Gettin' antsy

[Marge]

When I saw my surgeon in December, & we decided on February as the target month for the surgery, I thought: Oh, good, that will give me time to get all the practical stuff taken care of, and also to square myself off with the idea of this surgery.

Now I am thinking: Oh, gosh, why did we decide to wait that long, I want this thing OVER AND DONE WITH!!! However it goes.

Actually, I know what the main reason was that we decided on February: my husband really needs a knee operation, and his surgeon's office thought there would be a slot open on January 12. Another patient who has other serious medical problems who was scheduled for that day was expected to cancel. Now it is the Friday before Jan. 12 and no call from the surgeon's office so I guess there will be no cancellation & no knee op next week.

I wanted him to have the knee fixed and to recover from that before I had my surgery. He CAN'T be having knee surgery while I'm in recovery from the OHS surgery -- who would be driving him around if I'm not available? And who would drive me around if he's not available? It's just us -- we don't have other family in this area.

He says: No problem, your surgery comes first, I'll just have the knee done when I can. But the poor guy is in major pain from this knee -- I hate seeing him like that (although he puts up a good stoic facade). He really NEEDS this surgery.

The whole thing is such a mess. Sometimes I get so depressed I cry. And last night, I woke up with wierd heart beats. Heart pounding, skipped beats, etc. I hate that. I never used to pay attention to things like that before, now I do, and I am sure counting heart beats probably makes them even more irregular than they would be otherwise.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Marge-

My former sister-in-law had a knee replacement last year and it went just fine. She had been in a lot of pain for a long time, and couldn't walk without a brace. Even though her surgery was fine, there is a lot of therapy afterwards, and she was quite stiff for quite a while. So maybe it would be better to get yours out of the way so your husband won't be hobbling around trying to help you post heart surgery. You will need him big time. I know he's probably in pain.

Kind of a tricky situation isn't it?

 

[Marge]

Jay's had this knee problem for a while. (Partly the result of being thrown around a few times in airplane crashes during his years in in the USAF.) He had a couple of arthroscopic surgeries and then a partial knee replacement. The partial is wearing out now (has worn out, actually) & he needs a full. He's in a lot of pain but never whines. Tough guy.

Because of his experience with the partial he knows what kind of therapy to expect, and he was sure that if he had the surgery next week he would be OK to deal with my surgery (and my post-op period) by the time I went in. We discussed all this with my surgeon. But this way, yes, the poor guy is going to have to wait. Possibly a long time. His orthopedic surgeon is way booked up, and he'd like to stick with her.

Meanwhile, I DO kind of wish I'd scheduled MY surgery for next week, since he's not gonna have his then.

The waiting is driving me NUTS.

 

[Granbonny]

Marge. Have you checked with your surgeon's office. Maybe there is a slot open? I'm sure you are ready to go..if they said..Tomorrow?...... In the mean time..cook and freeze some dishes for you and hubby.. Stay busy..Try a tylenol PM for making you sleep. And keep venting here...we are here for you. bonnie

 

[Raverlaw]

Marge,

By all means call your surgeon and tell them you're ready to go and want the surgery at his first opportunity. They will most likely be able to move you up on the schedule.

 

[Heather Fisher]

Yep, everything needs to be done at once. (when it rains it pours) Checking to see if you can move up your date is a good idea....There's nothing like waiting when you are ready for it to happen. The best thing you can do while waiting is to do little things that will help make life easier afterwards like the cooking and freezing Granbonny talked about. Lay in supplies of staples so you will not have to go to the store much, etc. Hang in there and I'll hope he has a sooner date!

Heather

 

[Marge]

Thanks for the moral support! I go through periods when I am quite calm and relaxed, and then I want to scream. People who do not have this kind of medical condition don't really understand, I find.
Actually, as anxiety-conducive as the wait is, I think I'll stick with the program, at least for the moment. There is still quite a lot to do.

Today we had a hematologist consult on my ability to accept heparin therapy. I had a blood test for antiplatelet antibodies and that looks OK -- but the hematologist has decided to refer me for some more blood tests. They are tests that apparently are not done very often. They couldn't do that today, so I have to go back to the lab for the blood draw next week; also have another echo scheduled next week; also have dental work; also somewhere along the way I have to have a CTscan. The heparin issue is particularly important to me in view of past history of thrombosis after heparin therapy.

 

[bvdr]

Hi Marge,

Well it sounds like you have enough to keep you busy before surgery. I'm real glad they are paying close attention to your blood clotting issues. You don't need any unexpected troubles.

I know what you mean about your husband's knee problem and not wanting to add to his load. I felt bad this week because we had to cancel both a business trip and another trip for pleasure that was very disappointing. He has had a very disrupted week but he too doesn't complain.

Stay clear of anyone with flu or colds if you can! I'm hoping for a very successful surgery for you! You are in my prayers.

 

[fisher6476]

Hi Marge,
"nothin's ever easy" I think you will find the right way for you and hubby to go. Many of us will tell you that the waiting is horrible. I was told in early Oct. that I would have surgery "real soon" Then with dental work, other tests, surgeons schedule etc. it was Dec 5 when i had mine done and the waiting was a "Giant" pain in the aspirin bottle. Any way I understand your frustrations but somehow I think these things have their way of working out. Keep your chin up and hang in there! We are all with you.
Steve

 

[Marge]

Once again, thanks for the words of wisdom & the moral support!

I have decided that I am not going to agonize over the waiting. When I've done the tests, I'll call up Christine (surgeon's nurse) and say, "Hey, can you get me in to see Brian so I can talk to him about maybe advancing the surgery?"

In the meantime I will STAY CALM!!! (Famous last words.) I have decided to fill the time when I am not doing stuff directly related to my medical issues by seeing my friends and doing things I enjoy (like movies & concerts) which I probably won't be able to do for a while after the operation. After all, I still feel pretty darn good -- except for intermittant episodes of fatigue & lack of ability to concentrate. I think those relate primarily to raising the dosage of my beta blocker.

 

[Kathy]

The whole thing is such a mess. Sometimes I get so depressed I cry. And last night, I woke up with wierd heart beats. Heart pounding, skipped beats, etc. I hate that. I never used to pay attention to things like that before, now I do, and I am sure counting heart beats probably makes them even more irregular than they would be otherwise.

Oh Marge,

I'm really sorry that your husband is facing surgery, as well.

I can really relate to your feelings. When I first saw a cardio. I honestly didn't think I had any symptoms. However, I've always been one to deny symptoms and forge ahead. I told him that I had never been one to count heart beats. Ha! Talk about famous last words...

We were in NY the next week and I had chest pain and drastically irregular beat. I was hospitalized to rule out a heart attack. I still don't know if it was an anxiety attack or atrial fib. They gave me some meds and sent me back to the Cleveland Clinic. When I got home I was really weak. I was really scared as well. I did my share of crying, too.

My surgeon was going on vacation soon so I had the option of going in two weeks or four. My mother-in-law had a MVR 10 years ago. She has never been one to push or interfere. She insisted that I would be much happier if I went ahead and did it in two weeks. I'm glad that I followed her advice.

I hope that you will be able to go in sooner than you have been scheduled.

 

[medtronic of borg]

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Driving is out for a bit post-op for both of you...figure this one out.

Med

did I ever share with the group the mistake my wife made. She knew I had never seen a Mel Brooks movie, she went out and rented them all. I watched I laughed and cryied until I learned no laughing alowed and just slapped the **** out of the arm rest in place of laughing. Shes one of a kind !!!!!!!!!!!!!!