It has been four months since avr surgery. I have been doing well. All of a sudden my blood prssure has risen to the 150/90 category. My np added corzaar to ...Read more
It has been four months since avr surgery. I have been doing well. All of a sudden my blood prssure has risen to the 150/90 category. My np added corzaar to my bp drugs but it is not helping. I\'m thinking kidneys as I\'m noticing wihite material in urine (protein) maybe. I\'m just wondering if the heart lung machine could have damaged my kidneys or if anyone out there has had an experience like this.Thanks JoAnne
Hello Everyone. It feels great to be home. I am still having pain in my back at night and a slight fever. I learned one good tip from the physical therapist. ...Read more
Hello Everyone. It feels great to be home. I am still having pain in my back at night and a slight fever. I learned one good tip from the physical therapist. When you need to cough ask your partner or friend to hug you and the coughing will be so much more productive and with much less pain. Your partner only hugs you and you hold your heart pillow between you and other person. I have to say Kaiser was a pleasant surprise with much time spent on antibiotic nose wipes and two germ killing showers before the surgery. I received a bovine valve. Dr. Lee said my valve was much worse than he had anticipated and ready to fail. What we have gone thru is truly a miracle. How could your body survive this trauma. I hope all of your remain grateful for the gift you have been given. I came home with a binding from the hospital and an extra one. These are wonderful. I am fading but will write soon. JoAnne
All iv\'s gone. Up and walking with no assistance. As with most everybody else the back pain & the pain associated with coughing is the worst. Getting her appetite ...Read more
All iv\'s gone. Up and walking with no assistance. As with most everybody else the back pain & the pain associated with coughing is the worst. Getting her appetite back & gets grumpy if the food doesn\'t show up within 2 min of feeling hungry. Some chance of her coming home tomorrow. Sherrell
Day 2 & only 2 iv\'s left to remove, which will be in a couple of hours. She gets antsy to get up a walk often, which is good. I think the spirometer is the ...Read more
Day 2 & only 2 iv\'s left to remove, which will be in a couple of hours. She gets antsy to get up a walk often, which is good. I think the spirometer is the key to quick progress & the discipline of 10 times an hour & deeper intake is essential. Any friend or relative who is there should push for that regimen. More later. Sherrell
Hello everyone this is JoAnne\'s husband & I\'m writing for her as she is in post op day 1 & is not quite up to snuff yet. Every thing went well & she is lucky ...Read more
Hello everyone this is JoAnne\'s husband & I\'m writing for her as she is in post op day 1 & is not quite up to snuff yet. Every thing went well & she is lucky she had it done when she did. The valve was heavily calcified & had only about 25% capacity. Painful first night with the chest tubes in. Today they removed the chest tubes & several of the IVs. Had her walking twice & on the spirometer multiple times. Adjusting the pain meds to find the sweet spot. More updates tomorrow. Sherrell
Hello everyone: I am going in for aortic valve replacement on Tuesday November 23. I just spoke with nurse manager and she told me that my surgeon sews up the ...Read more
Hello everyone: I am going in for aortic valve replacement on Tuesday November 23. I just spoke with nurse manager and she told me that my surgeon sews up the pericardium after surgery. I know that this can create cardiac tampanade. I wonder if anyone has any information on this or knows what was done with their pericardium on their surgery. Just throwing this out to the Universe. Thanks JoAnne
Going in week of Thanksgiving for aortic valve replacement. I am nervous as I am 64. Hospital does not yet do minimally invasive surgery yet. I picked a surgeon ...Read more
Going in week of Thanksgiving for aortic valve replacement. I am nervous as I am 64. Hospital does not yet do minimally invasive surgery yet. I picked a surgeon D.r Richard Lee. I have not met him yet. Does anyone know anything about Kaiser cardiology docs. It\'s Kaiser in Portland Oregon (actually Clackamas just south of Portland. Thanks. JoAnne