Sara's Heart Valve Journal

Shedding Water Weight - HELP!

September 27, 2011

Hi everyone,

It's been six days since my operation and I'm noticing that I'm not losing a lot of the water weight that I gained during the procedure. My doctor didn't give me any medication for it because I was already urinating a lot and staying hydrated, but now it's been almost a full week and I still have an extra 15 pounds stretching my skin.

Did anyone else have this experience or does anyone else have any information? I saw that some people take two to three weeks to shed their water weight, while some people lose it immediately, and then some. I just find that the added water weight is making my at-home-recovery a little more painful because it's weighing quite heavily on my shoulders.

Any information or guidance would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Post Op. Day 4

September 25, 2011

So, I had my surgery first thing on Wednesday morning. Day zero was a total write-off. I went in at about 8am and didn't even know that the anesthesiologist had done anything with my IV. I just remember going into the OR, looking at the cool operating table and, as they lined my stretcher up to the OR table, offering to hop on myself. The nurses just kind of chuckled and "it's okay." Then, I was in the ICU. I remember very little about my experiences in the ICU. I don't remember the breathing tube coming out, any of the pain, but I do remember seeing my fiance, mom, and dad a few times. I remember telling them "I love you. I'm tired. You can go away now. I love you."

Day one post Op. wasn't so bad, either. On this day, they focused on dealing with my pain. So that meant lots and lots of morphine!

Day two post op. was the worst day I had. This was the day that I was coming off of the morphine. I was so nauseous and sick and couldn't stomach anything. I absoultely hate being nauseous, so this day was absoultely terrible for me. But, knowing that with all the medication, food is important to stop the nausea, I was able to force myself to eat a little. This paid off and made day three much better!

Day three post op. was the best day that I had in the hospital. I had a little nausea, but overall I was up and moving around the ward. Because I was by far the youngest patient in the cardiac unit, I thought that this was to be expected, but I wasn't even thinking about being released until Sunday at earliest, or maybe even Monday (post.op Day 5).

You can imagine my surprise when I was released that evening (post op. day 3). I couldn't believe my ears! I was so excited, but it was a lot to handle. I have now been home for more than 24 hours and I am eating much better, moving much more, and feeling overall more comfortable. I'm also able to control my pain with regular drugs instead of those nasty narcotics (which all make a mess out of me!).

Last night was difficult becuase I didn't have a hospital bed or sleeping pills to aid me in my sleep. I think I tried out every bed/chair/sofa in our place TWICE before I found a place that I could sleep for more than two minutes. Still, it was a very long night and my poor fiance was a reallll trooper. I honestly don't know what I would do without him by my side taking care of me.

I am just about to go shower before trying to sleep for the second night in my own home. Fingers crossed it will all go well.

OH BONUS!!! My surgeon, who is amazing, was able to make a small cosmetic incision on my chest!!! He never made any guarantees about this and told me that the scar would go from my collar bone down to the bottom of my rib cage, but when I woke up and saw the scar, it only started just above the top of my clevage line. I am so thrilled about this because I am pretty sure that it won't even show in my wedding dress. There were also no staples, so it should heal quite nicely!

Today's the Day

September 20, 2011

Thanks for all the kind comments, everyone. I didn't have a chance to respond to all of them, but I read and appreciate all of them.

I'm just about to leave to be admitted for my surgery. I won't have the surgery until tomorrow morning, but am being admitted tonight. My mom is here and she's been keeping me busy the last two days, so I haven't been worrying to much (just a lot). :P

Wish me luck!

T-Minus 3 Days!

September 19, 2011

I spent most of the weekend going into little panick attacks thinking about how quickly the surgery is coming up. I actually broke down for the first time yesterday when my fiance suggested that we got out for dinner together for the last time before the surgery.

Today my mom is catching the ferry over. She's coming early to admit me to the hospital tomorrow afternoon. Then, the day after tomorrow, I will be the first person in the OR. Hopefully there won't be any early morning emergencies that will bump me (fingers crossed!!).

I don't feel prepared for this at all. But then agian, who does?