K
kimfusca
Hello Everyone!
I am finally home! Got here yesterday and took 1/2 the hospital with me! I am still VERY tired, but glad to be home. I know was sister was sending some updates, but I'm not sure how much she said as she was also updating other loved ones and she has a newborn! Soo, if you're interested, here's my story.
Friday, Aug. 4th I went in for my AVR and all went well. I thought it was a hard surgery - I was in the OR for almost 6 hours, but the hard part only lasted a few days. I was recovering very well after that, cruising the halls and stairs of the hospital. I was very proud of myself for recovery so well and feeling like the hard part of over - hello boring recovery!
On Sat. I was scheduled to go home but stayed one more night bc of my IRN. That day started to experience some shoulder pain. I usually took 1/2 to zero pain medication at that time, so this was new. I just kept taking more medication and letting the nurses know I was in pain. That night it was very bad and the night nurse did nothing.
On Sun. people began to think something was up. I was visited by the oncall Dr. - as my beloved Dr. was out of town - EEK! The oncall Dr. didn't think too much, but my mother insisted on a blood test. They thought maybe I had a bladder infection as the lasex (sp?) was not doing a thing. That night I again had the same unhelpful nurse. I was in a lot of pain and she refused to call the oncall Dr.
On Mon. things really started happening. I had a great nurse who realized that a white blood count of 24 was not right (8 -11 is normal). He hustled around and found some Dr.s By this time, I could hardly breathe. I had to stop between words to take a breath and I was miserable! My husband happend to stop by and he ran downstairs and grabbed the Dr.'s nurse practioner. She immediately knew something was wrong (I think she knew exactly what was wrong) and grabbed the right Dr.s to come see me.
I was whisked back to ICU and prepped for surgery that night! My surgeon's partner was at another hospital and we were merely waiting for him to finish and come over. At 10pm I found myself back in the OR. I had a staph infectin. I am soo lucky that it did not attack my valve and super lucky it was not a Mercer staph infection, which would have meant I would remain somewhat isolated, everyone would have to wear specail gowns and protection to see me, and who knows what kind of surgeries that would have meant in the future. I have a radiated heart, which shows and my Dr. said it would be better not to have to go in there again, hence a new St. Jude's.
I stayed in ICU for 2 weeks, although some of that stay was precautionary. The ICU nurses were wonderful and on the ball!
I think things fell apart and not many took as much notice because I was doing so well. I felt like Forest Gump in the hallways walking so much! My Dr. was out of town and that didn't help either. I'm postitive he would have known something was up right away.
Anyway, I now have a picc line, which allows me to take IV antibotics at home. I also take oral antibotics and should be on them for several more weeks.
I have a wound vac too. My Dr. had to remove some of the staples in my chest to allow my insision to drain properly. this even after 6 drainnage tubes! Since it was still draining, and that location was where the infection was, he decided it needed to be cleaned out on healed from the inside out. I received 2 dressing changes per day (wet to dry). They basically stuff me like a turkey with wet gauze to prevent infection. It was really CREEPY as they needed to clean out the site - they could even see the cables holding my sterum together! EEK! NOT NORMAL! The wound vac has been fabulous and I love it. In a little over a week, my wound has gone from being 10 cm long, 4 1/2 cm wide, and 3 cm deep to 8 cm long, 3cm wide and only 1 cm deep! YEAH! Even the wound care nurses are amazed at my outastanding recovery!
I want to thank you all for your prayes and good thoughts. They have made a difference in my life and recovery. Thank you for all of your support!
Barbara, Thank you so much for tracking down my progess. I warned my sister that somebody would! Thank you for caring so much!!
Hopefully, this is not too long or full of too many typos. I am very tired and this is actually my second draft. Don't know what happened to the first.
I am finally home! Got here yesterday and took 1/2 the hospital with me! I am still VERY tired, but glad to be home. I know was sister was sending some updates, but I'm not sure how much she said as she was also updating other loved ones and she has a newborn! Soo, if you're interested, here's my story.
Friday, Aug. 4th I went in for my AVR and all went well. I thought it was a hard surgery - I was in the OR for almost 6 hours, but the hard part only lasted a few days. I was recovering very well after that, cruising the halls and stairs of the hospital. I was very proud of myself for recovery so well and feeling like the hard part of over - hello boring recovery!
On Sat. I was scheduled to go home but stayed one more night bc of my IRN. That day started to experience some shoulder pain. I usually took 1/2 to zero pain medication at that time, so this was new. I just kept taking more medication and letting the nurses know I was in pain. That night it was very bad and the night nurse did nothing.
On Sun. people began to think something was up. I was visited by the oncall Dr. - as my beloved Dr. was out of town - EEK! The oncall Dr. didn't think too much, but my mother insisted on a blood test. They thought maybe I had a bladder infection as the lasex (sp?) was not doing a thing. That night I again had the same unhelpful nurse. I was in a lot of pain and she refused to call the oncall Dr.
On Mon. things really started happening. I had a great nurse who realized that a white blood count of 24 was not right (8 -11 is normal). He hustled around and found some Dr.s By this time, I could hardly breathe. I had to stop between words to take a breath and I was miserable! My husband happend to stop by and he ran downstairs and grabbed the Dr.'s nurse practioner. She immediately knew something was wrong (I think she knew exactly what was wrong) and grabbed the right Dr.s to come see me.
I was whisked back to ICU and prepped for surgery that night! My surgeon's partner was at another hospital and we were merely waiting for him to finish and come over. At 10pm I found myself back in the OR. I had a staph infectin. I am soo lucky that it did not attack my valve and super lucky it was not a Mercer staph infection, which would have meant I would remain somewhat isolated, everyone would have to wear specail gowns and protection to see me, and who knows what kind of surgeries that would have meant in the future. I have a radiated heart, which shows and my Dr. said it would be better not to have to go in there again, hence a new St. Jude's.
I stayed in ICU for 2 weeks, although some of that stay was precautionary. The ICU nurses were wonderful and on the ball!
I think things fell apart and not many took as much notice because I was doing so well. I felt like Forest Gump in the hallways walking so much! My Dr. was out of town and that didn't help either. I'm postitive he would have known something was up right away.
Anyway, I now have a picc line, which allows me to take IV antibotics at home. I also take oral antibotics and should be on them for several more weeks.
I have a wound vac too. My Dr. had to remove some of the staples in my chest to allow my insision to drain properly. this even after 6 drainnage tubes! Since it was still draining, and that location was where the infection was, he decided it needed to be cleaned out on healed from the inside out. I received 2 dressing changes per day (wet to dry). They basically stuff me like a turkey with wet gauze to prevent infection. It was really CREEPY as they needed to clean out the site - they could even see the cables holding my sterum together! EEK! NOT NORMAL! The wound vac has been fabulous and I love it. In a little over a week, my wound has gone from being 10 cm long, 4 1/2 cm wide, and 3 cm deep to 8 cm long, 3cm wide and only 1 cm deep! YEAH! Even the wound care nurses are amazed at my outastanding recovery!
I want to thank you all for your prayes and good thoughts. They have made a difference in my life and recovery. Thank you for all of your support!
Barbara, Thank you so much for tracking down my progess. I warned my sister that somebody would! Thank you for caring so much!!
Hopefully, this is not too long or full of too many typos. I am very tired and this is actually my second draft. Don't know what happened to the first.
