Awake and recovering

[Chuck C]

That's awesome! Wish someone did that for me when I was in there. Coulda used a Philly cheesesteak & fries.

It seems for heart/valve surgery they always select "Heart Healthy Menu" for us patients, which can kinda suck. I can't really complain about the UCLA menu, but I can tell you that no way was a Philly Cheesesteak and fries one of the options,

BTW, about heart healthy. I do eat heart healthy. But, I make my own food, so I put together whole foods with stuff that I really like. My own heart healthy menu, I enjoy. Someone else's heart healthy picks usually suck pretty bad for me.

 

[slipkid]

It seems for heart/valve surgery they always select "Heart Healthy Menu" for us patients, which can kinda suck. I can't really complain about the UCLA menu, but I can tell you that no way was a Philly Cheesesteak and fries one of the options,

Yeah I can't remember the actual menu options I was allowed to choose from but it was a special heart healthy thing that wasn't very appealing. I kind of remember when placing my orders with the kitchen (the hospital had us call down ourselves) asking for this or that but in every case it was "no we can't do that, you are noted as being on the whatchamacallit heart diet".

 

[slipkid]

I didn’t know some people got theirs slowly pulled. Mine were yanked out in an instant. They had me practice a breathing technique before so it didn’t hurt too bad.

My worst pain was the IV in my wrist. I think they put it in wrong because the worst pain during my recovery was getting some meds through that wrist

I've told my hosptial worst pain story a couple times up here so am not gonna repeat it (although it is rather funny the way I tell it), but will just say it had to do with the catheter. OMG. Hurts just thinking about it.

 

[Deidra]

There was a decent selection of food at OHSU but my main compliant is that it all tasted EXTREMELY bland because it wasn't salted or seasoned at all!Which like, sure I can understand why they keep the sodium low, but at least give me the option to get a little salt packet once I'm out of the ICU! Or some hot sauce or something.

 

[Survived03]

There was a decent selection of food at OHSU but my main compliant is that it all tasted EXTREMELY bland because it wasn't salted or seasoned at all!Which like, sure I can understand why they keep the sodium low, but at least give me the option to get a little salt packet once I'm out of the ICU! Or some hot sauce or something.

Don't be surprised if all things taste bland for a while. it has happened to me more than once that after the anesthesia everything was bland. I did crave citrus juices though.

 

[Deidra]

Don't be surprised if all things taste bland for a while. it has happened to me more than once that after the anesthesia everything was bland. I did crave citrus juices though.

Yeah things absolutely tasted weird for the first week or so after surgery. But after that they went back to normal for me.

 

[Chuck C]

but will just say it had to do with the catheter. OMG. Hurts just thinking about it.

OMG!! Me too! I don't think I've shared my catherter story. For me that was the worst. Worse than getting the drainage tubes pulled!

 

[Earthsciencerocks]

Great News! I'm sure this is what you were looking forward to! (The recovery side!)

 

[Deidra]

Thought it might be interesting for people to see my echocardiogram results over time including post-surgery:

 

[carolinemc]

Thought it might be interesting for people to see my echocardiogram results over time including post-surgery:

View attachment 890275

Good to share for those who have studied more than the rest of us. Glad you are doing better. And welcome to the zipper club.

 

[slipkid]

Don't be surprised if all things taste bland for a while. it has happened to me more than once that after the anesthesia everything was bland. I did crave citrus juices though.

Yeah, my sense of taste was way off after the surgery, pretty much whole time I was in the hospital. I think at one point I even complained to the kitchen about the food tasting weird. I think in the end it turned out to be me though, eventually got back to normal after I got home.