Alerion
Well-known member
Well! Open Heart Surgery!! It certainly has been FUN! Like a vacation where everyone waits on you hand and foot!
Now, I’ve been out of touch for a week or so just because I’ve been too sleepy to do anything like writing.
I had to stay on my butt for a while and pretty much sleep the last six or so days away. I had a disgusting infection which made me ill and kept me down for a while but today I’m feeling pretty good. The infection was at the suction tube site for my collapsed lung and was pretty gross. Now, it’s pretty much gone and I’m feeling good. I take long walks a couple times a day and I’ve been doing the lame little exercises they gave me to do. I’m looking forward to going to PT so I can get some mobility back. Right now, I’m stiff as hell through my neck and shoulders and it gets ten times worse when I go for a walk.
So, with the perspective of a few weeks post-op, I have some things I’d like to say to people facing AVR: - Remember, this is MY perspective. I’m 48 and in good physical shape. Your results may differ.
First of all – the operation itself is nowhere near as bad as you fear! I went in on a Tuesday morning and was discharged Friday afternoon.
I was a bit freaked out the morning I went in. I had to leave my wife behind in a waiting room and go get prepped. I got a body shave, an I.V. and a lot of questions about my comfort. Then - a visit from the P.A and the anesthesiologist, after which Heidi was allowed to come in and wait with me for a while. I was first in the OR so at about 7:45 I kissed Heidi and they wheeled me into the operating room. Everyone was cheerful as hell, joking encouragingly as they prepared to saw me in two!
Don’t be scared, you’re not going to feel much of anything til they stop the morphine on day two and by then you’re Ok.
I remember the anesthesiologist leaning over me and saying something, but what it was, I have no idea. I was out like a light and that’s all I remember of the pre-op portion of the day.
I awoke in a fog and couldn’t open my eyes, or at least if I did, I don’t remember seeing anything. I was ZONKED, big-time, and my only discomfort at the time was the breathing tube. I had read that you have to “breathe with the tube” etc. but I just kinda lay there and as soon as I was awake, they pulled it out. I remember that part only vaguely, but my Nurse Claudette (An ANGEL of freaking mercy – Heidi tells me she held my hand and talked to me softly for the entire time up until the pulled the tube) said I didn’t notice it. ICU nurses are amazing!
After the tube was pulled, they started making me use the breathing gizmo (I started calling it the bong) and my lung volume started going down. Claudette also noticed that I was exhibiting apnea and that the episodes were coming closer together. She called the doc and ordered an X-ray and they found I had a collapsed lung.
Complications sometimes happen.
The P.A. tried TWICE to place a suction tube to re-inflate the lung but she couldn’t get it right. This was the most painful thing I had to deal with and she eventually gave up and called the surgeon in from home. He arrived an hour later and got it done, absolutely painlessly, in about 3 minutes.Assuming no complications, it’s very straightforward. You need to be your own advocate though. My first night was very painful and the doc on call preferred to sleep rather than up my pain meds. I gave the nurse an earful (I’ll be damned if he’s going to sleep like a baby while I roll around in agony- CALL HIM!!) and once they gave me more pain medication, life was great.
The next two days were painful because of the lung thing, not the OHS. Of course they doped me up good, so I can’t really say I was in great pain, other than the first night. My sternum felt fine (Unless I coughed, which hurt like hell but you get used to it) but the 3 puncture sites were very sore. Still, on the third day, I was feeling pretty good. I could go to the bathroom alone (didn’t need to go until the third day) , and getting in and out of the lounger (forget the bed-it’s useless) was pretty easy. Every day, my lung capacity improved and on day three, they pulled the tubes.
All the tubes you might be freaking out about are uncomfortable, but much less so than, say, a root canal.
They pulled the IVs in my arms out. I had a central line in my neck (annoying and uncomfortable) which they took out and replaced with an IV in my wrist. Then they took out the foley (Everybody calm down, it’s nothing!) Two young nurses grabbed mister happy and pulled the cath out in less than 2 seconds. Some people pay big money for an experience like that! I had feared that part of the process and though it burned a bit, it felt GREAT to get rid of it.
Then, later that day, the P.A. came in to remove the pacemaker wires. I thought this would be awful, but in fact it just felt… weird. No pain or anything, just the odd sensation of something moving around in your chest. Ditto the drain tubes
Going home feels great!
Once all the tubes were out, I got a visit from the surgeon, and a pre-discharge visit from his P.A. who was psyched I was going home a day early (So too was my insurance company, I’ll wager)
After I got home, I realized how weak I actually was. There are several medications they put you on and I am fortunate in having a wife who took care of all that. I also had a VNA twice a week and they just made sure my BP, weight and temp were normal.
I guess my bottom line to people facing AVR is that it’s often easier for the patient than it is for the family. Try to remember that they're going through hell too.
My first night home was spent trying to get comfortable on the bed, the pullout couch, the lounge chair- all of them were terrible. The next day, we went out and bought a motorized recliner – HEAVEN. All of a sudden, I was sleeping well and waking well rested. Since that day, my progress has been steady and I feel great now (though I’m still stiff) though insomnia has become an issue of late.
Now, I’m back to work (out of my home office) on a limited schedule and every day I feel better. I really look forward to getting my mobility back so I can go sailing this summer.
I realize I’ve been very lucky and I owe my life to the doctors, nurses and P.A.s who brought me through this. My surgeon, Tom Carr, is a first-class chap and top-notch surgeon. I hope he’s still practicing when I need a re-op!
So many folks have had operations recently and it seems that for the most part they have all gone well. The forum has been a great help to all of us and I am grateful to the forum for the info and support I got here.
Once you get past the choice of what kind of valve you desire, and assuming you’re in the majority of people for whom the operation goes well, there really is nothing to it. You just sit back and spend a couple of days in the hospital. My worst memories of the stay are of the CRAPPY food, the annoying PA announcements and the puny TV they gave me.
Sorry about the long post, but I really wanted to take the terror out of it. I truly hope everyone has as easy a time of it as I had. Best of luck to all those awaiting surgery.
David
Now, I’ve been out of touch for a week or so just because I’ve been too sleepy to do anything like writing.
I had to stay on my butt for a while and pretty much sleep the last six or so days away. I had a disgusting infection which made me ill and kept me down for a while but today I’m feeling pretty good. The infection was at the suction tube site for my collapsed lung and was pretty gross. Now, it’s pretty much gone and I’m feeling good. I take long walks a couple times a day and I’ve been doing the lame little exercises they gave me to do. I’m looking forward to going to PT so I can get some mobility back. Right now, I’m stiff as hell through my neck and shoulders and it gets ten times worse when I go for a walk.
So, with the perspective of a few weeks post-op, I have some things I’d like to say to people facing AVR: - Remember, this is MY perspective. I’m 48 and in good physical shape. Your results may differ.
First of all – the operation itself is nowhere near as bad as you fear! I went in on a Tuesday morning and was discharged Friday afternoon.
I was a bit freaked out the morning I went in. I had to leave my wife behind in a waiting room and go get prepped. I got a body shave, an I.V. and a lot of questions about my comfort. Then - a visit from the P.A and the anesthesiologist, after which Heidi was allowed to come in and wait with me for a while. I was first in the OR so at about 7:45 I kissed Heidi and they wheeled me into the operating room. Everyone was cheerful as hell, joking encouragingly as they prepared to saw me in two!
Don’t be scared, you’re not going to feel much of anything til they stop the morphine on day two and by then you’re Ok.
I remember the anesthesiologist leaning over me and saying something, but what it was, I have no idea. I was out like a light and that’s all I remember of the pre-op portion of the day.
I awoke in a fog and couldn’t open my eyes, or at least if I did, I don’t remember seeing anything. I was ZONKED, big-time, and my only discomfort at the time was the breathing tube. I had read that you have to “breathe with the tube” etc. but I just kinda lay there and as soon as I was awake, they pulled it out. I remember that part only vaguely, but my Nurse Claudette (An ANGEL of freaking mercy – Heidi tells me she held my hand and talked to me softly for the entire time up until the pulled the tube) said I didn’t notice it. ICU nurses are amazing!
After the tube was pulled, they started making me use the breathing gizmo (I started calling it the bong) and my lung volume started going down. Claudette also noticed that I was exhibiting apnea and that the episodes were coming closer together. She called the doc and ordered an X-ray and they found I had a collapsed lung.
Complications sometimes happen.
The P.A. tried TWICE to place a suction tube to re-inflate the lung but she couldn’t get it right. This was the most painful thing I had to deal with and she eventually gave up and called the surgeon in from home. He arrived an hour later and got it done, absolutely painlessly, in about 3 minutes.Assuming no complications, it’s very straightforward. You need to be your own advocate though. My first night was very painful and the doc on call preferred to sleep rather than up my pain meds. I gave the nurse an earful (I’ll be damned if he’s going to sleep like a baby while I roll around in agony- CALL HIM!!) and once they gave me more pain medication, life was great.
The next two days were painful because of the lung thing, not the OHS. Of course they doped me up good, so I can’t really say I was in great pain, other than the first night. My sternum felt fine (Unless I coughed, which hurt like hell but you get used to it) but the 3 puncture sites were very sore. Still, on the third day, I was feeling pretty good. I could go to the bathroom alone (didn’t need to go until the third day) , and getting in and out of the lounger (forget the bed-it’s useless) was pretty easy. Every day, my lung capacity improved and on day three, they pulled the tubes.
All the tubes you might be freaking out about are uncomfortable, but much less so than, say, a root canal.
They pulled the IVs in my arms out. I had a central line in my neck (annoying and uncomfortable) which they took out and replaced with an IV in my wrist. Then they took out the foley (Everybody calm down, it’s nothing!) Two young nurses grabbed mister happy and pulled the cath out in less than 2 seconds. Some people pay big money for an experience like that! I had feared that part of the process and though it burned a bit, it felt GREAT to get rid of it.
Then, later that day, the P.A. came in to remove the pacemaker wires. I thought this would be awful, but in fact it just felt… weird. No pain or anything, just the odd sensation of something moving around in your chest. Ditto the drain tubes
Going home feels great!
Once all the tubes were out, I got a visit from the surgeon, and a pre-discharge visit from his P.A. who was psyched I was going home a day early (So too was my insurance company, I’ll wager)
After I got home, I realized how weak I actually was. There are several medications they put you on and I am fortunate in having a wife who took care of all that. I also had a VNA twice a week and they just made sure my BP, weight and temp were normal.
I guess my bottom line to people facing AVR is that it’s often easier for the patient than it is for the family. Try to remember that they're going through hell too.
My first night home was spent trying to get comfortable on the bed, the pullout couch, the lounge chair- all of them were terrible. The next day, we went out and bought a motorized recliner – HEAVEN. All of a sudden, I was sleeping well and waking well rested. Since that day, my progress has been steady and I feel great now (though I’m still stiff) though insomnia has become an issue of late.
Now, I’m back to work (out of my home office) on a limited schedule and every day I feel better. I really look forward to getting my mobility back so I can go sailing this summer.
I realize I’ve been very lucky and I owe my life to the doctors, nurses and P.A.s who brought me through this. My surgeon, Tom Carr, is a first-class chap and top-notch surgeon. I hope he’s still practicing when I need a re-op!
So many folks have had operations recently and it seems that for the most part they have all gone well. The forum has been a great help to all of us and I am grateful to the forum for the info and support I got here.
Once you get past the choice of what kind of valve you desire, and assuming you’re in the majority of people for whom the operation goes well, there really is nothing to it. You just sit back and spend a couple of days in the hospital. My worst memories of the stay are of the CRAPPY food, the annoying PA announcements and the puny TV they gave me.
Sorry about the long post, but I really wanted to take the terror out of it. I truly hope everyone has as easy a time of it as I had. Best of luck to all those awaiting surgery.
David
