NickSurgery2008

Note: Nick is one handed, feel free to fix wording and grammar! :]

On Monday, August 11. 2008 I, Nick Burrus was admitted to the hospital for a cardiac catheterization to take place around nine to ten in the morning. Here is a wiki page at the one and only AboutUs.org about this time!

Home

i has good news! I was discharged today for a test period. If my blood levels continue to stabalize I can stay with my mom. If not I'm being readmitted. So for now, I'm home for a few days with my mom, but not my apartment just yet. =D

The cardiac catheterization

I went in the hospital around 6:50 am on August 11. Soon after I had x-rays taken and I was admitted to the day surgery. The nurse whom stuck with me the entire day, put a smile on my face was Susan Patterson. As my family and friend left the room while she applied numbing to my groin cream she said a prayer.

I later asked about her mission, she said she loved it. And loves working as an RN watching miracles happen. I later asked if she was always a part of this hospital before the move because of my curiosity and she was. :]. This hospital has grown from a tiny building to being one of the nations largest and most respected in childrens care.

She took me to a new room, where they did the surgery and introduced me to another RN/Nurse. This time it was a guy, Steve Frisby. She left the area while he applied the soap and removed the numbing cream from my groin. The soap was to antibacterial the skin. I felt more comfortable with a male doing the wider portion of the groin area. :]. He inserted the IV as well.

The cath went well, I fell asleep after I drunk an icky tasting orange liquid. It was for the pain. I woke up when there was roughly an hour left of the cath. The nurse Susan Patterson started talking to me asking how I'm doing, answering my questions, etc. I told her my foot was in pain the doctor relieved some pressure off of it.

Soon it was done and I was taken to Recovery where the nurse Chona Causing took watch over me for about an hour nonstop and talked to me constantly to make sure my pain and pressure feelings and body did not change or get worse.

Surgery Done

Updated by my mom until, I can type well again" "This is a update from Theresa Nicholas Mom. Nicholas has gone through a 15 hour surgery and had some complications during the first 30 minutes of his surgery they blew the aorta valve and could not save it, so due to that they had to put in a mechanical aorta valve which we were not hoping for, we really wanted to be able to save his valve. After blowing the aorta valve they blew a main artery so they had to repair it, and add 4 units of blood. Today August 16 they had to put him on a bi pap machine because he was not breathing deep enough on his own, and they are adding 2 units of blood today, his blood pressure is been high on and off today, so we have been letting him get a lot of rest which he really needs. So please just keep our little Nicholas in your thoughts and prayers. I know he will make it through everything because he is such a strong boy. Thank you all for loving and and caring for Nicholas he is such a wonderful boy!

Other People I liked

Care Tech Amy and Judith in the Explorer Starship Wing.
Nurses Rachel, Darcey (day surgery) and Cheryl Edwards.
Steve Frisby, RN
Susan Patterson, RN
Pa Choug, RN Explorer Unit
Rachel, RN from Explorer Unit
Roni, PCIU
Tanya(spelling?) PCIU
Gina PCIU, both of them. :]
Annette, PCIU
Charge nurse the sate of 20-21 august, and my night nurse the night before.

Open Heart!

According to the surgeon there is a newer procedure he'd be doing which would be to repair the valve chamber which is a 50 / 50 chance of working. Since I had surgery in the past dead transplant tissue will be used and scar tissue removed.

Surgery can be from 6-12 hours, maybe longer.

According to the surgeon I have three options if the repair fails.:

Mechanical valve. The valve will be from this company.
Biological Valve.
Ross Procedure (sp?) Pulmonary switch; pulmonary valve moved to aortic valve, aortic removed and new pulmonary put in.

1-3% chance of death.
Chance of weaker heart
Chance of surgery redone.

If the mechanical valve is done, I will have to get a blood test done twice a week for the rest of my life.

If something happens my family may update this page to announce the death (which is likely not to happen). They may forget, if I'm not online in a few weeks, something is wrong. :].

Galleries

If a nurse or staff member wants their picture removed then it will be. This is a log for NickBurrus and I asked to take the pictures with the nurses, consider this a digital personal diary.

pictures
My hand all hooked up.
With Susan Patterson
Chris and my mom.*
With the day nurse Pa Choug
With a good friend Karen Richardson
With a good friend Mr. Wilson
With the nurse Rachel (from the Explorer Unit)

None of the above MAY NOT be reused by any other person then NickBurrus and can only be used on NickSurgery2008 on AboutUs.org this is considered a "diary entry picture".

*Chris was released early by two weeks by Judge Loza for my surgery.

Comments

Feel free to add your note below. :]. Do not remove others please. Your name and date would be nice as well. :]. AboutUs requires a logged in account to edit pages so an account was created for ease. :].

Username: nickwishes

Password: 2008

Please do not spam the page, I do not want the other AboutUs staff to lock the account down. Please sign your name. :]

Hi Nick, Thanks for being a part of our lives and sharing your experience with us, your journey is inspirational. You are often in my thoughts and prayers. - Brandon CS Sanders 16:32, 12 August 2008 (PDT)
Nick we wish you good health and a speedy recovery. You've been a pleasure to work with and thanks for sharing your enthusiasm with us. - AboutUs Lahore Team.
It looks like you are in good hands, thanks for letting us all know how you're doing and all the best - Ray
speedy recovery! Hope you recover quickly & fully from surgery! Julia 15:27, 12 August 2008 (PDT)
Ok Nick here I am thanks to Brad's help and your link:). Wow it is hard to believe that you are having your surgery as I am typing this. I can't get you off of my mind. I have prayed that this will be your last surgery and that you be stronger than ever to do all the wonderful things in life that interest you. You have touched so many lives with your spirit and I am glad we have become close friends. Blessings to you, Chris, your mom, Vincent and Daniel. Talk to you soon, Cami Cassaday
Rawr! Love, Kristina (contact me) 22:32, 13 August 2008 (PDT)
Hey Nick, I pray that you recover fast, and have a good life and AfterLife. Remain optimistic and hopeful! Umar Sheikh
Thank you so much for the update, Theresa. All of us at AboutUs have been hoping for the best for Nick. He is a wonderful young man and we want all the best for him! Much love to him and his family and friends, TedErnst (talk) 07:43, 17 August 2008 (PDT)

We are praying for Nicholas and his family. Hope to talk to you soon Nick! I hope you recover fast. But do as the doctors tell you to; taking rest and all; all the best to him and his family to bear this with so much courage and hope. Umar Sheikh
- Hey Nick, it's me Aunt Mary. When we left yesterday Dan, Derek and I said goodbye you nodded so we thought you must of heard us. Your incredible strength is amazing to us, your positive outlook on life and your quest for knowledge is awesome (even if you do talk our ears off).

We will be back on Friday, be ready to talk World of Warcraft tactics. Dan and Derek couldn't stand your being so quiet. It really didn't surprise anyone your first questions were about the type of surgery you had and then you wrote Chris a note "When can I eat and Drink" the Nick we all love. You stay strong as you have inspired many and will continue to do so for years and years to come. We Love you... -- Aunt Mary

Give your Dad, Grandma and mom a big hug and kick your brother Chris if you can reach.. ok give him a hug too ..kick little James instead :O ..

Get well soon. -- Saad

My strong Son Nicholas your Mom is so proud of you. You have grown into such a wonderful young man thats has gone through so much and still always stays so strong with a positive attitude. I hope that you start feeling better really soon, you have been through a lot in the last week. Always remember your Mom loves you so much!!!!

8-25-08 - Hey Nick Aunt Mary again, it was good to see your smile and hear your laughter. I am glad we made the trip back up this past weekend. Now eat your food, drink drink drink!!! Get stronger and stop giving grandma such a hard time (LOL). Really you looked so much better this week, I know you have a long recovery in front of you but with your great attitude and if you listen to grandma and eat/drink you will be back up and online in no time. WE LOVE YOU !!!!! p.s. those nurses can't give you sponge baths forever.

09/03/08 Hi Nick it was really great to talk to you Gosh you are so grown up I know you will be up and better in no time Nick you are a very special person who has went through a lot in the past I am praying for you to recover soon so you can get on with all your dreams You are a wonderful person Get well soon and eat and drink and have a speedy recovery and maybe your mom can bring you out to Texas and we can all go to Schliterbahn together and ride all the water slides my treat,, Take care Nick we love you. Tracey and John Stanko Chris David and Steven we will talk soon get lots of rest....