Arthur's Journal

Adam Pick  Love this! Like you, I took a quick vacation before my heart valve surgery. Fyi, my family and I love skiing. Which mountain are you at? Regardless, have a great time during your next apres ski!!!

Susan Lynn  Arthur - Woo-hoo! Good way to enjoy this weather and a great diversion before surgery! Physically active heart warriors usually have an easier time recovering, too! Sending you good wishes for your procedure next week. There are lots of skiing adventures ahead!

Robert Miller  Great! This year we had a huge amount of snow but I can't ski until March So enjoy it!! Interestingly, December a year ago I went skiing with my son and his cousin. The cousin is a crazy good skier and a real daredevil (and I am not a bad skier either doing double black diamonds if the snow is good but this guy is so much better). I got out of breath all the time. It was a bit surprising to me that I had to stop that frequently but I figured it's because I am getting older and I am skiing with 18 and 25 year olds. Little did I know that 2 months later I would have my first urgent heart surgery...

Greg Lewis  Enjoy it!!! Best sport on the planet!!!  I was hoping this year, but some parts still aren't there just yet. But I will!!!  Do a run for me! Good luck!!

Arthur Schoeller  Adam my in-laws bought this condo at Smuggler's Notch in Vermont in 1967. They turned it over to us about 15 years ago. So my wife has been skiing here for a LONG time, and I joined in back in 1978. It is a real blessing to get away to a mountain I know very well just before my surgery and the motivation it provides to get back here when the time is right. Plus the conditions were dreadful up until a week and a half ago so we had not planned this. Then the snows came and it's still snowing. 

Deena Z  HI Arthur, good question. It feels good to plan as much as possible-- control! I am a member of the zipper club, as you mention, and did not find our home recliner helpful for sleep. (not a medical device/recliner). However, other warriors loved having one and hopefully they will chime-in.

I can tell you that sleeping is definitely more difficult for at least two to four weeks, because you need to sleep on your back all-the-time and the best you can do is use pillows to adjust your back's position. Pillows will be your best friend! I did not find getting in and out of bed that difficult, but it was slow.

The pain will not be as much as you would imagine, which is a blessing, and the exhaustion will be greater. Most of all, though, know that you will get through this surgery successfully. You will soon be in recovery.

Marie Myers  I rented a recliner for one month and I loved it.. It made getting up and down easy, and I slept and napped in it.  I had the recliner in the family room, where I could watch TV, and it was close to the kitchen for a snack or cup of tea. After a month, I was comfortable lying flat, so it was back to bed for me. Like Deena says, the exhaustion was the most unexpected thing for me. It took a couple weeks before I felt I was getting my strength back. Things got better bit by bit, and day by day. You can do this!

Robert Miller  For the first week after my first surgery I slept on our couch which can recline via a simple push on a button. It helped getting on and off the couch much easier compared to rolling in and out of bed. To make it a bit more comfortable I put a thick and soft blanket over the couch and a pillow for my lower back. After the first week I slept in our bed with a wedge 'pillow' (it starts at 0" and gradually goes up to about 15"). 

For my second surgery I started out sleeping in our bed with the wedge pillow. After a few hours my back started to hurt so for the rest of the night I moved to the couch. I did this for a few days. I then put a somewhat thin pillow on top of the wedge pillow which helped a lot in regards to back pain. That is what I am still doing after being home for about a week now. In a few days I probably sleep without the wedge pillow. 

Btw, when I slept on the couch I put a pillow to the left and right of me (besides the one behind the back). This allowed me to angle my legs and move them sideways and rest them on the pillow. It's not like sleeping on the side, which is how I usually sleep, but it helps with the back. 

Susan Lynn  Arthur - The best thing you can do is have options. I had a recliner which was nice during the day for watching tv and napping, but I didn't like sleeping in it all night. I also had a foam wedge, but didn't end up liking that at all. What finally worked was sleeping in my own bed with a bunch of pillows in a configuration that minimized my movement. Recognize that sleeping, no matter what you use to make yourself comfortable, will likely be sporadic. Sleep whenever you can - day, afternoon, night - forget about the time of day. You'll eventually get back to your regular schedule. Until then, your naps will sustain you. Be patient.

Kenneth Southard  In the hospital I had the bed cranked up to a pretty high angle.  When I got home, I had to sleep in a recliner for a few days.  It probably took me about 4 months for my sleep to return to a consistently normal pattern.  I was taking Melatonin gummies for while too and slept with the Heart Hugger on for the first month.  After about two months, I was prescribed a small nonrenewable prescription of Temazepam also known as Restoril. 

Pamela Gregory  I still sleep some nights in the recliner. I am a side sleeper so I found it much easier to stay on my back and propped up. Also I would recommend the wedge pillow. Also keeps you on your back and propped up. It's definitely nice to be prepared and have options. I also needed a shower chair for a couple of weeks. Definitely bring your own pillows, pjs, and an extra blanket to the hospital. I liked having a few easy things from home. I hope this is helpful

Rose Madura  Hi Arthur. Great question. I slept with a wedge but didn't care for it. I would use a configuration of pillows in bed and would sleep for a few hours. Then I'd get up and go downstairs to the recliner and sleep a few hours more. I used a travel pillow at the hospital and T home in the recliner because of an old neck injury in a car accident. You'll find sleep is something you will do whenever you can. Lots of napping. God bless you on your journey...

Rita Savelis  I didn't have a recliner, just a bed and pillows. It's hard to sleep after heart surgery so you have to take your naps when you can. Take care.

Timothy Andre  These are all great answers. Everyone is different. I somehow managed to sleep on my side while still in the hospital. The nurses thought I was crazy. At home a wedge pillow was just fine for me. Otherwise regular pillows also worked 

Robert Miller  @Timothy Andre I would have liked to sleep on the side and I am pretty sure I could have done it. However, I was told that I have to sleep on my back. The first few weeks you can only put very minimal stress on your chest while the bones are healing. Sleeping on the side or sleeping on the stomach would put too much pressure on the rip cage. That's what I was told. I didn't want to take the risk of possibly having pain for years to come because the bones didn't heal the way they should have so I just complied and slept on my back for about the first 4 weeks after surgery. 

Greg Lewis  I had an electric recliner. Go electric, much easier! This was for awhile.  Then finally got to use our bed. 
But, I gotta say.. not a fan of the wedge. I hated that thing! So we forked out the cash for adjustable beds. Two twins put together for a double bed. Great investment !!!! 
Can raise the legs for excess fluids. Position for sore back. Position for reading. Raise the back to help you up, raise a bit for Gerd, which, I had, and is common after ohs.
The only thing I would do different, is get the bed right away. We needed a new one anyway. 
As far as sleeping goes, this is the best. But it'll cost you. For me, it was well worth it!
Good luck!! 
PS...you also might need to get some sleep aids from the Doc. Just take it easy on them.

Richard Munson  Greg, is it possible to fall between the beds ? Is that where falling between the cracks comes from. I hated the wedge. Sounds too much like a wedgie. 

Ed Eller  I also found having a recliner chair was a great help in the first 2-3 weeks post surgery. I had it next to the bed and usually started sleeping in bed and then moved to the recliner when I got uncomfortable. I needed the shower chair for a few weeks too. 

Amy Berger  Hi I’m 5 days post op and have electric recliner that we squished into bedroom next to bed. I’m a side, stomach sleeper so this is best option for me so that I won’t roll over. I have a few small soft pillows to put under my head and along my side. Last night was first night home so I was tired enough not to care. Hoping I can sleep tonight. Regardless I will do what they suggest because I want to heal :)

Rita Savelis  I slept in my bed. Sleeping on my back was not easy and sleeping in general was not easy. So I feel for you. I had to take sleep meds every so often to give myself some rest. And there was lots of movement from sofa to bed. Take care. Sleep whenever and wherever you can.

Susan Lynn  Arthur - It definitely gets real once you have the date. You're going to do just fine! Waiting truly is the hardest part.

Meredith Bray  Yay you have a date! The worst part emotionally for me was the waiting.  Glad your heart cath was clear. Treat yourself well the next 6 weeks - you deserve it!


Meredith
Oak Ridge, TN

Adam Pick  Hi Arthur, I recently posted an update to one of our free eBooks, "5 Critical Questions for Heart Valve Surgery Patients". In that eBook, I have a section titled, "What Should I Ask My Surgeon When We Meet?".  I'll post a link to download that eBook below.  But, in the meantime, here are 13 questions you may want to consider. 

• Why do you think I need surgery?
• What type of treatment do you recommend? Why?
• What are your patient outcomes for that specific type of treatment?
• Are there any other less-invasive treatments to consider? What are they?
• How long have you been performing heart valve surgery?
• How many heart valve surgeries have you performed?
• Do you specialize in aortic, mitral, tricuspid or pulmonary therapy?
• How often do you treat patients with my specific form of heart disease?
• What are my greatest risks from a heart valve operation? How do you manage
those risks?
• What do you expect as the best result from this operation? Why?
• What can you tell me about the recovery from heart valve surgery?
• Do you think I will need another operation in the future? Why?
• How should I think about the lifetime management of heart valve disease?

Hope that helps!
Adam 

Adam Pick  Here's the link to free eBook mentioned above - https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/5-critical-questions-ebook

Adam Pick  Also... You may want to watch this video with Dr. Accola - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4GgWADlsao