Bob's Journal

John Murray  Thanks, Bob. It sounds like you are doing great post-op!! I'm glad the VA is taking such good care of you. I pray that you continue to do very well.

  Hi Bob, I had AVR via mini sternotomy about 4 weeks ago. I never woke up fully with the tube. I remember them putting on my oxygen over my nose. I am guessing they had just removed the tube. Right after surgery (a couple hours), I remember feeling so insanely tired I could not even open my eyes. I heard nurses moving around and talking and remember my husband telling me my incision looked good. I remember the surgeon coming in a few hours later and telling me what he did. I was able to say thank you to him and open my eyes for a second. I really woke up sometime that night. My surgery was in the early am. Catheter and drain tube were removed day after surgery. pacing wore removed two days after surgery. IV in neck until removed right before discharge 3 days later. None of it was pleasant, but it was not as painful to have them removed and it really felt good to have them removed. Each removal meant I was a step closer to going home. Everyone is different and I have read stories where some people woke up to the tube, but a majority I read were not too disturbed by it. Best wishes to you.

Lilly Black  Bob, the good news is that I was so drugged and out of it, that I never felt it. I knew it was there when I woke up because they told me, but to be honest, I was so out of it, it didn't bother me in the least. The most painful was the tubes being removed from my stomach area. I had so many tubes! I also had tubes in my neck and in my groin. But at the time, you're so happy that they're coming out, you somehow get through it. It feels great when you are no longer hooked up to anything. In hind sight, it was not as bad as I had expected. On my third day in the hospital, (7 days in total), I discontinued pain meds. It was hard at first but my surgeon encouraged it and I'm glad he did. Everything he recommended helped tremendously. I was already feeling really good at 3 weeks. By 6 weeks, I felt like a new person. One day at a time....you gotta take one day at a time to get through it all! Hope this was helpful!

Meredith Bray  I was awake for about 3 seconds - long enough to be thankful for being alive, see the sun shining in the window, and notice there was a tube coming out of my mouth. I fell back asleep immediately, and when I awoke the next time there was not breathing tube.
My catheter and chest tubes came out 48 hour after surgery. I was free from all IVs and ports 72 hours after surgery. I told the nurses I didn't want to see anything coming out of my body, could they please cover up any tubes, IVs, ports, etc so I couldn't see it, and they accommodated me very nicely. I never felt any of them, either. (IVs are not needles, it's a thin plastic tube - very flexible - that stays in. I always thought it was a needle, and was always afraid to move that whole side of my body because I didn't want to feel it move. Ick!)

Flo Em  It was out within 24 hours after surgery. I was so drugged out but you need to be awake to have it removed. It was rough for me 'coz I keep on falling asleep but eventually, they were able to take it out. Catheter and needles are out before they moved me to telemetry -- a couple of days for me.

Bob Anick  Thank you for your input ladies; it's much appreciated. I had 4 surgeries on my left leg (over a 3 year period) had rotator cuff repair on both shoulders and got a stint put into my heart this past June so, I'm good with the needles and IV tubes. The catheter (I hate them!) and throat tube...not so much. And...I hate the thought of being in the hospital for 5-7 days. But, like everything else, it'll be fine.

Kimberly Biddick  As many others have said, I have no memory of being on the vent. Mine came out quickly and all I remember is hearing someone tell me to cough. Even if I had been awake, I was so drugged and out of it that I doubt I would have noticed it. You cannot think nearly as clearly right after surgery as you do now. The catheter came out within 36 hours and all but one line was removed during the first 36 hours as well. My chest tubes came out after 48 hours and my pacing wires on day 3. There are so many drugs involved that none of these seem nearly as bad as it would do someone with a clear head. Best wishes to you... I am 6 weeks post op and feel great! So thankful I did it when I did!!

Wanda Mroz  Well I have to be honest. I woke up with the tube in... I was told that once I woke it would come out. Well not so fast. Pressure was a little low so they left it in for about an hour. That part wasn't all that bad.. The coming out part was awful... But it only lasts a few seconds. The trick is to expect it and be calm when you wake... Don't panic. Hard to do but try. It was awful but you will live through it and like I said it only takes a few seconds to come out.

susan kotansky  I was barely conscious and two of my friends were speaking to me, and encouraging me as they removed the tube. It was uncomfortable but didn't last very long and I fell back asleep immediately after. For several weeks after however, my throat felt thick, making swallowing uncomfortable and my voice was hoarse. I just had to take small bites of my food. In a few weeks it was totally better. I wish I had known about this beforehand cause it made me worry unnecessarily. It's the anxiety of the unknown which was so difficult for me...the reality wasn't as bad as my imaginings.

Kelly Weisgarber  I remember waking up with the tube, and the nurse saying lets get that tube out... They told me to Cough...It came out quickly and then I threw up. Which I did many times in ICU. I didn't do well with the pain meds. They made me so nauseous. One chest tube was removed about 21 hours after surgery, before I was moved to step down unit, the cath was removed the day after surgery. Second chest tube and pacing wires removed day 3. Not fun but what a relief to get all those extra tubes and wires out. I thought the chest tube sites hurt worse than the incision. Good luck Bob!

Tina Maroon  I was conscious enough know the tube was in and I felt like I was choking to death. The nurses had to keep suctioning me. I remember thinking to myself I can't take this not one minute more. But then the tube was pulled out. That was all I remember and I was then back to sleep.

Jim Kelly-Evans  I was on the vent for 17 hours after surgery due to complications. It really didn't bother me but I knew sort of what to expect. The tubes and catheters stay in for a while but again, you shoudn't be bothered by them that much. You'll be on pain meds and sort of flying a bit. Don't sweat this stuff. You'll be fine.

Wanda Mroz  The drainage tubes were far from pleasant but not as bad as the breathing tube. However, it feels so good when they are out, it's bearable especially since they drug you up first. It's stuff you will live through for sure.

Steven A Husted  I WAS SO DRUGED UP I DID NOT NOTICE WHEN THEY TOOK OUT THE TUBES BUT I DO REMEMBER THEM SAYING TO COUGH AND WHEN THEY TOOK OUT THE DRAIN TUBES THERE WAS A LITTLE PAIN BUT NOT BAD AND WHEN THEY TOOK OUT THE TUBES IN MY THROUT THEY ASKED ME IF I WANTED SOME ICE CHIPS AND I SAID YES WOW I NEVER TASTED ANYTHING SO GOOD AS ICE CHIPS WHAT A BLESSING

Liz Burroughs  When I woke up on the afternoon of my surgery I was very sick & nauseous but I didn't have a breathing tube in my throat...I have no recollection of it whatsoever. They took out the IV in my neck the morning after my surgery. I think the catheter came out the day after that & the chest tubes/pacing wires came out on day four. I was scared when the doctor was getting ready to take them out but it wasn't too bad. Good luck with your surgery! We'll all be with you in spirit.

Wanda Mroz  I forgot ... Cath came out when drainage tubes did. 2nd day. I had an IV port throughout my hospital stay. Cath in neck and wrist along with pacing wires came out four days after surgery. None of these were a big deal.

Jackie Owens  I think (from what I recall) the tubes came out just as I came to. I guess I was trying to pull them out which I don't remember but I still have a scar on my arm from the nurses having to restrain my arms with tape. I remember them being taken out but it wasent as scary as I thought it would be in my head. I did hand vocal cord damage and couldn't talk well for about 4 weeks post op...and I stayed away from hard crunchy foods for 4 weeks.

My catheter came out the morning after surgery as did the arterial IV's. The main IV stayed in until an hour before I was discharged.

It will all be OK and now, I'm 4 months post op I look back on it and realize it was not all that bad! :)