Miscellaneous Bypass Info

Like every unexpected thing in life, we are learning a lot in a short period of time. Some of you have asked for information, so I thought I'd list it all out here.

The human body, it seems, comes equiped with spare parts. We have two eyes, two ears, two kidneys, two lungs, an extra lobe on the liver, and even spare veins and arteries. Including one called the mammary artery. (Warning: this link is very informative but does include photographs). The mamary artery is already attached to the aorta, and the other end can just be re-routed to create a bypass. Which is exactly what the surgeon plans to do with Jim. Additionally, he has numerous "spare" veins in his legs that can be used for the other bypasses.

The surgery itself will take 4 - 8 hours. During this time, Jim will be on a respirator and his blood will be circulated by a pump. His heart will need to be stopped for a short period of time while the bypasses are created, then restarted. His sternum will be wired back together after the procedure.

The cardiac team that will be working on Jim operate at the VAMC (Veterans' Administration Medical Center), the UofU Medical Center, and LDS Hospital. They are the best of the best.

Jim's recovery will go something like this:

• 5 - 7 days in the hospital. By the time he goes home, he'll be able to perform basic tasks like getting in and out of a chair or bed, brushing his teeth, showering, etc., and will already have started physical therapy.
• 4 weeks of no driving. Yes, I will be his chauffeur. No, you can't call me James.
• 12 weeks of not lifting anything over 10 lbs. So, he can pick up our cat Zoe, but he can't pick up Tidbit.
• An additional 12 weeks of not lifting anything over 20 lbs.
• Lots of walking
• Change of diet

Once Jim gets home from the hospital, I'm sure we'll have LOTS of learning curves. We're trying very hard not to think about the next week and all the scary bits. We're focusing on the process of getting him well.

Thank you for your continued prayers and well-wishes.

Love to all,

E