<VV> surgery update (lon wall)

[cjcavitt at comcast.net]

ok every one i just got back from the hospital and lon seems to be doing really good. they took out his chest tube today which is a good sighn and they said they might move him out of the icu in two days if every thing keeps improving the way it is.He actually talked to me too! but he kept falling asleep in the middle of his sentances then a few seconds later he would wake up and continue where he left off,(it was the morphine,i think he pushed the button a few too many times)

the doctors said nothing could have gone better and he is doing exceptionally well for the surgery that was performed. the good news is they didnt have to do a bypass, but they did have to replace the aorta with a hand made plastic one (i cant remember the actual material)they opened up his chest and actually stopped all heart functions and gave him whats called a brain cocktail to keep the brain from losing brain cells while he is technically dead, and they performed the surgery with his heart out of his body (wow, i said) they could not fix his main valve so they replaced it with one from a cow.I thought they were joking at first but i guess they used to use them from pigs but the cows last longer.well i just thought i would give you an idea what he went through and how he is doing since so many people asked me for an update on his condition. and everyone that sent me a note i passed it along today to him and i could tell it made him feel good considering the condition he is in s
o thank you everyone for the kind words  curt