JayandRhonda's Guestbook

Try to think positively if possible to help witgnstres. It helped me to speak with a therapist prior to surgery to tell her about stress levels and learn relaxation breathing techniques. Saddened to hear your family won't talk about how you feel emotionally as you likely need the support. in general, I would hope that family members should think of the person going through the surgery more than they think of themselves: if they are worried, imagine how YOU are feeling. I had OHS on December 8 at Brigham and Women's to repair several mitral valve regurgitation. The regurgitation became much more severe in 2019 after I contracted a serious, sometimes fatal, and rare bacterial infection of the mitral valve from a visit to my dentist. During surgery this December I spent five nights in the hospital. This was about normal. The most painful part of recovery is due to the sternotomy, when doctors cut through the sternum. Your ribs are then wired together Don't be shy about taking pain meds - Tylenol didn't cut it for me; like a fool I tried to make do with just Tylenol. Big mistake; doctors gave me oxycodine. Talk to YOUR doctors about meds. My surgeon expected me to sit up, and move to a recliner in my room the day after surgery, all with assistance from nurse of course. They want us to move. Do not do anything unless you are told and get help. The greatest pain is due to the sternotomy if you're having one, it's where surgeon cuts through sternum to access heart and then, in my case, wires sternum back together, I don't really recall incision pain at all. Even slight movement of upper torso or jogging the sternum hurts tremendously including coughing (which you may do a lot of as result of surgery and surgeon wanted this to help me recover), sneezing, hiccuping, sitting up, lying down, getting in and out of bed). Ask for physical assistance with changing positions in bed and check with nurses about what you can and can't do without assistance and don't assume anything - ask! Use the heart pillow that the hospital will give you to support your incision area when you cough, sneeze etc. it's a life saver. Finally speak within your surgeon and ask him or her to go over entire procedure leading up to surgery including pre tests (I had to have CT scans and a cardio catheterization, and numerous blood tests a few days before surgery and a COVID test). Ask surgeon to describe the surgery if you still have questions, my surgeon was extremely responsive and informative). Ask about expected time in hospital, recovery time, expected pain levels, pain meds both in hospital and after surgery,, expected at-home support services (I get PT, visiting nurse, and cardio rehab therapist), limitations including but not limited to prohibition on lifting anything greater than a gallon of milk, ban on driving cars (for me six weeks),, expected assistance for you once home (I got special digital scale, blood pressure cuff and oxygen gizmo (lol) that digitally transmit readings to the visiting nurse association); who will set up hime assistance services although likely all this will be included in big fat package of instructions when you are discharged. Sleep in room near bathroom when you get home and on first floor if possible to avoid stairs! Good luck! Prayers and good wishes!