I think (hope) I’m getting discharged tomorrow. I see the sticky thread about questions to ask your surgeon before surgery but don’t see one for after surgery. Since I’ll be one of the many traveling home from CC and may not have the opportunity to get answers to some of these questions with my follow up caregivers, do any of you have suggestions about what I should ask before I leave? What did you wish you had asked but perhaps didn’t (for any of you travelers out there)?
Post surgery questions to ask prior to discharge?
- Thread starter MarkZ
- Start date
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Make sure you get any post-surgery reports/images (e.g. echo, chest x-ray) so you/your follow-up provider have as a baseline. CC may even put these on your portal.
Also, get a copy of the surgery report (it should be an interesting read) and ask the surgeon any questions you may have.
Also, get a copy of the surgery report (it should be an interesting read) and ask the surgeon any questions you may have.
Great question. I wish I had asked about how much heart rate variability is normal. A week after I got home I noticed some "skipped" beats (PACs or PVCs) and ended up going in to the emergency department. The emergency doctor checked with the on-call cardiologist and told me this was considered perfectly normal after heart surgery, so I could have saved myself a scare if I had known that.
Good luck!
Good luck!
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
I only travelled 100km by car, my wife drove, but it was still uncomfortable.
Get a seatbelt exemption if you can (if you need one)
Make sure you have a rope or solid thick strap attached to the foot of the bead for pulling yourself up (elbows tucked in to sides).
Follow instructions given.
If on anticoagulants (I think at the start everyone is) make sure you take them. Don't fret about INR.
Best Wishes and fingers crossed for an uneventful recovery
Get a seatbelt exemption if you can (if you need one)
Make sure you have a rope or solid thick strap attached to the foot of the bead for pulling yourself up (elbows tucked in to sides).
Follow instructions given.
If on anticoagulants (I think at the start everyone is) make sure you take them. Don't fret about INR.
Best Wishes and fingers crossed for an uneventful recovery
I had no problem wearing a seatbelt.
Since you had your surgery done miles away from home I'd ask them how they will care for you in Maryland. My surgeon required a follow-up visit or two with chest Xray for release. I had a few cardio visits as well. Who monitors your INR and provides dosing instructions. I'd ask them how you get cardio rehab and how they keep in touch with your Maryland cardio rehab team. For me all my surgery, cardio and rehab was in the same shop and they could see the unified records, e.g. my cardio could see my BP and heart rate from rehab.
Since you had your surgery done miles away from home I'd ask them how they will care for you in Maryland. My surgeon required a follow-up visit or two with chest Xray for release. I had a few cardio visits as well. Who monitors your INR and provides dosing instructions. I'd ask them how you get cardio rehab and how they keep in touch with your Maryland cardio rehab team. For me all my surgery, cardio and rehab was in the same shop and they could see the unified records, e.g. my cardio could see my BP and heart rate from rehab.
Wearing a seatbelt - put a cushion between your chest and the belt, that helps a great deal.
slipkid
Well-known member
I actually still wear one while driving, 6 years later. Not for the chest zipper but because I have nerve damage now in my chest and anything pressing on the left front side is very uncomfortable. I use a pillow on the right side which keeps the belt that goes across my chest from putting too much pressure in the "wrong" place.
