Post Op Issues......

[malibu82]

You're hardly overreacting! You've had a crappy few days and obviously needed assistance or you wouldn't have been admitted. It's really interesting, isn't it? We should just go with our gut. You knew something wasn't right and were trying to get phone assistance to no avail. Hope you continue to feel better...

thanks so much

 

[malibu82]

So glad you're getting properly cared for finally! And at a different (hopefully better?) hospital to boot! Sounds like you experienced the same kind of preferential treatment I did at the ER. They almost brought the whole hospital to a standstill for me. As I explained my situation to the front desk guy, even though I wasn't really having chest pains, he called back and said "chest pains in the lobby". He goes, I know you're not having chest pains, but watch how quick they get here. Within seconds, I was on a bed, with several people around me, being wheeled back to a "speical" room, with my clothes being stripped off while they were wheeling me down the hall. Pretty impressive I thought as far as response time. Makes me feel good knowing they take heart stuff seriously. But back to you, it sounds like maybe you're past the worst. Hope so! Now get back to your normally scheduled recovery, after that commercial break you had

hahahaha! that is so funny. thanks!

a

 

[malibu82]

Hi Jackie,
So glad to hear that you're getting good care. Blood cultures are the determining test for endocarditis, which hopefully you don't have, but at this point in your recovery, it needs to be made sure if you do or do not. I had endocarditis about 20 years ago. I had my own vavles, but a murmur from rheumatic fever as a kid and had been told to be careful of getting endocarditis. I didn't have a doctor at the time and went to a walk-in medical clinic. Very long story short, I was misdiagnosed at least 3 times (even when I brought up endocarditis) and was sick for 12 weeks with a fever (and only that, and going to work every day) before I found a doc who listened to me and put me in the hospital immediately.

As far as over reacting: it's better to err on the side of caution, especially since your surgery was so recent. I went to the ER about 2 weeks after surgery because I was having awful SOB. I wondered if I over reacted, and when the doc said I that I did the right thing, I felt better. Most of us aren't used to feeling fragile and that in itself can be scary.

Take care and feel better!

thank you for all of that information. i am going to mention endocartis when my doctor comes in this morning, to see if they have already thought of that. i pray thats not it. my temp waking up today with no meds for 12 hours was only 99.1 so i'm on the right track either way! they said they are treating me with the antibiotics they would treat me with if they knew i had a problem, so that i am covered. it's a broad spectrum antibiotic or something.

 

[Nancy]

You did the absolute right thing by going to a different hospital ER. That way, "friends of a friend" can't cover up nasty care issues. And they got right to your doctor, so now we know that he CAN answer his messages when he feels like it, and I guess, when you called him, he didn't feel like answering you. So that's how you stand with him!

It's always good to have another pair of eyes on a situation that is not getting any proper care.

 

[Lynlw]

oh man, i can't believe that! and i thought i was worried about the radiation! i'm sorry you had all of that in 16 days. it would have freaked me out. my mom has always been overly cautious about xrays she used to not let the dentist do them, so it stuck with me that they are bad! id better get over that real quick because im sure there is way more to come in the future now that i am a heart patient! it will be interesting to find out what my condition is.

I'm glad you went to the Er. I know you didn't want another CT, but I'm glad you got it. Justin had a massive sternal infection after his last OHS and they ONLY place thy saw it was a CT. They did an Xray and ECHO and all looked fine, but because of a temp that came and went and he was still coughing alot, they did a CT, to rule out and embolism and saw a big pocket under his sternum.
BEis a possibility and Blood cultures are good to rule things out, , but this close to surgery, I would think, if there is an infection it would be an infection where they operated or you had a line, like IV or bladder from Cath. Justin had BE when he was 11 (he keeps everone busy) so I was relieved when his blood cultures were negative, but they just show infections that make it to the blood stream.

I personally am also glad you didn't go back to where you had your surgery this time. That is a disgrace and like Nancy i would be writing letters to everyone, when you feel better. take notes when you remeber things or as they happen so it is easier to write the letter and remeber to mention ALL theproblems. We had a bad stay for one of Justin's surgeries and i wrote letters to everyne, doctors, surgeons, pres, head of nursing ect (and also told them i copied it to justin's other doctors so they don't send patients there) and heard back from everyone, ongoing and when certain changes were made they notified me about them. What really surprised me was 2 years later we were in preop testing, and the head nurse stopped by (I guess we are flagged lol) to make sure everything was going well and she had my letter with her, she also stopped by every day to see how things were, did we need anything ...

 

[ARGreenMN]

Those head nurses seem pretty on top of things. I had one stop in at the end of both my recent hospital stays, asking if I had any complaints, or any superstars to mention. I took the opportunity to give kudos to a couple of super special nurses (my complaints about the bad ones were fairly minor - not like your issues - so I didn't mention them). I have a new respect for the nursing profession now (was just ignorant before). I was surprised to see the HUGE range in "quality" of nurses, and I saw both ends of the spectrum at both hospitals I was at recently. Some were just so, so great, and others were almost down-right rude. When I'd get one of the bad ones, I'd just bide my time till their shift was over, try not to ask for much, etc. But there was one during my first (5-day) stay that kept coming back almost every day (from like 7 am - 3 pm or something like that I think). I'd try to pretend I was sleeping when she came in, lol so I didn't have to talk to her. And I noticed the fork I'd dropped under my bed and asked her to pick up once when I was "awake" was still there when I left the hospital. Hope they ended up washing that before giving it to someone later...

 

[ottagal]

oh man, i can't believe that! and i thought i was worried about the radiation! i'm sorry you had all of that in 16 days. it would have freaked me out. my mom has always been overly cautious about xrays she used to not let the dentist do them, so it stuck with me that they are bad! id better get over that real quick because im sure there is way more to come in the future now that i am a heart patient! it will be interesting to find out what my condition is.

Like you, I too have always been extremely cautious about getting x-rays, but I had no control over this. Believe me...it took me a long time to get over that and I still dwell on it (and yes, it freaked me out!). I wish I didn't have to have to undergo all that radiation (probably the biggest surprise from this surgery) , but I knew that the only way they could follow and rule out more issues (and some that could have been life threatening) was with this diagnostic tool. I recall saying to the doctor (when another x-ray was ordered and I stopped counting at that point)...I am going to be glowing in the dark when I leave this place!

Hope today is a little better for you. Keep us posted.

 

[Mentu]

Malibu, I am glad to hear that you did go to the ER. Figuring out what is a problem and what is not is better left to Doctors. I have not had a tempertature, but I still have night sweats. Taking action is better than languishing at home worrying that something awful is happening.

Larry

 

[ShawnB]

My husband tried to put those socks on me too but I found out that if you move your feet in circular motions and up and down, you actually do better at preventing clots than using the socks. I was always moving my feet even in bed. When you sit in a chair, raise your feet up to a tiptoe position and rock them. That will get the blood moving in your legs.

I too have problems with feeling like food it getting stuck in my throat when I swallow. I also had the burp issue. In fact, my sister and I made a joke about it especially after drinking a pop or something. It felt like burps were getting stuck. It's due to the inflammation in your throat from the respirator. I'm in my fourth week and that has finally disappeared. It took awhile though.

As far as nurses offering to give you baths or change your gowns, I guess that depends on where you have your surgery. Mine was at the UW in Seattle. I had to ask for help with those things, it was not offered. I insisted they change my sheets after the chest tube was pulled because there was blood on them. I finally had my husband help me do those things - brush my teeth and wash up. I hope you are doing well.

Shawn

 

[malibu82]

My husband tried to put those socks on me too but I found out that if you move your feet in circular motions and up and down, you actually do better at preventing clots than using the socks. I was always moving my feet even in bed. When you sit in a chair, raise your feet up to a tiptoe position and rock them. That will get the blood moving in your legs.

I too have problems with feeling like food it getting stuck in my throat when I swallow. I also had the burp issue. In fact, my sister and I made a joke about it especially after drinking a pop or something. It felt like burps were getting stuck. It's due to the inflammation in your throat from the respirator. I'm in my fourth week and that has finally disappeared. It took awhile though.

As far as nurses offering to give you baths or change your gowns, I guess that depends on where you have your surgery. Mine was at the UW in Seattle. I had to ask for help with those things, it was not offered. I insisted they change my sheets after the chest tube was pulled because there was blood on them. I finally had my husband help me do those things - brush my teeth and wash up. I hope you are doing well.

Shawn

thanks for all of your information! it has slowly been getting better. my fevers are now back into the lower 100s/high 99s. so maybe its just going to take some time!

 

[Luana]

Glad to hear you're better and hope you don't hit anymore speed bumps!