Day + 21 -- Heart biopsy, V-Fib

This was Doug's 5th day in the ICU. Two of the docs told me that his overall condition is better!
His kidney values are looking okay now. The liver still has a way to go but is improving. He still is very sleepy but wakes up when talked to; still keeping his eyes closed most of the time. He answers questions appropriately except when he is having a dream. His brain is intact but seems to be 'resting'. Quite understandable under the circumstances I think.

His pacemaker is working but his heart rate this morning was erratic and sometimes much higher than the pacer rate; it is set for 70 but he was going up to 150 at times. One of the cardiologists said that the higher rate means that Doug is overdriving the pacer. He wasn't worried but they did an EKG just to be on the safe side. This heart rate is much better than what he had over the weekend.

Today was the heart biopsy.
"A heart biopsy is a procedure that involves using a bioptome (a small catheter with a grasping device on the end) to obtain a small piece of heart muscle tissue that is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The doctor uses a local anesthetic to numb an area of the neck. A plastic introducer sheath (a short, hollow tube through which the catheter is placed) is inserted through a small incision and into a blood vessel in the neck. A bioptome is inserted through the sheath and threaded to the right ventricle. X-rays, called fluoroscopy, are used to position the bioptome properly. The bioptome is used to obtain samples of the heart muscle. Each sample is about the size of the head (top) of a pin."

During the heart biopsy, Doug went into V-Fib (ventricular fibrillation) which caused some excitement! The cardiologist had to shock him back into rhythm, but only once. Like in the TV shows, when someone grabs the paddles and yells "Clear!" Hearing that made me kinda weak in the knees, but at least he was in the cardiac cath lab where they have all the equipment - and people who know how to use it.

"Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) is a life-threatening type of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) in which the heart “quivers” rather than beats. V-fib is a cardiac emergency that requires a rapid response. People suffering from V-fib need to be treated with a defibrillator to jolt the heart back into a normal rhythm. If treatment is not given in time, the heart will completely stop (cardiac arrest) and sudden cardiac death will result."

After he was settled back in the ICU things were back to 'normal' - but nothing about the last two weeks is normal! The cardiologist did put him temporarily on a drug to help control the heart rate; can't leave him on it long term because it can cause liver damage as a side effect. Everything is a balancing act.

Before I left tonight the nurses gave Doug a bed bath and back rub; when I left he was sleeping.
This is like a bad soap opera - just wish my husband wasn't the feature player.