Monday, August 25, 2008

Heart Surgery rescheduled for Tuesday 8:am

Heart surgery was rescheduled for Tuesday morning at 8:15am. Surgeons needed time for additional consult with an out of state specialist to determine the best approach for this difficult surgery. They will surgically repair the Aorta dissection with a dacron graft, approaching the aorta from under the left arm and through the back ribcage. They plan to either remove a rib or go between the ribs, and a heart and lung machine will be used during the grafting . Surgery is expected to be 4 to 5 hours. Terry was in pretty low spirits the last two days, but as I left tonight, he had his old fighting spirit back. He told me that "tomorrow this will all be over and done with, and I can forget about it and get back to rehab". Again, he continues to amaze me with his spirit and determination! This surgery is a permanent fix, and once recovered, he should not have any limitations. God guide the surgeons and make Terry better than before!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terry, prayers continue for you! And for peace of mind for you and your family, going through all of this!

Karen M in Oregon

Anonymous said...

Thumbs up for Terry everyone!

Let's get-r-done BUD!

Kooz!

:)

Anonymous said...

Terry,
I know that it sucks to have the procedures put off, it doesnt matter for what reason. But you have to keep your spirits up. I thought that it would never be over, but after a while it is. Just stay strong and as the brits say keep a stiff upper lip.
Our thoughts are with you.
Uncle John and Aunt Cathy

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Dude is a fighter! Hang in there man and you'll be out of there soon enough!! May the Lord continue to bless you and your family.

I'm sure the Lord has instructed the surgeons and other doctors to do their best work yet.

Stay Strong!

Tony (ADE) and Family

Anonymous said...

I think I have checked here 20 times today! LOL I hope all is well!

Kooz

:)

Anonymous said...

Keep fighting on buddy. Your determination will help you pull through all of this. You got a lot of people praying for you and thinking about you every single day. You are surrounded by a lot of positive thoughts. Keep moving forward!!!

What Happened?

On Saturday, August 2, at approximately 11:30 a.m. Terry McDowell was involved in a head-on collision on Ormond Road in White Lake Township, MI.

An unknown young-adult fell asleep at the wheel, crossed over into the opposite lane, and struck Terry's van head-on. Police are still investigating.

Paramedics rushed Terry via helicopter to Beaumont Medical Center's Trauma Unit. He is in stable, but critical, condition and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit.

From what we know, there is no damage to the spinal cord or brain. He will undergo more X-rays and scans today to determine if there are further injuries. His injuries, as of Sunday, Aug 3 at 10:00 a.m. include:
> Broken right femur
> A compound fracture in his left femur
> A broken tibia
> A shattered ankle
> Slight cut to his liver
> Dissected aorta
> Fractured pelvis
> Unknown back injury
> Three broken ribs

Terry underwent 11 hours of surgery on Saturday evening. The first surgery was cardiac surgery to repair the damage to his torn, or dissected, aorta. They performed non-invasive heart surgery and used a stent to repair the aorta. The surgery was completed without complications.

The second surgery was orthopedic surgery to repair his broken bones. He came out of surgery strong, but remains in critical condition due to the complications that could arise from heart surgery and a compound fracture of the Femur.

He is expected to remain in the ICU for at least 48 hours.