AndyChas
Well-known member
Hello everyone
I’m back at my parents’ place in Sydney now, and so have internet access once again. My mitral repair was a success and, to my surprise, was performed by a minimally invasive method through the ribs (I haven’t yet spoken to the surgeon or anyone else present, so I’m not exactly sure what transpired, but I’ll see him in a couple of months). The surgeon had mentioned the possibility of this procedure when I saw him first in November last year, but I got the impression that traditional open heart surgery would be the first option.
My hospital experience was mixed: with one exception, the staff ranged from very good to absolutely wonderful, but the food was uniformly awful. Due to various factors I don’t think I got more than about two hours sleep a night over my five-day stay, but sleep deprivation in hospital seems a fairly common experience. I would have escaped a day earlier but for the onset of a low-level post-operative fever (migraines, temperature spikes, flu-like symptoms and so forth). I’m still feeling rather foggy at the moment, but hopefully it will pass soon.
The ICU experience was all very straightforward and the tubes and their removal didn’t cause any pain (the exception being my throat is still quite sore from the air vent). I’ve got small scars in my groin and neck where life support was connected, and there were two drainage tubes under my right arm for a day or so. I wasn’t given any self administered IV morphine, just Endone and Panadol. This was OK I suppose, but there were quite a few times I when was in a fair bit of discomfort, and was forced to beg for more. The worst pain I suffered, without a doubt, was the 20 minutes or so spent lying in a rather awkward position while having the echocardiogram on day 2. I wasn’t far away from screaming out ‘STOP!!!’ in the latter stages of this torture (even the shallowest breathing was excruciating), but it should be remembered that I'm a big sook. I do think the doctor doing the echo could have been a bit more receptive to my obvious discomfort, but he was the exception I mentioned above, and the result of the test was very good (no regurgitation). I can’t sleep on either side as yet, but now that I’m home I can sleep much better on my back.
The thoracotomy incision is quite painful, although I’m managing on over-the-counter pain meds just at the moment. I’m seeing a GP today and will ask for something stronger just in case. The incision goes through some thick muscles attached to the trunk and I do wish I hadn’t spent quite so much time doing chinups in the gym over the past decade! My chest looks decidedly strange and lopsided at present, but hopefully it will revert to normal when the swelling abound the right breast subsides. The 8-9 cm incision runs from under my right nipple around into the lower armpit, and will probably largely be hidden by the overhang of the pectoral muscle and the fall of the arm. I think I lost about 4kg while in hospital, and I’ve gained a very stupid-looking beard, but I can’t be bothered shaving yet.
I don’t feel better than I did before the operation (quite the opposite, in fact), but I know it would have only been a matter of time before things started getting bad if nothing had been done, and it’s certainly great to have the operation over and done with. Thanks again everyone for the support and advice, which definitely made the whole process easier to get through.
Andy
I’m back at my parents’ place in Sydney now, and so have internet access once again. My mitral repair was a success and, to my surprise, was performed by a minimally invasive method through the ribs (I haven’t yet spoken to the surgeon or anyone else present, so I’m not exactly sure what transpired, but I’ll see him in a couple of months). The surgeon had mentioned the possibility of this procedure when I saw him first in November last year, but I got the impression that traditional open heart surgery would be the first option.
My hospital experience was mixed: with one exception, the staff ranged from very good to absolutely wonderful, but the food was uniformly awful. Due to various factors I don’t think I got more than about two hours sleep a night over my five-day stay, but sleep deprivation in hospital seems a fairly common experience. I would have escaped a day earlier but for the onset of a low-level post-operative fever (migraines, temperature spikes, flu-like symptoms and so forth). I’m still feeling rather foggy at the moment, but hopefully it will pass soon.
The ICU experience was all very straightforward and the tubes and their removal didn’t cause any pain (the exception being my throat is still quite sore from the air vent). I’ve got small scars in my groin and neck where life support was connected, and there were two drainage tubes under my right arm for a day or so. I wasn’t given any self administered IV morphine, just Endone and Panadol. This was OK I suppose, but there were quite a few times I when was in a fair bit of discomfort, and was forced to beg for more. The worst pain I suffered, without a doubt, was the 20 minutes or so spent lying in a rather awkward position while having the echocardiogram on day 2. I wasn’t far away from screaming out ‘STOP!!!’ in the latter stages of this torture (even the shallowest breathing was excruciating), but it should be remembered that I'm a big sook. I do think the doctor doing the echo could have been a bit more receptive to my obvious discomfort, but he was the exception I mentioned above, and the result of the test was very good (no regurgitation). I can’t sleep on either side as yet, but now that I’m home I can sleep much better on my back.
The thoracotomy incision is quite painful, although I’m managing on over-the-counter pain meds just at the moment. I’m seeing a GP today and will ask for something stronger just in case. The incision goes through some thick muscles attached to the trunk and I do wish I hadn’t spent quite so much time doing chinups in the gym over the past decade! My chest looks decidedly strange and lopsided at present, but hopefully it will revert to normal when the swelling abound the right breast subsides. The 8-9 cm incision runs from under my right nipple around into the lower armpit, and will probably largely be hidden by the overhang of the pectoral muscle and the fall of the arm. I think I lost about 4kg while in hospital, and I’ve gained a very stupid-looking beard, but I can’t be bothered shaving yet.
I don’t feel better than I did before the operation (quite the opposite, in fact), but I know it would have only been a matter of time before things started getting bad if nothing had been done, and it’s certainly great to have the operation over and done with. Thanks again everyone for the support and advice, which definitely made the whole process easier to get through.
Andy
