Miracles of Medicine

Mom and Dad, with my daughter Melody, at her college graduation

       In yesterday's post I mentioned that my Mom had surgery Monday.  Today I thought I'd expound on that a bit.  She had a carotid endarterectomy.  We are hoping this will help relieve her dizzy spells as well as prevent a stroke.  Her doctors have been watching (per scans) the increased build-up of plaque in her carotid arteries; then, discovered that she had had a small silent stroke at some time in the past.
     Having been an RN for nearly three decades, and having worked several of those years in the Operating Room and Recovery Room,  I've witnessed quite a few medical miracles... Sometimes even when people are given incredibly bad odds, they survive and thrive.  Occasionally, as well, people succumb druing the most minor of procedures.  (Thankfully, I never witnessed that, but I've certainly heard about it and read about it.)  I believe that it is entirely in God's hands.  The doctors, nurses, and technicians do the best they know how, but God is the One and Only deciding factor.
     Here's what  SurgeryEncyclopedia.com  says about carotid endarterectomy:

"Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgical procedure that is performed to remove deposits of fat, called plaque, from the carotid arteries in the neck. These two main arteries, one on each side of the neck, deliver blood and oxygen to the brain. Plaque builds up in large- and medium-sized arteries as people get older, more in some people than others depending on lifestyle and hereditary factors. This build up is a vascular disease called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. When this happens in either one or both of the carotid arteries, they can become narrowed, a condition called stenosis. During a carotid endarterectomy, a surgeon removes the fatty deposits to correct the narrowing and to allow blood and oxygen to flow freely to the brain.
Purpose
Carotid endarterectomy is a protective procedure intended to reduce the risk of stroke, a vascular condition also known as a cardiovascular accident (CVA). In studies conducted by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), endarterectomy has proven to be especially protective for people who have already had a stroke, and for people who are at high risk for stroke or who have already been diagnosed with significant stenosis (between 50% and 70% blockage)."

Mom, with "Puppy"... aren't they cute???

     It is amazing that Mom went into the O.R. at 9:45 Monday morning, spent the night in ICU, then came home Tuesday  afternoon around 2PM.  Moshe and I spoke with her on the phone and she sounded chipper, like her usual self.  She was laughing at the irony of having washed and curled her hair "so that it would be nice and clean and pretty afterwards", only to find that it has been painted liberally with Betadine as part of the surgical prep.  I reminded her that she used to be a redhead, and that now she sorta' was again, but she wasn't exactly buying it. Regardless of hair color, Mom is happy to be home, we are happy she is doing so well, and I KNOW her dog, Puppy, is elated! 
     Meanwhile, if you read yesterday's blog, you know that I was pretty tired out from my recent traveling.
 (I am definitely a homebody!)  Despite my threats to do nothing all day, I managed to do a couple loads of laundry,  do the dishes, sweep the kitchen, and make lunch and supper... I even made a vegetable kugel to go with the baked chicken for supper!   I took great pride, however, in managing to go the entire day without making the bed!  What an accomplishment, huh? I guess for me, overcoming my compulsive tendencies is a modern miracle as well...
            SHALOM  Y'ALL - TWYLA