pre-op anxiety

[joy]

Hi Chris, I am not going to lie to you, when you first wake up with that tube down your throat, it SUCKS! You won't choke on it, but if you can't relax, you'll gag on it. When you first come into a "conscious sedation" as I call it, you can hear people talk to you, but can't move, talk, or anything. As aoon as I could I wiggled my toes and I shocked my nurse by lifting my head really fast and suddenly. THey tell you to relax, but it's hard. WHen you wake up, there are all sorts of wires and tubes and IVs coming out of you. It looks freakish, but it's not bad. Just do as they tell you and you will be more comfortable.

 

[Nancy]

Chris-

They put you in LaLa land for the TEE, and numb your throat to boot. They need you to be able to do some simple commands, but trust me, you'll do everything they tell you, LOL.

When they schedule your TEE, just tell them that you have this fear and want it to be very comfortable for you. They know how to take care of things. And everybody's nervous. By the way when it comes time to have a talk with the surgeon. make sure you tell him about your tube fears. He'll be reassuring and will help you to understand why it's necessary. Understanding the technical details takes the emotion out of it.

Believe me that no one wants you to suffer. Their deal is to cure you, not scare you to death. So things might be uncomfortable but everything like that has the edge taken off it.

 

[ccrawford]

Joy and Nancy - You guys are so great I can't beleive it - you're making my cry and I don't do that. I am very glad I found this forum, and a whole bunch of new friends. In one day I already feel like I have a whole crowd of people supporting me, and it is a wonderful feeling. I have to get off until tomorrow-this process is raising my BP big time, but I know longer term, its just what is needed. Thank you so much. Chris

 

[Ross]

Chris, you ain't seen nothing yet! We are family and as a family, we take care of each other. Of course you have a few odd balls, like myself and cookie monster (John C) but we've all been there and done that.

My biggest piece of advice, learn all you can about your condition and then stop worrying! It comes down to the point of not having control over the next step, so don't fret about it. Turn it over to a higher power and let him do the worrying for you.

Welcome to family!

P.S. Tubes-You'll be so out of it that you won't really remember much if anything about the intubation etc. By all means, tell your Doctors your fears. Once you've done that, they can make sure to keep you in lala land until things can safely be removed.

 

[Creed3]

Hi Chris!

Hi Chris!

I have been having computer trouble lately, so this is the first time I have seen your post. I don't know if I can add much more to what everyone else has already said, but you are definately in the right place for support. Everyone here is so wonderful. It is a family atmosphere. We all truely care about one another and help each other through tough times. We also have a lot of fun and carry on as well. I had my aortic valve replaced 4 1/2 months ago along with an anuerysm and dissection repair. I had no symptoms what so ever, but as soon as they told me about the problem, I acted like I had one foot in the grave. Boy, was I totally wrong to think that. Once you have your surgery, you will be so glad it is done and you will be on your way to recovery. I was so scared. I swore I would never get to see my two young children grow up. The surgery definately saved my life. I know it is hard to think that you are lucky, but you really are. You are aware of your problem and you will have it repaired and go on with a very healthy and happy life. There are other people out there who have heart problems and are not even aware of them. That is really scarey. Well, I just wanted to welcome you to this wonderful site. Please lean on us here. Ask as many questions as you like. Someone will always be here to help. Even if you just need to vent. We are here for that too.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[mike anthony]

Chris, I recently had an aorta aneurysm repaired (June 2002) and I'm going back in March 2003 to have my aortic valve replaced. I understand your feelings about the "tube" it's the only thing I really remember when I woke up, but it was short lived. I believe this was due to the fact I told the doctors I was claustrophobic and they put me under immediately after waking up. I also had a TEE test done recently to measure the severity of regurgitation of the valve;again I don't remember much. As I prepare for my next surgery I think about my experience with the "tube", but feel comfortable that I won't remember.
I have not posted but one time, but I find this site to be very therapeutic and has helped me deal with my feelings. I wish you the best.

 

[hensylee]

Welcome to our home, Chris - nice to have you as a family member. There is a lot to learn and absorb as you approach the surgery that you now dread - and you will dread it til it's come and gone. As others have said, the hosp staff will hover over you in ICU and probably the tube will be gone when you reach awareness. I only recall it vaguely, but a nurse was standing over me reassuring me that all was well. But it is a good idea that you tell them all of your fears about the tube ahead of time - and any others that might hinder you in recovery. You want your 'coming around' to be as comfortable for you as possible and if they are aware of your fears, they will help. As time passes, you are going to come up with lots of other questions and this site is probably the best place you can be to get answers to them. Everybody in here is a wonderful source - Nancy has the most info, I think. If she doesn't know, by golly, she will find out and then you will know, too. She's wonderful. Course, Ross ain't no slouch, either. Make yourself at home with us. God bless

 

[ccrawford]

Ross,Creed3,Mike,andHensylee - Thanks guys, you are really great. I slept a lot better last nite knowing there is a whole team of experts out there who really care. I think I'm now ok with the TEE thanks to you guys, and I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of the breathing tube. I'm an experienced scuba diver and am very comfortable with breathing through a demand regulator (one that lets you breath at your pace, and intensity). What I don't know, is what system is used during surgery. Can you breath thru it on your own, or must you let it breath at its pace and intensity ? Do they educate you as to how to breath thru the darn thing before you go into surgery ? How do they know if you are ready to breath on your own ? As you can see, I'm not quite comfortable yet. Time to lighten up:
There was a guy named McVicker
With a bad valve on his ticker
He got a St Jude
Now he's a bad dude
McVicker's ticker's a clicker.

The Indiana Wuss

 

[Nancy]

Nice poetry Chris-

I see a little humor peeking through the clouds. That's great. You're going to be OK.

The breathing tube does everything for you.

 

[Ross]

Would you quit calling yourself a wuss! You can't be because I've already taken that slot!

Fear is normal in this circumstance.

The intubation tube-It regulates the amount of air entering and so forth because immediately after surgery, your lungs cannot function on there own. They will monitor your saturation levels and other things, to determine when your lungs are ready to go back on line and work for themselves. You don't get any real teaching on this subject. The ventilator becomes your lungs for awhile. The easiest way to deal with it is to breath with it and not against it. I still can't stress enough that you'll be out of it for most all of that time frame, so don't get all worked up about it.

I've been intubated 7+ times now, from surgeries and from Respiratory Distress. You'd think I had a degree on this, but I still have no love for it. I'm trying to give you some ideas of how to cope with it that worked for me. It seems the more you try to fight it, the more it gags, so your better off breathing with it. I hope this makes sense.

 

[JimL]

There definitely is a time in life for independence, and like you I'm mostly that way. The advice is usually given that when you come home from the hospital you should have someone with you all the time. I was mostly alone, and had no difficulties. I had a nurse come to the house every other day for a week or so to check my INR -- she said I was the only patient she'd ever had who met her at the door and opened the door for her.

But there is also a time for dependence, and surgery is one of those times. Enjoy it! Ask for all the warm blankets they will give you -- one of life's best-kept secrets. When you wake up from the surgery, even if the tube is still in, they will put this marvelous little button in your hand. Use that button! What a wonderful friend was morphine!

They certainly have much experience with how people act with a tube in their mouth, and they will take it out as soon as it is safe to do so. While you still need the tube, it will be in. And they will take it out as soon as they can.

 

[epstns]

Ross has it right . . .again!

Ross has it right . . .again!

Hi Chris!

In case you passed it by in all the discussion, Ross has hit the nail on the head yet again. His advice to "Learn all you can about it, then stop worrying about it -- there's nothing you can do about it," is the best advice I've received yet. I'm just about at that point -- I understand all I think I need to know for the present point in the process, now I'm going to just go back and participate in my life for the time I have until I need to take it to the next level. Might be 6 months, might be a couple of years. Why waste a moment of it?

As the others have said, we are truly blessed. Not only in having the "virtual family" here at VR.com, but in the fact that we know we have a problem. We have been taught what to watch for and what to do when it occurs. Just think about it -- if we didn't know we had valve problems, we might shrug off important symptoms -- with some pretty dire consequences.

Isn't the advice we newbies get from all those with the experience GREAT!

SteveE

 

[joy]

Hi Chris, as I remember from my surgery, they leave the tube in and decrease the amount of breaths the tube gives you to see if you can breath on your own. Sometimes it takes a while, but it doesn't usually take more than a couple of hours. In Ross's case it took a lot longer. I have been intubated twice. Once for 10 days while I was pregnant, because I was in respiratory distress, and once for my open heart surgery. SInce I had a bovine valve put in, I am looking forward to a second surgeryI don't know much about the aortic valve and it's area, I had my mitral valve replaced, and THAT area was at .66cm sq. THat was bad! One thing they do when they take the tube out(which actually feels good) is make you cough. Be sure you do, or else you will have to be reintubated because you will end up with pneumonia. You will have to get all that crap out of your lungs. Anyways, enough about that, Don't worry, you will be fine! WE'll all be here rooting for you!

 

[joy]

Ross

Ross

I thought you were the resident nut!

 

[Ross]

How about the Resident Nut Wuss. Is that better?

I forgot to mention that 2 of those episodes of mine lead to tracheostomies. The times when I was on the vent for greater then 10 days. Now that has it's perks, but it has drawbacks too!

 

[ccrawford]

Joy - I think a normal aortic valve is over 2 cm sq. Surgery is called for when it gets close to .6 cm. Mine is at 1.2 and I wouldn't have a clue as to how fast it gets worse. I'm doing all the right stuff and my cardio is optimistic, but who the heck knows. I get my second ultrasound in May so I'll have a first look-see at any change that has occurred. I'm hoping by that time I can stay on the forum for more than 20 minutes without my systolic jumping 30 points. Chris

 

[joy]

Ross, I wouldn't call you a wuss, just the resident nut.

Chris, the mitral valve has a normal area of 4CM sq. I hope that your surgery can be put off for a while. Mine was put off until I had Erik, and then three months later, I had my surgery. I had a baby AND a brand new valve! I feel good since my surgery, and I got out of the hospital on post op day 4. Most of the peopl here have gotten out on day 4-day 10. It depends on how their surgeries went and what their INR's are and if they are healing. A lot of factors go into when a person gets out of jail. Enjoy yourself until then! Don't worry, have FUN! Take it easy!

 

[epstns]

Chris - I guess we really are at about the same stop on the train. I had my first echo last December and my AS was graded at moderate to severe, valve area at 1.0 cm squared with peak pressure gradient of 44 mm Hg. I've read that it is quite impossible to predict the rate of progression for any one individual patient but that across the universe of patients the aortic valve area decreases on an average of about 0.1 cm per year. If we're average, we're looking at a couple of years of "watching and waiting." In my case, I'll happily accept that, as like is pretty OK right now. No symptoms, no real restrictions (yet) on activities, no problems other than the mood swings related to this whole process. If I compare how I feel now to how I felt 2 or 3 years ago, I get tired more than before, but that's about all the difference I've felt.

I have my next cardio appt in early April. Not sure if it is just an office consult or if he will do another echo at that time. I'll just have to wait and see.

Welcome to the waiting room (hmmmm. . . should we ask Hank to open another forum for those of us who are "watching and waiting" called The Waiting Room?).

SteveE

 

[ccrawford]

Steve - I didn't know what the standard progression was. That is sort of nice to know. I'll really get excited if mine starts to open up because I've been a good boy, but I'm not counting on it. For all concerned, I finally got the straight skinny on how the ventilator works. A very dear friend of mine is a former RN who worked in recovery. The complete answer is very long -wish I knew how to copy it to the forum. The short version is as follows. The ventilator has several settings. The full auto mode is used when you (because of anesthetic) are not breathing. As you start to come out, the machine can be set to "assist" mode where it sort of acts like a demand regulator that scuba divers use. You can breath and it helps by detecting the partial vaccum and pressure from your breath. You will have your own RN dedicated to you, and a bunch of monitoring devices that are there to protect you. If you are queasy about the ventilator, you need to let your caregivers know so they can walk you through the whole process and work out in advance, a way that you can be comfortable by knowing what they will do in advance of the process, and a method of communication by a hand squeeze. The RN will ask you to do some things to demonstrate that you can indeed breathe by yourself. Once you demonstrate that it is working, then you will be detubed. If for some reason you have a problem, you can be retubed in a matter of seconds. A typical timetable might have you detubed about 14 hours after surgery, but this can vary. Also important that you take your pain med regularly and keep ahead of the pain so you are not playing catch-up. This important so that you are more likely to take full breaths and fill up you lungs. I hope this helps anyonbe with concerns about the tube. I know it sure helped me to get a little more comfortable, and I've got another note to talk to the surgeon about when/if the time comes. Chris

 

[Nancy]

That's good info Chris. Thanks for posting it.