I Made it through Surgery! Woke up choking on the breathing tube, which was promptly removed. I felt great until I threw up last night, which wasn't fun with how tender my chest is. I don't think tramodol agrees with me. I'm very sore, but very happy to be alive. The surgeon told my wife everything went exactly as expected. It was very helpful to know what to expect: breathing tube, drainage tube, catheter, etc. I'm still a little foggy from all the meds so that's all I can write for now.
Made it through!
- Thread starter Motion4663
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Welcome to the other side!! 
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They should have several other alternative pain killers. Also, Tramodol is a relatively mild pain killer, so if you are still in pain with the Tramodol, you might want to ask for something stronger.
Yay! Glad you made it!
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Welcome to this side
May your recovery be indecent free
May your recovery be indecent free
Welcome back and good luck with recovery. Day by day.
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Tip: Wear something under the hospital gown in order to minimize the chance of indecency.
Welcome to the recovery side. Best wishes moving forward!
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
you can always tell the phone sent posts, when I'm not wearing my readers...Tip: Wear something under the hospital gown in order to minimize the chance of indecency.
anyway, in my case the incidents will be small, especially how I felt after OHS.
Oh, and thanks for the tip ;-)
#rimShot
I had an AVR five weeks ago. When I woke up in ICU and they removed the breathing tube I asked for some water as I was desperately thirsty. They gave me a glass to sip. I finished it, asked for me. Then more. I then asked for more and the nurse said "you've emptied the entire 750ml jug". So I just relaxed for a few minutes. Then.....projectile vomit all down me and the bed! Nurse wasn't impressed! ICU aren't geared up for this, most patients just lie there, so she couldn't find any suitable recepticle!
Five minutes later, three nurses had successfully changed my gown and the bedding, and my water was severely rationed
And yes, vomiting just a few hours after a sternotomy was a bit painful, even though I was doped up to the eyeballs.
A warm welcome to the recovery side of surgery, the panic part is behind you and you now begin on the road to recovery.
Jim
So glad everything went well! Rest up…
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Congratulations on a successful surgery! I had AVR and aorta aneurysm repair 7 weeks ago today and am recovering well. I was very happy to wake up (or my first cognizant moment) in ICU with the breathing tube already gone! That was one of my fears going in. The anesthesia didn’t sit well with me either. In ICU, I proceeded to throw up continuously in those little barf bags. Fortunately, I don’t recall it hurting my sternum. Ended up having to have a NG (?) tube inserted into nose and down into stomach (that was fun), which helped tremendously. But yea, not fun.
Rest up - and yes, welcome to the other side!
jmb1997
Active member
Congrats on making it through!
I did a minimally invasive mitral valve repair just over 19 months ago.
They shook me awake and asked me, "You want this tube out?". I couldn't even open my eyes and nodded my head yes (I couldn't even feel the tube at that point but I figured that was the answer they wanted) and out it came. I don't remember feeling anything.
The next morning I do remember feeling that catheter coming out!
Nothing feels better than the drainage tubes coming out though.
I did a minimally invasive mitral valve repair just over 19 months ago.
They shook me awake and asked me, "You want this tube out?". I couldn't even open my eyes and nodded my head yes (I couldn't even feel the tube at that point but I figured that was the answer they wanted) and out it came. I don't remember feeling anything.
The next morning I do remember feeling that catheter coming out!
Nothing feels better than the drainage tubes coming out though.
I was on fentanyl and the nurses kept pushing the button without my approval. It made me sick and I almost threw up. I yelled at the one nurse for pressing my button and told her that I was going to throw up because it makes me sick. She ran and got something and dosed me and the nausea went away. Needless to say, I was switched to Dilaudid. Within 36 hours of the operation I decided I didn’t want any pain killers. Zero. Not even Tylenol. Unlike a lot of people I actually didn’t have a lot of pain. Being off all pain killers speeded my exit from the hospital and got me home sooner.
I also took myself off pretty quickly. I was on Oxycodone 10mg, a pretty potent drug, oramorph, aspirin and paracaetamol. I dropped the oxycodone and oramorph after 3-4 days as I decided (rightly or wrongly) that I would only know if I was actually in pain if I wasn't masking it! So I stopped them, and the nurses were ready to put my back on when I screamed! Fortunately things worked out and the pain was completely manageable. I remained on the paracaetamol as I was overheating in the insanely warm hospital ward - I sleep at home under a 1-tog duvet with no overnight heating! So the paracaetamol was to control my temperature; the nurses were beginning to get agitated if ever I went about 38c.
Yeah, I didn't go for the pain meds either. I told the doctor I only wanted Tylenol when the tube came out but he said disagreed that one time. After that, I was on Tylenol only. I did watch the clock, until the next dose, a couple of times. Using only Tylenol kept me alert for a couple of other things that popped up. I was in the hospital during COVID, so I had zero visitors/help. I felt, I needed to be alert. I was able to video chat to my husband and family, which helped them a lot! Not sure if I could have held the phone if I was drugged out. LOL
SSJ4
Member
Motion4663, so glad for you to have it behind you. The ice water after the breathing tube was removed was the best thing that I had ever tasted. The ginger ale the next day was even better. My first memory after surgery (seven weeks ago this week), even before I opened my eyes, was that I couldn't swallow. They immediately saw me struggling with the tube and reminded me to breathe and relax. That is when it clicked that I was on the other side of the surgery. I felt like I had been asleep for five minutes. I experienced the nauseau as well. The tube came out shortly after that. The day after surgery they had me stand up and move to the chair. After sitting down in the chair I promptly threw up.
I wasn't quite sure what you meant by this, until I went for a walk and felt a cool breeze blowing!
I know exactly what you mean. The last thing I remember is sliding over to the O.R. table and hearing "this is going to make you sleepy."
I freaked out when I did that. I was wheeled through from the ward on "my" bed, but then when I slid across I realised the surgical bed was a) narrow, b) had padded sides, and c) was heated. I completely freaked, likening it to the gates of hell, and tried to escape. The anaesthetist said "I'll give you something to calm you down", and I was expecting a light sedative. Of course, it was the biggie, and that was the last thing I heard
