I
Ikebi
Hello to all,
This is my first posting on this forum and I hope that it will provide some enlightenment to the members that are about to take the plunge.
CC provides patients with a way of posting on the internet and it is called thestatus.com and is useful for patients family and friends to keep them updated without the phone calls and emails especially during the long process of heart surgery and recovery.
If members find this useful I will continue posting as I go through this and later as I proceed with recovery.
Here goes what I have posted so far on "The Status.Com"!
Presently staying at the Cleveland Clinic Guest House. If you have a discount card you get a rate of $116.00 per night from $119.00 per night. Not cheap, but located just across the street from the heart center.
Cleveland Clinic is absolutely HUGE and they have just completed a very large addition which I have been told will make life easier for heart patients to get too and through. Now it is a maze and they should give the patients a navigation system to help them get around as well as shuttle buses. I imagine for the heart patients that are very weak that it could be very stressful. Knowing that this is the best heart hospital in the country and has been for the last ten years makes the trip to Cleveland worth it. Security is great and they have their very own police department.
September 23**Tuesday was filled with many tests and lasted until 3:45PM they included echo cardiogram, blood drawn, urine sample, X-ray, CT Scan, echo of neck, chest and legs for vein mapping.
September 24 ?10:30 appointment however did not get going until 11:50 and ended by 2:05 with a good long walk to meet the doctor. No *tests however I was treated to a video and many interviews and I met my anesthesiologist very young and I bet very smart. Then at 1:00PM, my actual appointment however due to the delays at the interview I didn't meet with Dr. Mihaljevic until 3:45. I did have a sizable wait to see the doctor which he apologized profusely for. He met me with a very nice broad smile to discuss what he is going to do and what kind of valve he is going to put in. The thought is to put in a Bovine valve that should last between 10 and 15 years. I said that it sound about right because the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. He also is going to make a special cut on one of my heart veins to hopefully stop the possibility of Atrial Fibs. They suck and make you feel like crap so I hope it works. He gave me encouragement by saying that I had a strong heart and that he had done a number of repairs before. Net result is a new valve and one graph.
Then to admission for more paper work and finally arrived back at the barn by 4:40PM which was a long day for me. I found that the testing went far smoother than with with interviews.
September 25 ?Breakfast and sitting around most of the day.
I have most often a deep inside headache not hard just one in the background. Very similar to when they put you on Nitro if anyone knows what that is like. On top of all that I'm constantly tired and have very little desire to do anything that is why I am in really looking forward to getting this done. I don't know why, but I do not have any fear of this and feel very calm. Maybe it's the lack of blood flow to the brain. I know what to expect and I know that it will be very painful because I have been down this road before, but I have had pain before and it won't last forever, The benefit of this out weights the alternative and I am looking forward to a few more years of good fun life.
Note: The doctor said that most valve patients complain of these symptoms.
Today I will get the call from the CC and they will let me know if I will be round A or round B. If it's round A I will have to get out of bed very early and be in admission by 5:00 then off to building P-20 then I imagine a room will be assigned until surgery. I have to gargle with Listerine tonight and bath with antiseptic soap and when I awake I will have to do the same thing all over again.
September 26 *Friday -- The BIG DAY after this day I am guessing.
September 27* Saturday ? Usually in ICU for 24 hours maybe off by early afternoon.* Get my butt up with feet dangling off the bed. Should be going to step down nursing level.
September 28 Sunday -- They get me up and make me stand and walk as far as possible.
September 29 Monday ? Work and more up and walking.
September*30 Tuesday -- Step down nursing level.* Walking in circles with a nurse hanging onto me.
October 1 Wednesday -- IValve patients are a little slower and I may still be working to get my butt in gear.
October 2 Thursday -- Still in possibly!
October 3 Friday I should be home by now or going home.*
Ike
*
This is my first posting on this forum and I hope that it will provide some enlightenment to the members that are about to take the plunge.
CC provides patients with a way of posting on the internet and it is called thestatus.com and is useful for patients family and friends to keep them updated without the phone calls and emails especially during the long process of heart surgery and recovery.
If members find this useful I will continue posting as I go through this and later as I proceed with recovery.
Here goes what I have posted so far on "The Status.Com"!
Presently staying at the Cleveland Clinic Guest House. If you have a discount card you get a rate of $116.00 per night from $119.00 per night. Not cheap, but located just across the street from the heart center.
Cleveland Clinic is absolutely HUGE and they have just completed a very large addition which I have been told will make life easier for heart patients to get too and through. Now it is a maze and they should give the patients a navigation system to help them get around as well as shuttle buses. I imagine for the heart patients that are very weak that it could be very stressful. Knowing that this is the best heart hospital in the country and has been for the last ten years makes the trip to Cleveland worth it. Security is great and they have their very own police department.
September 23**Tuesday was filled with many tests and lasted until 3:45PM they included echo cardiogram, blood drawn, urine sample, X-ray, CT Scan, echo of neck, chest and legs for vein mapping.
September 24 ?10:30 appointment however did not get going until 11:50 and ended by 2:05 with a good long walk to meet the doctor. No *tests however I was treated to a video and many interviews and I met my anesthesiologist very young and I bet very smart. Then at 1:00PM, my actual appointment however due to the delays at the interview I didn't meet with Dr. Mihaljevic until 3:45. I did have a sizable wait to see the doctor which he apologized profusely for. He met me with a very nice broad smile to discuss what he is going to do and what kind of valve he is going to put in. The thought is to put in a Bovine valve that should last between 10 and 15 years. I said that it sound about right because the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. He also is going to make a special cut on one of my heart veins to hopefully stop the possibility of Atrial Fibs. They suck and make you feel like crap so I hope it works. He gave me encouragement by saying that I had a strong heart and that he had done a number of repairs before. Net result is a new valve and one graph.
Then to admission for more paper work and finally arrived back at the barn by 4:40PM which was a long day for me. I found that the testing went far smoother than with with interviews.
September 25 ?Breakfast and sitting around most of the day.
I have most often a deep inside headache not hard just one in the background. Very similar to when they put you on Nitro if anyone knows what that is like. On top of all that I'm constantly tired and have very little desire to do anything that is why I am in really looking forward to getting this done. I don't know why, but I do not have any fear of this and feel very calm. Maybe it's the lack of blood flow to the brain. I know what to expect and I know that it will be very painful because I have been down this road before, but I have had pain before and it won't last forever, The benefit of this out weights the alternative and I am looking forward to a few more years of good fun life.
Note: The doctor said that most valve patients complain of these symptoms.
Today I will get the call from the CC and they will let me know if I will be round A or round B. If it's round A I will have to get out of bed very early and be in admission by 5:00 then off to building P-20 then I imagine a room will be assigned until surgery. I have to gargle with Listerine tonight and bath with antiseptic soap and when I awake I will have to do the same thing all over again.
September 26 *Friday -- The BIG DAY after this day I am guessing.
September 27* Saturday ? Usually in ICU for 24 hours maybe off by early afternoon.* Get my butt up with feet dangling off the bed. Should be going to step down nursing level.
September 28 Sunday -- They get me up and make me stand and walk as far as possible.
September 29 Monday ? Work and more up and walking.
September*30 Tuesday -- Step down nursing level.* Walking in circles with a nurse hanging onto me.
October 1 Wednesday -- IValve patients are a little slower and I may still be working to get my butt in gear.
October 2 Thursday -- Still in possibly!
October 3 Friday I should be home by now or going home.*
Ike
*
