Really need support - non BPI

[Joy in FL]

Wells folks I feel like my world has just started spinning out of control and I can't find a darn thing to grab onto to make it stop!

My father went for a Life Screening yesterday and they found a large (7.6 cm) abdominal aortic aneurysm. Now keep in mind as I start to ramble here, my father is the healthy one! We went to a cardiac vascular surgeon this morning and a cardiologist this afternoon. In order to make sure his heart is strong enough to endure the difficult surgery and recovery they are doing a cardiac catheterization on Friday. If the heart is okay they will most likely do the surgery on Saturday. The surgery is extremely intense. He will have at least one night in ICU and a 4 to 7 day hospital stay, with a minimum 3 month recovery.

I feel numb. My father is not only the healthy one but the strong one. He has truly not been sick a day in his life with anything more serious than the flu. He has never been in the hospital unless it was to visit my mother or I. I expect things like this to happen to my mother, who has survived cancer(two different kinds), diabetes, heart problems, kidney problems... and so on. My parents are both so young... Mother is going to be 63 on Sunday and my Father will be 62 in May.

I have spent the last two days being so strong for everyone...my parents and siblings. My brother is so upset he has not even been able to actually speak to anyone but me. My sister is a mess. I am concerned that my mother is going to worry herself into a heart attack. Adam, my son, isn't much better than my sister. He was able to spend a little time with my parents this afternoon and seems to be a little better now. My husband took him out on the boat to distract him, both of them actually. My mother in law and sister in law have been wonderful!!!

I am sitting here crying as I type this.. it is the first time I have allowed myself a mini break down. Not sure I am going to be able to stop crying now!! LOL I know I am probably not making any sense but I really needed to just ramble to someone.

When I had my first surgery my father was the first person I saw when I woke up. Mother needed to go get some air and my father refused to even step outside the waiting room until he talked to the doctor. Even then he stepped out for about 5 minutes and was back in the recovery waiting room... waiting for me to wake up. He had to see me for himself before he would leave to even get something to eat.

My father drove a truck for 37 years before retiring last July. He was awarded 3 MILLION SAFE DRIVING MILES. There have only been around 150 in the history of the company that have done that. My father married my mother who was divorced with FOUR kids,three teen agers and me. He had never been married or even seriously involved before. I can't imagine what he must of thought when he fell in love with us! LOL He has been our rock for 30 years.

I know we will be fine. But, I would really appreciate all the prayers you all can muster being sent our way the next few days.

I need a break. Later
Joy

[Heather S]

Joy,
Just to let you know you're in our prayers. I really hope everything works out for you.
I know it's not the same but my dad had an aneurism in his brain 11 years ago, he had operations and things went fine. He has recovered but he was lucky as the aneurism had just burst.
My uncle also had an aneurism in his stomach and he was fine after operation too.
Don't give up hope and we will be praying for you and your family.
Love Heather & Robbie

[njbirk]

Joy,
Your father sounds like a remarkable person who I hope will be with you and your family for many many years to come. His general good health will be a plus as he heads into this surgery and as he faces the recuperation period. That should comfort you and sustain you. You have my prayers for a safe surgery and quick recovery.

Please keep us informed about his progress.
Nancy

[Kathleen]

Dear Joy

You and your family have my prayers for great healings and strength. You Dad has been your family rock and I am sure his example and wonderful loving ways will help you all to be strong during this terrible time.

He sounds like a truly wonderful person.
His great health will help him through this

Prayers and Blessings to your entire family
Kath

[George]

Hello Joy......what a bum deal. Well...your father is lucky they caught it when they did.....and for that you can be thankful. Will definately keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers. You know....it is certainly nice to have a place where you can come for support, even if it is not necessarily bpi related. What a family here !! Give my regards to your father for a speedy recovery. And I hope by the time you read this you are feeling much much better ) Hang in there gal !!

By the way,....we're getting an awful lot of rain lately.........you planting tomatoes down there again ???

[Dave m]

Hi Joy, really sorry to hear your dad needs the surgery, sounds like he's in good hands though ~ good thoughts are on their way over to you guys i wish you the best of luck in this!

[jennyb]

Hi Joy, sorry I didn't respond sooner, i've been away for a few days. So sorry to hear about your Dad, what a shock for you. hopefully they caught this early enough to get a good result. Try not to worry too much and remember we are all pulling for you and your family. You take care of yourself :0) if all truck drivers were as skilled as your Dad i wouldn't be posting here at all......all the best Jen NZ

[francine]

Joy - thank you so much for sharing your story about your dad. He is a very special man! Maia and I will add him and you to our prayer list when we do our nightly prayers.

I hope that things go very well and that before long it's all behind everyone. What a wonderful thing that he had this life screening done and that it can be repaired before it was irrepairable.

Life Screenings are coming to my little town here and now I'm sure that I'm going to have the three screenings done on me. I hope that everyone who read this will also consider it, too.

God Bless,
francine

[lizzyb]

My thoughts and best wishes to you and your family, and especially to your Dad, Joy; I will be thinking of you; It is hard when something so unexpected like this happens, and always seems worse somehow when it happens to someone who has never been ill before. It is wonderful tho, that the screening has found this problem before it was too late to do something.

I truly know how you feel; please let us know how the surgery goes...sending you a big hug...

Liz b xx

[Joy in FL]

Thanks so much to everyone. I really appreciate all the support and prayers for my family. It has been a world wind week!

After determining my fathers heart was strong enough to withstand the surgery on Friday they decided to do the surgery for the aneurysm on Saturday. Which worked out well considering he was already in the hospital. The surgery went well. He was in ICU until Sunday night. They actually had him sitting up in a chair in ICU. Last night the nurse was going to get him up to walk some. He was funny when I got there yesterday. He asked me to move the sheet off of his feet...then he asked me to move him up on the bed some.... then he asked for his slippers... I am thinking he was cold... then he goes "Okay, help me sit up so we can go for a walk." I guess he thought I would be the one to bend the rules and break him out of bed!! A father truly knows his children! I finally got him calmed down with the deal that when the nurse came in and said it was okay I would get him out of bed. He wasn't overly happy but he agreed.

He is very tired and weak today. I think the walking might have been a little to much last night. He is being extremely demanding of my mother right now. I think part of that is the medication and his frustration of not being able to do things himself.

I need to head out. We have a scholarship ceremony tonight for Adam. He got a $1,000 toward his college. Thank God!

Thanks for letting me ramble and for all your support.
Joy