Alethea's Journal

Hi All, So My dad is doing very well at home, we got back from Colorado Springs last Friday. He's almost at 3,000 on the spirometer and doesn't need Oxygen around the house which is amazing. The only issue is sleeping at night; he can't sleep more than 2 hours at a time. Is this a normal experience the first few weeks one is at home? He alternates between the bed and his recliner. Also, does anyone sleep on his or her side so soon after surgery? He's a side sleeper and part of his troubles sleeping is he's trying to sleep on his back. Thanks for any input, really appreciate it!

Hi All, Since we travelled from out of state for my dad's surgery, my father had a TEE literally an hour before surgery commenced. He had undergone a Heart Cath a month prior. The TEE unearthed some things that, to my knowledge, were not identified by the Heart Cath. Is it standard practice to do both a Heart Cath and a TEE before surgery or is one test better than the other?

Dad was doing so good but this afternoon he developed Atrial Fibrillation. I read that up to 70% of open heart surgery patients develop A-Fib. Just wondering what it means; is this really bad? What does it mean for his recovery? The nurse said sometimes they can knock it out with one dose of Amiodarone. Would love to hear from anyone with A-Fib experience. Thank you!

Hi guys, so my dad is progressing nicely, his brain fog seems to have lifted this morning, he called me to get him a breakfast burrito! The only issue we're having is getting him into his hospital bed without pain. We've repeatedly asked the nurses to support his upper torso while he falls back hugging his chest pillow but it seems like they are not supporting him enough; he has a lot of pain doing the twisting of the torso to get him into bed. Any thoughts on proper getting-into bed technique post-surgery? Thank you!

Hi all, a little over 24 hours post surgery and Dad is doing ok. Getting transferred out of ICU today to a step down unit. My question for all of you who have gone through this is how often did you do your spirometer machine and did any of the hospital staff sit with you while you did it? It's my understanding that the spirometer should be attempted once every hour for 10 consecutive breaths. Right now, we're lucky if my Dad gets 7 breaths in and he hits his goal volume only about 60% of the time. I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience with the spirometer and if you were able to reach 10 consecutive breaths at 30 hours post-surgery. Thank you!

Hi all, I am writing this from the ICU at Colorado Springs. My father just underwent a SAVR done by Dr. Peter Walinsky and my dad is now in the ICU. He's still unconscious and on the ventilator and his blood pressure is all over the place. He was waking up but then they sedated him again, I'm not sure why. I'm posting all of this to see ask what is "normal" with regard to ICU recovery from open heart surgery? Any insights are greatly appreciated. My thoughts are with all the patients and families having surgery today and in the coming days. -Alethea

Hello, My 71 year old father was recently diagnosed with severe aortic valve stenosis. We would like to address his heart condition close to home here in New Mexico but finding the right surgeon has proven challenging. Some of the surgeons recommended via Surgeon Finder are no longer practicing in New Mexico. Does anyone have recent experience with a heart valve surgeon at the New Mexico Heart Institute, Presbyterian Heart Group, or University of New Mexico Hospital? Alternatively, we are open to exploring surgical options in Colorado if need be. Or even farther out-of-state. I'd also really appreciate any recommendations on cardiologists currently practicing in New Mexico. Thank you so much for your help. I really would be at a loss navigating all this without this forum; thanks Adam and community members! Best, Alethea