recovery room photos?

[Gemma]

Jim was sporting a nicely shaved bikini line after his surgery . Don't think they actually had to use a vein/artery there but shaved it just in case.
He was actually naked under the bed sheets in ICU - and ended up in hospital pyjamas the next day as his mum didn't bring his clothes until that day. So maybe worth leaving them with the ICU nurse or having them ready in the car.
One thing it might be worth remembering to tell Jeff, as well as that he's made it through surgery, is what day and time it is. Jim was able to signal to ask what the time was but couldn't get me to understand he also wanted to know what day it was. Guess that's a big deal in working out how long you've been unconscious.

 

[Ross]

One thing it might be worth remembering to tell Jeff, as well as that he's made it through surgery, is what day and time it is. Jim was able to signal to ask what the time was but couldn't get me to understand he also wanted to know what day it was. Guess that's a big deal in working out how long you've been unconscious.

As long as he's not like me and know that he was in trouble. The first thing I asked is, "Has it snowed yet?"
Bare in mind, I went into surgery on July 22nd and woke up September something! The first day I was really with it was the beginning of football season. The surgeons nurse was a big time Browns fan and kept asking what the score was of the game on t.v., I couldn't keep my mind on anything for more then a minute.

 

[bvdr]

I had a right groin incision about 3 or 4 inches in length. I had the heartport approach so I imagine one of the scopes was threaded up through the femoral artery. It didn't cause me any problems other than being just another sore area.

 

[Mary]

I couldn't keep my mind on anything for more then a minute.

Are you trying to make us believe that you now can?

 

[tobagotwo]

Another thing for when you get home...

On men particularly, the chest may "hang" a little differently for a while, but it does go back to normal. I was moaning about it on the site at one point, and I think it was Bill who may have referred to it as a temporary "pensioner's chest" (Conversely, female valvers often seem to find the experience, uh, uplifting overall...)

There can be a bruisey look to parts of the chest and belly, and some general swelling to go along with it. That also goes away.

Best wishes,

 

[momshell7]

recovery pictures

recovery pictures

Thanks for the replies everyone!! We got a call from the surgeon today. They wanted to know if Jeff would care if some other doctors observed his surgery. Well the catch was, they would have to move the surgery from the 18th to the 28th. Needless to say, Jeff told them that he didn't care if the doctors observed but he didn't want to change the date. We are too close to having it over to add on another ten days of waiting and worrying!! He may have considered if they would have offered some type of compensation A week from now it should all be over and that is a good thought

Michelle

 

[gijanet]

Hmmmmm...........kinda strange........

Hmmmmm...........kinda strange........

Katie's always so pink after surgery. 'Course we go in kind of blue, so pink is much nicer. I don't blame you a bit for not wanting to change that surgery date. Once you get psyched up for it, you just want to get it over with, and that roller coaster ride gets old in a hurry. You guys will be in our thoughts and prayers and do please keep us posted. Hugs.

P.S. Bob, I love that 3 days post-op pic!

 

[Michelle]

I had no idea what to expect after Hank's surgery, so I was shocked to see him looking so pale and lifeless. I think knowing ahead of time would have helped a bunch. Once he was awake and trying to communicate it was much easier. ( for me anyway ) He was not happy to wake up while still intibated, and was frantically trying to communicate about getting it OUT!! He has a strong gag reflex and it was horrible for him.
The machines were oddly comforting to me, because they provided visual and audible proof that he was alive, and that things were going to get better from here!
We'll be thinking about you and praying for you.

 

[Ross]

He was not happy to wake up while still intubated, and was frantically trying to communicate about getting it OUT!! He has a strong gag reflex and it was horrible for him.

I still think he's my brother! I have the same experience with that thing. It hates me and I hate it. A mutual relationship!

 

[Karlynn]

My sister-in-law tells me of her seeing me for the first time in the CICU. She wanted to be with her baby brother while he waited for me to get out of surgery so she was the first, along with him, to see me. (Then my parents and sister came in, who also were at the hospital sitting vigil) She says Glenn takes a look at me and says "Wow! Doesn't she look good!" She said she thought to herself "What land of denial did he travel to?" She said she just started crying because there I lay, looking kind of blue, with all sorts of lines and tubes and machines hooked up to me. She said that if she hadn't seen the respirator working she would have thought I was dead. And there's my husband thinking I looked like I was ready for a Miss USA competition. I've known my husband long enough to know that his reaction was a mix of love and denial. He loves me like crazy and I'm beautiful to him even when I've finished scrubbing the floor. But he has also kept himself in a certain amount of denial about my heart situation. I wish I had a picture of me hooked up to all the stuff. But my sister-in-law insists that I really wouldn't want to see it.

 

[MelissaM]

Ah yes, I remember my ICU experience vividly. My sister was standing at the foot of the bed saying, "Gee she looks great! A lot better than I thought she would look." Meanwhile, I was busy gagging on the vent tube. My sister continued on with her babble about how this was a piece of cake as the ICU nurse removed the vent tube. Feeling like sh*t, my first words to my dear sis were, "Go away - just get out of here!"

I'll probably never live that one down, but at that particular moment, I wasn't in the mood for her flavor of optimism.

 

[Karlynn]

Feeling like sh*t, my first words to my dear sis were, "Go away - just get out of here!"

I'll probably never live that one down, but at that particular moment, I wasn't in the mood for her flavor of optimism.

One of the few really good perks of OHS...being able to tell people where to get off and have them not be too offended.