19hrs post surgery!

[jade100]

Hi all,

My names Heidi, I'm Ross' (jade100) girlfriend.

Ross had a full Bentalls procedure yesterday between 12-6pm, it was a pretty stressful day for us but was very relieved to be able to visit him in ICU at 7pm. He was away with the fairies but safe and everything went to plan.

I phoned for an update at midnight and he was off the ventilator and asking for water!

At 7am I got a phonecall from ICU to say your boyfriend wants to say hello! At this point he was still quite drugged up so wasn't feeling so much pain.

I visited at 10am & he was up in the chair with all but 1 of his intravenous lines out. He looked pale & breathless but awake & ok. Talking seems to make him more out of breath and he's a bit sweaty too, also obviously his sternum is very painful but the physio has given him tips of how to move, he's off the morphine and just on oral painkillers. I need to keep reminding myself that it's not even been 24 hrs yet! I just want him to be back to normal.

The surgeon is pleased with how it went.

I'll keep you updated, thanks for the messages, this site has given more comfort than you can imagine,

Heidi x (on behalf of a very sore Ross ;-)

 

[TheGymGuy]

Great news Heidi. Get him moving and even walk with him as his body allows. This will speed up the metabolism of all the anestesia and other drugs and he will feel more fresh and less drugged up.

 

[Greg a]

Great report Heidi so good when one reaches up and over the mounthain......now he can focus on a smooth bump free recovery

 

[escargome]

Heidi,
Thanks for the update. Tell Ross to take it somewhat easy. Rest, eat, walk and repeat a bizillion times. So he will be home and back to his usual self. Hugs to both of you.

 

[Jkm7]

Great news, Heidi. Thanks for letting us know how well he is doing.

Best wishes for a smooth, bump free recovery.

 

[Rachel]

Super news Heidi!!

Thinking of you both!

Rachel

 

[Racquetshopper]

Heidi,
Thanks for the update. It's always good to hear that one is doing so well so soon. Gives hope to the rest of us who are waiting for surgery. Thanks again

 

[Eva]

Great news, Heidi.

Hope Ross' recovery is smooth, bump-free, and God speed.

 

[jade100]

Well today Ross is back to his normal colour! his chest drain & catheter is out & he said it wasn't as bad as he thought but still sore. Walking up and down the ward 4 times today. He has a bit of a temperature so we're waiting for some blood results but hopefully it's just the normal post op temps. Anyone else had temps post op? Heidi x

 

[camgough]

Sounds like he is doing great! Keep it up!

 

[Laggard]

Good news! I remember my first day post-op and being winded from eating.

 

[Sarah_Louise]

Hope Ross is still doing well
xxxx

 

[normofthenorth]

Great report, Heidi, and +1 to all the other comments. There's another current thread now on post-op fevers (Blood Cultures Post-Op), and the posts there suggest that it's common. OHS =~ getting hit by a truck, after all!

 

[jade100]

Hi there, thanks for the messages.
It's been a bit of a bumpy road so far but think we've turned a corner today. They found some old bug on the aorta in the lab so sent me for blood cultures but after 5 days they're clear so that's good. Had some nausea but that seems to be passing too. The pain seems better every day & it's only day 12. We walked 15 mins into town today & back for a coffee.

Sleeping with alot of pillows and its not too bad so im getting some sleep. Long may this continue!

 

[jade100]

Well it's now day 12 for me & I'm feeling pretty good. Walking 15 mins into town this morning & 15 mins to the park & back. Maybe over doing it a bit as feel pretty wiped out afterwards & pain seems to take hold a little too. I also have a low red blood cell count so told to eat alot of red meat by GP! INR fluctuating between 2.5-3.6 so only on 1.5 mg at the moment. Managing to sleep well with a mountain of pillows. Still getting a bit of nausea. Has anyone else had this?
My blood cultures came back clear after 5 days so the docs think the bug they found on the aorta was part of the dead endocarditis. They didn't manage to grow anything on it which is a huge relief. It was quite a shock to be told I needed more blood cultures taken after getting over the first few days of OHS!

 

[Bina]

Well it's now day 12 for me & I'm feeling pretty good. Walking 15 mins into town this morning & 15 mins to the park & back. Maybe over doing it a bit as feel pretty wiped out afterwards & pain seems to take hold a little too. I also have a low red blood cell count so told to eat alot of red meat by GP! INR fluctuating between 2.5-3.6 so only on 1.5 mg at the moment. Managing to sleep well with a mountain of pillows. Still getting a bit of nausea. Has anyone else had this?
My blood cultures came back clear after 5 days so the docs think the bug they found on the aorta was part of the dead endocarditis. They didn't manage to grow anything on it which is a huge relief. It was quite a shock to be told I needed more blood cultures taken after getting over the first few days of OHS!

It sounds like you are doing great. On Day 12 my challenge was still walking the hallway in the hospital. You are going to have
swings up and down, just make note if there is no progress. My home nurse took BP and temp often, and the INR should balance
out in that range soon enough. Best wishes.