I have never had to do anything like this and really dont know where to start. I have been on this board for maany years now. Right now I am having a really had time. My soon to be husband called me 9-19 at 8:30 AM telling me to get home something was not right he was having pain in his chest. Grandma got there quicker as he was taken to the ER. My children dont have any idea of whats going on. Youngest 3 middle 5 & oldest 14. My middle Miraclehaley is a former 25 week preemie & is still scared of dr. At 2:17 Drs tell me he (Todd/Daddy) will have to under go Open heart sugery right now and he was rushed to our local truma hospital. Right to OR. I was told to call friends & family as this type of sugery is a hugh deal 6-8 hours & death is a big rish. He had to undergo Thoracic Aortic Disecction of the heart. He is still not clear of yet it could take days. Still on a pacemaker as heart has not started working again yet. Children can go see him as the are too young. He is only 40 years young never thought this could happen. Also come to find it runs in family history. He dont have much family mother past when he was in his early 20's no other sibling.Father lives out of state never even came down. we are all he really has. However he paid the rent payment I pay all other household bills. Now I have tell 10/5 to come up with just under $1800.00 where does one go what do I do.

daniele
ive seen what this board can do....
miraclehaleysmommy@frontiernet.net

It's a huge blessing that they detected his condition in time to do surgery. Most victims of that condition are not diagnosed until autospy. I believe it is what John Ritter (the actor) died of, though his may have been his ascending aorta rather than the thoracic aorta. Survival is tied to being able to identify and repair it in time, and it sounds like he is at the prime age (40-55) when a dissection would tend to occur. It is often - though not always - linked to inherited connective tissue disorders.

The walls of the aorta can't hold up to years of pressure, as the aorta takes the brunt of the pounding of blood as it leaves the heart. Over time, the intima (sp?) - the inner lining of the aorta - can become separated from the media (the middle layer of the aortic wall), and blood will begin to flow between those two layers of tissue, rather than a a straight shot through the aortic blood vessel itself. In essence, there are two channels at that point, and the blood flows through both of them. The false channel that is created when blood begins to flow between the layers of the aortic wall only has the two ... wow, this is hard to explain.

There are three layers to the aortic wall. If the blood begins to flow between the inner lining and the middle layer (because they have separated from one another), that blood only has two layers of the wall - the middle layer (media) and the outer layer holding it in, and the other side of that channel is a single layer of intima (the inner lining of the aorta). Two layers isn't sufficient to hold the blood within the aorta, and over time, those two layers start to bulge and can eventually rupture.

It's not quite the same as an thoracic aneurysm, where a weakened aorta ruptures and bursts, but the end result is similar in that the aorta ruptures.

They tend to repair this by putting a stint in - or possibly a dacron graft of some sort - that will open the vessel back up, squish the intima and media back together again, and prevent that false channel between the layers from developing.

Many people live with dissected vessels for many years and don't know it at all until they die and an autopsy reveals the condition.

It is truly, truly a blessing that his was discovered and he wasn't mis-diagnosed. Very often, it is diagnosed as heartburn or another digestive issue, and patients are sent home and die within hours of release from the E.R. Surgery gives them a chance... and he's very fortunate that he is where he is.

You'll all be in my prayers. Please do keep us updated.

i sent you an email

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I am so sorry to hear this will definitely keep your family in my prayers its all I can offer.

As for help with bills I would start at Social Services you lost the breadwinner in the family to a serious health problem. CAll salvation Army and area Churches for any help you can get with food , usually food is easier to get than cash help.

Does he have disability insurance through work? you need to check into that, I am somewhat sure he may be off work for sometime for rehab afterwards, I could be wrong.

Please update us on his condition when you are able

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RedCross can help with 1 months utility bills.
Sorry about your hubby. Hope the operation is a success and hes soon to be on his way to a speedy recovery.