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Ascending aortic aneurysm & My Surgery
My Terrifying Story
My journey began with researching to find the best surgeon for my ascending aortic aneurysm surgery. The aneurysm had grown to 5 cm, and since I have Parkinson's disease, delaying surgery could have made recovery much harder.
After careful consideration, I chose a highly skilled and successful surgeon in Orange County. My surgery was scheduled for December 3. The operation lasted about eight hours. The damaged part of the ascending aorta aorta
was replaced with a fabric tube (graft) during surgery. Thankfully, the bicuspid aortic valve didn’t need replacement, which reduced the surgery time by three hours. The surgeon told my family the operation was a success.
On December 5, it was time to remove the drainage tubes. A physician assistant came to my room and asked me to take deep breaths as she removed the tubes. The first two were painful but manageable. However, when she pulled out the third one which was a wire attached to the pacemaker as thin as a hair string, the pain was unbearable.
I started tossing and turning, struggling to find a comfortable position. After open-heart surgery, you can't use your arms to lift yourself, and my Parkinson’s disease made movement even more difficult. I called the nurses repeatedly, explaining that the pain was excruciating. They assured me it was normal.
Suddenly, I noticed my stomach felt wet. When I lifted the sheet, I saw blood covering my stomach. Alarmed, I called the nurse again. Her assistant came, casually wiped the blood, and shockingly asked, “Are you still on your period?” I cried out, explaining that I was 61 years old, and the blood was coming from the surgical holes in my stomach.
As time passed, my breathing became shallow, and I felt severe pain in my upper left shoulder and back. Thankfully, my sister was with me. She ran to the nurses' station, yelling for help. A nurse finally came and, seeing my blue lips and difficulty breathing, called a "Code Blue."
My surgeon wasn’t available, but the on-call surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and other medical staff rushed to my room. A radiologist performed an echocardiogram and found blood filling the sac around my heart, preventing it from pumping. I was experiencing tamponade, a life-threatening condition.
They quickly moved me back to the operating room. I was fully awake and aware of everything as they prepared for surgery. Unlike the first time, I hadn’t fasted, nor was I sedated before being taken into the operatin
About three hours later, I woke up in the recovery room with tubes in my stomach, gagging and vomiting. My family and friends watched from behind a window, relieved to see me alive.
The surgeon whispered, “You have a new birthday—December 5, 2024. You were reborn.” They told me I had been gone for a few seconds.
Reflecting on this terrifying experience, I focus on the positive: I survived. If I hadn’t been in the hospital when the tamponade occurred, I might not be here today. Life is fragile—a fine line between life and death.
I’m incredibly grateful for the quick action of the medical team that saved my life. Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who was the first person to walk on the moon, died from the same condition, tamponade. Instead of taking him back to the operating room, they took him for a CT scan for further evaluation, and he passed away.
I guess I’m extremely lucky to still be here to share my story!
Love & Light
🙏🏻♥️🙏🏻
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Demanding change in medical practice!
In my story, I have not mentioned any names or blamed anyone for the incident that caused my near-death experience. However, I would like my circumstances to be considered serious enough to prompt changes in medical practice.
Apparently, when the physician assistant (PA) was yanking the wire attached to a thin needle acting as a pacemaker, it ripped my heart, causing bleeding. Such a sensitive task, which could be life-threatening, should not be handled by one PA alone.
I strongly recommend that at least two medical professionals be present during this procedure: one to pull the wire and the other to locate the exact position of the needle using an echo or ultrasound. When the PA yanked the wire attached to the needle, I knew my unbearable pain was not normal, yet nobody believed me until it became a matter of life and death.
During my second surgery, the ruptured area of my heart had to be stitched and covered with a patch.
Whereas I have not had any issues with my heart. My only concern was to prevent the aneurysm of the ascending aorta. This negligence caused me tremendous suffering, and my recovery has been much delayed. I have experienced fluctuating blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, and a painful cut and scar that extends from below my breastbone all the way up to my neck ; not in a straight line but zigzagged.
My Actions and Recommendations
First: I will write step-by-step instructional guidelines for healthcare professionals to follow this new method of performing the procedure for all patients from now on. I want to ensure that nobody goes through the unnecessary, painful, and life-threatening experience I had.
Second: Never leave your patients alone in the hospital. Always make sure a family member, a friend, or private caregiver is with the patient at all times, regardless of how many staff monitor the patient throughout day and night shifts. If it wasn’t for my sister running to the nurses' station and screaming for help, nobody would have taken my complaints about pain and discomfort seriously. When she cried out that my sister is turning blue, her lips are purple, and she can't breathe, it finally caught their attention
I thank you for your time reading my story
I’m open to any suggestions or recommendations that you may have. Please share & I will implement it in my instruction
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8 ReactionsA truly awful experience. Wish you all the best going forward with your recommendations for change.
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1 ReactionShout it out, loud and clear. Your experience may well save other lives.
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2 ReactionsWhat a scary story. It is truly a miracle you are alive. Your guardian angel was working overtime
God Bless you
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2 ReactionsI am moved and inspired by your story of survival❤️yes indeed your guardian angels were working overtime. Your time here isn’t finished and I will pray for your healing and overall well being🙏
I believe there are multiple organizations that work to stop medical mistakes. I've seen videos out there describing various mistakes, usually from the perspective of the medical people that made it. They may be able to help you get the word out.