tigerlily
Well-known member
Hello friends,
I'm home and on the mend. I don't want to bore you with repetitive information but just for anyone just getting to know me, I had my second OHS to replace my aortic valve and to make my aorta smaller, Dec. 28, 2018. It has been quite a ride but I'm so happy to be sitting here typing to you and giving a report. My surgery was 6 hours long. Right at the end my heart went into Afib and they gave me a temporary pace maker. It was hard to keep my BP elevated and a lot of the time looked like 80 something over 40 something. Pain was pretty well controlled while I was in bed. Getting up to go to the bathroom was hard and painful. I was just so sore. In the hospital, I had no appetite at all until the last day. My appetite returned when I got home. The biggest set back was my planned release date, Wed. Jan. 2. They took out all the IVs and got me unhooked from everything. I was all ready to go and was getting dressed when my heart went into AFIB again. They had to get a line back in me and keep me over night. My heart was put on Pacerone and Eliqus and that got me stable enough to go home the next day. For those of you worried about the breathing tube and the chest drainage tubes, neither of those were bad at all to take out. Thank the good Lord! And I mean that! I now have a brand new Inspiris Resilia valve same size as I had before and my aorta which was a 4.5 is now a 3.5 done with a graft I think. Walking in the hospital was very hard for me. I always felt dizzy. I had 24 lbs of water weight on me. I now have 16. I can't wait for it to go! I'm beginning to be able to do a few things for myself but nothing to brag on. The old Edwards bovine valve they removed was 12 years 9 months old. It might have made it a couple more months but my surgeon said replacement valves when they go can go fast. I'm glad it's over. Thank you for your support and love. It matters. I know this is long but it might answer someone's question about something. Plus, telling you my story helps me to heal. What a great group of people you are and this group has now helped me through 2 major surgeries.
I'm home and on the mend. I don't want to bore you with repetitive information but just for anyone just getting to know me, I had my second OHS to replace my aortic valve and to make my aorta smaller, Dec. 28, 2018. It has been quite a ride but I'm so happy to be sitting here typing to you and giving a report. My surgery was 6 hours long. Right at the end my heart went into Afib and they gave me a temporary pace maker. It was hard to keep my BP elevated and a lot of the time looked like 80 something over 40 something. Pain was pretty well controlled while I was in bed. Getting up to go to the bathroom was hard and painful. I was just so sore. In the hospital, I had no appetite at all until the last day. My appetite returned when I got home. The biggest set back was my planned release date, Wed. Jan. 2. They took out all the IVs and got me unhooked from everything. I was all ready to go and was getting dressed when my heart went into AFIB again. They had to get a line back in me and keep me over night. My heart was put on Pacerone and Eliqus and that got me stable enough to go home the next day. For those of you worried about the breathing tube and the chest drainage tubes, neither of those were bad at all to take out. Thank the good Lord! And I mean that! I now have a brand new Inspiris Resilia valve same size as I had before and my aorta which was a 4.5 is now a 3.5 done with a graft I think. Walking in the hospital was very hard for me. I always felt dizzy. I had 24 lbs of water weight on me. I now have 16. I can't wait for it to go! I'm beginning to be able to do a few things for myself but nothing to brag on. The old Edwards bovine valve they removed was 12 years 9 months old. It might have made it a couple more months but my surgeon said replacement valves when they go can go fast. I'm glad it's over. Thank you for your support and love. It matters. I know this is long but it might answer someone's question about something. Plus, telling you my story helps me to heal. What a great group of people you are and this group has now helped me through 2 major surgeries.
