It was a tough hill to climb, but I did it!

[alicia]

Thanks for all the prayers and support. It was a really tough surgery! They tried to go in thru my right breast but were unable to and had to crack my chest open and still they had a hard time. There was sooo much scar tissue from prevoius surgery. The surgery lasted almost 9 hours. I awoke in ICU and instantly heard the clicking from the valve as I still do. They took the breathing tuble out 2 hours later and tried to give me ice but I kept throwing it up. For 3 days I couldnt hold anything down (not even water) They put on 5 chest tubes and biy was that painful when they finally took them out! I went into arrethymias,v tach adn conjuctional rhytyms so the pacemaker had to do its job for a few days until my rhythyms returned to normal. My BP bottomed out at 70/40 and they gave me several units of blood. My blood sugars were running high, so they sent me home with insulin pills. Hopefuly its just the stress from the surgery and will starighten itself out so I can go off the pills. I was determined not to get pneumonia so I used my spirometer like crazy! And oh the amounts of blood I spit up is crazy. This was the toughest thing Ive ever had to deal with.

Im now left with a huge incision under my right brest, a long long incision from my chest to my stomach and 5 incisions from the chest tubes and a new St Judes valve. But its sooo good to be home!!!! Ive had to sleep in a recliner since I cant lay flat on my bed.

Thanks again fro everybodys support, I felt it all the time! I love you guys.

 

[wlaldridge]

Welcome back,

Sorry you have had such a rough go of it. We are all still praying and pulling for you.

Please take good care of yourself and don't "over do" You know the drill, walk, walk, walk, breathe, breathe, breathe, nap, nap, nap.

Thanks for the post.

Bill

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Alicia

So good to hear from you---especially that you're home. Sure sounds as though you've been hit by 6 mack trucks, not the standard 3 or 4. Glad to hear all went well, you've been in our prayers, but I think I'll keep you there a bit longer!!!! Bill said it best, walk, walk, walk, nap, nap, nap, breathe, breathe, breathe.

Evelyn

 

[mamsram]

alicia--WOW

Reading your post, it sounds like you've returned from a visit to hELL. Well, you back home and in contact with friends. Evelyn's last sentence says it. I would say thats where your main focus should be. WELCOME!!

 

[Ross]

Welcome home Alicia!

It is sometimes hell for some of us, but don't let that get you down. Keep plugging away at recovery and you'll do well. I'm so happy to hear your home.

 

[richie rich]

alicia

congrats on your successful surgery. it seems like things were pretty rough but you are now home and things will only get better. good luck in your recovery and take it easy. don't worry about the scars on your chest, they really are medals for all of the hard work that you have been thru.

best wishes

richie rich

 

[Bill Hall]

Alicia - Great to hear you are home and done with the hard parts. Sorry to hear your experience just after surgery. I remember being stuck in that ICU for three days and sick to my stomach, two years ago this week. Anyway, you are better now and will feel better and better. I am going to be down in NC this weekend refinancing a house I own on the outer banks. Good luck with further recovery.

 

[Jean]

Alicia...Yikes! They sure threw you for a loop. I am so glad that is behind you. May your road to recovery be a lot sunnier now. Good luck and God speed.

 

[pegne]

Home

Home

Hopefully you are past the worst part and now you can concentrate on healing. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Remember to do what they tell you. Walk, rest, eat and breath. I'll continue to pray. Love Peggy

 

[Dave5Baseball]

Alicia,

Glad to hear you are home. I hope your recovery goes alot smoother than the surgery. Keep your mind focused on recovery and you'll do just fine. Keep us posted.

 

[alicia]

The reason I was in so much pain is due to the fact that Percocet makes me itch like crazy. Morphine helped alittle, Toredol helped, they tried Oxycodene but it also made me itch so they gave me Hyrdocoden and it helped and thats what Im taking at home.

Is it normal to have a knot right above the incision> I still have staples in and I go back to Duke on Jan 30 and have them removed. Its not painful, just wondering is this normal?

 

[McCln]

Alicia

Alicia

You just take it one day at a time. You will be fine. It will take tine to get to lying flat in bed. I would sometimes wind up sitting asleep in the recliner because I just did not want the pain of getting back into bed. You will feeling better in that department soon. Just do as the doctor says and take all your meds. You are doing so well. Welcome back and keep smiling.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude valve

 

[sylviayasgur]

wow alicia!
sounds like you've been through the mill!!!! you poor thing.
atleast the worst is over and hopefully your recovery will be an uneventful smooth one.
please just rest and breathe and rest some more. try to listen to your body.
i remember joey took so many little naps all day long when he first came home.
are you eating anything yet? feeling ok doing it? just try and take it slow.
wishing you a speedy recovery and welcome back. we were all concerned about you.
i'm glad you're ok.
stay well, sylvia

 

[Nancy]

Gee Alicia-

What a time you had! But you're home and doing well. Soon it will be a memory and the scars will heal. The most important thing is that you're here and the surgery is OVER! You're a strong gal.

Best wishes.

 

[djacq]

Alicia,

So sorry you have gone through
so much. We were all so hoping things would go smoothly for you. Maybe they will now.

I had/have an unsightly lump (knot?) above my incision. It has gone down considerably but still there.

It is just so hard sleeping post op. Is the recliner working? I just had a hard time sleeping in one and found the best course of action for me was LOTS of pillows which I half laid on (still do) and another under my head. My poor husband, who my friends are now calling Saint Paul, has not been able to breathe, move in bed at night or I moan and groan.

Again, I can't believe your awful experience and hope things will start looking up now you are in your own environment.

Keep us updated,
Donna

 

[Vicki448]

Alicia, glad to hear that you are home and able to type. That is something, right there. I had a knot at the top of my incision and it will eventually go away. My surgery is over 4 months past and it's totally gone now. Good luck with your recovery. Since you've been through this before, you know how to take care of yourself. You are in my prayers.....

 

[Bunny_Rabbit]

Hi Alicia,

I'm a newbie to the site but I feel as if I know all about you and what you're going through. I'm glad you're home and doing well, it seems like you've been through quite the ordeal. But I know theres no place like home.

Good luck.

 

[Creed3]

Hi Alicia!
It's wonderful to hear that you are home. I'm sorry to have heard that you had a difficult time with the surgery and the first few days of recovery. Hopefully the rest of your recovery will be uneventful. I too was very sick to my stomach for the first few days. It seemed like every med they gave me made me sick. Percocet was the first one to make me throw up. I think they were getting to wonder if they could give me anything that wouldn't make me sick. Finally they gave me darvocet. That seemed to work for me. I remember going to have my echo done after the surgery and the tech was chewing some kind of fruity gum. I almost threw up right there as she was doing the echo. I felt so sick waiting to go back to my room, that a couple of patients ahead of me, took pity on me and said to take me back first. Just wait til food tastes good again. You will get some kind of craving, I'm sure. Remember my cupcake story...LOL! You've been through this before, you know the drill. Please let us know how recovery goes for you. It will take time, but you will get there.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[alicia]

The problem with laying flat on my back is now Im snoring so loudly my hubby cant sleep. We are up and down back and forth going from room to room and bed to bed and me from bed to recliner. Im eating fine now. My hubby is doing all the cooking and cleaning for now. My daughter came over last night and cooked for us and my in-laws are cooking for us this weekend so at least we havent had to eat his "cooking" much. Ive spoiled him over the years and he has no clue how to cook. He grew up with 5 sisters so he never had to cook in his life! I dont miss it at all!!

Thanks again gang!

 

[ALCapshaw]

So glad to hear you made it through Alicia.

HANG TOUGH and LOOK FORWARD,

one step at a time. You CAN do it.

Best wishes.

'AL'