Four days to go.....

[Sethgold]

Hello All, first I want to say thanks to everyone for all there support and advice. I really appreciate all the messages and reading the post and all the other forums. I have a Cath on Monday and the surgery is Tuesday Dec 14th. i would really appreciate everyones thoughts on things they did that helped them in the hospital. Any practical advice on how to make that stay more bareable. Also anything that anyone wishes they did in hindsight might be helpful as well. I have found that experience is one of the best teachers, so i would love to benefit from everyones advice. Also any advice on Pain meds , i dont like them at all. Which ones are the best etc. And what to expect when it is all over.
Thanks
again
Seth-

 

[geebee]

Hi Seth,

There is a recent thread started by MomofThree that covers a great deal of this as she is scheduled for surgery shortly after you. The thread is named "how did you prepare". You should definitely look at it because it has quite a few pieces of information.

However, a few things to take to the hospital. Comfy bathrobe and slippers to avoid hospital clothing. Personal toiletries. A book or CD player, some of us read and some felt they could not concentrate. I am a reader under any circumstances even OHS so I found it helpful to escape. Music is defintely good. If you by any chance have a portable DVD player, that may also help and would certainly help your visitors. A small, 3 inch thick pillow is good for chest support during coughing/sneezing. Some hospitals provide, some do not. If you can't find one, a hospital pillow, folded in half, also works well.

Pain pills - I found morphine and demerol made me sick. Percocet and darvocet worked the best for me and I only took 1/2 pills. I don't like being "dopey" so I only took enough to take the edge off the pain. I didn't mind the pain as it made me realize I was still alive. I did not like the tubes and things tho. Fortunately those are only temporary.

Once you're home - a comfy recliner and lots of pillows should be your home for the first few weeks. Avoid steps if you can. No driving, no activities that require turning, stretching, lifting or other similar sternum irritating motions. Walk a lot on level surfaces, remember to breathe properly and try not to hunch over (you will be tempted but it cause backaches). Massages work wonders so, if you have a good masseuse, take advantage.

I am sure you will hear a lot more from others so I will close now.
We will all be praying for you. Please get someone to post regarding your surgery so we don't worry.

Thanks and smiles,
Gina

 

[tobagotwo]

If they are planning to put you on morphine, you could ask your surgeron to put you on patient-controlled Fentanyl instead. It's a cousin to morphine, but generally has fewer intestinal effects, and leaves you far less groggy.

I liked Ultram (tramadol) afterwards. I didn't have any issues with it, or lose contact with reality. Gemma said that Jim got a little halucinatory on it, but that might just be that special Aussie Blend they use...

I didn't wind up using my own clothes at all at the hospital. Two gowns - one front-wise, the other on backwards - eliminate the "hindsight" issue. You're too gross for most visitors other than family until you get a shower, anyway (except for other valvers, 'cause they've been there, know what to expect, and know that it isn't your fault). Slippers are good, because you should walk.

Speak up if you don't know why they're doing something. I felt (possibly unreasonably) that if they didn't have an answer, they shouldn't be doing it. That did slow down the traffic some in my room. If you have a problem or a concern, and you can't get their attention in a reasoanble time, you or your S.O. need to force the issue. Sometimes they ignore things that they shouldn't - see PapaHappyStar's (Burair's) recent posts.

Best wishes,

 

[buschlight]

Same day!

Same day!

Hi, I'm new. In fact, this is my first post, but I have been lurking a while. I am also having my surgery on December 14. I'm having my aortic valve replaced with a mechanical one in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

I can't really help you with what to do or expect, because I haven't had my surgery yet, either. But this site has been tremendously helpful, just reading about other's experiences has done wonders to put my mind at ease.

I'm ready!

 

[Phyllis]

Welcome to the site buschlight and be sure to post or have someone post for you after surgery. Best of luck on the 14th. Before you know it, you will be using your experience to help others here!

 

[Kay]

Seth,

I ditto everything Gina said and will add a couple of things.

Two small items that are absolute lifesavers -- lip balm or chapstick and those little papery breath strips. Don't get Listerine brand...taste like medicine. The best are Altoid Cinnamon strips and Eclipse Cinnamon or Spearmint. I used tiny little pieces of the Altoid Cinnamon right up to going in for surgery. You know, when you can have NOTHING by mouth for all those hours? My anesthesiologist gave me his okay when he read the label and saw the near-microscopic pieces I was putting in my mouth. Get Altoids if you can find them. Not mints, just the little papery strips. Dry cracked lips are a big problem so get a good brand of lip balm and use it frequently.

Also, we are all so used to using our cell phones 24/7 that phone cards are not something we think about. However, in the cardiac care unit, you cannot use cell phones. They must be turned completely off because the interfere with the wireless cardiac monitor signal. A phone card would have been very nice. You want believe it at first, but you do eventually want to talk to people!

I'm a little weird in that the only soft drink I willl drink is Diet RC. It's sweetened with Splenda, zero carbs, zero calories, taste great, etc, but is impossible to find. Not a chance the hospital would have it. Now I didn't want to go lugging a 12-pack of Diet RC to the hospital with me, but I did want an icy cold one the minute I had clearance on the other side. It was my 'welcome to the other side' gift to myself. A real celebration I might add. So one of my best friends had strict orders to keep in touch with ICU and the minute she found out I was moving to a room, she was to head to the hospital with my Diet RC's. Believe it or not, it was that image of Sherri and the Diet RC waiting for me that got me through some of the bad times in the ICU, like the battle of THE TUBE. Find a little thing that means a lot to you and hang on to it in the rough times. Keep saying to yourself that 'this too will pass' and focus on what's waiting for you on the other side. Might be somthing as simple as a Diet RC! Worked for me.

My last piece of advice is to do what you're doing -- spend all the time you can on this board. We're all either going through it or have been through it and have had all the same questions, concerns, fears, etc that you have. There is an enormous amount of support here and you'll meet friends here who will last a lifetime. You're part of a fantastic new family now -- one who totally understands you!

Have someone post for you! You need to keep in touch with your new family. We're all in that virtual surgery waiting room with you.

 

[perkicar]

Such great information

Such great information

I'm so glad I've found this forum. I find new information every day, and now know that I REALLY need to find a surgeon and talk to him/her. My cardiologist said he ws going to show my TEE to some folks but it's been a month and I haven't heard from him at all, which reminded me that I need to be the commander (so to speak) of the ship and take the initiative. Good luck on your upcoming surgery--it seems (from what I've read) that like most things, the anticipation is worse than the actual event. (or more stressful, I guess!).
Carolyn

 

[MomOfThree]

We'll be sending "good thoughts" your way!

We'll be sending "good thoughts" your way!

Sethgold,

I'll be thinking of you this week. Wishing you all the best as you go thru surgery on Tuesday! If I recall correctly, Dr. Isom is doing your surgery. He's with Col. Pres. right? Burair just had surgery there and might have other pointers.

I don't have much personal advice to offer because I'll be having my surgery the week after you. But there are lots of great tips on VR.com. One thing I really take to heart, is having someone be your advocate - since you'll be in no shape to take charge. Also, someone told me that has had the surgery, "don't wait until the pain gets bad to use the pain pump" because then it's too late and you'll be suffering.

Anyway, please know that we will all be thinking of you and praying for you. Please have someone post!
Martha

 

[MitralMan]

Sethgold, what she said...

Sethgold, what she said...

I've got surgery the week after MomOfThree, so all I can write is -- my thoughts are with you, too.

Reminds me of the old Bill Cosby routine, Tonsils. Anyone remember it?

Sethgold,

I'll be thinking of you this week. Wishing you all the best as you go thru surgery on Tuesday! If I recall correctly, Dr. Isom is doing your surgery. He's with Col. Pres. right? Burair just had surgery there and might have other pointers.

I don't have much personal advice to offer because I'll be having my surgery the week after you. But there are lots of great tips on VR.com. One thing I really take to heart, is having someone be your advocate - since you'll be in no shape to take charge. Also, someone told me that has had the surgery, "don't wait until the pain gets bad to use the pain pump" because then it's too late and you'll be suffering.

Anyway, please know that we will all be thinking of you and praying for you. Please have someone post!
Martha

 

[Sethgold]

I will be at cornell...

I will be at cornell...

Hi it is DR. Isom but it is at Cornell, Not at Columbia, i read those posts and am happy he made it out of there okay. I go in tomorrow at Noon for the Cath and then Tuesday they go in.
Seth

 

[Swill]

Best gift I received after surgery...

Best gift I received after surgery...

My best friend gave me the best present while in the hospital. It was a CD player. My new mechanical valve clicked so loud that it was all I could do to ignore the click to get to sleep. I put the hedphones on, put John Mayer in the player and drifted right off to sleep.

If you can, get the ear-buds rather than the big headsets...

Best of luck with your surgery, see you on the other side...

Cheers,
Will

 

[PapaHappyStar]

I have been considering what happened at Columbia Presbyterian for my surgery. I will get the medical records before I say something more definitive, but it seems the hospital was not as negligent as I thought initilally.

They had a many variable - many nurse problem with stabilizing my BP post-op, which had plummented due to an allergic reaction to an IV antibiotic. They seem to have actually pulled it off without undue concern and without blood transfusion by administering blood volumizing protein -- I had some fluid in the lungs but have managed to cough it off.

There are more friendly hospitals than the Milstein at CPMC, but the Columbia NYP campus does offer some advantages in having more essential expertise in handling emergency situations.

 

[PapaHappyStar]

Seth,

All the best for your surgery -- hope you are up and about in good time.

Burair.

 

[doberman]

Good luck, you will be back at work and your usual routine before you know it, look forward and think about your recovery the docs will do the rest. The anticipation is the hardest part. My surgery really helped me to appreciate the simple things in life, such as going for a slow walk. Believe it or not I can honestly say the whole experience was a positive.
Best JD