to be replaced this year. I will definitely pray for your dad and I just ask that you pray for Tim as well. I never knew we had this in common. This is something a lot of people are not familar with. If you ever need someone to talk to please call me!! I totally understand! Thanks for this blog and I definitely needed the tissue. So glad your dad went to the hospital and is feeling better! I pray he continues to stay that way!