Update...

This is a replica of the heart procedure I had done.

I can't believe it has been over two weeks since my surgery. The last two weeks have been a blur. My surgery went as well as can be expected. The first day in the hospital following my surgery was a little rough as my leg where they inserted the catheter kept bleeding. The nurse would not let me move anything at all until it stopped bleeding. I could not even lift my head an inch. They had to give me a steroid shot in the leg to help stop the bleeding but that didn't help, so they put a 10 pound sand bag on my leg for over a half hour. It seemed to help but I didn't have any feeling in my leg afterwards. The doctor said that the hole in my the heart was larger than he had expected and also that they had found a "pocket" inside the septum, which in his words were "that is very bad". I guess blood can clot in that pocket and then break off and cause a stroke etc... So they were able to put this Helex medal device into my heart and seal off the hole and the pocket. It is amazing what they can do. The surgery lasted about and hour and a half. The recovery has been slower than I want it to be but I am doing well. I have to take it easy for about a month--I am not suppose to do anything that will raise my heart rate. This I find almost impossible as I seem to be winded just going upstairs. After the month the doctor will evaluate my heart. He said that it could take 6 to 12 months to heal completely. In the meantime I have to take it easy so the device doesn't shift or dislodge. I have been very touched at the kindness and prayers of so many people. I could not have made it without them. It has not been easy, but my burden has been lightened by the many kind acts of others. Thank you to everyone!

This is an x-ray of the helex metal device in my heart. Fun Stuff!!

Heart Surgery

I am having heart surgery tomorrow. It was discovered recently that I have a congential heart defect called a Atrial Septal Defect or ASD.

During fetal development, the upper chambers of the heart (atria) divide into right and left sides. In some, the closure is incomplete leaving a "hole in the heart". The hole in the heart is measured on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the greatest) and mine was considered a 5+.

Since pressure in the right side of the heart is lower than the left side, blood can flow from the lungs directly through the ASD back to the right heart; re-circulation through the lungs again and again. This abnormal recycling of blood through the lungs is called "shunting". The amount of blood flowing (or shunting) through the lungs may be many times more than the blood flow to the rest of the body. Shunting is an extra blood volume to the right side of the heart which can cause an overload of the heart. This overload can cause enlargement of the heart, abnormal heart rhythm, congestive heart failure, and injury to the arteries of the lungs. Since the filtering function of the lungs is bypassed, stroke or brain abscess may occur if clots or bacteria cross the ASD into the left side of the heart.

I have had severe migraine headaches my whole life. I usually get them once a day. The heart problem was discovered because of my headaches. Tomorrow (Monday, April 12) at 8:00 a.m. I am scheduled to have a surgery. I will be put to sleep and a catheder will enter my femoral vein and go up into my heart. There, the hole will be closed with an umbrella-like patch that comes out of the catheder. I'm scheduled to be in the hospital for two days.

Hopefully all of this will help my headaches. Wish me luck!

Best Dressed

Recently our Stake had an adult dance with an 80's theme. A few days before the dance, we were talking with David's family and asked them if anyone had some 80's clothes. Adam, David's brother in law said, "Ya I have some pink parachute pants". The day of the "big dance" arrived and I did not know what I was going to wear. I went to my closet. All I could do was laugh as I reminisced about actually wearing some of the clothes that now I was going to wear as a costume. I peg legged my pants, hair sprayed my hair to make me look like I had wings, put on bright blue eye shadow and I was ready for the dance. David put on his bright pink pants and a Sesames Street neon yellow shirt and we were off to the dance. I was hoping we would not be noticed too much as I don't like to be the center of attention. Well that did not happen. We walked into the gym and the crowd was in the middle of learning a line dance. A friend in the ward noticed us and yelled out..."HEY STOP! EVERYBODY!! LOOK AT BROTHER MCMILLAN!". or something like that. Well the music stopped right in the middle of the song and all eyes were on us!!! It was like it all happened in slow motion. It was very embarrassing. Everyone started chanting "McMillan's, McMillan's" So we ran into the middle of the dance floor and David did some sort of break dancing move and I tried to act... well not totally humiliated. Later in the dance David and I received the "Best Dressed" award. We won a 80's wig. FUN TIMES!!!