Alan B is out of surgery

[ottagal]

Simon,
Just reading your posts and so glad that your dad is out of ICU and making progress! It is wonderful that he has great support from his family. Continued good thoughts and prayers...

 

[Nancy]

There is something that happens to people temporarily when they are in ICU for extended times. It is called ICU psychosis. It is due to the medications, the 24 hour a day time frame, which doesn't allow the person to distinguish between day or night, and the loss of "person" that happens there.

It goes away once the person gets out of ICU and into a normal environment.

Family can help a lot with this by merely talking and even reading to the person, maybe bringing in some family pics to look at. And also it is important to bring in a calendar and make them aware of the time and day it is.

Open heart surgery all by itself causes many to have depression, sometimes it goes away, sometimes it needs medication.

I know that Joe had all of these things at one time or another. And he did recover from it. He took antidepressants, though, for many years, and they helped.

 

[Simon Booker]

Update: day 7

Update: day 7

Thanks for your notes and kind thoughts. It really is appreciated.

Dad is getting much better each day, he is walking with some assistance which is good because he needs to work off a bit of fluid build up. We are keeping him positive and he seems to be taking pleasure in small things like his first cup of coffee post-op. He spent at least a minute describing to me what it would taste like when he takes a sip of a cold beer (something he has not been able to do yet, but looks forward to)!

When I was with him yesterday evening he did however go into A-Fib and felt a little dizzy for a short time. I've read about this so know that it is quite common after OHS, but I was hoping this would not arise. His heart rate is high (110-140 bpm peak) so he is being treated with Potassium to bring this down, which I'm told might take a day or more. Not sure if he is having anything else to help his A-Fib, but if it is still there later today when I see him, I'll ask more fully about their treatment plan.

I'll keep you updated and thanks again for all your support.

 

[Simon Booker]

Tks Nancy

Tks Nancy

Nancy - the situation you describe is pretty much what Dad has endured. He's been in ICU for 6 days and has found it very hard to relax and rest. I think as well that it has not helped his confidence - seeing so many other people at the worst points of their journey. The night before last for example, the lady in the opposite ICU bed to Dad required a lot of intervention all night and Dad did not think she ultimately did well as the ICU nurses were being grilled over their actions within ear-shot of Dad. It is not a good long term environment for recovery.

But he's on the ward now, so I hope that he had a more restful night. He has a 'disciplinarian' Head nurse on the general ward that takes no nonsense and told him to get into bed in the afternoon for rest. He said that hge was "quite comfortable in my chair" and she replied "I don't think so, into bed now." I was pleased at this - she runs the ward with the interests of the patients in mind....

 

[kfay]

But he's on the ward now, so I hope that he had a more restful night. He has a 'disciplinarian' Head nurse on the general ward that takes no nonsense and told him to get into bed in the afternoon for rest. He said that hge was "quite comfortable in my chair" and she replied "I don't think so, into bed now." I was pleased at this - she runs the ward with the interests of the patients in mind....

Simon, I'll just tell you that I was much more comfortable in the chair in the hospital than in the bed (I think alot of us find it this way). I dreaded night time when I knew I was going to be in that bed for hours. When I have my next surgery, I won't hesitate to get up and spend part of that night in the chair.

I had a nurse like that for about,ummm, 5 minutes before I sent my husband out to the desk to request another nurse and to tell them that the first one was not to be my nurse the rest of my stay. They honored my request.

Kim

 

[Simon Booker]

Update - home tomorrow

Update - home tomorrow

Dad is being discharged tomorrow!

He has some continuing issues - namely A-FIB (on Wharfarin for 6 weeks as a precaution) and soreness in his lungs (but he is taking to the Spirometer more - despite being (unhelpfully) told by a nurse not to bother) but it will be really good for him to get home. He is finding it hard to rest in hospital so a change of scene will I think do him the power of good.

Thank you so much for all the support and good wishes that you have given us over the past 11 days - it has been brilliant to see your support when things have not been going so well, and a relief to share his achievements when he has made them. I cannot thank you all enough.

I'll be sure to keep you updated with Dad's progress.

Simon

 

[Simon Booker]

Spoke too soon .... Day 12

Spoke too soon .... Day 12

Well Dad was not discharged yesterday, his haemoglobin levels are a bit low and his kidneys are taking a little longer to recover. He is very tired still and has little energy. The doctors have checked him for infection and his lungs are almost clear (no infection) so I think he is just going to need a few more days to pick himself up a bit.

He's struggling with the whole hospital experience, but best to stay there for a few days I think - he'll be so glad to get home though.

Simon

 

[Megan]

simon- thanks for all your updates. you have been a real trooper and your dad is lucky to have you. sending lots of prayers so he gets to go home asap! megan

 

[LOVE MY DAD]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family he will get to come home soon

 

[kfay]

Simon, your dad is going to feel pretty wiped out for a while. Some of us get over it quicker than others, but I think we all felt that way at some point. Also, all of the meds that they have given him can take months to get out of his system. I felt as if I was in a fog for probably around 6 months after surgery. He will eventually get there, it just takes time. When he can finally get home, that may help him get his bearings..


Kim

 

[escargome]

Simon,
Sorry I was remiss in keeping up with your posts. Hope your dad is feeling stronger. It is possible that he is a little anemic. I was after my surgery and had to taken iron supplements for a while. Possibly the doctor's would consider a transfusion to help him along. Anyway, I shall keep praying.

 

[Simon Booker]

A really really bad day

A really really bad day

Dad is now back in the ICU. Unfortunately he needed emergency surgery this afternoon for a bleed around his heart that was stopping his heart beating - I believe that this is called a tampernard.

I'm not really sure what to say about it at the moment. He had the procedure, they removed 600 ml of blood from around his heart which I am told is a lot. He has been exhausted for the past few days, as you'll see from my earlier posts, and obviously this was the reason why. Hi BP fell off and his body temp fell.

We all feel quite guilty that we did not listen to him over the last few days when he said that something was not right, he felt too tired, he could not swallow liquids or food because he felt obstructed. My mum particulalry blames herself. We have been pushing him on his Spirometer and to make progress. But we were told that his exhaustion could be a product of his kidney function (that had still not returned to normal) or his breathing issues (although resolved now). You really don't know what to think but he was getting more and more distressed. But the nursing staff were saying that he needed to help himself more. They were obviously wrong. When Mum saw him yesterday he was slumped in his chair unable to drink for himself.

What does appear to have happened is that after A-FIB, he went onto Wharfarin (INR went to 3.2 this morning before surgery) but they were aiming for 2.0 but obviously had some trouble reaching this. I don't know why they took so long to identify a bleed but he had a scan at lunchtime today and then pretty much it was full on into theatre. They warmed him (BP had dropped) and tranfused to bring his INR down in a very short time so they could operate and then 15 minutes later he was in surgery.

I don't know what this means any more but he seems better tonight. He has been de-intubated and woken up which is a real relief given all his breathing problems after the last intubation. But he's got a new drain in and I can't help thinking of the last two weeks (two weeks tomorrow since he had his op) and the progress we made, and now back to ICU.

This has been a marathon now and I can't help thinking how young and fit he is compared to others on the ward and ICU. There is no logic in this any more for me. But tomorrow is another day and we'll go in and hope to see progress.

Simon

 

[kfay]

Simon, I'm very, very sorry your father has had this set back. It is too bad that the hospital staff didn't catch it before it reached that point. You and your family shouldn't blame yourselves, this is your first time at this and you are not trained to recognise these types of problems. But, you all have hopefully learned a very good lesson, which is when your dad or even one of you recognize that something isn't quiet right, you need to listen to that.

There are others on here who had this same set back and have gone on to fully recover. Hopefully they will be along soon to offer some reassurance. I bet he bounces back quicker this time. He is going to be ok, just be patient. Please know you all are in my thoughts. Keep us posted when you can.

Kim

 

[RI Mom]

Simon,

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad's setback. I sure hope that the procedure they did today will get him on track for recovery. I'm sending positive thoughts your way....all the way over the Atlantic.

Best Wishes,

 

[LOVE MY DAD]

i am so sorry your dad has had a set back but i really believe he will be ok this time around he will be home before you know it my prayers are with you and your family

 

[Debster]

Hello Simon! I am so sorry for your dad's setback,PLEASE do not blame yourselves...it is so hard to know what is normal recovery stuff and what is a problem. My mom too had many setbacks, and her recovery was slow,( she had the kidney hit like your dad.).I am sure your dad is now well on his way to recovering...we are keeping him in our prayers.... Deb

 

[Lynlw]

I'm sorry to hear this, did they have to open his whole incision again or were they able to "just" drain it? Justin never had bleeds but he did have pericardial effusions (fluid around his heart) after about 1/2 his surgeries that they were able to drain, but there were no bleeders they had to sew. It is a shame they didn't catch this before he went into tamponad, but hopefully this is a quick bump and he soon will be feel much better.
Don't beat yourself up

 

[zipper2]

Oh Simon i'm just catching up here on your posts,i'm sooo sorry
to read about the setback,but always seems theres room for these potholes
after surgery,just so dam hard on everyone involved is the worst and you sound tired ,you all need rest when you can grab it,i know easier said than done,but i am praying for all of you to get through this bump quickly and positively now.Gladyou are posting when able...God Bless and alot of prayers comming your way to all.(((((HUGS)))))

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[lbecker]

Simon, I've been on the go and not posting much, saw your info on your dad
and so sorry to hear of the continued problems he has encountered. Hopefully
he will start to recover following this last bleeding problem. I'm sure you and
your mother are exhausted. Rest when you can, will keep your dad in my prayers.
Laura Becker

 

[Bridgette]

Hi Simon,
Hopefully your Dad will start to pick up now.
I went through a similar experience so I can totally sympathise.
Thinking of you and your family.

Bridgette