Update through Sasha's facebook profile:
To the facebook:
Dearest Friends – I’m sorry to have let a couple of days go by without telling you what’s been happening, but I’m sure you understand.
Sasha has, of course, two entirely different problems, one North (head) and the other South (foot). The effects of the (relatively) small stroke have been getting most attention, but the left foot, with its buildup of necrotic – dead – tissue, and the possibility of infection getting into the blood stream, which increases with every day, is keeping the doctors busy with plans, counter-plans and risk-benefit concerns. Sasha underwent a CAT scan and an MRI of the foot, and the day before yesterday (whatever that was), he was put on a strict fast from midnight on, in preparation for the Great Angiogram (which is the procedure we were driving him to when the stroke happened). Instead of getting him into the surgery room in the morning, which had been the intention, he had to wait (other patients, emergencies, whatever) until around 4:30 p.m., when they finally got him into the surgery. He’d been sedated, but despite that, he couldn’t keep his legs still enough for the photography to happen, and they postponed it until Tuesday. By that time, of course, I was beginning to get angry at the idea of my beloved man going without liquid of some kind, not to speak of food, for so many hours, although actually it didn’t seem to bother him; I was projecting my own hatred of thirst and dryness of mouth onto him, I admit.
Yesterday, Sasha was pretty sleepy, from the various pain-killers and perhaps the stroke itself, but he slept very soundly and woke up hungry this morning. He was more wide-awake and demolished a full breakfast plus a fresh banana that happened to wander into the room. One of the after-effects of the stroke (an ischemic stroke in the middle area of the pons, in medical language) is the danger of food going down into his windpipe, so all his food is being thickened slightly, which seems to avoid the problem. His speech is still hard to understand, but if he’s told to “enunciate clearly,” he can make himself understood pretty well, so a speech therapist is going to help train him in getting back to normal speaking, and it will simply be a matter of time. There is real hope that most of the stroke-effects will disappear, although no one knows exactly how long it will take, and we just tackle these problems each day, and do our best, and what will be will be, to coin a phrase. Thank heaven there’s no paralysis apparent.
On Tuesday, the doctor will put Sasha under general anaesthetic, just enough to ensure non-movement of his body, and during that procedure, once they see the angiogram picture and know where the blockages are in his circulation, unless there is no possibility of sufficient blood flow to the foot, they will proceed to take out all dead tissue, and probably the remains of the Achilles tendon, and put his foot into some kind of suction device for a few days (or weeks – I’m not sure of that detail), but they plan to send him home after that, on Wednesday, and I’ll report in full on all the rest of this situation as soon as I think I know what I’m talking about!
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful expressions of love and caring. It helps all of us to know that so many good people are concerned and want to help. Sasha is aware of what’s happening and sends his love back to you.
Blessings -- Ann