Ladies only Ok ok men too.

[OldManEmu]

Nancy tubes and wires, they are the 2 - 4 drain tubes that are placed in the chest to drain blood post surgery and exit between the bottom of the rib cage and navel. The 2 wires are pacer wires for an external pacemaker that also exits the body in the same area.
I was able to wash my hair 2 days post surgery after both my surgeries. After the first surgery I could feel the sternum that had been cut and wired together grinding when my hands were used above shoulder height for the first month. After my second surgery I never had this grinding sensation, I mentioned this to the surgeon post surgery and he mention that heavier gauge wire was used to close the sternum second time around.

 

[Jkm7]

There is also an arterial line (in the neck in my case) and there is no shower while that is in. My first surgery, that remained in place for three days but shorter time the second surgery.
Exterior pacing wires are pulled at different time as well as chest drainage tubes.
When someone in the hospital answered my questions with 'everyone is different', it annoyed me. I thought that a 'non-answer' and got tired of hearing it. Then I realized in many cases, that was exactly the answer. We all experience this surgery differently and same person with same surgeon can experience is differently with multiple surgeries.

There is no saying when your arterial line, chest tubes, pacemaker......... any of it will be removed. Of course, we all agree, the sooner the better.

 

[Lynlw]

There is also an arterial line (in the neck in my case) and there is no shower while that is in. My first surgery, that remained in place for three days but shorter time the second surgery.
Exterior pacing wires are pulled at different time as well as chest drainage tubes.
When someone in the hospital answered my questions with 'everyone is different', it annoyed me. I thought that a 'non-answer' and got tired of hearing it. Then I realized in many cases, that was exactly the answer. We all experience this surgery differently and same person with same surgeon can experience is differently with multiple surgeries.

There is no saying when your arterial line, chest tubes, pacemaker......... any of it will be removed. Of course, we all agree, the sooner the better.

Nancy have you checked out any of the sites that say what to expect from heart surgery? what lines to expect etc most of the larger hospitals and the AHA should have them descrining the different tubes and what they are for type thing
Speaking of which- everyone being different-, not everyone has the swan-ganz lines in the neck, (but I wouldnt be surprised if you did) for example Justin has had 5 ohs and his chest reopened, mucles moved for the sternal infection, and never had lines in his neck. The number of drainage tubes can run anywhere from 1 to 4, Justin has had pretty much a different amount each time. Then you usually have a couple IVs, pacer wires etc.

 

[Jkm7]

I actually didn't mind the line in my neck as it didn't hurt either while in or when withdrawn but it enabled them to use that line to draw blood for some of the many tests and for days, I didn't have blood draws from my arms. they could take what they needed from the swan-ganz.

They did not remove the IV from my arm, both surgeries, until about five minutes before I was discharged. They keep it right to the last minute just in case they need to use it if an emergency developes.

 

[Boston Tiger]

The foley catheter as another of the wires and tubes that I was happy to have removed. It was also the one I dreaded having removed beforehand. The removal that actually bothered me the most were my pacing wires, because it felt like I got a shock when the nurse pulled those. My daughter didn't come in for a visit until the fourth day after surgery, when I was down to just one IV line. That was good, because she inherited my squeamishness regarding hospital visits. That visit was tough enough for her, and the odds are high that she would have passed out if she had seen me a couple of days before! It's great to be able to laugh about that with her nowadays.

 

[Nancy jane]

Thx everyone. I know that there r tubes etc. but wires in the neck was a surprise. Yeah I've been on many of the sites on hat expect & several books etc. learn something every day. Ok what is - is. As long as we get fixed ! Nearing my 30 day count down. Thx.