Shopping Surgeons, Hospitals

[Duffey]

Mine was a clear looking flexible tube.

Did it hurt when they pulled it out?

 

[Keithl]

See my earlier post, just felt weird like they were pulling my intestines out, but not what I would call painful.

 

[bizinsider]

Early on my biggest fear was waking up with the breathing tube. Since then, and after reading everybody's comments, that is the least of my concerns. That has been replaced by 1) the drainage tubes 2) fears of liquid around the lungs that requires some sort of needle intervention. I'm glad to hear I am not the only wuss in the bunch when it comes to some of these things.

 

[Keithl]

Early on my biggest fear was waking up with the breathing tube. Since then, and after reading everybody's comments, that is the least of my concerns. That has been replaced by 1) the drainage tubes 2) fears of liquid around the lungs that requires some sort of needle intervention. I'm glad to hear I am not the only wuss in the bunch when it comes to some of these things.

That was my huge fear and I do recall the tube, but barely. I remember waking up foggy and knowing tube was in me, my immediate reaction was , breathe deeply and regularly or they won;t take it out. I then recall then taking it out. I suspect I am recalling only the last minute or 2 as my wife says it was over 30 minutes from when they started waking me until it was out. It is a foggy short memory, not thrilled it happened, but an ancient history item now.

 

[bizinsider]

What was that you just said?*

*I've been telling my friends/colleagues to remember my current brain fog when they try to compare my thought process AFTER surgery.

 

[Clippy99]

Did it hurt when they pulled it out?

The tube is so weird it's hard to describe...but does not really hurt. It's all about sleep...100%. It was weeks before I could sleep well and I think that's the number one complaint of most. chairs/couches/ beds...it's just a big challenge.

If you can sleep comfortably the rest is very doable....JMHO.

 

[Keithl]

Here I am working email from the phone (she did not bring my laptop to ICU) at about 22 hours post-op in ICU.

 

[bizinsider]

Love that. Were the ICU folks cool with it? And how was taking out the neck tube?

 

[Keithl]

Love that. Were the ICU folks cool with it? And how was taking out the neck tube?

ICU was fine as I wan not talking just working. As long as I was up to it they were fine with anything, they realized I was fine and actually were trying to get me a room sooner than most. Step down room was private room so I could do whatever I wanted any time as long as I was not disturbing anyone or giving staff a hard time. So I would get up every morning around 6-7 grab my laptop sit int he chair and pull the table over and work until wife showed up. I would then 1-3 times a day take a break and walk and wrap up work around 3-4.

Wife left me protein bars and would bring me breakfast and grab me meals. Hospital food was not very good and they limited what I could eat if it had high sodium, well everything has high sodium, I could have a burger, but no ketchup.

The neck I believe is a Swan-Ganz Catheter and went in a few inches. This link says it goes to heart, I don't recall it being that long when they took it out. Maybe it was something else, I thought it was 2-3 inches.

https://www.heart.org/-/media/data-...-monitored-after-heart-surgery-ucm_300446.pdf


So post surgery I had the following sticking out of me;

2 - IVs, 1 in each wrist, 1 stayed until I was discharged other until day before when I banged it and it was useless after that.
1 - A-Line in my brachial artery in my left arm (near elbow) this made taking blood easy for first few days as they would draw it from this without sticking me.
1 - Swan-Ganz Catheter line in the neck, not sure if this is correct, but it came out in like 2 days
1- Foley Catheter (was actually nice not to have to fight to get up to go to bathroom)
2 - pacemaker wires that were eventually cut and abandoned due to bleed risk
2 - drainage tubes one larger than the other, I would say larger one was goo 1/2 inch maybe even 5/8 other was maybe 1/4 inch.

Other than the wrist IVs everything else was out within about 2 days, some in ICU, most in the step-down room.

All the tubes when removed were NOT painful, just had that weird squirmy feeling.

 

[bizinsider]

The neck I believe is a Swan-Ganz Catheter and went in a few inches. This link says it goes to heart, I don't recall it being that long when they took it out. Maybe it was something else, I thought it was 2-3 inches.

https://www.heart.org/-/media/data-...-monitored-after-heart-surgery-ucm_300446.pdf

Were you awake when the neck catheter was put in? That's what the links suggests. Also, how has your fatigue been?

 

[Keithl]

Were you awake when the neck catheter was put in? That's what the links suggests. Also, how has your fatigue been?

I was only awake for first IV. Last time I remember was 7:14am then from the status my wife received surgery started at 8am. I was told they do all that prep while you are out then start surgery. They rolled me in OR wide awake, I admit I was terrified as I saw heart lung machine. The guy that ran it came over and introduced himself and told me he was they guy that would keep me alive during the surgery. Surgeon came over chatted a bit about some things we talked about day before then reviewed everything they were going to do with me and surgical team. Anesthesiologist set up IV then as I looked at clock it was 7:14 and I don’t remember anything after that until later.

 

[bizinsider]

I was only awake for first IV. Last time I remember was 7:14am then from the status my wife received surgery started at 8am. I was told they do all that prep while you are out then start surgery. They rolled me in OR wide awake, I admit I was terrified as I saw heart lung machine. The guy that ran it came over and introduced himself and told me he was they guy that would keep me alive during the surgery. Surgeon came over chatted a bit about some things we talked about day before then reviewed everything they were going to do with me and surgical team. Anesthesiologist set up IV then as I looked at clock it was 7:14 and I don’t remember anything after that until later.

Thanks for your responses. Best luck on your continued recovery.

 

[Duffey]

The tube is so weird it's hard to describe...but does not really hurt. It's all about sleep...100%. It was weeks before I could sleep well and I think that's the number one complaint of most. chairs/couches/ beds...it's just a big challenge.

If you can sleep comfortably the rest is very doable....JMHO.

My chest tube hurt when it came out. Pacer wires only felt weird when they were removed. Guess we all have different criteria.

 

[Lola]

I had aortic valve replacement and repair of an ascending aorta aneurysm 6 years go past December. Dr. Svensson was my surgeon in Cleveland Clinic.
I flew from Boston five days before surgery to have all tests done. I met Dr.Svensson the day before my surgery.
After surgery I spent 24 hrs in ICU, next day I was on the floor and literally I started walking in the hallway with IVs and drainage tubes coming out from me.
I spent 5 days in the hospital, next night in a hotel across from the hospital and at the following day I flew back to Boston.
I was lucky I didn’t have pain in my incision. The most pain was from a drainage tube. It was poking me. With the help of the nurse we move it very very slightly and it resolved my pain.
When I came back come I was afraid I couldn’t get up two flights of stairs but I did it. Shortly after that I came downstairs and took a walk in a cold Boston’s weather increasing my distance every day.
I take only one asa 81 mg, no other medications.
Eventually, I’ll need another valve surgery as the current one is porcine. I’m concerned if I will be in a good shape like in 2012 when I was 55.
I’m also concerned because my cardiologist in Boston thinks valve in valve will be challenging as it’s a small valve what I have now.
I hope all of you go through surgery uneventfully and keep having happy lives.
If someone has or had similar situación with second replacement please let me know as I’d like to prep ahead of time.
Thank you,
Maria

 

[Keithl]

I had aortic valve replacement and repair of an ascending aorta aneurysm 6 years go past December. Dr. Svensson was my surgeon in Cleveland Clinic.
I flew from Boston five days before surgery to have all tests done. I met Dr.Svensson the day before my surgery.
After surgery I spent 24 hrs in ICU, next day I was on the floor and literally I started walking in the hallway with IVs and drainage tubes coming out from me.
I spent 5 days in the hospital, next night in a hotel across from the hospital and at the following day I flew back to Boston.
I was lucky I didn’t have pain in my incision. The most pain was from a drainage tube. It was poking me. With the help of the nurse we move it very very slightly and it resolved my pain.
When I came back come I was afraid I couldn’t get up two flights of stairs but I did it. Shortly after that I came downstairs and took a walk in a cold Boston’s weather increasing my distance every day.
I take only one asa 81 mg, no other medications.
Eventually, I’ll need another valve surgery as the current one is porcine. I’m concerned if I will be in a good shape like in 2012 when I was 55.
I’m also concerned because my cardiologist in Boston thinks valve in valve will be challenging as it’s a small valve what I have now.
I hope all of you go through surgery uneventfully and keep having happy lives.
If someone has or had similar situación with second replacement please let me know as I’d like to prep ahead of time.
Thank you,
Maria

TAVR replacement I would go back to Cleveland then if your local folks are concerned. Unless it becomes an emergency no one is going near my heart again other than Cleveland.

 

[bizinsider]

I had aortic valve replacement and repair of an ascending aorta aneurysm 6 years go past December. Dr. Svensson was my surgeon in Cleveland Clinic.
I flew from Boston five days before surgery to have all tests done. I met Dr.Svensson the day before my surgery.

Interesting, Dr. Svensson insists I do a special trip out and meet in person before we finalize things and prepare for The Big Trip.