My Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS)
In October of 2006, I went into the hospital with AFR and was diagnosed with very severe Emphysema and they sent me home and told my daughter “if” I was to live through this, the hospital would be a revolving door for the next 6 months and maybe a year (at the most), if I was lucky and lived that long.
My GP sent me to rehab in Feb. of 2007, which helped me in regaining my strength. I went to my pulmonary doctor in June of 2007 and he said he couldn't do anything more for me and said I should be checked out for LVRS or transplant. I said at that time no to a transplant, however said would consider the LVRS. About 6 weeks later, I got a call from University of Washington and they took information from me and my Pulmo's office called with some testing schedules. I do want to say I did the testing no problems at all.
In August of 2007 I started testing. First I had a PFT, then a blood test to show that I had not smoked. A couple of days later I had an ABG done, which is not really bad if you have a good respitory specialist. That was ok, so they sent me on to have a heart echo, with showed high right sided pressure. Since that one showed high pressure I had to have a stress echo done about a week later, which showed high pressure.
At that point I was just going to quit testing when the Lady who co-ordinates these things at the U of W called and convinced me to have a heart cath. She said the numbers on the two others were just so different and she said there are many false positives for that on the echocardiograms, so I agreed and went and had a heart cath done. The test is not fun because you have to lie so long, it was driving me nuts, but doesn't hurt, you just have to have patience (something the good Lord hasn’t been able to drive into me yet). I didn't take their funny medicine I refused any meds to make me not remember or whatever it was they offer. The results were fine so went on with the rest of the testing being a cat scan a couple of blood tests, x-ray etc...
Then my appointment for the exercise tolerance over at the U of W along with a perfusion scan and another PFT, another Ct scan and ABG. The perfusion scan, tells them basically where to cut.
For the exercise test they put you on a bike with their oxygen on you and you peddle away as each 30 seconds in some others 60 seconds they make it a little harder. I rode for 15 minutes and quit because I noticed my heart rate at 160 and that scared me so I told the lady I couldn't go anymore. I was asked why I quit and I said my legs got tired and my heart was too fast. That is also when they do the stress test on the heart, if I had not had one done before, getting 2 for one
. A woman has to do 25 watts and a man I think 40, and I did 45 so was considered high exercise tolerance.
Next day meeting with the surgeon, and the co-coordinator and got all the good and bad said. He said I would be a good candidate but I also was in class 2, Upper Lobe disease, but high exercise capacity, whereas the best is Upper Lobe, low exercise capacity. When all was done I told him I had to go home and think on it. So next day drove back to Spokane and give it some thought for a couple of weeks, as I didn't really feel I was too bad off in comparison to some I had seen so I'm thinking why? I think anything like this is a big decision and should not be made on a whim, as you have to look at your life not just now, but what it can or can’t be when all is done. This was about the middle of November. I decided to go ahead and have the surgery, I called them and they set it up for Dec. 13th, I believe it was.
I checked into the hospital at 6:30 a.m. on Dec 13th, 07. They got right into me and asked me to change into their lovely gown and asked their normal questions etc. The anesthesia team came in to put in the epidural. Others came in and did their things like took blood etc. I was taken down to surgery area about 8:00 a.m. and they told my daughter and Son that the surgery would be about 1 1/2 hours and the doctor would be down to talk with them as soon as he was done. About 9:20 the doctor was down talking to my daughter & son and told them everything went well, that it was one of the easiest one he had done, I didn’t show any signs of air leaks and had already woke up and was being taken to recovery. After recovery for an hour or so they would transfer me to ICU for a few hours then to my room. ICU was full that I had to spend the day in recovery until later in the evening and they transferred me into ICU.
After having a few pints of blood (that I know of) they ordered more blood and told me then that I had a bleed and would have to go back into surgery. My family was unaware that I was bleeding and I didn’t know until I was in ICU that I was bleeding. Finally they got a hold of my family and told them that the chance of me making it was not good, as bleeds are very hard to find. I had 6 pints of blood that I know of and my son said I had blood other than that. I was a bit scared yet pretty calm and really still tired. I felt like I could breathe easier as soon as I woke up although I did get a little short of breath (SOB) it was different, it was just easier to breath.
Okay so a second surgery was needed. The doctor that did the second surgery on me came in to tell me what was happening; I had people all around me. There was the resident doctor there that I seen when I went in for my pre surgery talk and he also was my doctor taking care of things while I was in the hospital. He said there are a lot of prayers being said for you, or something to that affect, then he said you will be fine you will come right through this and will come right back to this room in no time. I can tell you that I truly feel God spoke through that man to let me know that everything was ok.
Chances of a bleed is not great, but happens and is one of the possibilities in any surgery they can be very hard to find most of the time. So to me even though he was on the surgical team, God used him to let me know not to fear, and a calm came over me that I cannot explain, it was like his voice and words were of God and there was to be no doubt that I would be ok. I thank God for answering those prayers, so when I say God brought me through it I MEAN God did actually guide everything that was done and I believe He led each of the doctors to do as they did, as they opened me up and the bleed was right there, they didn’t have to search for it or anything God exposed it. Thank you Jesus for my life, this day, this breath, the earth and all therein, I give you praise. I know some may not appreciate this portion as you each of us have our own believe system, but I will not leave this portion out as I do give the credit to God, and is always nice to have him on your side.
They took me back and did surgery again about 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. on Friday morning and they quickly found the bleed. I went back to ICU after the second surgery for a few hours and then off to my own room. Friday afternoon they got me out of bed and had me sit in a chair for an hour then a couple hours later they had me walking. The surgery was not so bad after once awake and back in room. I was some weaker than normal after having that second surgery I’m sure, but I got along just fine.
I had a sternotomy, they cut through the breastbone, which in a way is good as they don’t go through all those big muscles in your chest then so to me it would make sense the pain isn’t quite as severe. You have pain don’t get me wrong but they give you stuff to control it, you just have to use it and was a little hard headed in that department I didn’t want to push the button and they cannot do it, but I was stupid it is best to keep the pain under control. I am funny about medicine I just don’t like it, although I knew in my mind it was a temporary med I didn’t want anything to do with it. They did finally talk me into pushing the button, just not as often as they would like so every time someone came in they gave me the button and said push it. The pain is not a really bad pain it actually to me was a burn when I inhaled or tried to take a deep breath, and my back would hurt from laying on it I think. What pain was there was well worth the results. Every day I had chest x-rays to see how the lungs were moving up to where they belong and watch the chest tubes and just how thing were over all. I thought maybe I would be light up in the dark by the time I got home, but nobody said anything so I guess I didn't light up
.
I had 4 chest tubes in 2 on each side. Air leaks are the most common thing and I didn’t get one until just before going home so had to leave in 1 tube and return to Seattle 1 week later to have it removed. I think the tubes cause more pain than any of it and when they pull them the pain is not too bad, but still is there, I would like this pain like gas pains. Your pain on recovery is gone in most 2 to 3 weeks, and continually lessens in that time, so for the 1st week being the worst and continues going down from there I was off the pain meds in 3 weeks, 2nd week very light being meds and the 3rd week being occasionally and just usually at night if at all light to none most days, medication..
I went home on the morning of Dec. 18th 07, to my sons with all doctors saying I looked great and was doing way to well to be in the hospital. I went home to Spokane on the Morning of the 19th, my son drove me home and it really was not a bad trip at all. I Got in and out of his truck just fine. My legs apparently were still pretty strong.
I returned to rehab at 9 weeks and when I finished rehab I walked 1987ft in a 6 minute walk test, double from when I started. It now has been just at 4 months and I am doing things I never thought I would ever do again, yes even things we don’t like to do like some of the cleaning etc. I don’t know if I have gained any lung function, but am thankful to God for whatever it is I have. I know I do things I could not do before. I don’t use oxygen except to sleep and exercise, which in itself is a blessing.
This surgery has given me my life back, it has allowed me to do things I thought I would never do again. I walk daily, do all my own housework, camp, do the jet ski’s fun, I still have problems walking inclines, but can do it, slow gets the prize. I did get off 02 except for when I exercise or sleep, to me that is a blessing in of itself. Am I healed, NO, I am still living with diseased lungs, but I have some normalcy back in my life and I will take it for as long as God allows it. I didn’t gain the lung function many do, and I suppose that had something to do with the second surgery, however my quality of life has changed so dramatically I would go through it all again, even knowing I had to have the second surgery.
I would say to anyone that qualifies for it, go for it!!!! It literally gives you a life back! I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I give all the glory to God, as He is the healer of all!
. A woman has to do 25 watts and a man I think 40, and I did 45 so was considered high exercise tolerance.
