S
sparklette77
Hello,
I'm home now, I got discharged yesterday from the hospital. My MV repair was on December 5, 2008. I will post a short version of my surgery and then later add to it when i have more energy b/c I have a few questions for those that did this already.
I was feeling relaxed and happy when I was wheeled into the OR but apparently when they opened me up i was in A-Fib so they successfully repaired my valve (ring and new chord support) and then did a cryo-maze procedure for the a-fib.
I spent about 5 days in the ICU where I ended up needing a blood transfusion (luckily my brother had donated some blood for me so they used that) and some other issues that I didn't really understand. Anyway when I got to a regular room it was really difficult at first and then got better. In the ICU I kept telling my mom that I didn't think I was going to get through it and a few times I think I told her I just wanted to die b/c the pain was so horrible and the nurses were never able to help me properly with the pain management stuff. I'll write more about this later b/c now that I am not delirious and feel like a human again I am really angry about some of the nurses' treatment. At one point my mom said I really couldn't go back to pre-surgery so I was just going to have to suck it up and get better.
The scariest part was one night I thought the bed was shaking until I realized it was me shaking b/c my heart was going so fast. The nurse appeared asap (very unusual for them to arrive so quick) and said my heart went into a-fib for about ten seconds then back to normal sinus rhthym. The doctor said the next day that it doesn't mean anything and that I shouldn't worry.
Anyway I'm home with my sister and brother inlaw now. They helped make me some charts for my meds and foods and all the other stuff, weight temp, etc. and I got to shower for the first time today which was not as awful as I expected and made me feel a million times better.
Can anyone weigh in about my walking? Is it better to walk on the treadmill or just go outside for twenty minutes or so? also how often did people go walking? the doctor said everyone is different but i'm the kind of person if you give me an average guideline or something to start with then I can do that and adjust accordingly for myself from there.
Seems like there is so much to do. My brother keeps making fun of me that I came with a 10 page instruction booklet with no return policy! = )
I'm home now, I got discharged yesterday from the hospital. My MV repair was on December 5, 2008. I will post a short version of my surgery and then later add to it when i have more energy b/c I have a few questions for those that did this already.
I was feeling relaxed and happy when I was wheeled into the OR but apparently when they opened me up i was in A-Fib so they successfully repaired my valve (ring and new chord support) and then did a cryo-maze procedure for the a-fib.
I spent about 5 days in the ICU where I ended up needing a blood transfusion (luckily my brother had donated some blood for me so they used that) and some other issues that I didn't really understand. Anyway when I got to a regular room it was really difficult at first and then got better. In the ICU I kept telling my mom that I didn't think I was going to get through it and a few times I think I told her I just wanted to die b/c the pain was so horrible and the nurses were never able to help me properly with the pain management stuff. I'll write more about this later b/c now that I am not delirious and feel like a human again I am really angry about some of the nurses' treatment. At one point my mom said I really couldn't go back to pre-surgery so I was just going to have to suck it up and get better.
The scariest part was one night I thought the bed was shaking until I realized it was me shaking b/c my heart was going so fast. The nurse appeared asap (very unusual for them to arrive so quick) and said my heart went into a-fib for about ten seconds then back to normal sinus rhthym. The doctor said the next day that it doesn't mean anything and that I shouldn't worry.
Anyway I'm home with my sister and brother inlaw now. They helped make me some charts for my meds and foods and all the other stuff, weight temp, etc. and I got to shower for the first time today which was not as awful as I expected and made me feel a million times better.
Can anyone weigh in about my walking? Is it better to walk on the treadmill or just go outside for twenty minutes or so? also how often did people go walking? the doctor said everyone is different but i'm the kind of person if you give me an average guideline or something to start with then I can do that and adjust accordingly for myself from there.
Seems like there is so much to do. My brother keeps making fun of me that I came with a 10 page instruction booklet with no return policy! = )