Even though this isn't railroad related, Bob is a member of the BRHS
and was checking this site regulary with me.
Here is the second update on Bob Oloffson.
Posted May 10th
Hi Everyone!!! My mom and all of our family would like to thank
everyone for thier out pouring of love and concern for our dad.
Thank you for your e-mails as I am copying them and sending them down
to Mom so she can share them with dad during her visits.
As for the update on Dad, he is still in CIVIC (Cardiovascular
Intensive Care Unit) but they moved him over the weekend to a room
with a window on the other side of the unit, much more cheerful and
bright. I spoke with mom last night and they took out the ventilator
this afternoon. They have him on an oxygen mask now. He is talking
and remembers mostly everything even though he was sedated. They are
going to try to remove the heart pump tomorrow if possible because
the less machines in his body the less chance of infection. They
want to wait four more weeks to operate because right now we would be
at a 50/50 shot but increased to 90/10 four weeks from now. Dad is
in great spirits considering what has happened. Dad is now in
control of the remote and is watching all the Cubs on WGN so he does
get little bit of home. This is such an improvement from the
previous week when Kim and I were there. They have pretty much
weaned him off the sedatives he was on. He is resting which is what
has to happen for the surgery in the coming weeks ahead.
Some of you wanted to know exactly what happened and here is my take
(obviously I am not a Doctor but here we go): Dad had a heart
attack, his right coronary artery in the wall between the upper
chamber was blocked and blew a hole in the heart wall. At the
hospital in Arkadelphia they did an assessment and they decided to
send Dad to the Baptist Hospital in Little Rock since they are a
large and prominent heart hospital. They airlifted Dad while Mom had
to drive the van about an hour to get there. Once Dad arrived, they
cathorized him and put three shunts in his artery to open it back
up. They put him on the heart pump and ventilator and told us that
the first 24 hours were critical and the longer we hold for surgery
the better. The surgery is open heart and they will go in and repair
the hole in his heart and anything else if needed. The doctors are
waiting so scar tissue can form around the hole. We still have a
long ways to go and we take things one day at a time.
Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock
9601 Interstate 630, Exit 7
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205-7299
Again thank you
Randy Oloffson
Posted by Matt Phalen
Wyanet, IL
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