SwansCity1912
Active member
Been a rough week or so but glad to be back home after surgery. Mechanical aortic valve but nothing else required. It’s one of the larger sized valves they have. Surgery went as planned.
Spent two nights in intensive care. Chest drains removed after 24 hours and pacing wires on day three.
The initial two days were really tough. Was a difficult balance between pain and sickness.
Removal of chest drains and pacing wires weren’t a big deal for me. I was expecting something nasty.
Common thing to read on here… how much better you feel each day. Even when you expect it it’s a surprise. You go from nothing to feeling good very quickly.
INR took a while to come up and my heart rhythm was all over the place initially.
I do remember the breathing tube. It was uncomfortable in a way that I wanted to clear my throat but couldn’t. Not awful and certain not painful or distressing. I remember making hand signals to express that I wanted it out. I remember them getting ready to take it out. I also remember them asking me to cough but not it coming out.
My valve’s tick is loud. Both for me and anyone nearby as long as the background environment isn’t loud. I’m assuming the sound level won’t settle. It’s not bothering me yet and hopefully that doesn’t change!
Spent two nights in intensive care. Chest drains removed after 24 hours and pacing wires on day three.
The initial two days were really tough. Was a difficult balance between pain and sickness.
Removal of chest drains and pacing wires weren’t a big deal for me. I was expecting something nasty.
Common thing to read on here… how much better you feel each day. Even when you expect it it’s a surprise. You go from nothing to feeling good very quickly.
INR took a while to come up and my heart rhythm was all over the place initially.
I do remember the breathing tube. It was uncomfortable in a way that I wanted to clear my throat but couldn’t. Not awful and certain not painful or distressing. I remember making hand signals to express that I wanted it out. I remember them getting ready to take it out. I also remember them asking me to cough but not it coming out.
My valve’s tick is loud. Both for me and anyone nearby as long as the background environment isn’t loud. I’m assuming the sound level won’t settle. It’s not bothering me yet and hopefully that doesn’t change!
