R
RickKiem
I thought I would let everyone know that I am doing fine. I listened to everyone's advice and everyone was right, time is all it takes. I feel so much better than I did a week ago that I just can't believe it. All my follow up Doctors visits have gone well. Cardiac rehab is great. I feel like I can push myself a little harder than I do at home due to being monitored. The staff there is so caring and it is comforting that several of the people who are there are people who helped me while I was in the hospital.
I must admit that my hospital stay was very difficult. Day after my first surgery they had to go back in because of some fluid pooling around my heart. This was the only time that I was really frightened. I was still on the resperator but I could not breath. There were so many people by my bed that I knew something was wrong but I could not figure out what. The last thing I remember is one of my surgical team standing over me and telling me that everything was all right but that they need to take back to surgery. I wanted to tell him fine just knock me out now! when I woke up I was back in my room and my wife was there and other that still being on the respirator I felt fine. They finally removed the breathing tube the next morning. I remember dreaming about drinking an ice cold Sprite that last night that I was on it.
I was in CCU for seven days and I am not sure if I ever slept for more than 30 minutes at a time from day 3 thru 7. The pain medication had me seeing things(scary things) whenever I would close my eyes. Things like demons sitting in the chairs next to my bed and all kinds of other wierd stuff. Did anyone else have this happen to them? I finally slept through the night on my eighth day. When I woke up I was so excited.
My wife is easing back into her job and so I am alone for the first time since surgery. Not really a problem except that I am getting a touch of cabin fever. My pain has almost completely gone away except for when I cough. You know, I hear how much sneezing hurts but I have not sneezed once since my surgery. Three weeks no sneezing? (knocking on wood) Kind of strange...I must be living right. I received a carbomedics mechanical valve and they repaired my anuerysm with a graft. That valve is LOUD. My wife can hear it clicking when I lay next to her in bed. How long does it take to get used to that clicking? Well I have rambled on enough. Thanks once again for all the great advice, support, and in some cases just listening. This is a great forum and wish that anyone who has to go through with this find it before hand as it really does help.
Rick
I must admit that my hospital stay was very difficult. Day after my first surgery they had to go back in because of some fluid pooling around my heart. This was the only time that I was really frightened. I was still on the resperator but I could not breath. There were so many people by my bed that I knew something was wrong but I could not figure out what. The last thing I remember is one of my surgical team standing over me and telling me that everything was all right but that they need to take back to surgery. I wanted to tell him fine just knock me out now! when I woke up I was back in my room and my wife was there and other that still being on the respirator I felt fine. They finally removed the breathing tube the next morning. I remember dreaming about drinking an ice cold Sprite that last night that I was on it.
I was in CCU for seven days and I am not sure if I ever slept for more than 30 minutes at a time from day 3 thru 7. The pain medication had me seeing things(scary things) whenever I would close my eyes. Things like demons sitting in the chairs next to my bed and all kinds of other wierd stuff. Did anyone else have this happen to them? I finally slept through the night on my eighth day. When I woke up I was so excited.
My wife is easing back into her job and so I am alone for the first time since surgery. Not really a problem except that I am getting a touch of cabin fever. My pain has almost completely gone away except for when I cough. You know, I hear how much sneezing hurts but I have not sneezed once since my surgery. Three weeks no sneezing? (knocking on wood) Kind of strange...I must be living right. I received a carbomedics mechanical valve and they repaired my anuerysm with a graft. That valve is LOUD. My wife can hear it clicking when I lay next to her in bed. How long does it take to get used to that clicking? Well I have rambled on enough. Thanks once again for all the great advice, support, and in some cases just listening. This is a great forum and wish that anyone who has to go through with this find it before hand as it really does help.
Rick
