I'm Home!

[cp172]

Luana,

I am glad to hear you are home. Pet the cat all you want. Take care of yourself and work on a smooth recovery.

 

[Luana]

Luana,

Welcome home and welcome to this side of the mountain! Make sure you pace yourself, rest, rest, rest...eat well and do your walking (as allowed). It seems this past month a number of us have had 'bumps' in the recovery road. One of my complications included a collapsed lung as well. As difficult as it is, do your breathing exercises!

Did you get the minimally invasive/mini sternotomy?

Take good care,

Yes! Minimally invasive incision; nurse said it's about 2 inches. I can't tell by looking down on it. It actually has been hurting more since home than in the hospital, but I guess I'm doing more. I'm sure this is healing with much less pain than a big one, especially when coughing, which I seem to be doing a fair amount of.

 

[Luana]

Hi Luana!

Great you are home. Hospitals are noisy and the beds hard and terrible! Now you can relax, get as much rest as your body needs and allow yourself some time to heal. Don't think to much about what has happened to you the past week or so. Just focus on the future and getting better.

They call the 4 weeks post-op the "OHS honeymoon". You can shunt everyone around and get breakfast in bed and you are not allowed to do much anyway, so just enjoy the pampering. Cats are loveable and soft and will comfort you.

And if you feel unsure about anything or just want to talk... we are all here.

Hugs ( )

Oh, the beds were awful! In ICU they were ok, but out of it, omg. You'd adjust it and then a minute later it would do its own self adjustment. Thought maybe I was losing my mind when I'd hear it hum and feel it move a bit on its own until the nurse said that's the way they are. It seemed like I could never get comfortable.

 

[Blanche]

Welcome Home!!!

Welcome Home!!!

Now the real healing happens. You will be so happy soon when you see how fast your healing takes place. The best is yet to be. You are on your way.
Blanche

 

[hall]

Welcome home. Wishing you a "bump free" recovery.

 

[Luana]

So far it's going pretty darn smooth, so I guess if I had to choose, I'd rather have had the bumps in the hospital than at home. It's so peaceful and quiet here and I'm not doing much at all. Am so glad to have computer again!

The cat also settled down last night. He plunked down next to me in bed when I got in and was purring away by the time I was settled. He stayed there most of the night and we both had a great night's sleep.

 

[BlindFaith]

I had a terrible time sleeping in the hospital as well. Did not sleep more than 1-2 hours at any point during my stay. The worst night turned out to be my first night home... I had such high expectations of getting into my own bed, but it was not to be. Tried the bed, the couch, my recliner, the rocker... all was better the next night and then even better the next night !!

When I was awake, I felt quite well with very little pain. But, as the days moved on, I felt more and more uncomfortable... which was disturbing. Turned out I was doing much more than I should have and paid the price.

So, enjoy the sleep time ! Go slow and take it easy !! All will be well !!!

 

[njean]

Welcome home Luana & may you continue to have a smooth & good recovery.

Take care of yourself!

 

[Luana]

Well, I felt better two weeks ago today when I came home than I do now. Have been running a low-grade fever on and off for about a week and have lots of SOB. Went to the ER because of it on Tuesday afternoon, no embolism or pneumonia, but no one seems to know what's causing SOB. It's improved some, but I can still get SOB walking to the kitchen. Have also had the fuzzy, foggy, tired feeling that goes with having a fever, and, of course, temperature never got about 98.6 in the ER.

The first week I was home I could see a small steady progression of feeling better and stronger every day. That ended last week Friday, and I am now more tired and worn out than ever.

 

[river-wear]

Hi Luana, I'm so sorry to hear that! Have you talked to your cardiologist too? If it isn't related to your heart I imagine you would feel more relaxed (and less frustrated).

Feel better soon!

Michele

 

[Lynlw]

Well, I felt better two weeks ago today when I came home than I do now. Have been running a low-grade fever on and off for about a week and have lots of SOB. Went to the ER because of it on Tuesday afternoon, no embolism or pneumonia, but no one seems to know what's causing SOB. It's improved some, but I can still get SOB walking to the kitchen. Have also had the fuzzy, foggy, tired feeling that goes with having a fever, and, of course, temperature never got about 98.6 in the ER.

The first week I was home I could see a small steady progression of feeling better and stronger every day. That ended last week Friday, and I am now more tired and worn out than ever.

I am sorry to hear this. Did they do echos, bloodwork (blood cultures and blood count?) since it has been a couple day and you aren't any better, I'd call the surgeon or cardiologist, honestly it sound alot like plueral or pericardial effusion (fluid) to me. Justin get pericardial effusions often after his OHS and his symptons sound alot like you describe, low grade fever, SOB (is it worse if you bend?) tired, just generally feels crummy. I think since today is Friday I'd put a call in, the last thing you need is it getting worse over the weekend when it is harder to get ahold of anyone.

 

[Lily]

Well, I felt better two weeks ago today when I came home than I do now. Have been running a low-grade fever on and off for about a week and have lots of SOB. Went to the ER because of it on Tuesday afternoon, no embolism or pneumonia, but no one seems to know what's causing SOB. It's improved some, but I can still get SOB walking to the kitchen. Have also had the fuzzy, foggy, tired feeling that goes with having a fever, and, of course, temperature never got about 98.6 in the ER.

The first week I was home I could see a small steady progression of feeling better and stronger every day. That ended last week Friday, and I am now more tired and worn out than ever.

I don't know if this is helpful, Luana, but I kept having SOB which turned out to be post-op A-fib but at first the rhythm problem came and went and the doctor didn't capture it on the EKG until my second visit back to him.

BTW, did your surgeon instruct you to use a spirometer? For my first heart surgery, I didn't take the thing seriously but I did for my second; it can really help to avoid some post-op side effects.

I don't know about the fever. Lyn's reply is the voice of much experience.

Hope you are feeling better soon. Please keep us posted.

 

[Luana]

Thanks to all! They did a chest x-ray, echo and lots of blood work at the ER on Tuesday. They did blood cultures and I was assured if anything came back positive they would send out the National Guard to find me. I got copies of all the labs. Since it's been over 48 hours for these, I'm assuming they're ok. No elevated white count, though one ER doc said I might have some mild viral something or other, but I would have thought that would show in white count?

Saw cardiologist next day and he wasn't sure what's causing SOB either, other than there's a small(?) amount of fluid around my heart. He prescribed furosemide, potassium, and an inhaler; the pharmacy didn't have inhaler, and I'm still waiting to hear from them when it's in.

Had an appt with my PCP today that was scheduled months ago, and I just called to cancel. It was all I could do to take a shower this morning; when it came time to get dressed I just didn't have it in me to do it. She's only about 2 miles from home, but the thought of walking out of the house, driving through the subdivision and walking into her office feels like it will take more energy than I can possibly muster. I just want to lie down.

Also starting yesterday afternoon, I've had more pain from the incision (tiny one) than I've had since the surgery. It hurts every time I stand up and every time I put a foot down when walking. It didn't hurt this bad in the hospital or since I've been home. It looks pretty good to me, other than some slight oozing at night it seems to be healing well and now it hurts like crazy. I just don't know what to think.

Oh, Lily, the spirometer! I've been using it since I got home and noticed good improvement until the end of last week when breathing got more difficult; it's much harder to do and I can't inhale as much as I did before.

 

[Lynlw]

I personally would call the surgeon. Did they start you on Motrim or something like that for the small amount of fluid around your heart, to help it or at least keep it from getting bigger?

 

[Luana]

I'm assuming the furosemide the cardiologist prescribed is for the fluid?
Luana

 

[Lynlw]

I'm assuming the furosemide the cardiologist prescribed is for the fluid?
Luana

I'm not a medical person, Just a Mom, BUT the furosemide/lasix is usually more for the over all fluid, like in CHF. BUT most poeple that get a treatment for effusion, need motrin or another NSAID, because if helps with the imflamation that is causing the fluid to build either around the heart/ or lungs, sometimes just that helps, other times you may need steriods or if it gets bad enough removed.

 

[Luana]

Thanks, Lynn, it says on the echo report "small pericardial effusion."

 

[ottagal]

Luana,
I am just catching up on your latest post. I had several post-op complications including a collapsed lung and pericardial effusion too. On Day 9 I ended up with a low grade fever (that spiked and other issues needed to be sorted out; consequently having me re-hospitalized) and my shortness of breath and chest pain worsened. The reason I am telling you this, is the final diagnosis ended up being post cardiotomy inflammatory syndrome. I was initially put on NSAIDS, but they changed it to prednisone for 5 days. I am wondering if you should ask your cardio if this is what you might have? If you google symptoms, it presents as fever, pericardial effusion, lethargy etc.
I am no medical expert, but thought I would throw this out as food for thought for you and possibly to discuss with the cardio.
Good luck and I hope you are feeling better really soon. Hang in there...

 

[Lynlw]

How are you feeling today? is the SOB getting any better? Did you call anyone?

 

[Luana]

Saw cardiologist today. Had to cancel appt last week as in addition to SOB, had a heart rate in 120s that didn't seem to want to come down and didn't have a ride and did not feel safe driving. Heart rate came down in about 8 hours.

At today's appt doc increased Lasix to twice a day and has ordered more blood tests, which I'll do tomorrow. Along with SOB, that has not improved at all, is a sense of getting weak in the legs after just a few steps. Obviously, this is not fun and not where I hoped to be 4+ weeks post surgery. I guess no cardiac rehab until SOB is improved or gone.