Yesterday, I met with a pulmonary specialist. Since we have ruled out his breathing being heart related, we felt this was our next step. Ri had a chest x-ray and then we met with the doctor. The doctor was wonderful. Ri was just finishing a breathing test in a different room when the doctor poked his head in and checked out the results. He was thrilled to see Ri pass it with flying colors. Then he walked with us to our room where we were to wait until he got done with another patient. When he came in the room for the exam, he told me he had been talking with Dr. Teske (Ri's cardiologist) all morning. I was a bit baffled as to why he hadn't consulted with him earlier if he felt the need to, assuming that he meant he corresponded because of Ri's heart and the findings on the MRI. Then he sat down and told me that his x-ray look absolutely normal. He didn't see anything concerning about his lungs and he passed his breathing test with flying colors. All good news. Then he got a bit more serious and repeated his earlier statement of: "his x-ray looks normal" only this time he added this: "BUT it's not normal". I wasn't sure where he was going to go with it or what abnormality they had found. I was expecting TB or something like that. But that wasn't the case.
Evidentally, THIS radiologist noticed more then the others who evaluated his x-rays back in August and in November. He discovered that Ri has fractures in BOTH of his stents. The Pulmonary doctor felt that at least the one in his right lung probably had been there back in August. How could they have missed that in the previous 2 x-rays and in the MRI, I do not know. But I am praising God that this one noticed it. Thus, the reason for the many calls to our cardiologist that morning. Evidentally his fractures are somewhat special and concerning to the point that the cardiologist has no idea how they will deal with it. He is going to be consulting with Dr. Mark Galantowicz (co-director and chief of the heart center) and Dr. John P. Cheatham, MD (co-director of the heart center) regarding Ri's condition. Dr. Cheatham is the doctor who placed the stents in his heart. We were very pleased with him and feel very confident with all 3 of these doctors. I remember when we brought Ri home and we were seeking a good cardiologist for him, I had read so many amazing things about Dr. Galantowicz that I longed for Ri to have him as his doctor.
I honestly do not know what this all means. The pulmonary specialist showed me the x-ray. It appears that a portion of one of the stents has separated from the stent and is in a blood vessel in his lung. I believe that this is the part that they do not know what they will need to do. They also do not know if this is the reason for Ri's breathing issues. It is possibly, maybe, that the part in the blood vessel is blocking blood flow and possibly causing some breathing problems, but they certainly do not know for sure and are not indicating that they feel strongly that it is.
Unfortunately Dr. Cheatham may be out of town and so the consulations may need to be done by email. I do not know when I will know anything. I have done a small amount of internet research (dangerous... I know). It appears that the type of fracture he has is the most serious (again, that is only my internet snooping evaluation). It also appears that some fractures can be repaired by inserting a new stent into the fractured stent. Unfortunately, I can not find information on what they do when a part has separated and lodged elsewhere. I am praying that we will not have to face open heart surgery. When he first got his stents placed, the nurse told us that if they ever had to remove a stent (due to collapsing or problems that could not be repaired), they would have to be removed through open heart surgery).
So, God continues to put me at his feet. I am so thankful for that. I do not want Ri to go through anything; but I praise God for him bringing me to a point that I can only be dependent on Him for strength. The Upward verse for the kids these past 3 weeks has been: Be strong and brave. Do not be terrified. Do not lose hope. I am the Lord your God. I will be with you everywhere you go. Joshua 1:9
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