My surgery is just a little over a week away- June 23rd

[sunflowergirl]

I am new to your website....and so far I have received some very sweet notes in my box. I am scared but the more I read the better I feel about things. I guess my main concerns are my scar (tell me what to expect and how yours in healing), pain afterward (how long before you felt normal again) and the breathing tube coming out (is this a scary thing to wake up to).

Robin

 

[ARGreenMN]

Hey Robin, welcome to the site. You've found (I think anyway) the best place possible to ask questions like that and to get support. It's truly an amazing place here. I'll take a quick shot at your questions, but there are many of us who have recently posted pics of our scars and stories about the pain (or lack of) and the breathing tube. So search for those. Malibu82 just posted a pic of her scar the other day (titled something like 3-week update) and Gil (LuckyGuy) and I have also posted our scars recently, as well as some others I'm forgetting about (let me know if you have trouble finding them and I'll help). We're all singing the same tune afterwards. A) the surgery wasn't that bad at all ; B) the pain is very, very manageable afterwards with some pain killers early on, then some tylenol for a while after that - I've even been off tylenol for a couple weeks now, and I'm only approaching week 6 after surgery; C) The scar is not bad at all either - although you might wanna ask about the chest tube holes - you'll see some stuff about those in some of our updates and D) the breathing tube - while not the most fun if you're one of the few (like me) that wakes up while it's still in, really isn't THAT big a deal either. You'll see more details in the other posts (I've got a pretty detailed one that's titled something like 4-week update, as well as a 3-week update and I think a 1-week update), and again, let me know if you have trouble finding them. Others have similar posts, just not as longwinded as mine, lol, which is why I'm signing off now But post more questions if you have 'em!

 

[Luckyguy17]

Well Robin,

Welcome to the real world forum on OHS and BAV.

Re: the scar, have scanned your blog and the picture posted and is likely the worst OHS scar I have seen yet, if it makes you feel any better, the picture is likely taken about 2-3 days post surgery by the look of bruising & all, so yes there will likely be a scar and yes it may not be pretty for 1st few weeks, but it does get better quite fast and you will eventually wear it proud, as it likely a result of saving your life. You will notice that the patient looksvery much alive though (grin)

For breathing tube and most of us, you are so dozed up in 1st day, that you will hardly notice it before it is removed, you will only have short periods of consciousness in 1st 24 hours and if I remember well, while breathing tube, there is no need to cough, so it is actually a blessing, but if you are concerned let the surgeon know before surgery.

So chin up, read up pre op post op threads and welcome again to an excellent support group, ask and ye shall be informed

all the best

 

[Bina]

Robin, welcome. I have put you on the VR calendar. Best wishes !

 

[AgilityDog]

I have got the most gorgeous scar from my MVR. I really should take a picture and post it. (As Ross says, this post is useless without pictures).
I'll need to keep a photo as a reminder that the soon-to-be-reopened incision will get better. I'll have to post "before" and "after" photos.

Right now, I wear anything I want to, although I kept it covered the first year, to protect against the sun.

It took about a year for the red to fade, but now it's just a thin white line. Because I am slender, you can see the horizontal sternum wires under my skin, which leave bumps. If it weren't for those bumps you'd hardly notice my "extra cleavage." But I'm not going to put the weight back on just to hide them!

 

[Superbob]

Welcome, Robin, from a former Virginian. I was advised to take the pain pills offered by the nurses BEFORE the onset of any pain, and I did and had very little pain. The breathing tube was one of my major concerns going in. However, even though they had to leave it in a little longer than usual (waiting for me to recover lung function), it turned out not to be that big a deal. I was pretty zonked and just remember snippets of the ICU nurses talking, before the tube came out. As for scar, it's never bothered me -- in fact, I wear it as a badge of courage -- however, I think how the gals on here have dealt with their scars is probably more relevant to you than how this old guy reacted.

Wishing you all the best! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Cris N]

For me... no issues with the breathing tube - wasn't aware of it until the nurses were shouting at me to cough while they removed it. My scar is now just a white 'pencil' line. Pain was not so bad - just very weak. Felt good within 3 months and it kept getting better.

I'm confident you'll do just fine and will start feeling better very quickly.

 

[Ross]

Don't be afraid of the surgery, scar, or tubes. Be afraid of me. I bite! :biggrin2:

If your still afraid, PM me and we can talk about it.

 

[nngbwh]

Welcome aboard Robin. Wishing you a smooth recovery.

Keep us posted.