Walter's condition

[Amanda H]

Hello everyone,

I'm Walter's other daughter Amanda. I just came home from the hospital to try and get some sleep ! Everything has been going extrememly well so far. We arrived at the hospital at 5am, did the check-in, and he was wheeled away at 6:30am. That was without a doubt the hardest part for me at least, although it was lessened by the fact that as he was going thru the doors to pre-op he was singing "we're off to see the wizard !" So began our long wait. The surgery began at 7:30am, and we heard nothing until 10:05am when the surgeon came out to say everything went as planned. No problems, complications, nada. He was very pleased w/how things went, as were we !

At about 11am a nurse from ICU came in to update us on his whereabouts. He was in a recovery room in ICU and was getting on all of his monitors, etc... Then she told us that they would have his vent thingy out within the next 30 min. We went in to see him at 11:45am, and he looked GREAT ! Only the oxygen thing in his nose, and of course an IV in both arms, the neck IV, and a bunch of chest tubes that we couldnt see...but thankfully no tube down his throat. He was awake, and kept moaning that he was hit by a car...we said "really, a car ?" and he said "NO- 2 trucks !" They were giving him more pain meds at that point. He got some ice chips, and was snoring on and off. His blood pressure and pulse are all excellent. (I'm sorry I'm writing a novel, but it's for him to read later too since he probably won't remember any of this day !) I guess at 4pm they are going to have him sit up, and by tomorrow he will be walking around. He really looks good, all things considering, and I'm thrilled that the vent came out so soon...he was still groggy enough that hopefully he won't even remember it being in. ( it was out within 45 min of surgery ending !)

So. since none of us slept last night, I'm taking the first turn home for a nap. I'll be back at the hospital around 4, then my sister will be home. We will update as much as we can...one of dad's requests was that we keep all of his buddies updated on this website.

Again, sorry for the long post...I will stop typing now !

Walter's daughter Amanda

 

[Nancy]

CONGRATULATIONS Walter!!! Sounds terrific. You did good, guy. Thanks Amanda for the update. It's so nice to hear.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

OUTSTANDING!

OUTSTANDING!

Thanks, Amanda, this is really great news.

Walter, welcome to the other side of the mountain. Just relax and let people take care of you, and all will be fine.

Johnny

 

[EVELYN]

HI AMANDA.....THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL POST ON YOUR DAD. ACTUALLY, BOTH OF OUR FEELINGS ARE BETTER EXPRESSED AS "YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" PLEASE GIVE HIM OUR VERY BEST WISHES WHEN YOU GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL. I'M SO GLAD HIS MOUNTAIN CLIMBING DAYS ARE OVER.....ONLY GOOD HAPPENS FROM HERE ON IN.

TELL WALTER THAT TYCE SAYS 2 MACK TRUCKS AREN'T TOO BAD!!!
YAHOOOOOOOOO AGAIN!!! YOU WILL ALL BE IN OUR PRAYERS.

EVELYN AND TYCE

 

[Rain]

Only TWO trucks?!

Only TWO trucks?!

Thanks, Amanda.

He ain't tellin no fibs when he says he feels like he's been hit by 2 trucks! But he'll feel much better soon. Make sure he has a 'heart pillow'.

Please let your Dad know we are all thinking of him.

Rain

 

[Bill Hall]

Amanda - I'm so glad everything has gone so well. I hope Walt is comfortable and gets out of ICU quickly. Please tell him that we are thinking about him and saying a few prayers just to be sure.

 

[Mb]

Amanda:

Holy Cow! He is just trucking down that mountain! Yipee!

Marybeth

 

[hensylee]

They still using the same old trucks?

Thanks, Amanda for udating us.

Walter, you did GOOOOD! This is the best side of the mountain. No more trucks over here. God bless

 

[Granbonny]

Way to go Walter

Way to go Walter

Amanda, your dad will probably be moved to a private room tomorrow. Remember, he will not want much to eat. Just make him drink a lot ....and as soon as possible, take that first trek around the nurses station. I.V. and all...It will get easier. and he should be home by Monday. And then the walking really begins...the more the better. Bonnie

 

[pweir]

The latest news on Walter

The latest news on Walter

Hi there,

I wanted to give you all another update on Walter and to thank you all for your words of encouragement and advice. After Amanda left the hospital my mother and I grabbed a bite to eat in the hospital cafeteria and came back to the ICU where Dad was still in a lot of pain of course, asking for drugs for the pain he felt and water since he was so dry. The nurses gave him more morphine and a few ice chips, but apparently they said it's better for his heart if he was dry (?)

Around 2:00 Respirator Dan came in to get Dad to blow on the spirometer and to cough. He didn't like that one bit. Pre-surgery he was blowing 3000-3500 and he was measuring around 1000 at this point. Two hours later the nurses got him to sit up on the side of the bed, stand and even take 2 steps. Right after that, Dan comes back and Dad was blowing 1500 in the spirometer (sorry I don't have the lingo down, but I hope you all can decipher this message). At 4:30 my sister came back and Mom and I came home to rest. The nurses said that Dad was doing great and we had nothing to be concerned about, which is reassuring, but of course, who can help not being worried when he's obviously so uncomfortable and in so much pain.

One thing that really upsets me is that when we came back from the waiting room this last time, walking down the corrider I could hear him calling for the nurse since he had to move (they had helped him onto his side, but now he needed to get back on his back and felt like some of the cords were strangeling him) Of course I ran to the station and they said they'd be there in a minute but it felt like they took their time and that really irked me. The fact that his throat is so dry and to hear him trying to get the nurses attention for who knows how long REALLY upset me. Amanda is in the room for him now, but before we all go home for good you can bet I'll make sure there's a button for him to press to get them in there on the double.

Tomorrow they are going to sit him up and feed him jello and take him for a walk. Then if all goes well they'll feed him a more "normal diet" lunch and get him a regular room.

I did tell him about all your replies to Amanda's update and I know that really meant a lot to him. Tomorrow before we go, I'll print all the replies and read them to him.

Thanks,
Pamela

 

[Nancy]

Hi Pamela-

Nice to have another update on Walter. Tell him they are deliberately torturing him by witholding liquids. Only kidding, that's par for the course. The reason you can't have fluids right after surgery is because you might choke or throw it up and possibly aspirate it into your lungs, and that wouldn't be a good thing. So they go very slowly reintroducing liquids and solids. It's hard because the throat is so dry from the tubes, oxygen and other stuff such as anesthesia. He'll be recovering from anesthesia for several days. It takes a while to get that gone from your system. Some of the pain meds can make a person not seem like themselves, but that all goes away when they're not needed any more.

Your dad will have the very best nursing care in the ICU and the cardiac surgery step-down unit. Usually there are only one or two patients per nurse in there (ICU). They can get a little busy because they have to do a lot of paperwork, prepare meds, take lots of readings and they have to do some pretty heavy duty things to some of the patients who are extremely sick. But after it's all over with, you'll really respect the nurses there. Where Joe has had a lot of operations, the nurses check each room they are responsible for every few minutes, and are right there when they're needed.

Good wishes to Walter and to the family.

 

[pweir]

Thanks, Nancy. You're right, and I'm sorry for the way my comment earlier came out. The nurses really are great, and I have SO much admiration, appreciation and respect already for everything they're doing for him as well as the other patients (and visitors). They keep us updated, check in on him every 5 to 10 minutes it seems, and I know I shouldn't complain. I just want him to be comfortable, and hate to see him in any discomfort. Of couse, I do realize that we can only do so much, and it will take time to heal... I just wish time would speed up!

 

[Scottie]

Wow I'm impressed !

Wow I'm impressed !

Great News Walter ! ...so glad that things have gone well for you ..truely delighted to here you are on the other side of that mountain ...take care of yourself and do as you are told LOL!...best wishes to you and your family from Scotland
Scottie

 

[EVELYN]

HI PAM

HI PAM

THANKS FOR POSTING AGAIN.....YOUR DAD'S PROGRESS IS IMPORTANT TO US ALL , SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO CHECK UP ON HOW HE'S DOING. I WAS A BIT SURPRISED THAT YOUR DAD WAS ON HIS SIDE SO QUICKLY. I REMEMBER THAT TYCE WANTED NOTHNG TO DO WITH LYING ON HIS SIDE, AND STILL DOESN'T LIE THAT WAY UNLESS HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF HIS HEART PILLOW.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT HIM BEING SO THIRSTY...BETWEEN THE TUBES, ANESTHESIA AND THE FACT THAT HE COULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING PREOP, IT'S VERY NORMAL......KEEP THE ICE CHIPS COMING, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO BRING UP SOME CHAPSTICK...I KNOW TYCE WANTED THAT, AT LEAST SOMETHING TO KEEP YOUR LIPS MOISTENED.

PLEASE TELL HIM WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT HIM AND ARE VERY, VERY GLAD ALL WENT WELL, AND PLEASE TELL YOUR MOM TO REST WHEN SHE GETS HOME TONIGHT.....SHE'LL PROBABLY CRASH, I KNOW I DID.

SAY HI TO HIM FOR US.

EVELYN AND TYCE

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi pam, hi amanda!
thank you for letting us know that walter is doing so well. i know it may not seem so well to you guys, but_ believe me_ he's doing well!
please wish him all the best from us and we look forward to hearing from him soon.
stay well and try to get some rest.
-sylvia

 

[John Cochran]

Hi there Pam and Amanda!

Great news about your dad...sounds like he is doing great. It is really important to have advocates present (like you) during this kind of surgery. In spite of a usually caring and considerate staff, sometimes things get over-looked or happen too slowly. Having you watching over him is one of Walter's greatest assets, and he is fortunate to have such fine daughters!

Best wishes for a totally uneventful recovery, and to getting your dad back with much improved health.

--John

 

[Simon Gee]

Hi there Pam and Amanda

Walter is very lucky having two such caring daughters, and we're lucky you're here to keep us posted. I was thinking of Walter yesterday and am so pleased everything has gone well.

Give him my best regards from this side of the pond.

Simon

 

[hensylee]

Dear Pam - not to worry about fussing about your dad's care - after all, he's your daddy and you don't want him to suffer one more minute than necessary. And we do want them to HURRY UP and while we wait, one minute seems like an hour. And this is the part of VR that's important to us all - support. And we can say whatever we like and everybody else understands and sympathizes. This is a stressful time for you, your sister and your mother, but it will ease up in about another tomorrow. Main thing is the surgery is over and now he can begin the healing process, tho he will be sore and in some pain for a while yet. Hope today goes better, as each day usually does. God bless

 

[wweir]

Mom and I came in this morning to see Dad, and he was sitting up in a chair, just finished breakfast, had gone for his walk, looking FANTASTIC. They removed the tube in his chest, and will be taking him off of the oxygen in an hour or so. We're so proud

I'm at his office right now, he wants me to print the thread to see everyone's responses. As long as there's a bed available, they're going to move him later today.

Thanks!
Pamela

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Pam.....Wow, we're impressed. Tyce's chest tube wasn't removed until 2 days post op. Does he still have his foley catheter in? Sure sounds like he's doing well.....remember to tell your dad to use that spirometer as much as possible and walk, walk, walk........please tell him we miss him and are thinking good thoughts for him.

Thanks for posting.

Evelyn