Elena's update

[Enudely]

Hi everyone. Sorry I've been such a stranger lately, something about having it all over with and wanting it behind me has kept me away from this site. Anyway, you all heard that my surgery went well except for the pain part. I actually woke up, with the breathing tube in, on NO pain killers (the morphine pump was not working) then, they told me to push the little button whenever I needed a dose of morphine and I lay there pushing away for two hours before they figured out that the stupid pump wasn't working! It was two hours after the operation before I even had any pain meds in me! By that time, the pain had escalated so much that Morphine didn't do anything! They finally figured out what would work in the Intensive care (demerol) , but then when they wheeled me to the regular ward, they didn't know about the morphine/demerol thing and pumped enought morphine into me to put a large cow to sleep (direct dr. quote) I was hallucinating from the damn stuff but it didn't stop the pain!! The nurse that gave me the demoral in the ICU did not write it in the records, and I couldn't remember what it was called. Finally, after five hours of excruciating agony, not having figured out what the ICU nurse had givin me, they had to put an epidural in my spine!! Crazy crazy. The doctors said this is very rare and let me tell you, it was a complete nightmare!!! Unfortunately, it all could have been avoided if the damn ICU nurse had writted down that demerol worked on me!
Anyway, that's a long story.
I'm now ten days post op and doing well, though I'm very anemic and taking iron pills and my energy level is low. I'm trying to walk every day but actually skipped two days in a row!!! The anemia really makes me drag.
I'm pretty much off pain killers unless I have a couphing fit or use my chest a lot. I switched from the recliner to the bed and it's great except I wake up in the night and my entire back is in horrible pain. I think it's from lying in one position all night. I keep getting up at five a.m to take a hot shower!! Any suggestions?
Well, here's my update, thanks so much for all your help
-elena

 

[Nancy]

Hi Elena-

It's good to see you posting. I am very sorry to hear about your pain med experience. The question that comes to mind is, "why didn't someone call the nurse in the ICU and ask her the question???" That seems like it should have been an easy solution. I can't believe they put you through so much agony for the sake of a five minute phone call.

I hope things keep on improving in a steady way from now on.

Best wishes!

 

[SJJ]

Elena,
I can't help with any suggestions as I haven't had my surgery yet, though I am sure you'll get some ideas posted shortly from those who have. I am so sorry for all the uneccesary pain you were subjected to. I think I would have been just a teensy bit testy if that had happened to me and they'd have heard me hollerin' in the next county! I'll be sure to keep you in my thoughts while you recover.
Sue

 

[Enudely]

Believe me, I asked them more than once to call the ICU nurse, for some reason they couldn't seem to figure that one out. It really is a shame because it would have been much nicer to have been on demerol than having that epidural implanted in my back. It got very sore after awhile and made my whole torso numb and itchy at the same time. I don't know if you've ever tried to scratch an itch on completely numb skin but it is not very comfortable! I was hollering at these people and kept telling them to call the nurse. They got all the pain management specialists in the hospital on my case and finally decided to put in the epidural. It was totally insane!!

 

[Marge]

Elena, I am so sorry you had all that pain. Sounds like a really awful experience. Whatever else you might anticipate happening during and after this surgery, you do have a right to expect COMPETENT pain management.

It sounds as though you are recovering pretty well now, though, except for the anemia. Is anemia something that showed up after the surgery?
Being able to sleep in a bed only 10 days after the surgery sounds pretty good to me!

About the pain from sleeping in the same position: if hot showers help, maybe a heat pad for your back would work also? I think I have read on the board that some people have found heat pads helpful? I was thinking of getting one for myself.

 

[Bryan B]

Elena,

What a sad story to hear how you had to suffer due to the incompetence of others. One thing I'm wondering is where was your surgeon and/or cardio during all of this?

Glad you're feeling better now!

 

[Nancy]

Elena-

I've been thinking and thinking about what you had to endure. It's truly horrible.

Could it be possible that the Demerol that was given to you in ICU caused a reaction in your body like very low blood-pressure, and they didn't want to use it again on you? Or perhaps they were worried about the anemia, keeping an eye on it for possible internal bleeding. If they had to go back in and stop the bleed, maybe the pain med would cause a problem. It's peculiar that they ended up using an epidural. So there might have been a very good reason and you just weren't told about it. Although I remember Joe being offered an epidural after his first lung surgery. It was years ago, and I seem to remember that they couldn't get the needle positioned right and that in itself was a bad experience, so he ended up with regular pain meds. Lung surgeries are more painful than open heart surgeries, so possibly epidurals work better for intractable pain. Just thinking out loud here.

Maybe you should have a frank and "clearing the air" discussion with your surgeon and find out what really happened there, or someone in your family should, on your behalf. At any rate, he should be made aware of what transpired.

Wouldn't hurt to ask for your records also. There might be some answers there. You are entitled to them.

I find it strange that all the great pain management minds couldn't have a good solution for you. I don't think many hospitals try to deliberately torture patients. You should know the real answer, not some "non-answer" answer.

 

[Karlynn]

Elena,
Unfortunately, you've got yourself a pretty good war story here. Rest assured that eventually you will be telling it to people to let them know what a survivor you are.

Be good to yourself. Make others spoil you rotten for now. Demand to watch movies that YOU want to watch - no matter how anyone else moans and groans. Eat lots of good red meat (if you are a vegetarian that is) for the anemia.

Welcome home.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Have you filed a COMPLAINT with the Hospital AND Surgeon?
Looks like a procedural review may be in order.

Sounds like there is room for plenty of A** chewing here.
No wonder you want to 'Forget it All'!

'AL'

p.s. I found that MASSAGE worked best for Back Pain.

 

[dwfreck]

Elena,

Sorry to hear about the pain management problems. No one should have to go through that, buy you did! Wow, I'm impressed!

As for waking up with a sore back from sleeping in the same position... I'm going to make what seems to me to be the obvious suggestion - ROLL OVER. Now I realize that that may not be as easy as I think it is, 'cause I haven't had surgery yet, and just don't know if it's possible post-surgery. I also realize that some people can only sleep in one position, or just don't wake up during the night to be able to roll over. However, I find that I get stiff all kinds of places if I sleep in one position for too long, whether in a bed or a chair or wherever. The stiff-muscle pain wakes me up just enough to remind me to move, then I go right back to sleep. Another possibility is to get a prescription for a muscle relaxer to take right before bedtime.

 

[Ross]

Dale you aren't going to roll over. Not without help and alot of pain meds before they help you. You really don't want to be touched actually.

 

[labguides]

Elena

Elena

Sorry to hear about all your pain! Ouch!
A ICU nurse was with our daughter continually -- as least when one of us was there. If the ICU nurse was not actually in the room,she was at the computer in the doorway.

 

[Heather Fisher]

Elena,

So far you win the award for having both a bad experience with the catheterization as well as the surgery!!

I'm so sorry about the pain. It sounds like someone definately screwed up. All you people out there waiting for surgery, that's a reason to have a family member with you as much as possible. Someone may need to keep track of meds that are given and be an advocate for the patient.

When did the anemia become a problem? Did you lose blood during surgery or were you anemic beforehand?

I know what you mean about the back getting sore. I was ready to climb the walls. I hate sleeping on my back and was on my side propped by pillows as soon as I could. Just hang in there a little longer and it will get better. We are all thinking of you!

Heather

 

[Kathy]

Elena,

Your post sent shivers down my spine. I would certainly contact hospital administration sometime in the future so that problems like that will hopefully be avoided in the future.

I found that a heating pad was helpful for my back.

I'm so glad to hear that you are home.

 

[Raverlaw]

Elena,

I'm glad to hear you are home and doing better. I had to laugh a little when I read the part about the epidural; that is a method of last resort and you must have been raising quite a bit of hell to get them to do that for you!

I'm glad you're past that sorry episode now and on the road to getting healed. I second the posts about a heating pad - I have low back pain from time-to-time, and a heating pad in bed or the recliner really works wonders. Try it.

Take things one day at a time and let us all know how it's going. We're glad to have you back on the board.

 

[Georgia]

Geesh, Elena - gave me the willies. Let's have the name of that hospital and we can all avoid it - was it Kaiser? Shame on them.

I think you need to have your back massaged several times a day; your muscles cramp due to the surgery (and sleeping in one position is a problem). I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a good back, neck and shoulder rub 3 or more times a day. It can truly take the place of some pain meds.

And of course don't roll over.

Body pillow is the best you can do.

I'd be very wary of using a heating pad in bed at night. But I'm sure it'd feel good.