Update- good news so far.

[deboz]

Hi all, I finally have a minute to post and update you about my Dad. He is still in hospital but has now been moved to a rehab facility, and hopefully will be able to come home in about two weeks. It has been a long hard road for him thanks to the chest infection and the terrible anxiety it all caused him. Had that not happened i think he would have been running half marathons by now. He still has a few anxiety issues and at times even seems a little depressed, but i think that is part of the whole avr. He is coping well and his breathing is improving day by day. He is managing an hour a day in the rehab gym, and slowly building up the muscle he has lost, he dropped eight kgs, and was never overweight to start with, so looks a little weak still. He is really confident with the Doctor that has been assigned to him and that is a real help. At the moment the biggest problem is the mix of medications that he is on, some lower his bp, which in turn cause other issues, some antibiotics he has to take mean that he cant use his blood thining meds with them and so on. It really is an enlightening experience. But the Doctor is on top of everything and i think that makes a huge difference to his confidence, unlike when he was first admitted. Anyway i would like to thank you all again for all the advice and answers you gave me when i needed them, they made a huge difference for me, as i had no idea what was normal and what wasnt, and being able to ask questions here and receive answers was a god send. Hopefully my next update will be to let you all know that he is at home and improving in leaps and bounds. Keep up the good work all of you as you really make a difference during a difficult time in people's lives. Thanks. Debbie

 

[Karlynn]

Sometimes the recovery road is slow. I'm glad he's doing well and progressing steadily.

 

[Cooker]

Thanks Debbie....sounds like he is on the road to a full recovery...please give him our best

 

[Mary]

Deb,

AVR recovery can be tough and long for anyone, so I believe your dad is doing really well. The medication issues can be a pain, but it sounds as though the cardiologist is on top of everything.
Good luck, and I hope his next progress post is even more positive.

 

[Ross]

At the moment the biggest problem is the mix of medications that he is on, some lower his bp, which in turn cause other issues, some antibiotics he has to take mean that he cant use his blood thinning meds with them and so on.

This alone scares me. There is no reason that his antibiotics cannot be taken with anticoagulants. To me it says the person managing him doesn't understand Coumadin. I suppose they told him he can't eat anything green too?

 

[Bina]

Debbie, it sounds like your Dad is getting out of the woods and back onto the recovery road....The anxiety and depression often go along with OHS, keep positive around him and he will bounce back soon enough. It may be an idea to do some of your own research regarding the meds he is on, and make sure he has a daily pill organizer box.

 

[WayneGM]

Good news. Best wishes continue....