My Nanna's Surgery is today

[Ella]

Hi,

I wonnder if any of you can provide me with some info or insight into the heart surgery my Nanna is under going today. I only have experince of my husband's surgery who was rushed in as an emergency the first time and the 2nd OHS was all very simple and starightforward aortic valve repair.

I do not know the ins and out of what is happening today but would be grateful for any answers. She is 70 years old and in the last year or so has had 3 heart attacks, two mild and one large. Today at 8 am she went down for surgery to have a double bypass, a mitral & tricuspid valve repair and a wire inserted ?? to sort out her irregular heart beat.

We were told to phone up at 2pm and when we did we were told by the receponsist "she is a not well lady and to phone back in a hour and it is not a straightforward operation, ther are a few things to do ". Until that phone call my family were quite calm but now they are beside themselves with worry as after seeing the team yesterday they all seemed pretty confident and positive. Before this and while waiting the ten weeks (in hospital) for the operation she has passed all the pre-op test and her condition has been stable.

Has anyone had this kind of surgery ? or can just give me any positive thoughts I would be most grateful...... Only 45 mins till we can phone again ... I hate the waiting

 

[netmiff]

Ella, I am glad you found us, but I am sorry that you had to find us!

You may just have got a nurse that was busy, or late for lunch or just having a bad day. I know, it doesn't help you feel any better, but it happens.

Your Nanna may have been a little longer in surgery than planned, that can happen, and is nothing to worry about. The first hour or two after the surgery are probably the busiest for the staff, as they have to monitor closely all vital signs, and a few more, and get her meds straightened out, and get her cleaned up and into a decent gown - or as decent as hospital gowns can be! Your nanna will be hooked up to quite a few machines, and even moving her from the operating room to recovery or to ICU will be quite complicated, they have to un-hook her at one place, and then re-hook her up at the next.

Hang in there, one of our sayings is that the waiting is the worst part. Do come back on and let us know how she is doing when you hear ....

 

[Mary]

Best wishes going out to your Nanna, and I hope the update you receive is much better than the little snippet of information they gave you earlier.

 

[skeptic49]

Sorry about the waiting. Best wishes for her surgery. Please keep us posted on her condition.

Jim

 

[Bina]

Take a deep breath....best wishes.

 

[Ella]

Update

Update

I have just spoken to her nurse in the ICU, they did all that they wanted to do and are pleased with the results, she is currently still ventalated and there only concern at the momet is her low blood pressure.. not sure what that relates to ? So keeping fingers and toes crossed for a smooth and uneventful recovery, Ella x

 

[netmiff]

Ella, during OHS, they use so many drugs, most of us are affected in one way or another; there are many little things that can happen after OHS, mostly due to the drugs, the position they put us in on the table, having the heart stopped and all the rest of it. Low blood pressure is probably one of those. Others include fluid in and around the heart and the lungs, diabetes, water retention, anaemia and a whole slew of small things that usually go away in a week or two. The staff know about these, watch for them, and treat them promptly. It sounds like your nanna is doing just fine!

I was only 52, and developed fluid in or around my lungs, and was kept sedated for two extra days in ICU while it cleared; if you are still on the vent, they will try to keep you knocked out as it is not pleasant to endure while awake.