Agian
Well-known member
Aww come on, you love the guy
DH had OHS today
- Thread starter mustlovepoodles
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river-wear
Well-known member
A guy's gotta dream, right? I'm sure he'll come to his senses.
Superman
Well-known member
Lots of stuff to watch out for during recovery. I had one friend who had to go in to have fluid drained from the chest cavity again during recovery. Started off well, started to go backwards, then an xray showed fluid build up.
I had the same problem to a lesser extent. I did have an xray that showed fluid build up, but not to the extent of being re-admitted. I also developed pancreatitus during recovery, which made things very tough (also likely drove my aversion to sugar). Fortunately my labs showed I was on the way down again so I didn't have to get re-admitted there either.
Fluid build up during recovery can make breathing difficult. Especially considering the condition of his lungs already. Avoiding sodium is good, but if he doesn't appear to be turning a corner on breathing, it might be worth an xray.
I had the same problem to a lesser extent. I did have an xray that showed fluid build up, but not to the extent of being re-admitted. I also developed pancreatitus during recovery, which made things very tough (also likely drove my aversion to sugar). Fortunately my labs showed I was on the way down again so I didn't have to get re-admitted there either.
Fluid build up during recovery can make breathing difficult. Especially considering the condition of his lungs already. Avoiding sodium is good, but if he doesn't appear to be turning a corner on breathing, it might be worth an xray.
mustlovepoodles
Member
Things are not so great today. For the past 2 days DH has been very fatigued and, at times, very breathless. He is now on 5L oxygen and even the mildest exercise, such as walking to the kitchen or going up our 4-5 steps to the bathroom tires him and makes his oxyen level drop to the mid-80s. He recovers pretty quick but he has to lie down for a few minutes. He attempted to get a shower this morning, but by the time he had walked up the 4-5 steps and brushed his teeth, he had to lie down; he has, so far, been unable to get his shower the past two days due to fatigue. Obviously, he is getting little to no exercise. Yesterday, he got fatigued just opening the mail. I am not exaggerating a bit. His arms became leaden and he could not continue tearing the envelopes open. He's not having a lot of pain, just taking occasional Tylenol, but this concerns me.
I have called the surgeon again and if this continues or the surgeon's nurse is not responsive, I will take him to his pulmonologist or the ER to get him checked out. I don't think this is as normal as the surgeon's nurse thinks it is. At 12 days post-op, I think he should be able to move around the house without dropping his oxygen so much. AT the moment he is llying down and breathing comfortably, so I don't think I need to call 911.
I have called the surgeon again and if this continues or the surgeon's nurse is not responsive, I will take him to his pulmonologist or the ER to get him checked out. I don't think this is as normal as the surgeon's nurse thinks it is. At 12 days post-op, I think he should be able to move around the house without dropping his oxygen so much. AT the moment he is llying down and breathing comfortably, so I don't think I need to call 911.
mustlovepoodles
Member
Well, I had to take DH to the hospital. They did an xray and examined his heart. The heart is all right. He has no swelling in the feet and hands, no fluid in the lungs or around the heart. The heart surgeon is inclined to believe that this is all related to the damaged lungs. Since DH is stable at rest on 5L oxygen, he sent us home with recommendation to see the pulmonologist tomorrow. I have him ensconced in the recliner eating some Cherry Garcia and petting the pup.
They are also ordering in-home PT. DH is suffering some muscle wasting from not being able to exercise since well before surgery. They think that might help him gain strength. They also put him on Ultram for pain, rather than Tylenol (his drug of choice.)
I learned one thing today--those small oxygen tanks run out FAST on 5L. Holy cow! We had just enough to get there and get home. I will never again leave the house with less than 3 tanks~! That could have gone south real quick.
They are also ordering in-home PT. DH is suffering some muscle wasting from not being able to exercise since well before surgery. They think that might help him gain strength. They also put him on Ultram for pain, rather than Tylenol (his drug of choice.)
I learned one thing today--those small oxygen tanks run out FAST on 5L. Holy cow! We had just enough to get there and get home. I will never again leave the house with less than 3 tanks~! That could have gone south real quick.
mustlovepoodles
Member
Update--
DH took a turn for the worse July 2 and had to be readmitted for severe shortness of breath and fatigue. He could hardly even make it from his bed to the toilet without passing out from lack of oxygen. They worked him up for everything from PE to heart failure to kidney & liver failure. Thankfully, the echo looked great and the chest CT showed no blood clots. They put him on large doses of IV Lasix, plus a few whopping doses of IV steroid. Just in the last 6 hours DH has made a huge turn for the better. He's talking more and eating better; he can walk in the halls on just 3L oxygen now. He's not even having all that much pain now.
We did have on snafu today--DH suddenly could not talk right. He could think clearly but his words wouldn't come out right for about 2 hours. Scared the crap out of both of us! They did a CT scan and called neurology. Whew! It wasn't a stroke or a TIA. It looks like it was a seizure. After some detective work, I discovered that he has only been getting half his seizure meds since admission ( a clerical error.) Yup, that would do it! He'll have an outpatient EEG to see if he is having sub-clinical seizures or if he has a new focus of seizures in his brain.
It's been a rocky road but DH is 15 days post-op and finally making some good progress~!
DH took a turn for the worse July 2 and had to be readmitted for severe shortness of breath and fatigue. He could hardly even make it from his bed to the toilet without passing out from lack of oxygen. They worked him up for everything from PE to heart failure to kidney & liver failure. Thankfully, the echo looked great and the chest CT showed no blood clots. They put him on large doses of IV Lasix, plus a few whopping doses of IV steroid. Just in the last 6 hours DH has made a huge turn for the better. He's talking more and eating better; he can walk in the halls on just 3L oxygen now. He's not even having all that much pain now.
We did have on snafu today--DH suddenly could not talk right. He could think clearly but his words wouldn't come out right for about 2 hours. Scared the crap out of both of us! They did a CT scan and called neurology. Whew! It wasn't a stroke or a TIA. It looks like it was a seizure. After some detective work, I discovered that he has only been getting half his seizure meds since admission ( a clerical error.) Yup, that would do it! He'll have an outpatient EEG to see if he is having sub-clinical seizures or if he has a new focus of seizures in his brain.
It's been a rocky road but DH is 15 days post-op and finally making some good progress~!
Agian
Well-known member
I'm glad it's all working out for you and your husband. Keep us updated.
mustlovepoodles
Member
DH is still in the hospital but getting better each day. Still having some small seizures but that's better too. They are trying to wean him off the massive doses of IV steroid and IV Lasix so they can put him on slightly less-massive doses of oral steroid and Lasix. Once that happens he can go home, possibly as early as tomorrow afternoon or the next day.
I can't even believe how much better DH looks. As compared to July 2, he looks like he could run a marathon. It really scares me to realize just how sick he was (and how his heart surgeon's PA didn't seem to get it!) Well, I bet they'll listen to me now. A few years ago DHs pulmonologist had to learn that lesson the hard way. He got really sick and I took him in; she blew him off and gave him a prescription for Keflex to shut him up ( to shut me up, actually.) Twelve hours later I had him in the ER with septic shock; he nearly died of heart and kidney failure. Her statement? "Well, he looked okay." Yeah. That's the thing. DH always looks okay until he starts circling the drain (he has had several critical episodes). Now when I call pulmonary and tell them something is wrong, they hop right on it~! :thumbup:
I can't even believe how much better DH looks. As compared to July 2, he looks like he could run a marathon. It really scares me to realize just how sick he was (and how his heart surgeon's PA didn't seem to get it!) Well, I bet they'll listen to me now. A few years ago DHs pulmonologist had to learn that lesson the hard way. He got really sick and I took him in; she blew him off and gave him a prescription for Keflex to shut him up ( to shut me up, actually.) Twelve hours later I had him in the ER with septic shock; he nearly died of heart and kidney failure. Her statement? "Well, he looked okay." Yeah. That's the thing. DH always looks okay until he starts circling the drain (he has had several critical episodes). Now when I call pulmonary and tell them something is wrong, they hop right on it~! :thumbup:
mbeard
Well-known member
Mustlovepoodles,
Omg. You have been through so much. I am feeling it for you. You are a brave warrior for your DH and I would want you at my side
Keep it up. My mom has some recent health issues , that I am dealing with, with my brothers at my side. Times are tough for baby boomers and their parents.
Omg. You have been through so much. I am feeling it for you. You are a brave warrior for your DH and I would want you at my side
Keep it up. My mom has some recent health issues , that I am dealing with, with my brothers at my side. Times are tough for baby boomers and their parents.
mustlovepoodles
Member
DH has been so sick for 10 years. He is not the least bit medically oriented. I've been nurse for 37 years, so I have made it my job to take care of him and advocate for him. I am a firm believer that when people are in the hospital they need someone to stay with them as much as possible because sometimes "things happen."
I wish your mother the best. Both of our mothers are still living, at 80 and 94. We live 400 miles away. I don't know what we'd do if DHs sister didn't live near their mother (she lives in a nursing home.) My mother is a widow; she has had several health issues this year and it's been very hard to keep up with her stuff and manage DH too. I do have 4 siblings, but only one lives within an hour of Mother. The rest of us live 150, 400, 900, and 2500 miles away. Hopefully, now that DH is on the upswing, I can get down there a little more often.
mustlovepoodles
Member
UPDATE--
DH was released late this afternoon. He failed the 6-minute walk again, but this time he's only on 1L oxygen during the day, 2L at night. He is walking well, up to 5 minutes on flat surfaces. He's pretty tired now from just the activity of going home but he is soooo happy to be here. He wanted me to get him some fried shrimp for dinner. Um, I don't think so, dude. :rolleyes2:
DD21 came over and made a delicious low-sodium meal of grilled chicken, Greek salad, and corn on the cob. It is good to have a culinary student in the family! And DS27 came over and cut all the grass! Woot! That should keep DH from trying to get out there and mow the lawn.
DH was released late this afternoon. He failed the 6-minute walk again, but this time he's only on 1L oxygen during the day, 2L at night. He is walking well, up to 5 minutes on flat surfaces. He's pretty tired now from just the activity of going home but he is soooo happy to be here. He wanted me to get him some fried shrimp for dinner. Um, I don't think so, dude. :rolleyes2:
DD21 came over and made a delicious low-sodium meal of grilled chicken, Greek salad, and corn on the cob. It is good to have a culinary student in the family! And DS27 came over and cut all the grass! Woot! That should keep DH from trying to get out there and mow the lawn.
After reading about the road you and your DH have had to travel, I can only say that you both are great warriors. And you have raised two great children. Kudos to them also.
My husband has faced 4 heart attacks and one head-on vehicle collision. Both our kiddos were such a great tem to be part of at the time. Though both are married now, they are still close enough to have helped me when my mom was ill and dying.
Hang in there. I am sure that both your surgeon, cardiologist and his lung specialist will listen when you say something is wrong.
I shall keep you in my thoughts and prayers:biggrin2:
My husband has faced 4 heart attacks and one head-on vehicle collision. Both our kiddos were such a great tem to be part of at the time. Though both are married now, they are still close enough to have helped me when my mom was ill and dying.
Hang in there. I am sure that both your surgeon, cardiologist and his lung specialist will listen when you say something is wrong.
I shall keep you in my thoughts and prayers:biggrin2:
mustlovepoodles
Member
Tomorrow DH will be 4 weeks post-op and 10 days post his secondary admission. He is doing so much better. Not ready to run any marathons, but he is talking more and moving about the house much better, even going outside some. His scar looks great, his oxygen use is limited to increased activity and hours of sleep. His appetite is better, too. The only negative thing to say is that he has a major case of cabin fever. I try to take him out for a drive several times a week. I took him to the mall with his wheelchair earlier this week--walk awhile, roll awhile. He did just fine.
