creekland Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 FIL surprised us yesterday by requesting our assistance next week. Apparently his EKG is way out of whack and the doctors plan to stop his heart and restart it to see if it will do better. He wants us to drive him (hubby), and babysit MIL (severe Alzheimers - my job). He says it's just an outpatient procedure and will only be there 3-4 hours. I'll fully admit we don't watch "Dr" shows (not since MASH anyway) and I haven't heard of them doing this procedure to anyone before. How common is it? Esp for an 88 (almost 89) year old man? How... dangerous... is it? How likely for more than "3-4 hours and all will be fine?" Any info would be vastly appreciated, but beware we're on the road today so it could be a long time before I'm back to read/respond. (Long time meaning late tonight - heading to a college event for middle son.) The procedure is late next week (Thursday I think)... and my Mom's chemo (for which I'd planned on being there) is the Monday after Easter. It takes a day to go up to my mom's and it's a totally different direction than the 4 hours it takes to get to FILs. It seems like we can squeak both in, but... should we be seriously thinking about contingency plans. SO glad hubby can work remotely. Our critters are starting to think our farm sitter is head honcho (sigh). Would love any info - cause I can't access google anymore than I can access the Hive (and this takes two minutes to type vs a google search and read). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrulySusan Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 The procedure is probably cardioversion, and it is pretty common. It fixes a lot of arrythmias(irregular heart beats). As you know, any procedure carries risk, but this is normally pretty safe, even in the elderly. Good luck to him! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 My aunt had it done quite a few times. I don't know any nitty gritty details but it never seemed to be all that big of a deal. I got the impression it was one of those things that sounds much worse than it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 My mother has had this done at least twice with no issues and she has many heart issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 It sounds like he will be having a cardioversion. It is a fairly common procedure and it's outpatient because he will only be getting sedation. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes they are not; if it doesn't work, he will continue to be managed by medications to help control the rate and/or prevent clots. If he has atrial fibrillation (one of the common reasons to have this done), he is a high risk for blood clots forming in his heart. People can and do live with this and stay on a strong blood thinner, but that puts you at higher risk for bleeding episodes. There are other rhythms other than atrial fibrillation that warrant trying cardioversion as well, but this is the common first step either way. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/PreventionTreatmentofArrhythmia/Cardioversion_UCM_447318_Article.jsp#.WOYmoYWcHIU 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrulySusan Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Just in case someone doesn't know- this "procedure" is not surgery. No incision to heal from. They do it with electrical leads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Fairly common. Also not uncommon to end up getting admitted for observation afterwards. That would depend on the arrhythmia and what how the cardioversion goes. Give his age it might be slightly more likely. In my experience doctors usually focus on the best possible scenario for something like this. And likely is it will be just he outpatient thing but if it will be a big issue for you if they do decide to keep him I would figure out the worst case scenario because it's possible (worst case meaning admission for observation not a true worst case...of that makes sense). I have a friend whose husband has had itmultiple times and he feels bad (tired and achy) for about 24 hrs after. So even if not admitted he might not be feeling great after. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Thanks all. That was very helpful for both hubby and me. We will plan on staying overnight Thurs even though FIL said we'd be able to drop him off and leave. Plus we now have a contingency plan of BIL/SIL coming for that weekend if we feel it's needed or would be helpful. I'm thinking of coming up with another story to tell MIL besides "FIL is at a doctor's appt." Last time he had to spend the night (after a stent), she got incredibly upset/worried, but in the morning - didn't even remember any of that happened or where he'd been - not even after he returned. I'm thinking of letting her skip the stress by telling her he's out hunting or at their cottage fixing something up or something similar. That's not terribly unethical, is it? Telling a lie to help her avoid needless stress? She honestly won't remember a thing I tell her, but she definitely got stressed when told the truth last time. There have been times when he hasn't been around even for an hour or so that she's told me he'd died (long ago) and she's glad I'm there because it's just the two of us. Her brain isn't working correctly, so avoiding the stress seems (to me) to be the greater good in this situation. Agree? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw4321 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Kindness is ethical. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I agree that you should tell her whatever will lead to the least stress. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTRMom Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Agreed. She shouldn't be burdened with anything that would frighten her at this point. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Just wanted to say I am sorry you have more medical issues to worry about. From the little I know about this procedure, Truly Susan explained it well. Hope it all goes well and is nothing more than a blip in the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 Just wanted to say I am sorry you have more medical issues to worry about. From the little I know about this procedure, Truly Susan explained it well. Hope it all goes well and is nothing more than a blip in the road. That's what we're hoping for too. At least the two aren't on the same day. We'll only be at our house for an overnight, but that's not an actual conflict. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I think telling MIL whatever will lessen her stress is fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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