Almost empty .. down a few pints !

[epstns]

I'm just seeing this, Harriet. Wishing you well and better soon. For the first month or so after surgery, I as told I was anemic, but the docs told me to just eat a normal diet and it would come around. Obviously my situation is/was different than yours, but I guess that some anemia is common.

FWIW, though, I'm with pellicle in the thought that it is better to be safe than sorry and have the blood cultures done to rule in/out endocarditis. When I had all of my post-op complications, this was one of the first test protocols started. Once we ruled endocarditis out, I was at least a bit more relaxed while we worked through the rest of it.

 

[harrietW]

Paliogirl no unfortunately that appointment is tomorrow in Calgary post op with the surgeon. I literally could not get up on Fri and Saturday l had my nephew drive out to pick me up and bring me into hospital. Had he not been able to come l would of call ed an ambulance l was so scared and kniw now l probably would of been dead or in a comma by morning. I was so sick almost no blood pressure and the the second l did move it felt like my heart was going to blow. My BP continued to go from very low to very very hi. It was after the first to units or bags of blood did things start to level out. I then lost more blood after that and receive 2 more units or bags. My hg is now 84. And they still really know nothing. Blood pressure low but stable inr 2.9 and tomorrow morning will start preparing me for scopes either end not looking forward to that. Thursday procedure.
The doc here of internal medicine is actually convinced my heart is good and strong. He is the doctor that actually diagnosed me with heart and lung disease . He has been watching me nowith since l was admitted Saturday.

 

[MethodAir]

That is somewhat encouraging, Harriet. Have they given you an echo recently (as in the past few days)??

 

[harrietW]

MethodAir no l have not l had an echo which l am discuraged by. He told me today he wasn't going to do one when l asked. However knowing l see my Cardiologists on the 22nd l haven't madE a big deal out of it. Also l hope to get up to Calgary as soon as l am discarged from her l told them l was in the hospital here and of course they want all the info sent to the surgeon for review.

 

[harrietW]

Thank you everyone for you thoughts and prayers. I am actually glad to be in hospital honeybunny yes lts scary to be alone sometimes it's not a pleasant experience to go through as a single person is it .. to much time to sit in your own thoughts and wonder why it us the way it is. Lol my guess is lm just to darn miserable for anyone else to bare. I have stayed single since my diagnosis deliberately l just thought it best that way and if lm supposed to be with someone it will be when God knows I'll be around for awhile.
I actually feel right now in this moment that l might just live. First time since surgery.

 

[MethodAir]

DEMAND THAT THEY GIVE YOU AN ECHO! Go above their head if you have to.

 

[MethodAir]

They didn't give me an echo either, after they botched a heart cath pre op.

What was really going on went undetected in the 4 days leading to surgery. The nurses kept saying 'Look, you're fine, your oxygen saturation is **'. The cardiologist notes said that the shortness of breath was due to 'anxiety' and not heart failure. Meanwhile, I was losing nearly all heart function and going into total organ failure. As I'm laying there, literally turning green, unable to breath, cachexic...the day before surgery, they brought in a shrink who asked me to 'define my mood state'!! 'I feel really uncomfortable' (adjustment disorder).

That's why I mentioned you need a strong advocate. The echo could really give them some meaningful information.

 

[JulienDu]

I fully agree with MethodAir on that.

Also, from Calgary, you are 2h30 hours away from the number 1 heart transplant hospital in Canda. If you are really worried, do not hesitate to go there, their facility is supra modern and their whole hospital is specialized and only dedicated to the Heart, you would see top cardiologist in emergency. The toughest patients are sent there from the whole Western Canada ( BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan) and Northwestern Canada (Yukon, NWT).

I do not find normal that you did not see a Cardio yet

 

[harrietW]

I actually thought they were going to give me one today !
To be honest he was going to discharge me today until l kind of insisted on knowing where all my blood went. It had to have gone somewhere and l don't physically see any . I am going to call my Cardiologists in the morning and let her know l'm across the street from her office. And ask her to review my file since surgery and since l was discharged. Also right now l have an infected red swollen IV site from last night l demanded they take the lv out and lt continues to get more red and swollen l can't even use my arm hardly tonight.
Thx MethodAir

 

[harrietW]

JulienDu
I agree that was where my surgery was .. Dr.Maitland he is the top surgeon and did my surgery 6 weeks ago today. I was supposed to have my followup tomorrow and talked to his assistant this morning. I think l may call his office back tomorrow and ask him to insist on an echo also.

 

[JulienDu]

Harriet, when I went to the Mazankowski Heart Institue in emergency because I thought I had a Dissection, this is the procedure I went through :

-under 15 min I had a CT scan
-CT scan proved that I had no dissection and aneurysm was stable
-they still send me for an X-ray
-after they proved I was safe, the lead cardio still came with his resident and cardio-techician : they did an ultra-sound in emergency and the lead cardio were commenting in front of me with his resident while the ultra sound was being done

Despite that my aneurysm was safe they still brought cardio and ultra sound machine just to make sure, without me asking anything.

Im with Method Air on that, you have to push their ***.

 

[harrietW]

Pellicle
Unfortunately l didn't get to far today. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive. I have post a couple of this here to let you know what happened. Thx

 

[AmyBL]

Harriet, I am sorry to see that you aren't feeling better but relieved that you are exactly where you need to be -- the hospital. Sending my best advocate vibes your way. Please let us know how it goes!

 

[harrietW]

AmyBL thank you ! Xx ❤
Hope you are well.

 

[Paleowoman]

Paliogirl no unfortunately that appointment is tomorrow in Calgary post op with the surgeon.

Will the hospital you are currently in send you to see Dr Maitland by ambulance ? I'm sure you couldn't get there any other way seeing how ill you are. The surgeon should be involved now in case this is something to do with his work. I'm surprised the doctor you're under at the moment hasn't invovled him. What a nightmare for you Harriet :-(

 

[harrietW]

Paliogirl my thoughts exactly. Xx ❤

 

[Paleowoman]

Dear Harriet - I know that as a patient when you are very ill that it can be very difficult to stand up for yourself and make requests/demands/push regarding your care as you are dependant on the doctors and nurses around you which can makes a patient feel very vulnerable. Plus you are feeling weak and ill. Is there someone who can advocate for you ? Your son ? Can you ask for an advocate ? xxx

 

[pellicle]

Hey Harriet

Pellicle
Unfortunately l didn't get to far today. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive. I have post a couple of this here to let you know what happened. Thx

thanks for posting, I've been keeping an eye on your progress (in between bathroom reno and front balcony repainting). Don't fret that progress is slow. I know it makes one feel bad. I've spent plenty of days on the couch because I couldn't get far that day either ...

I like Paleogirls idea of an advocate ... if you have one that would be worth looking into.

Anyway I'm sure you'll pull through, the road is often bumpy.

Best Wishes

 

[gregjohnsondsm]

I have a good friend that works as a patient advocate in Minnesota. She says that they really can help patients with plans, actions, help, information, choices, etc... If you have the option it certainly couldn't hurt to have someone else there to help.