Some of you may know that I am writing an autobiography. I don't think anyone will read it, but it has been a fun exercise that I hope to complete this March while traveling. I never thought that my story was very interesting, but it does have some unique features. As I was doing my research for this book, I came across the "Discharge Summary" from my open heart surgery on June 8, 1971. I'm just going to transcribe the notes here in their original format. I find them fascinating.
"This five year old white male was re-admitted for operation He was seen initially on 8-30-67. Prior to this he had been studied at Hahnemann Hospital and a diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot made. Because of frequent anoxic episodes and severe limitation of activitiy a Blalock anastomosis was installed on 10-27-67. There was improvement in his situation for several months but then gradual deterioration occurred. An angiocardiogram was performed on 8-18-70 which indicated that his pulmonary artery was large enough to allow total correction. This was elected for this year, it being reasoned that his chances would be better at age five than at age four.
During the past year there has been further decrease in exercise tolerance. Walking even a few feet induces fatigue and shortness of breath. On physical examination, he was cheerful with marked cyanosis. A harsh, crescendo systolic murmur was heard at the lower sternal boarder and a continuous murmur in the second and third left interspaces. Height: 45 1/2 Weight: 42 Blood Pressure: 100/60.
Hospital course: on 6-8-71, the child was operated on my Drs. Nichols and Fernandez, using the Bentley oxygenator.
Before bypass was instituted the Blalock shunt was interrupted with ligature. When the right ventricle was opened it was found that thick septal and parietal muscle hands were obstructing the outflow tract. These were resected as thoroughly as possible. The pulmonary valve ring was adequate in size. The ventricular septal defect was approximately 2cm in diameter and was obliterated with a Teflon patch. There was a good deal of drainage of blood from the chest in the immediate post-operative period, amounting to a total of 935 cc's. His general condition was quite satisfactory. However, during the next several days there was a gradual accumulation of fluid in the left thorax which interfered with lung function and on 6-8-71 thoracentesis was necessary, 200cc's of thin brown fluid being removed.
He was allowed out of bed on the thirteenth day. According to his mother at the time of discharge, he couldn't quite believe his improvement. He would walk a few feet formerly allowed, expecting to be exhausted, and then would break out in a big grin on finding that he could keep going. The family is to remain in the area for one more week and he will be re-examined before returning to Florida."
Dr. H.T. Nichols, like the chief of pediatric cardiology Dr. Daniel Downing, had left Hahnemann Hospital in 1967 to bring state-of-the-art care to Deborah Hospital in Browns Mills, NJ. Dr. Fernandez was their cardiac surgery fellow. How lucky am I that these skilled doctors saved my life? I am eternally grateful!
Comments