a:3:{s:4:"date";s:0:"";s:5:"title";s:32:"Surgery Successfully Completed!!";s:7:"details";s:3413:"We are so very excited to share the great news that Sheila is out of surgery and recovering in ICU!! The doctor said everything went really well, and what was supposed to take 4-5 hours, only took 2.5!!! We think it is because she had an AMAZING surgeon, who had an even more amazing patient!!! If you don't know Sheila Foley........you should. She is an absolute rockstar and is the only one who can make open heart surgery look easy. I was teasing Curt that she might be the only one up here that doesn't have grey hair and then I thought.......forget that. Sheila has gray hair. That is beautiful by the way. She came up from recovery already having had the breathing tube taken out, which we weren't expecting until maybe the earliest tonight, but likely tomorrow. Well someone forgot to tell the young "INDEPENDENT" lady who was actually having the surgery. That being said, it's been a long afternoon because many times she is alert enough to know that she can't stand the Bi-Pap (step down from a respirator) due to the extremely tight mask that is providing two different levels of air pressure: one for breathing in and one for breathing out. She is on a PCA for pain control (continuous flow plus she can give herself a 'bump' every 10 min). It is a fine line of not wanting her to have problems with decreased breaths from narcotics causing respiratory depression, vs not getting enough pain relief that she takes too shallow of breaths and therefore can't rid herself of the carbon dioxide. Twice today anesthesia docs had to come up and lay eyes on her because her CO2 level was at a very high (panic) level, and there was strong consideration of putting her back on a respirator. The good thing is that her level of alertness and not feeling horribly short of breath (remember, she just had open heart surgery earlier THIS morning) weren't totally matching her repeated abnormal lab values. Until her level gets to a certain point, she can't remove that mask. It was trying really hard to start coming down which was becoming a tad relieving. AND, as I am writing this......IT HAPPENED! Her mask is off for a 2 hour probationary time until it is confirmed with her next lab, that it can stay off! We are so very thankful for all the prayers and are eternally grateful to God for keeping her in the palm of HIS hands. And for the incredible staff that have been very team focused (Dr's, nurses, Respiratory Therapists, nursing assistants, lab technicians, the preciously friendly and helpful receptionists both in the pre-op and post-op area), and everyone involved. Please continue to pray that she will have a restful night, that her heart and lungs stay strong, and that she once again can remain complication free with these very invasive and complicated surgeries. We joked that she will be the only person discharged on day 2 straight from ICU. In all honesty, we have had to pull her phone away a couple times because she felt bad about not responding to peoples texts and FB messages of thoughts and prayers. We reassured her that we were pretty sure people would understand if they didn't get a response from her for at least several days or weeks and that she was ok not to do it 8 hours after the start of surgery. Geesh. God is good all the time. And all the time God is good. Check back as we have great pictures from today and are just waiting for LAHU to load them.";}

Surgery Successfully Completed!!

We are so very excited to share the great news that Sheila is out of surgery and recovering in ICU!! The doctor said everything went really well, and what was supposed to take 4-5 hours, only took 2.5!!! We think it is because she had an AMAZING surgeon, who had an even more amazing patient!!! If you don’t know Sheila Foley……..you should. She is an absolute rockstar and is the only one who can make open heart surgery look easy. I was teasing Curt that she might be the only one up here that doesn’t have grey hair and then I thought…….forget that. Sheila has gray hair. That is beautiful by the way. She came up from recovery already having had the breathing tube taken out, which we weren’t expecting until maybe the earliest tonight, but likely tomorrow. Well someone forgot to tell the young “INDEPENDENT” lady who was actually having the surgery. That being said, it’s been a long afternoon because many times she is alert enough to know that she can’t stand the Bi-Pap (step down from a respirator) due to the extremely tight mask that is providing two different levels of air pressure: one for breathing in and one for breathing out. She is on a PCA for pain control (continuous flow plus she can give herself a ‘bump’ every 10 min). It is a fine line of not wanting her to have problems with decreased breaths from narcotics causing respiratory depression, vs not getting enough pain relief that she takes too shallow of breaths and therefore can’t rid herself of the carbon dioxide. Twice today anesthesia docs had to come up and lay eyes on her because her CO2 level was at a very high (panic) level, and there was strong consideration of putting her back on a respirator. The good thing is that her level of alertness and not feeling horribly short of breath (remember, she just had open heart surgery earlier THIS morning) weren’t totally matching her repeated abnormal lab values. Until her level gets to a certain point, she can’t remove that mask. It was trying really hard to start coming down which was becoming a tad relieving. AND, as I am writing this……IT HAPPENED! Her mask is off for a 2 hour probationary time until it is confirmed with her next lab, that it can stay off!

We are so very thankful for all the prayers and are eternally grateful to God for keeping her in the palm of HIS hands. And for the incredible staff that have been very team focused (Dr’s, nurses, Respiratory Therapists, nursing assistants, lab technicians, the preciously friendly and helpful receptionists both in the pre-op and post-op area), and everyone involved. Please continue to pray that she will have a restful night, that her heart and lungs stay strong, and that she once again can remain complication free with these very invasive and complicated surgeries. We joked that she will be the only person discharged on day 2 straight from ICU. In all honesty, we have had to pull her phone away a couple times because she felt bad about not responding to peoples texts and FB messages of thoughts and prayers. We reassured her that we were pretty sure people would understand if they didn’t get a response from her for at least several days or weeks and that she was ok not to do it 8 hours after the start of surgery. Geesh.

God is good all the time. And all the time God is good. Check back as we have great pictures from today and are just waiting for LAHU to load them.

a:3:{s:4:"date";s:0:"";s:5:"title";s:24:"Heart surgery scheduled!";s:7:"details";s:3263:"The old saying "no news is good news" definitely and thankfully relates to Sheila's health over the past couple months. Today we had the updated consult with the Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Sheila will be having open heart surgery.....this week. She will be having a valve surgery with a mechanical valve so will be on blood thinners for the rest of her life as well. They had wanted to do a couple more tests in order to get data as close to surgery date as possible, so at the end of the consult she came back in and said "how does this Friday work?" Since Sheila's insurance benefits switch to Cobra the end of next month, they were happy that it could get scheduled so soon. Ok, happy may not be the truest adjective, but the need to get it done sooner than later is a very good thing for several reasons. Sheila has been unable to work since October so the thought of having to pay the cost of Cobra insurance for an extended period of time with having regular cardiac rehab and post-op appointments brings great stress that neither Curt or Sheila need. Plus, the sooner she can be recovered, the sooner she can look forward to spring and summer and returning to a normal routine with regards to life, activities and employment. Please keep Curt and Sheila in your prayers this week as they prepare both mentally and physically for this next big surgery. Some people think scars make you look tough. We already know Sheila's strength, mentally and physically, so these will just be reminders of how blessed she is with life, every single day, and how great God is in His protections. The rest of us think they are sexy, but we are hoping these are enough for the rest of her lifetime! Plus, the scars on the outside don't even come close to describing her strength and beauty that is seen on the inside. Please continue to say prayers for the following: *peace of mind going into surgery this week and especially Friday morning for both Curt and Sheila. She is the first case. *for the surgeon and medical team that they are able to be well rested and do what they do best, successfully and confidently. *that the mechanical valve will begin doing it's job right away and be free of problems *for a recovery that will go smoothly, understanding that patience will be needed in order for it to be successful. Cutting one's sternum open and manipulating the heart during surgery does not fit into the category of quick and easy when it comes to healing. *we all remember that God does not say life is easy, but He does say He will never leave us. If you know friends, family or co-workers that are in a position to help make a donation, we are extremely humbled and thankful for you passing along this link. Thank you for walking alongside Curt and Sheila these past 5 months. It's never easy to be vulnerable, but it does teach us about things like Grace, Humility, Strength, Faith and Love. As well as paying it forward. Jeremiah 29:11-13 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.";}

Heart surgery scheduled!

The old saying “no news is good news” definitely and thankfully relates to Sheila’s health over the past couple months. Today we had the updated consult with the Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Sheila will be having open heart surgery…..this week. She will be having a valve surgery with a mechanical valve so will be on blood thinners for the rest of her life as well. They had wanted to do a couple more tests in order to get data as close to surgery date as possible, so at the end of the consult she came back in and said “how does this Friday work?” Since Sheila’s insurance benefits switch to Cobra the end of next month, they were happy that it could get scheduled so soon. Ok, happy may not be the truest adjective, but the need to get it done sooner than later is a very good thing for several reasons. Sheila has been unable to work since October so the thought of having to pay the cost of Cobra insurance for an extended period of time with having regular cardiac rehab and post-op appointments brings great stress that neither Curt or Sheila need. Plus, the sooner she can be recovered, the sooner she can look forward to spring and summer and returning to a normal routine with regards to life, activities and employment.

Please keep Curt and Sheila in your prayers this week as they prepare both mentally and physically for this next big surgery. Some people think scars make you look tough. We already know Sheila’s strength, mentally and physically, so these will just be reminders of how blessed she is with life, every single day, and how great God is in His protections. The rest of us think they are sexy, but we are hoping these are enough for the rest of her lifetime! Plus, the scars on the outside don’t even come close to describing her strength and beauty that is seen on the inside. Please continue to say prayers for the following:
*peace of mind going into surgery this week and especially Friday morning for both Curt and Sheila. She is the first case.
*for the surgeon and medical team that they are able to be well rested and do what they do best, successfully and confidently.
*that the mechanical valve will begin doing it’s job right away and be free of problems
*for a recovery that will go smoothly, understanding that patience will be needed in order for it to be successful. Cutting one’s sternum open and manipulating the heart during surgery does not fit into the category of quick and easy when it comes to healing.
*we all remember that God does not say life is easy, but He does say He will never leave us.

If you know friends, family or co-workers that are in a position to help make a donation, we are extremely humbled and thankful for you passing along this link.

Thank you for walking alongside Curt and Sheila these past 5 months. It’s never easy to be vulnerable, but it does teach us about things like Grace, Humility, Strength, Faith and Love. As well as paying it forward.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

a:3:{s:4:"date";s:10:"02/01/2023";s:5:"title";s:15:"Great Perfusion";s:7:"details";s:1637:"Curt and Sheila met with the neurosurgeon to review the recent scan, discuss the success of the first surgery, and determine whether a second surgery is needed on the right side. Great news........at this time, the Dr. does not feel we need to do a bypass surgery on the right due to the way the brain is being adequately perfused just by doing the left side! We are so very thankful. The question was asked if it is something that may be needed down the road, and the answer was "possibly, but not necessarily." He was happy with the growth of new blood supply just by having done the left carotid bypass. He also said at this point there are no restrictions, and he is signing her off to proceed with the workup for her open heart surgery to replace the aortic valve. We are so very thankful for the fact that Sheila had no real complications or setbacks, and the brain surgery was the one the Dr's felt was more of a priority, and much more delicate with regards to possible complications/setbacks. So, on that note, we meet with the Cardiothoracic surgeon already on Feb. 22 with hopes of proceeding as soon as possible. We are so very grateful to everyone for the love, support and prayers. Please continue these as we advance to the next step of this crazy journey. Stay tuned as we were contacted by one of the local tv stations that wants to do a story with Curt and Sheila as well as Dr. Drofa, to bring about more awareness of Moyamoya. Here are a couple pictures of what my brain looks like after surgery with all the staples, mesh and artery bypass, along with the perfusion that has been a result of a successful surgery.";}

Great Perfusion

02/01/2023

Curt and Sheila met with the neurosurgeon to review the recent scan, discuss the success of the first surgery, and determine whether a second surgery is needed on the right side. Great news……..at this time, the Dr. does not feel we need to do a bypass surgery on the right due to the way the brain is being adequately perfused just by doing the left side! We are so very thankful. The question was asked if it is something that may be needed down the road, and the answer was “possibly, but not necessarily.” He was happy with the growth of new blood supply just by having done the left carotid bypass. He also said at this point there are no restrictions, and he is signing her off to proceed with the workup for her open heart surgery to replace the aortic valve. We are so very thankful for the fact that Sheila had no real complications or setbacks, and the brain surgery was the one the Dr’s felt was more of a priority, and much more delicate with regards to possible complications/setbacks. So, on that note, we meet with the Cardiothoracic surgeon already on Feb. 22 with hopes of proceeding as soon as possible. We are so very grateful to everyone for the love, support and prayers. Please continue these as we advance to the next step of this crazy journey. Stay tuned as we were contacted by one of the local tv stations that wants to do a story with Curt and Sheila as well as Dr. Drofa, to bring about more awareness of Moyamoya. Here are a couple pictures of what my brain looks like after surgery with all the staples, mesh and artery bypass, along with the perfusion that has been a result of a successful surgery.

a:3:{s:4:"date";s:8:"12/10/22";s:5:"title";s:22:"Staples out. Woot woot";s:7:"details";s:551:"VERY brief update to say ALL 20 staples were removed yesterday!!! Wow. I can finally wear a hat to cover my very cold head, without the fear of pulling one of them out. The simple things in life. We are so very blessed to be covered in your love and prayers. Please don't stop. Praying that in these coming weeks, we can all take time to reflect on all that is good, and all that we have to be thankful for. Most of all........who it comes from. May you seek all those reminders that keep you focused on the fact that HE is the reason for the season.";}

Staples out. Woot woot

12/10/22

VERY brief update to say ALL 20 staples were removed yesterday!!! Wow. I can finally wear a hat to cover my very cold head, without the fear of pulling one of them out. The simple things in life. We are so very blessed to be covered in your love and prayers. Please don’t stop. Praying that in these coming weeks, we can all take time to reflect on all that is good, and all that we have to be thankful for. Most of all……..who it comes from. May you seek all those reminders that keep you focused on the fact that HE is the reason for the season.

a:3:{s:4:"date";s:8:"01/14/23";s:5:"title";s:12:"Post post-op";s:7:"details";s:954:"Sheila had her 6 week post-op on Jan 3rd. Not a whole lot to report as they weren't sure which test to order to evaluate the blood flow given her allergies. The surgeon was happy with the incision healing and how well she is coming along. She is still having some problems with fatigue and finding words at times. Sheila is scheduled for a Diamox scan on Jan. 26th so we will know more then as to not only the effectiveness of the first surgery, but it will determine if/when there is a need to operate on the right side of her brain. This study determines the blood perfusion of the brain and Diamox is used to increase blood flow to the brain. Please continue to pray for not only the test, but also the results and guidance of the neurosurgeon. Should she not require brain bypass on the right, we will immediately meet with the Cardiothoracic surgeon and begin the work up for my open heart surgery. We are so grateful for all that people have done!";}

Post post-op

01/14/23

Sheila had her 6 week post-op on Jan 3rd. Not a whole lot to report as they weren’t sure which test to order to evaluate the blood flow given her allergies. The surgeon was happy with the incision healing and how well she is coming along. She is still having some problems with fatigue and finding words at times. Sheila is scheduled for a Diamox scan on Jan. 26th so we will know more then as to not only the effectiveness of the first surgery, but it will determine if/when there is a need to operate on the right side of her brain. This study determines the blood perfusion of the brain and Diamox is used to increase blood flow to the brain. Please continue to pray for not only the test, but also the results and guidance of the neurosurgeon. Should she not require brain bypass on the right, we will immediately meet with the Cardiothoracic surgeon and begin the work up for my open heart surgery. We are so grateful for all that people have done!