I had the worst experience of my life coming out of surgery. They left the breathing tube in longer than expected and I was aware of it and fought it. I had it in three hours after surgery and nurse told me I was in a trial with a new type of ventilator. I would have rather had somebody put a bullet through my head. I was out of surgery st 11:00 am yesterday on 6/5 and was discharged from cardiac intensive care today at 11:00 am and moved to general floor private room. I got a severe case of acid stomach and couldn't expel burb without a little food. Since I know my own body better than anybody else I insisted they allow me to walk the hallway assisted. I walked about 100 yards in total without tiring or being dizzy. They screwed my food up and I drank coffee and had ravioli with Parmesan cheese and I am lactose intolerant giving me acid and gas.
Only you guys an understand this
- Thread starter canon4me
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Rachel
Well-known member
Very sorry to hear this!!!!! I don’t remember my breathing tube, but I know some on this forum were also awake before it was removed.
My experience with hospital food was the pits as well – if you can, have someone bring you some food that you can eat! My husband ended up doing that for me and it made a HUGE difference! He was also allowed to sleep beside me in a cot at night, this also made a huge difference in my recovery.
My experience with hospital food was the pits as well – if you can, have someone bring you some food that you can eat! My husband ended up doing that for me and it made a HUGE difference! He was also allowed to sleep beside me in a cot at night, this also made a huge difference in my recovery.
I finally covinced them to give me malox for the acid. The acid was so bad I had some serious thoughts that I would end up with scarring or burning of my esophagus that results in DNA changes that can often does lead to esophageal cancer.
AZ Don
Well-known member
Sorry you are having a difficult time. Apparently reflux is likely, not sure due to the procedure, the meds, or what. I was put on prilosec as a preventative, even though I don't normally have reflux. Re. Hospital food. If they send you something you should not eat, send it back and ask for something that you can eat. The food is generally bad enough, but they should at least be able to provide you with food that you can eat.
ski girl
Well-known member
Yep I can relate! After my second op they wouldn't take my breathing tube out for four hours as there was no doctor around qualified to re-intubate me if I needed it! Apparently I was trying to convince my friend who was with me to help me pull it out when the nurses weren't watching - but instead they just kept knocking me out. Like any of us need MORE drugs at this time!
And the food . . . my first food was a white bread sandwich with processed meat and weird bright yellow stuff. I wouldn't touch food like that EVER and to bring something that unhealthy to someone who has just had heart surgery is unthinkable to me! I gave the nurse a lecture (I apologised later!) and sent it back. I agree with Rachel, get people to bring you real food! I lived on yellow PowerAde, bananas, and wholemeal biscuits while I was in hospital.
And the food . . . my first food was a white bread sandwich with processed meat and weird bright yellow stuff. I wouldn't touch food like that EVER and to bring something that unhealthy to someone who has just had heart surgery is unthinkable to me! I gave the nurse a lecture (I apologised later!) and sent it back. I agree with Rachel, get people to bring you real food! I lived on yellow PowerAde, bananas, and wholemeal biscuits while I was in hospital.
Only you guys an understand this
I ate a lot of sherbet and graham crackers.
I know that I also had a tough time with the breathing tube, but now, at about 1.5 years later it's all just a vague memory.
I know it's hard when you are right in the middle of it, but hang in there...you'll be amazed how quickly things progress from here.
I ate a lot of sherbet and graham crackers.
I know that I also had a tough time with the breathing tube, but now, at about 1.5 years later it's all just a vague memory.
I know it's hard when you are right in the middle of it, but hang in there...you'll be amazed how quickly things progress from here.
Hank
VR.com Founder, Now just a Member
Only you guys an understand this
I can understand being on a vent longer hten necessary because they were waiting for a doctor to be there to extubate you. But making that experience only happen because they wanted to "test drive" an new ventilator?
That there is a crock of crapola!
Doesn't matter how you slice it - being awake on a vent is my single most unpleasant experience of life.
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I can understand being on a vent longer hten necessary because they were waiting for a doctor to be there to extubate you. But making that experience only happen because they wanted to "test drive" an new ventilator?
That there is a crock of crapola!
Doesn't matter how you slice it - being awake on a vent is my single most unpleasant experience of life.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
I only remember the last couple of minutes as they told me to "cough" to help get the tube out. I was not really aware of my situation until the moment they removed the tube. For one single frightening moment I could not breathe, then it was out.
BTW - A BIG Hello to Hank. Long time, no see. (Last time we actually spoke in person was the Chicago reunion in 2003, well before my valve surgery.) Thanks for all of this site and family.
BTW - A BIG Hello to Hank. Long time, no see. (Last time we actually spoke in person was the Chicago reunion in 2003, well before my valve surgery.) Thanks for all of this site and family.
gerrychuck
Well-known member
I was intubated from Friday evening until Monday morning. I remember virtually none of it due to the amazing effects of Versed. I was in restraints most of the time to prevent me from pulling the tubes out, which apparently I succeeded in doing once. I remember the tubes coming out, and that it was no big deal. The only other thing I remember was when they put the tubes in, they apparently didn't give me enough sedative; I sort of woke up; enough to be aware of the tubes and feel like I was suffocating, and trying to fight it, but not awake enough to be able to move or even open my eyes. NOT a good feeling. I remember a very reassuring hand on my shoulder (the anesthetist, I believe), and then back to oblivion. I heard later they were quite alarmed when they realized they had under-dosed me. Sometimes having your life saved can be such a pain....
I wanted to recognize scott.eitman for coming and visiting me at Cleveland Clinic and reassuring me and my wife when we needed reassuring. This guy is a consummate gentleman and you can tell when you first meet him he is excited about life and is able to make those around him feel the same.
Canon-for me the vent is a vague memory. I had a nurse, John, who was fabulous in letting me wake up a minute and seeing if I could breath myself, not then off to dream land again. I was only on the vent 4 hours after surgery. He said take a breath and then it was out. Sorry your experience has not been good. The food in the hospital did suck. No flavor. My husband follows all the rules, so I had blah turkey sandwich, blah chicken, and blah fish. Was good to get home. You will feel so much better when you get home. It did help that my husband was there all night, every night in that uncomfortable recliner. Life will get better. Now my worries 17 days post op are when can I speed up my walking, how far can I walk and when will the minor coughing stop. Coumadin doing ok for now. Good luck with it all and we are here for you. Kim
Kim, I believe you that I will feel better each and every day. Reading over the cardiologists notes freaked me today. They said I suffered a heart attack on an unknown date. They called it an anteroseptal myocardial infarction with an unknown date. Have you ever heard of this? Another thing for me to worry about it seems. Maybe I need to hook up with transcendental meditation. And Kim, thanks for being there for me. It truly means a lot to me!
