It's been 4 weeks now, starting to feel better, had a few set backs but all is good. Walked over a 1/2 a mile today! My taste buds have changed for some reason. ...Read more
It's been 4 weeks now, starting to feel better, had a few set backs but all is good. Walked over a 1/2 a mile today! My taste buds have changed for some reason. Food I loved, I can't eat now, not sure why. Will start rehab in another two weeks, that should be interesting.
Two weeks ago I had aortic valve replacement. I admit before surgery I really never ask many questions about the procedure, I really just wanted to get it ...Read more
Two weeks ago I had aortic valve replacement. I admit before surgery I really never ask many questions about the procedure, I really just wanted to get it done however you need to. I was off all pain Meds after 5 days, no pain at all, everyone including myself were amazed. So yesterday I saw my surgeon and I ask him, how many bones did you break? His reply was none! He said he was able to just move the bones around! I have about a four inch incision, which he glued shut. I have had a few complications from surgery that had to be taken care if, not breathing good,bp to low, and the nagging cough and I don't have a lot of energy yet but it's coming back slowly.
I was released from the hospital last Sunday feeling wonderful! Then Tuesday 5hrs in ER for bowel blockage, went home, starting feeling great again and along ...Read more
I was released from the hospital last Sunday feeling wonderful! Then Tuesday 5hrs in ER for bowel blockage, went home, starting feeling great again and along comes Thursday! After taking a five minute walk I can't get a breath of air to even talk, back to ER, they put me on oxygen and a diuretic because a X-Ray showed water around lungs, sent me home.....90 minutes latter back to ER, no breath. So now they keep me overnight, did more test and the doctor on call said the same thing, it's the water and we will give you more diuretic, and oxygen. I am good as long as I have the oxygen. So sometime that day another hospital staff comes and tells me I have chf, I just look at like are you nuts! She talks for a half hour about this. Later on my husband sees my cardiologist in the hall way and grabs him. And I ask him, in the last 18 months why have you not told me I have CHF, he looked at me like he couldn't believe what I said, he said Jackie you do not have it! So they send me home, with two heart pills, blood pressure pills and diuretic pill. Take pills and sleep pretty good, got up an and half hour later I it a wall..my bp was 81/60, called cardiologist on call and he said just rest. Hit the wall again last night, so today I am waiting to call dr back as bp is still way to low, my normal before surgery was 120/60, so why the hospital gave me bp Meds plus the diuretic, which all lower blood pressure. Other then all that mess when I am not up against the wall I feel pretty darn good, no pain Meds since leaving hospital! I only have about a 4 1/2 incision, which is glued together. Today I woke up with my finger stuck to it!
I am so happy this is behind me, to anyone waiting for it, it's so with it. I read Adams book before surgery plus this site and a Facebook site so I went in with a good mind set. I will be so happy when I can do my normal things, my husband is following the instructions to a tee, so he helps me shower, dresses me and has become and pretty good hair dresser!
Tuesday , 7:30am was the start of my surgery! was in surgery about 5 hours and then I was sent to recovery to get breathing tube out, I guess the nurse kept ...Read more
Tuesday , 7:30am was the start of my surgery! was in surgery about 5 hours and then I was sent to recovery to get breathing tube out, I guess the nurse kept saying. Just a few more minutes, my family said they could see i was not happy with her answers. I believe My surgeon was the best, 4 inch incision is all I have! I had no pain Meds at all except for on the third day TYLENOL and that was for something else not the incision. On same heart Meds as before, nothing to write home a out. Since i got home yesterday the things that bother me now. 1. Stitches from all the tubes and wires I had in me, and guess they will remain for another week. 2. I got very tired of the roll out of or in bed, so I needed to witch to a recliner, we have a regular recliner, but if I would have had to go buy one I would go with mechanical one, as I have to rely on someone to help getting me out. Since I will have someone with me 24/7 I am good. 3. Today will be first shower at home looking forward to it, for that I will need 3 wash cloths and one towel for each shower. One cloth to pat incision and stitches, one to wash body and the third is to pat dry incision. 4 hardest part is letting someone take care of me, i have always been a care taker. Even my husband thought he would be able to handle each and every thing and by the time last time came around and as tired as we both were, I past somethings to the daughter to do for us, his feelings were hurt but after a good night sleep even he admitted it was nice having her help.
Sorry if I just rambled on but am trying to think of the little things that will help someone else.
I thank Adam for writing the book and this website without them I would have been lost as to what to expect. Thanks to all my friends on here, just reading yours journals has really helped. I will post up days.
The surgeon suggested I come into his office to watch a video on the surgery, very interesting and helpful. Then we had a hour conference with two ICU nurses, ...Read more
The surgeon suggested I come into his office to watch a video on the surgery, very interesting and helpful. Then we had a hour conference with two ICU nurses, who went over all instructions for the night before surgery and also in detail about the surgery and about all the tubes and IV I will have attached to me. I really appreciated all thus information nit only for me but for my husband, he is a wreck already.
Next step, more blood work this week. Then on Monday I do my pre-admit. Monday night I do the clean shower thing, and also shower again before leaving for the
hospital at 4:30Am!
I was trying to schedule my pre-admit, and it seems the doctor is having a hard time scheduling the OR, has this happen to anyone else. I know he is a busy ...Read more
I was trying to schedule my pre-admit, and it seems the doctor is having a hard time scheduling the OR, has this happen to anyone else. I know he is a busy surgeon and the hospital is busy but this is not helping my nerves right now.
Got my date, surgery is the 29 of October, I am excited to get a date, but nervous knowing it's just 13 days away! Will get my pre admit on the 28th. I am ...Read more
Got my date, surgery is the 29 of October, I am excited to get a date, but nervous knowing it's just 13 days away! Will get my pre admit on the 28th. I am going next Monday to watch a video on the surgery, so I will know what to expect.
Just finished reading the patients guide to heart valve surgery, and I gave to say this book is outstanding! It has really prepared me for this journey. My ...Read more
Just finished reading the patients guide to heart valve surgery, and I gave to say this book is outstanding! It has really prepared me for this journey. My husband is now reading it do he will understand what I am and will be going through. Thanks Adam!
I will be meeting up with my surgeon, cardiologist, for pre- surgery updates, what are a few questions I should be asking.
Also I will be going to the hospital ...Read more
I will be meeting up with my surgeon, cardiologist, for pre- surgery updates, what are a few questions I should be asking.
Also I will be going to the hospital to met the staff, anything I should be asking them?
I haven\'t got hmm date but it should be within the next few weeks. Thanks Jackie
Still waiting for my third pre surgery test, this waiting is doing me in! Starting to get tired more often. I am enjoying reading about everyone, it is really ...Read more
Still waiting for my third pre surgery test, this waiting is doing me in! Starting to get tired more often. I am enjoying reading about everyone, it is really helping prepare for surgery.