for medical JUBbers and other interested in Lalo

[hermanding]

Guys, anyone with experiences in any of the following is most welcome to give their views. I am trying to make sense of Lalo's (gary) death - how it came to happen, etc. From his first 82 day hospital visit, I have his medical records. I have nothing on the second 38 day period, but the big questions for me and probably for what his destiny had, are likely in those medical records
He went to emergenci with a blood pressure 186/129, He had felt bad for at least 3 months. His stomach resembld a big beach ball, his ankles and lower legs and wrists were swelled, He had lot trouble lying down and breathing OK. Many times I would wake up at night and see him sitting UP on the bedside due to breathing discomfort. Tired all the time to the point that he did not want to go with priscilla and me on her daily walks - an absolute ritual for us in Bogota, where the ground was more steep and like hills, compared to a flat ground in houston.
I could give or send scans to emails any of the records if anyone wanted to see. But, at this point, I would like to ask for thoughts and opinions about the strokes,
between his emergenci admit 24 agust and his surgery _ 3 artery CABG - there were five days of diagnosticos - ultrasound, various things. the medical guys said he was in congestive heart failure. also bilateral hydronephrosis was found. Lalo would have to try urinating many times, never produce
much. It was found that his bladder was not emptying. over a liter of urine there. ureters dilated all the way to the bladder.
There was much worry about the nephrosis until the CHF findings and need for CABG. at that point, the bladder kidney situation was not priority.
Anyway, more to MY first huge question. I will save others for other times. After the surgery, he had respiratory arrest and was on ventilator for several days. About 3 or 4 days after surgery in ICU, he must have had strokes. When the team got insufficient responses from him, EEG was done, CTscan, and finally MRI. the reading MRI found MMULTIPLE infarcts acute. the medical records give specifics.
Somehow Lalo fought back. He had NO mental impairment, no speech difficulty, he could move any part of his body, no problems that people think of with strokes. BUT ... what he could not do that he could do before the surgery was to have any control of his bowel functions, urinary, nor digestive system. It seemed he would vomit even for no understood reason. Do those of you in medicine - and others with family histories in anyway similar - think that these infarcts /apoplegias/ could be the reason for what I consider to be the destruction of Lalo's self dignity over bowel function, urinary, etc? He could do that before going to the operating room. When he left ICU 31 days after entering it, he never would get messages that he had the urge to defecate. he would realize it happening as he felt it leaving him in his clothes. the medical team said he had cardiovascular disease, and arteries like tissue paper - so much so they were afraid the grafts might not succeed. I have postulated several times if with the CABG fixing the heart to have open ducts and probably pump more powerful, it the arteries - still weak weak - could not stand it and began to blow like damaged tires or something.
I would appreciate ALL comments, thoughts, opinions. This is not about any thoughts of legal fights, etc. I have no ability to do one anyway - no relation and no agreement with Lalo. It does not bring him back nor bring him back in good health. It is for some understanding of questions that will NOT STOP. the doctors - since I was not family - did not discuss him with me, except on shallow comments.
thank you all . thank you all
ding

 

[hermanding]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

I am putting just a short post on, in case any doctors,nurses, medical people see it, putting back up at the top for a short while.
ding

 

[Corny]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Hey ding, I am moving this to the Health forum, since I know that there are quite a few people with a medical background reading it.

 

[cityboy-stl]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Ding,

I do not know anything about medicine but I did read your entire post and am truly sorry for what you are going through. Having all these questions and not understanding what really happened must be heartbreaking. I still a lot of questions about what happened when my grandmother passed so I can somewhat understand how you feel. I'm sure Lalo what very grateful for your presence during his illness. I can't answer any of your questions but I do pray that you find acceptance and peace. God Bless.

 

[KaraBulut]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Your partner was in a high risk situation. He entered into the surgery with a lot of risk factors and in bad condition. He was in a difficult situation where he was very ill and a bad surgical risk but without the bypass surgery, he would have only gotten worse.

Bypass surgery is a big stress on the body. Even a very healthy guy like Bill Clinton was really very ill for nearly a year after his surgery.

I could explain in great detail about what happened with your partner- I've seen many similar cases over the years.... but I don't think that is the answer that you're looking for.

Many times the physiological and medical answers don't answer the question of, "Why do bad things happen to good people?".

You're grieving deeply. Part of the grieving process is a period of anger and bargaining where you look for answers about why a death happened or what caused it. Understand that a lot of what you are feeling is part of your grief.

 

[hermanding]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

it may be part of it - but the actual question is could the strokes have been a result of the surgery- since the arteries may have been tooweak to carry the stronger pumping from the corrected heart. I don't try to look for meanings in the universe. everyone dies sooner or later. since gary had functions when he entered that he did not have shortly after the surgery, i am wondering if these strokes are the reason.
ding

 

[KaraBulut]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Strokes occur for several reasons in this situation.

During surgery, the heart is stopped and the person is placed on a bypass machine that extracts the blood from the body and pumps it back into the body. There is some evidence that small strokes can occur during bypass in high risk patients.

Also if your partner had a cardiac or respiratory arrest after his surgery, this is also another point at which he could suffer both brain damage from low oxygen levels and a stroke from clots that can form during the arrest.

Given your partner's poor health before the surgery, he also may have had existing clots that had formed in his legs. When these clots break loose, they can lodge in the brain, the lungs and other vital organs.

But again, these are medical explanations for a situation that was very unfortunate.

 

[Georgiadude]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Ding,

I'm terribly sorry for your loss. It is always difficult to lose anyone that is close to your heart.

I know you are looking for answers as to "what happened". There are many, many possible causes for the strokes. Gary had high blood pressure. Over time high blood pressure weakens the arteries and blood vessels. Due to the high pressure the arteries and veins develop weak spots. It's like when a garden hose gets a bulge in it. You can see the spot getting bigger and soon it starts to leak or even bursts. It also sounds like he had congestive heart failure. The heart is so weak that it can't pump blood efficiently. The blood and fluids start to "pool" in the extremities. Especially in the lower legs. He would have to sit up at night to breathe because the weight of his body was suffocating him. His chest muscles and diaphragm weren't strong enough to expand his chest so sitting up took the pressure off his chest and he could breathe again. The blood was pooling in his legs and wasn't getting moved throughout the body and it can form clots. These clots can get lodged in the very small vessels in the brain and cause a stroke. So the strokes can be caused either by a blood clot or if the vessels burst.

He lost control of his bowel control most likely because of the strokes. The stroke possibly happened in the area of the brain that controls that function for us. His brain was not able to read the signal that his body was sending telling him he needed to use the restroom. His body did what it needed to do to get rid of the waste. He didn't have any control over it. I'm sure he was very embarrassed about it but it wasn't his fault and those caring for him knew that.

I hope that helps some. I am so sorry for your loss. Take as much time as you need to. Everyone deals with loss differently. There are no set rules. However, don't let it consume you. Try to remember the good times you had with Gary not the last couple of months of his life. It sounds like you had a wonderful person to share your life. Many people don't have that.

I will try to keep a good thought for you.

Best wishes.

Steven.

 

[hermanding]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

steven and karabalut,
you are confirming what I was suspecting as the reason for the loss of bowel control and a functioning digestive system. To be sure, people knew it was not a fault on his part. I cleaned him up the short time he was home between hospital visits. Definitely he had congestive heart failure. One reading of some kind of enzyme in emergency with letters like PNB was 2300, when my understanding is it should not be over 100.
I have another topic to put up about the kidneys and bladder,with some quotes from the medical records that are fascinating.
I believe my question on this one is answered.
and thanks to all of you for contributing.
ding

 

[jockboy01]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

As stated, it's hard to say. The number you are referring to is BNP or ANP. And yes, that's high. Clearly he was in heart failure and needed the surgery. Without it, he certainly would have died.

The vessels likely did not burst as a result of the improved blood flow. It was, as stated, more likely from a clot of some sort. Chances are, we will never know. And the loss of function probably was a result of the strokes... depending on their location in the brain. Unfortunately, it sounds as though he was in a bad position. The surgery was definitely his best chance, even though the risks were high. I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

It sounds like the kidney/bladder problem was from obstruction. Hard to say with this information, but I would bet he had an enlarged prostate or something along those lines which made urinating difficult and distended both the bladder and ureters.

 

[cbtfan]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

Ding,

I am sure you have already been all over the net to find answers to your questions.

The answers are yes, no, and possibly.

After a long illness my partner also lost all body functions. Even swallowing in the last few days.

I looked all over the net when my partner was ill... medical sites and possible cures... Vitamin B12, special foods, herbals.. any snake oil remedy was worth following...
T.E.N.S machines, acupuncture, etc etc etc.

I am sure you went down the same lines.

but that is my story.


From what you have said your partner would have died one way or another.

No matter what the medics did...or didn't do.

Not too sure this post has helped at all...


Species 8472 (AKA cbtfan)

 

[hermanding]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

species and jockboy
no, it DOES help what you have said. yes, i did look during the rage phase as I saw him being destroyed in front of me. I have another thread on this forum about Lalo and the kidney problems with medical record quotes of findings from ultrasounds, cystoscopies, MRi, etc. Of course, LALO will not come back, no matter what anyone may say. I WILL ALWAYS WONDER

 

[hermanding]

Re: for medical JUBbers and other interested in La

sorry´ i stopped the post by mistake.
I will always wonder if lalo had symptoms and did not want to say anything for whatever reasons, or would not admit the symptoms even to himself, - or did not have anything until the shortness of breath when trying to lie down - which was only 3 months before going to emergency.
the incontinence at night 4 months before leaving bogota surely was a symptom of something
thanks to all of you for your very kind words and attempts to hold my hand and give me the benefit of your info.
much love
ding