R
readsforfun
Hi everyone!
First and foremost, PLEASE accept my thanks for all the good wishes and prayers sent my way. They definitely worked! I'm feeling great! And, I sure was not expecting to!
To reiterate: went in on 2/13 for AVR when carotid and internal jugular were compromised and surgery was stopped and put on hold for 2+ weeks. During that time it was discovered that there was a strong fistula connection between the two that definitely needed repair. My surgeon, Dr. Clifton Lewis, wonder man that he is, decided he would do that repair in addition to the AVR at the same time. So, we rescheduled for Fri., 3/2. That happened to be a bad day in Sarasota for heart problems and several emergencies backed up everything and I finally got in at 7:30 a.m. on Sat. He had come to see me about 2:00 Fri. afternoon and gave me the option of an operation at 8:00 p..m. with an exhausted surgeon and exhausted team, which, of course, I declined as long as I was assured the very first slot on Sat. morning, which I got!
Since I had to have the carotid/internal jugular fistula repaired also, surgery lasted until after 3:00 p.m. and it was "minimally invasive". I was really hoping for that, but didn't want to get my hopes up too far. Apparently, my higher power was smiling on both of us that day. I have one 4" long incision just on the top of my right breast, one fairly good hole about 1/2" in diameter under my right arm (must have been for a probing tool of some kind; this one is quite sore), one small 1-2" incision under the right breast, and a small hole for a probe or catheter which ran under the left clavicle. I don't look too pretty right now, BUT - - - compared to having a full sternectomy - there is absolutely no question about what to do!! Needless to say, coughing is very tough and they all seem to want you to cough! Thank God I haven't sneezed yet.
I did have some very bad back aches. Primarily behind my right shoulder blade. My surgeon said he thought it might be from the chest tubes that were left in for a few days. He said he had been getting these kinds of comments and they were looking into the possibility of what was causing this extreme discomfort in that area of the back. As for removing the chest tubes, it was a piece of cake. Had one removed two days after surgery and the other removed the day before I was discharged (4 days after surgery). The left clavicle catheter was taken out on the 3rd day after surgery. All 3 of them were removed without one ounce of pain!! I asked why and the gal said the chest tubes they were using now were a lot smaller than the ones they had used a few years ago. She said the earlier ones were like garden hoses. I can honestly say, not an ounce of pain!!
The dreaded breathing tube came out in recovery. I woke up with it in and started waving my hand in the air to get attention and then pointed at the tube trying to indicate that I wanted it out!! They seemed to get the idea and removed it. Not a pleasant experience, but not that horrible either!
My neck has a 4" long bulge in it where the repair was done, but is not overly sore and according to the surgeon, should disappear within the natural folds of the neck that appear on a 64-year-old woman.
All-in-all, I have to say to everyone out there that what people say on here is so true - "the anticipation is the very worst that you'll experience" in a normal surgery. I got so much help from everyone here that I will never be able to repay. I only hope that I'll be able to relate what I experienced and possible some comfort to those that are in the "waiting room".
By the way, I have a St. Jude Biocore Stented 25mm tissue valve (porcine). I was truly afraid of the mechanical with the nosebleed issues I seem to have and luckily, the valve was large and it was a great fit, so a tissue could be used. I hope I'll never have to have it done again, BUT, if I did I doubt very much that I would be any where near as worried about it the next time simply because I've been through it now.
Anyway, I am now tired and going to bed. I hope this will help someone.
Jan
First and foremost, PLEASE accept my thanks for all the good wishes and prayers sent my way. They definitely worked! I'm feeling great! And, I sure was not expecting to!
To reiterate: went in on 2/13 for AVR when carotid and internal jugular were compromised and surgery was stopped and put on hold for 2+ weeks. During that time it was discovered that there was a strong fistula connection between the two that definitely needed repair. My surgeon, Dr. Clifton Lewis, wonder man that he is, decided he would do that repair in addition to the AVR at the same time. So, we rescheduled for Fri., 3/2. That happened to be a bad day in Sarasota for heart problems and several emergencies backed up everything and I finally got in at 7:30 a.m. on Sat. He had come to see me about 2:00 Fri. afternoon and gave me the option of an operation at 8:00 p..m. with an exhausted surgeon and exhausted team, which, of course, I declined as long as I was assured the very first slot on Sat. morning, which I got!
Since I had to have the carotid/internal jugular fistula repaired also, surgery lasted until after 3:00 p.m. and it was "minimally invasive". I was really hoping for that, but didn't want to get my hopes up too far. Apparently, my higher power was smiling on both of us that day. I have one 4" long incision just on the top of my right breast, one fairly good hole about 1/2" in diameter under my right arm (must have been for a probing tool of some kind; this one is quite sore), one small 1-2" incision under the right breast, and a small hole for a probe or catheter which ran under the left clavicle. I don't look too pretty right now, BUT - - - compared to having a full sternectomy - there is absolutely no question about what to do!! Needless to say, coughing is very tough and they all seem to want you to cough! Thank God I haven't sneezed yet.
I did have some very bad back aches. Primarily behind my right shoulder blade. My surgeon said he thought it might be from the chest tubes that were left in for a few days. He said he had been getting these kinds of comments and they were looking into the possibility of what was causing this extreme discomfort in that area of the back. As for removing the chest tubes, it was a piece of cake. Had one removed two days after surgery and the other removed the day before I was discharged (4 days after surgery). The left clavicle catheter was taken out on the 3rd day after surgery. All 3 of them were removed without one ounce of pain!! I asked why and the gal said the chest tubes they were using now were a lot smaller than the ones they had used a few years ago. She said the earlier ones were like garden hoses. I can honestly say, not an ounce of pain!!
The dreaded breathing tube came out in recovery. I woke up with it in and started waving my hand in the air to get attention and then pointed at the tube trying to indicate that I wanted it out!! They seemed to get the idea and removed it. Not a pleasant experience, but not that horrible either!
My neck has a 4" long bulge in it where the repair was done, but is not overly sore and according to the surgeon, should disappear within the natural folds of the neck that appear on a 64-year-old woman.
All-in-all, I have to say to everyone out there that what people say on here is so true - "the anticipation is the very worst that you'll experience" in a normal surgery. I got so much help from everyone here that I will never be able to repay. I only hope that I'll be able to relate what I experienced and possible some comfort to those that are in the "waiting room".
By the way, I have a St. Jude Biocore Stented 25mm tissue valve (porcine). I was truly afraid of the mechanical with the nosebleed issues I seem to have and luckily, the valve was large and it was a great fit, so a tissue could be used. I hope I'll never have to have it done again, BUT, if I did I doubt very much that I would be any where near as worried about it the next time simply because I've been through it now.
Anyway, I am now tired and going to bed. I hope this will help someone.
Jan
