Thanks Dr. DeBakey, I would have never seen my daughter's 13th birthday

 It's Sunday morning, July 13th and as I updated my Google news section on my website, I could not help but be touched again by the impact of yet another article written by Todd Ackerman  over at the Houston Chronical. This very picture here really weighs heavily on my heart - especially today as it's my daughter's 13th birthday. A day in which had it not been for the incredible intuition and forward thinking of Dr. DeBakey and the use of the "dacron tubing", I might not have seen this day. I truly thank GOD for creating such a wonderful man - a man with the knowledge that helped save my life.  I would also like to commend Todd for his great articles that he's put together in the last few days trying to portray the impact that Dr. DeBakey has made to the surgical world. He's done an excellent job - the best articles that I have read on the subject.  When I look at this picture, I can see that tubing there as being the "substance" that is helping hold my aorta in place. I am hoping that they research has been done on this product that it lasts along time - that it's going to hold together with the stitches that are used to attach it to my aorta root and the other side of my aorta. All these things, Dr. DeBakey already figured out and tested on several thousands of patients to ensure that my surgery would have a better chance for success.  I think Dr. DeBakey's ability to tolerate the surgery himself at the age of 97 was yet another miracle and how "blessed" of a man that he truly was. 

Dr. DeBakey catagorized the different type so of Aortic Dissections into three groups (mine was type 1) and years later, Stanford Univeristy would come along and come up with theirs - essentially the very similar to his definitions.

The Stanford classification divides dissections into 2 types, type A and type B.

 

• Type A involves the ascending aorta (DeBakey types I and II); type B does not (DeBakey type III).  


• This system also helps delineate treatment. Usually, type A dissections require surgery, while type B dissections may be managed medically under most conditions.

The DeBakey classification divides dissections into 3 types.

 

• Type I involves the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta.  


• Type II is confined to the ascending aorta.  


• Type III is confined to the descending aorta distal to the left subclavian artery.  
  
  
  
  • Type III dissections are further divided into IIIa and IIIb.  
  
  
  • Type IIIa refers to dissections that originate distal to the left subclavian artery but extend both proximally and distally, mostly above the diaphragm.  
  
  
  • Type IIIb refers to dissections that originate distal to the left subclavian artery, extend only distally and may extend below the diaphragm.
  
  
  
  

In my case I had the DeBakey Type 1, where my aorta dissected right about the aortic root. This is where about 70% of these dissections occur.  These are the pictures (courtesty of MGH)

I am playing some tennis this morning with my friend Jack. He's the guy that I was actually playing with that my aorta actually dissected during the match.  You don't realize how a person's life can impact your own sometimes, unless you've had a situation like mine and then..... you just say, "WOW" and praise GOD for the miracle of life and that you are still alive thanks to others paving the way for you.

I have to also thank the GOOD LORD for my wife. I am so blessed to have her! One thing that I really love is when we have to put things together. She's the direction reader and I ususally do the work. Case and point, we just recently installed a LCD TV stand and last night, installed my daughter's chandaler in her bedroom.  This particular light put up a fight and took us several attempts... but we worked as a team and got it working. Then, she tricked me and turned on the switch and it didn't come on. I didn't see that she'd only put the bulb half way in and everyone got a laugh as "daddy" was ready to get upset. 

 

In summary, I MUST thank the GOOD LORD for people like Dr. DeBakey. He's the reason that I am still alive today - a reason to enjoy my daughter's 13th birthday. My daughter really wants to become an actress and is determined to give it her best shot. I will do all that I can to help her try and reach her goals in life. My goal today is to remember the great things that life has to offer and give thanks for the wonderful things that we can give back to others - something that Dr. DeBakey surely did.

Brian