July 13th is the big day

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Penny

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
327
Location
British Columbia, Canada
I found out yesterday the date of my surgery, needless to say last night was kinda lousy for sleep. The anxiety level is slightly elevated and I am feeling like I just don't want to go to work this morning. :(
I don't think I mentioned in any of my other posts but when they did my angiogram, they tore the artery in my arm creating quite a lot of internal bleeding. Then came the infection. Needless to say I have been on antibiotics for 10 days now and it feels like the infection is coming back. :mad2:
I guess a trip to the doctors is in order...
 
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Penny, sorry about the complication with the angiogram... But as far as the upcoming surgery - many of us in here who have recently been right where you are, and are now on the other side of the surgery will vouch for this... It's nowhere near as bad as you're probably thinking it's gonna be. Of course it is a big deal, and you need to do all the things they say to do, but several of us in the last few weeks have just been amazed how smooth it usually goes. I'm finding more and more that I'm already forgetting I even had surgery (5 wks ago today). I was sitting up in a chair posting things on here and writing emails to people at work (and doing some facebook, lol) 20 hrs after surgery. I have had a couple roadbumps during recovery (which are not uncommon - except for Gil, lol) but all-in-all still doing just amazingly well. The incision didn't hurt anywhere near as much as I thought, and it's healing nicely. In the days/weeks leading up to your surgery, I say it's best to keep busy to keep your mind off things - get all those things done around the house that may be difficult for a while after surgery. Like the Tom Petty song says - the waiting is the hardest part (by far!). Luckily, your time in the waiting room (which is what you're in now) will go fast, and before you know it, I know you're going to be sitting right here where me, Gil, Malibu, etc., etc. are at - a few wks post surgery, telling people it wasn't as bad as you feared. My only advice on the scar issue is to ask them to do anything they can to make the chest tube hole(s) less noticable. That's the one thing I'm not thrilled about so far with mine (looks like a 2nd belly button) - see my 4 week update post for pics - but I'm still hoping it'll get better. Maybe if they know you're concerned about it (assuming you would be) they can do something to make it less noticable? But again, for now the most important thing is to try to relax, 'cause it just ain't as big a deal as we all fear going in (thanks to today's absolutely amazing surgeons).
 
Penny:

July 13 is a very good day. It's my sister's birthday (she was a Friday the 13th baby).

July 13 is on a Tuesday this year. Tuesday's a great day for surgery; mine was on a Tuesday.

I'm sure you'll do just great!
 
Congratulations on getting a date. You'll feel so much better in a few months! We'll be thinking of you.
 
Penny, so glad to hear that you have a date. My friend, Holly, who worked as a Cardiac Surgery PA at Texas Heart Institute said if she ever needs heart surgery it will be on a Tuesday. On Tuesday, everyone is rested and the flurry of Monday is passed. More important with Surgery on Tuesday you should be down to one IV by the end of the week and you may well be home on the weekend. It did, in fact, work that way for me. That may seem a little soon to you when you think about it now, Penny, but you will feel better at home. When the nursing staff is only checking on you once in awhile and you have begun to notice that the food could be better it is time for you to be home where you can actually rest without someone coming to wake you up so they can poke you every few hours.

As you get closer to your date, Penny, be gentle with yourself if you find that some things you planned to do don't get done. Those are just details and the world won't crumble if they are set aside. The important thing is to be as healthy and rested as you can be going in to surgery. There is plenty of time for minor infections to heal but you are right in thinking you should watch that sort of thing closely. Two weeks before my AVR, I developed a weird infection which my Doctor diagnosed as "Cat Scratch Fever" from my kitten. Who has ever heard of that? It was worrying but things were fine by my date and all went well. Take care of yourself, Penny.

Larry

Here is a photo of Teti as a kitten at the time of my AVR.
 

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Penny:

July 13 is a very good day. It's my sister's birthday (she was a Friday the 13th baby).

July 13 is on a Tuesday this year. Tuesday's a great day for surgery; mine was on a Tuesday.

I'm sure you'll do just great!


Yep I agree with Catwoman. July 13 is a very good day. It will be our 25th Wedding Anniversary on that day. So the 13th will be a very good day and you will do great.
 
It was Ted Nugent for sure.. Wango Tango was the hit I really remember, are we old or what? LOL
I will keep in mind to talk with the doc about having a second belly button.. I don't want one and hopefully yours will shrink down so that you aren't worried about the looks of it. You truly are looking great !!!! :)
From the other posts sounds like Tuesday is a pretty damn fine day for surgery! I will have to keep reminding myself it will be a great day! (all things considered) I just want it to be done and I am sure you all can relate to that comment. Anyways off to see the family doc about this arm. I will keep ya posted! Thanks guys & ladies for the support!
 
Penny,
So sorry to hear about the angiogram complications...that is the last thing you need! I hope the infection clears up quickly.
I am glad that you have a date. As we all will attest, the waiting is the hardest part. Try and keep yourself busy and do some nice things for yourself leading up to the day.
I concur that Tuesday is a good day to have surgery. I, too was scheduled on a Tues. and was told the same thing!
Thinking of you,
 
Penny,
Wow, when I went for my CT angiogram, the male nurse blew my vein up in my arm!!! He had to get someone else to come in and do it in the other arm. It hurt like all! I couldn't even bend that arm that day. It looked absolutely hideous for days!! That was May 27 and it is just now beginning to look sooooo much better, almost unnoticable, finally. Question is, how did you know you have infection? Were you running a fever, or what? Just curious. I never thought about mine getting or being infected. And by the way, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm 47yr old female, and I have a surgery date set for June 25. I was filled with almost uncontrollable anxiety, until I found this group here. It's helped me tremendously. I have some anti anxiety pills I can now take, but I've only taken 1 or 2 so far, which is good. You are going to be ok, but as I read here also, it's the time before the surgery that is the absolute worst. Your mind is your worst enemy. Get on here for some great support and encouragement and you'll see how much it helps, maybe you already have seen, but I know what you mean about the sleepless nights. There will be so many of those, as I have had. It's not an easy thing to deal with or to get ready for in your mind, but we'll both make it. Hang in there! Hope your arm gets ok, let us know what dr says!
 
Glad you have a date... it's always good when you can start making specific plans. Don't be shy about asking the doctor for something to help you get through the next month... anti anxiety meds can be very, very helpful.
 
Congrats on getting the date, Penny. I agree with Bina, Tuesdays are good timing for surgery. In many cases, that makes possible getting home by the weekend. Wishing you all the best.
 
Penny,

Sorry to hear about the arterial infection from angiogram, in may ways the angiogram day was real tough one for me.

it is good that you have the date set and 5 weeks for preparation is pretty much inline with what I had.

try to keep anxiety down, distract yourself and less exhertion would be in order

all the best working up to surgery
 
My surgery was originally scheduled for a Tuesday, then a few days before, they called to say they needed to change it to Wed. Man, am I glad I didn't know back then what I know now about Tuesdays being the best day, lol. Just kidding - but mine went fine on a Wed ;) And yes, we really are getting that old ;) But I hear 50's are the new 30's (that's what I'm going with anyway - as I prepare to enter that decade next year - ugghhhh....)...

Angel, I'm so glad to hear you're doing at least a little better. You & Penny can be OHS buds (like Gil & I, lol) and help each other thru it, especially afterwards when you have questions about your recovery (in other words, you can compare notes). But you both also have all of the rest of us here too - so fire away with questions, either before or after the big day. You're both gonna be fine. In fact, better than fine - especially after your recovery. There's a reason why you're doing this - and that reason is to make you better than you are now. Just keep remembering - the vast majority of the time, it's nowhere near as bad as we're all afraid it's going to be going in.
 
Sounds very painful, Penny! I've never had an angiogram through my arm but it has been suggested as a possibility to me before. I just had what should have been a simple blood draw a couple of months ago when the sloppy tech missed the vein and then rummaged around for it -- it still hurts. Certainly not a situation as bad as you're are dealing with though. Hope all goes well.

And also, best wishes for a successful surgery and recovery.

And Larry, I have a friend whose husband ended up with cat scratch fever several years ago and he had to have some major organs transplanted. Awful situation!
 
Great idea Andy. Penny, I have now adopted you as my OHS buddy! We'll get through this thing together. We can do it just as all these others have done it. Doesn't mean we may not have our moments, believe you me, I've had soooooo many of those I thought I was just losing what little mind I have left. My whole outlook has made a complete turnaround since I found this group. It's truly nothing like hearing from others that have been there and done that. There are so many people here that know exactly where we are coming from. They know the anxieties & fears that we are feeling. They've made it through all of that and are extending their hearts to us and others that are now faced with this same problem. It's a blessing to know that there are so many here that truly care and offer up a tremendous amount of support for you. You really need this group to help you get through this, I know I do. You are going to do fine Penny. Believe that. Definitely get something for your nerves if you haven't already, but you may find as I have, that I haven't really had to take hardly any at all as of yet. Maybe I will the closer I get to my surgery, I don't know. But if I do, that's ok too. I'll make it through, and so will you. Hang in there! We're all here for you.
 
Lily, with the CT Angiogram, I had to have an iv running in my arm for them to inject the iodine solution through me while doing the CT. They also give you a nitroglycerine under your tongue at one point while you're having this CT Angiogram done, to dialate your vessels so they can see inside them very good. I've never had a nitro before in my life and I had no idea it would give me the headrush that it did! Had a headache for a bit! lol. Didn't taste too bad though! I'm glad all that's over anyway! Take care~
 
hi penny! just wanted to let you know i was so so so so scared of the surgery. after going through it, i have to say the worst part was the anxiety BEFORE surgery and getting the hospital for surgery. please take comfort in knowing that everything (including the surgery) wasn't THAT bad. i mean yes its OHS and not a fun thing, but for me, the worst part was the anxiety, worrying, being scared, feeling alone before surgery. i even thought i was going to die. and look here i am 3 weeks after surgery feeling great. back to life now! you will be okay too! try to work through the anxiety. get medication from your doctor if you need to. please take care!
 
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