comfortable being on your own how soon after surgery?

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Leah

From your experience with OHS/AVR (mine is expected to be "simple," minimally invasive partial sternotomy, valve replacement only, starting healthy), how soon after surgery were you able to take care of your own needs enough that you would feel comfortable being alone in the house for a week or so?
 
One week. Two would be better, but usually your up to speed in a week. It really depends on what all you have to do. Poor planning from the start will make it rough, but if you have things cleared away, pots and cooking utensils in a place easily reachable without stretching etc, you should be fine.
 
One week for me. We stocked the house with food (not that I wanted any of it) and it was no problem for me to fix a sandwich or get something for breakfast. I could go up the stairs with no problem although I didn't have a need to go up them during the day. Showering was never an issue for me from the start but I think you need to make sure this is true for you (some members have had a hard time with that) before you take this on alone. I think I even was cooking light dinners by the middle of that second week. I didn't like to do my walking however, until my husband was back at home, just in case.

Kim
 
I had the same surgery you had. I was good to go after a week at home. Slow moving but well enough to take care of myself.
 
Leah said:
From your experience with OHS/AVR (mine is expected to be "simple," minimally invasive partial sternotomy, valve replacement only, starting healthy), how soon after surgery were you able to take care of your own needs enough that you would feel comfortable being alone in the house for a week or so?
Click to expand...

Everyone is different however I would not have been able to manage for a week without any help after only one week post op. I could for a few hours but had trouble showering and still had problems getting in and our of bed.
 
Yes, one week for me, too. After the 3rd day home, I was fine for several hours in between "shifts" when people were stopping in to hang out with me. Mostly I just slept those first few days.

Early on it was most important for me to have someone there to watch how I was taking my meds. You are so spaced out that it's really important to have someone else there to keep you on track the first few days.

Brushing my hair was impossible by myself, but showering and other personal hygiene care was awkward, not a lot of fun, but totally independent the first day home.

Hard to know with a partial sternotomy if you will feel the same as those of us with a full. I really don't know that the heart itself feels any pain (does it, you guys??) but the mending of the broken (sawed) bone is the gripper.

It's the reaching, twisting, carrying, lifting that you don't even realize you do each day, every day to perform the most normal of tasks. Do not attempt any laundry for as long as possible. Reaching down and pulling and twisting wet clothes into the dryer...nope! Reaching over a sink to close a window...nope. Sliding doors.....nope. That bag of pasta way up in the corner of the cupboard...nope. The little pan for just one cup of soup way back in the lower right cupboard...nope. So I think you get my drift!! ;) Get things you will be using out onto the counter, or have someone else reach for it for a few weeks.

Best wishes.

Marguerite
 
My surgery was on a friday, releasaed on the following tuesday. That day I was pretty beat up but the next day I made coffee, got myself fed, got the dogs out, and pretty much was ok on my own. But, keep in mind that we are all different.
 
My husband was in the hospital for 9 days post surgery and when he came out, his BP was so low that he had SOB issues. It was probably 3 weeks post-surgery before all that was sorted out and could fend for himself.

It was all due to his meds - if he had to only contend with the surgery and recovery, life would have been a cake walk. However, he is doing so well now, I just ignore that time in our lives.
 
and clarifying

and clarifying

Thank you, folks. This is very helpful. Can you clarify one thing? Other than Rachel, who lives by herself, some of the responses you posted seem to address the issue of being alone during the day. It doesn't surprise me that you could be comfortable by yourself during the day after a week or so - but what about living alone, being alone through the night. Some planning questions have come up about whether there might be a period of a six or seven days when I'd be on my own completely (probably 4-6 weeks after coming home) and I want to plan realistically, or make sure it doesn't happen if it's a set-up for problems.

Thanks again for your posts!
 
Hi Leah

It's all depending on how you feel after surgery, I myself feel great and am 5 weeks post op and my husband had to leave for work out of town. He's gone for 2 weeks at a time, comes home for the weekend. I'm o.k. with it but I have relative close by that I can call if I need anything which reassures me.

Take Cake
Lise
 
Lisa, after my second week home my husband went back to work and out of town on overnights. I did have my kids at home with me, but all that really meant was that I was doing laundry and preparing meals for them. It also meant that I started driving before I was supposed to because I needed to get them to school and after school activities. (I am not recomending that you do this.) My husband did nothing for me in the night when I would get up because I couldn't sleep or was uncomfortable. I would have been absolutely fine being at home completely by myself after that first week.

Kim
 
After both OHS, I would have been able to manage on my own 24/7 after a week for sure. I needed rides to doctor appointments and grocery store (other small errands) but I was able to shower/shampoo on my own showering/shampooing ....all basic needs.

After my second OHS, I was permitted to drive locally, short distances, at about 2 1/2 weeks after coming home. After my first OHS is was at least 8 weeks before I drove.

I was preparing light meals for DH and myself and serving them. Washed the dishes. I didn't scrub any large pots but was fine with a small fry pan etc. Our friends sent in some meals and DH brought home grilled salmon and such from a favorite restaurant and I plated and served everything.
 
Thanks for this post. It is encouraging to those of us who don't know what to expect. I read so many stories about all the trouble people have had after OHS, it's nice to read some about people who managed okay.

Kay
 
Everyone is different ? I had a pretty smooth recovery and was taking care of myself at about one week ?. I had someone close by (less than a mile) which was good because needed to be admitted at 2 weeks post op to transfuse for anemia and I had to be cardioverted at around three weeks for afib ? neither of these were life threatening and I actually went back to work at 5 week post op ? my point is that the unexpected can and often does happen?.
 
comfortable being on your own how soon after surgery

comfortable being on your own how soon after surgery

Hello Leah, I had my avr done in 12/06, went in on Thursday was out on Sunday afternoon. My father was here to help drive me around for pre-op and after release. He stayed two weeks with me, got enough groceries for a couple of weeks if not more, and unfortunately made me go with him to places to walk around, felt like torture at the time, wasn't really though. We had done my laundry and bought disposable forks, plates, etc. so I wouldn't have to wash dishes and he had shampooed and vacuumed the carpet prior to my release, helped get my prescriptions, took me to the surgeon and cardiologists for my first post-of visits and to the coumadin clinic. Prepping beforehand is key. I was afraid to be alone after coming home, but after two weeks with his help I was okay to be on my own. I had a brother and his family nearby and my stepfather close at hand via telephone to come over if needed. Not that I am condoning, but I drove a 1968 vw bug with a big hard to turn steering wheel after two weeks released from surgery and went back to work four weeks out. Different circumstances for different people. My biggest problem at night was worrying about being alone and needing help, but watching tv and talking to family and friends on the telephone really helped with that. I don't know what you will feel when released, but prep ahead of time! And be careful as said previously about bending,reaching and straining. Every little ache and pain will be a major mystery and I asked everybody what does this mean and why is this happening? Don't be afraid to ask your nurse or doctor anything and search on here too.

Carla
St. Jude's Regeant 21 mm avr
Dr. Robert Hebeler surgeon:)
Baylor Hospital, Dallas, Texas
12-07-06
 
"Reaching down and pulling and twisting wet clothes into the dryer...nope! Reaching over a sink to close a window...nope. Sliding doors.....nope. That bag of pasta way up in the corner of the cupboard...nope. The little pan for just one cup of soup way back in the lower right cupboard...nope. So I think you get my drift!! "

I get the message. Good thread. I've learned to make sure that the Jack Daniels is within easy reach! :D

Jim
 
ponygirlmom said:
What is a "partial sternectomy"? Does that mean they are not sawing open your ribcage?
Click to expand...

From what I have read and from the diagrams I have seen, a partial sternotomy is when they saw either the top or bottom of the sternum and then make a right angle with the saw so that they seem to only spread one part of one side of the ribs. There are probably people here that have more information on it, but this is how it seems to me from what I have seen.
 
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