My Mom Post-Surgery

[eric369]

Hello, everyone. Well, my mom (54) had her mitral valve repair on Wednesday, and her recovery has been pretty good. The cardiologist said she could come home tomorrow, but the surgeon wants her to go home Monday because she still has a little problem coughing. She apparently had this problem with a previous surgery for a cyst on her ovaries and it took a while to get over it, so it's nothing new. They want her to cough up phlem or something like that. She has looked better each of the days though, and hopefully she will be recovered soon! anyone have coughing problems after surgery? And how long did you stay in the hospital for after your surgery?

Also, she had robotic mitral valve repair so I hear it requires less time to recover from the surgery.

 

[Bina]

It sounds like your Mom is doing great. Don't be concerned that she is staying in hospital for the weekend, it's probably better that she is observed a bit longer.
My stay was 16 days because of a fluctuating INR level, but they would have let me out after one week otherwise.
Best wishes.

 

[Mary]

It all sounds good. Like Bina mentioned, an extra two days might be a good thing until the INR is stabilized.

 

[hall]

I was in for 11 days. I was in 3 days before surgery. So one week to the day, I was sprung! Hoping your mom gets out and home soon.

 

[Marcia58]

Eric,
I'm 50 and had a mitral valve repair on 3/26/09. I was released on 3/31/09--a six day stay. I didn't qualify for the robot, but had another mini-invasive form of surgery. Your mom sounds like she's doing great! Does she have an "incentive spirometer"--the breathing-in thingy? Encourage her to use it...it will help her cough.

Someone mentioned INR--is she on coumadin? I wasn't put on blood thinners, since I had a repair, not a replacement.

BTW, I see your mom had her surgery at Christ Hospital...I had mine at U of Chicago. If your mom wants to "talk" when she's up and around, she can message me on your account, if she'd like.

Continuing prayers....

Marcia

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Tell your Mom to really PUSH using her Incentive Spirometer (the Breathing Exercise Device) to help inflate her lungs. This will help to prevent Pneumonia from settling in her Lungs which is why the Surgeon wants her Coughing up the phlem.

FWIW, I was told to use my Incentive Spirometer for 10 minutes every 2 hours I was awake.

Hope all goes well for her recovery.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[eric369]

She is now at home and is doing well! she has the thing you suck into with the numbers on it, and they make you get 1000 before you leave. They gave her coughing exercises too. She had the minimally invasive valve repair so she doesn't need coumadin as someone in an earlier post thought.