Hello Sarah,
Best of wishes for your upcoming surgery. Every person is different, in how they respond to and recover from a second OHS.
I'll be 30 days post op on Monday after redo AVR with an On-X Valve, (which is temporarily transforming my bed into a night club at the moment)
I think the most important thing, just my opinion though, is to see this is a fresh surgery altogether, it's going to be different. Some of my friends told me that well, at least you know what to expect this time round, No and no. Similarities, but no. I went in the night before with a list of demands for the anaesthetist to agree to, before I consented.
1. 100% management of post operative pain and nausea management. IV Ondansetron is very good, regardless of cost.
2. Up in chair as soon as is safely possible post op. Very important to start your breathing exercises as soon as possible, adequate analgesia will allow you to hoof and bark quite happily.
3. Industrial strength laxatives, and a seat belt for the loo, Day 3-4 post op in the bowel department, can be very interesting, I almost needed a Midwife.
I think these for me were the most important things, going by last time.
I was expecting to be cartwheeling again at 30 days post op, just like last time, not really cartwheeling, mind you. It's just a bit tougher, tiring, and emotionally draining the second time round, don't push yourself too hard, your nurses will be very aware and ready to care for you as a redo OHS surgery patient, mine kept me in check on a few occasions, when I was basically pushing my luck, in wanting to do more than I was ready too. Get loads of fruit in as well, Satsumas, oh my god, I must have scarfed a bag of them a day !!!
Good luck with everything, and look forward to reading your post op post, when you are ready to. Baby steps.
Mark.
