Pre-Glenn Cath

In October 2005 just before the thanksgiving weekend Dominic went for a Cardiac Catherization so that the cardiologists could check the pressures in his heart in order to see if he was ready for the next surgery. We were told that as long as everything went as planned we would go home that night and if he had a blot clot or something it would probably be the next day. So we didn't really come prepared to stay overnight. After the catherization they couldn't find much of a pulse in his one foot. They eventually found that there was a clot in the site where the catheter was put in. They put Dominic on heparin and amitted him for the night. The Heparin wasn't working so they started Dominic on TPA, which is a very strong blood thinner. In fact it makes them bleed out in any healing wounds and they have to be on watch 24/7 so that someone can apply pressure right away when the spots start to bleed. This was done three times and it was awful, to see the blood and hear Dominic screem. For some reason it was a tough clot. His pulse in his foot was still week when they sent him home, but it was much better. It was a 5 day hospital stay that we weren't prepared for, but we were happy to be getting home. They hoped that the Enoxiparin blood thinners that he was already on would help to get rid of what was left of the clot. The cardiac catherization showed that his pressures were good and that he was ready for the next surgery. A followup ultrasound later showed that the clot was gone.