Bypass Plus Plus

I can't believe I'm writing here in my blogger again when I said that I'll keep my posts private till I'm okay, from the other stuff. AND. It's been just a few hours since my dad's operation was finished. But... I just realized I have to write... as I've been getting the saaaaame questions over and over. Don't get me wrong though, I really really really appreciate all your messages, but for now I'd rather answer them all at once by just one blog post. OK. here it is:

Papa entered the operating room this morning, at 6am, still awake (I kissed him "goodnight!", with all hopes. he smiled and kissed back). I spent the next hours with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin, who - like me - managed to talk about anything on earth, to eat and to laugh just to keep our mind off things.

Finally at 3pm,  Dr. Carino got out looking so tired, then started explaining stuff. To be honest though, I didn't understand his explanation that well. he did explain well, but I guess he said more medical terms than usual, as he knew my mom's also a doctor. I just grasped a very few keywords which I planned to google later on (hehe). and the final statement which was "Ayun, I did CAB x5 (Coronary Artery Bypass) and Mitral Valve Repair. He's now in the recovery room, and will be under close observation. anything can still happen. The nurse will inform when you can see him". WOW, (minus the "anything can still happen" part) I'm glad that after 7 hours, the operation's finished. but... what? he did something else aside from bypass?

Thanks to St. Luke's free wifi, my sister and I used the continued waiting time researching/analyzing what Dr. Carino said. Here's my best interpretation:  Mitral Valve is a like a 2-flap gate which allows blood (with picked up oxygen) to flow from the left atrium into the heart's main pumping chamber, left ventricle. On a time interval, It opens to allow the blood to flow, then shuts again to avoid the leak of blood back to the left atrium. It opens again then shuts again, and so on. In papa's case, since his heart's already enlarged, there's already a gap between these 2 flaps, hence his mitral valve's now always open even flaps are in the "close" position. hence, blood flowing to the ventricle leaks then goes back to the left atrium, then goes back to the lungs. This is perhaps the reason why he can hardly breathe sometimes (all along we thought it's asthma, then pneumonia later on. but no!). SO, Dr. Carino put a ring between these flaps (can't imagine that actually. funny he explained this part in a "WAIT THERE'S MORE" tone, you know what I mean???) so that when flaps close, the valve is really closed -the blood will continue flowing to the left ventricle, without leakage. WOW.

Here's the more exciting/interesting part of my post (I'm posting this also because I'd like to share St. Luke's fantastic, VERY FANTASTIC "recovery team")

At 6pm, we (my mom, my sister and I) were informed that we may now see papa, just through the recovery room's glass door. and so we did, I saw him for the first time after the operation. well... he looked really bad. A lot of wires and tubes were connected to him, BUT the doctor who assisted us (named RYAN, a HE-slash-SHE. hehe) assured us that he's in fact doing well --vital signs are OK. They're actually making noise so that papa would wake up soon. Seriously, there were 5-6 nurses/doctors infront of him talking to each other LOUDLY, intentionally, so that he would wake up. Ryan then said he'll call us again when papa's already awake. maybe after 2 hours.


At 7:30pm (which was just after 1.5 hours!), we were called again to see papa. he still looked bad, but better, because he's already awake. his eyes looked very groggy, and he was just staring at space. Ryan then shouted "SIR, SIR, ANDITO PAMILYA NYO!", in a really cheerful voice -papa didn't react much, he can't move his head. so a nurse moved his head so that he'll be forced to see us. when he saw us, his groggy eyes opened more. The nurses slightly opened the door so he could hear us ("HELLO LEO! TAPOS NA BYPASS MO!", "HELLO PAPA!!!") while we were all waving. his eyes opened even more, like the eyes of a kid who saw his fave toy after N years! Ryan shouted "SIR, ANDITO ANG X GIRLFRIEND NYO! ...NA ASAWA NYO NA PALA!" everyone laughed, his eyebrows moved, his eyes grew bigger! he really was awake now!  a doctor then asked him "AALIS MUNA SILA HA? BABALIK SILA MAMAYA" -PAPA NODDED A LITTLE! then, again, Ryan said he'll call us again, as they'll now gradually remove tubes (yata ?) so he could learn breathing again on his own.

At 9pm, we were called again. Ryan did the same introduction lines -apparently, papa can't remember the 7:30 pm visit -effect of anesthesia. we shouted our hellos again so he could hear us, THEN this time he was able to lift his hand to wave! His lips were moving too, and as he lifted his arms, he was pointing at us, as if he's trying to say something! Again, someone told papa that we have to go but we'll be back later. then Ryan said they'll call us again once there's progress.

At 10pm, we were called for the fourth time. papa looked better, I can't recall which wire/tube was removed..but I knew he looked better. When he saw us, he had round-er/really alert eyes, like he's really wondering what's going on. A doctor then asked him "NAGSASALAMIN BA KAYO?" -papa nodded (doctor thinks he can't actually see us). Ryan then shouts "AY GANON!? SO SIR... DI NYO NAKIKITA KAGANDAHAN KO!???" Guess what... PAPA LAUGHED! it was a faint silent smile actually but I knew it was a laugh supposedly. everyone was laughing as well. Then they let mama go near papa... he attempted talking! mama listened to his choppy whispers while some doctors/nurses infront of him where cheering "SIGE SIR MAGSALITA KAYO! PWEDE KAYO MAGSALITA!!!" (while me and my sister were thinking-- "pwede pala yun? kung ako yun di ko sha pipilitin magsalita!") Later on, papa was really talking to mama! there was still no voice, he still hardly talked, but at least, he was conversing!

He asked where is he, what happened, etc. Mama said "NA-BYPASS KA, ANDITO KA SA ST.LUKE'S" His eyes opened really big, he was so surprised, but before he could say anything, mama said "AY PERO TAPOS NA OPERASYON MO! TAPOS NA!" then we, including the doctors/nurses clapped saying "YEHEY, TAPOS NA!!!". he still looked puzzled, looking around, totally clueless of what's going on... apparently, anesthesia was still giving him the amnesia. while me, to be honest, everything's starting to be more exciting than scary!

The doctor pointed at me then said to papa, "SINO SYA?" -papa whispered  "Le..da?", then the doctor pointed at my sister, asked the same question. papa just stared at my sister. mama said, "SYA YUNG ANAK MONG ARCHITECT!" then papa said "mi...nnie?". (at that point, I wished Ate Lo was also here...)Then the doctor pointed at mama, "E SYA, KILALA MO?" Papa looked at her for a long time, then shook his head, with a faint, naughty smile. everyone laughed ...at that condition, he can still joke around! would you believe that?!

while me... I can't believe he's recovering faster than expected... It's either St. Luke's is doing a really really good job (first time I've seen a recovery method like that -it had the participation of the family members AND the patient himself!) ...or there's a really big miracle happening ...or papa really has a strong fighting spirit. or all. It was like watching a baby learning how to walk, having so much progress every hour. except that it was more dramatic -each time we got out of the recovery room, we were all teary-eyed. hehe.

While my sister and I were walking outside for last minute errands, we laughed at how unbelievable it has been, how good the staff are compared to other hospitals we knew (as far as CAB is concerned) and how true their line was-- "patients will benefit from excellent pre- and post-operative rehabilitation". True, everything was expensive but... I can say it was all worth it.

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So... to answer all your questions briefly... he's still not 100% ok, yet. BUT I have more optimism now to say that he will be better. At least I know we were not wrong in entrusting him to Dr. Carino, his team, and to St. Luke's' awesome staff.

He's now in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) where he'll stay for 2 nights, maybe. then back to the regular room for another 5 nights. just that, HOPEFULLY. Last time I heard from my mom (through text) he can now talk more, but still mumbling funny things coz of anesthesia. he also can't remember all the things last night (awww, but that was... happy! hehe). he's having a slight fever today but it's a normal post-op thing, and at least he has an appetite already. So, thanks thanks THANKS SO MUCH for your prayers... and let's continue praying for him -the wires connected to him, plus the fact that he's still in the CCU, still freak me out a bit.

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TO ALL BLOOD DONORS:
We'll stop donations for the mean time because Col. Marcon will send soldiers to donate blood (THANK YOU!). I guess that would be enough to replace what papa used. However, if you still want to donate, GO GO GO, why not?! there will always be someone out there who will need your blood. Regardless, thanks so much for your intention and willingness. Blood donation details here. THANK YOU! To all those who have already donated: THANK YOU! I'm praying that one day I can pay you back in one way or another.