Hello all....it's Trina

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lilteach3234

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2009
Messages
236
Location
Houston, Texas (USA)
Hello everone,
Well I am home and I can say say I know what if feels like to be hit by a mack truck. Of course, our day started way off schedule due to emergency situations.

Surgery was more than expected. I also had to have the root repaired with the Bentall procedure. I am blessed I had this done when I did. I was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

I had to have the ventilator placed back in becuase I could not breathe. I vaguely remember it but it had the team very concerned. My body became "wet" and that caused great concern for them team.

My heart would never pick up a rythym so I ended up with a pacemaker.

SO...... IT DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED.....BUT I AM ALIVE!

Here is some post op questions I have:

Is lightheadeness commen? What about disoriented?
Have deep pains when you breathed in?
Pacemake people - did you have a sore arm on the side of you p/m
Weas you appetite and taste buds affected?
Run a low grade fever post op?

Thanks everyone. I am glad to be on the other side of the mountain.
 
It is not unusual to run a low grade fever after surgery.

Your taste buds, and appetite will return.

No reply to pacemaker.

You just had surgery in you chest, so yes it will hurt to take a deep breath for awhile. If this persists notify your doctor.

Lightheadedness & disorenented usually just a couple of days. Do not let it persist without notifying doctor.

I hope your recovery goes well, and you finish your mountain trek on skis. Nice and smooth.

Best wishes to you & God Bless. :)
 
I am sorry to hear your surgery did not goes as planned but like you said you are alive! I will be praying for a quick recovery!
God Bless,
 
Welcome home and to this side of the mountain. It's not unusual to feel like you got hit by a Mack train.

Is lightheadeness commen? I didWhat about disoriented? I didn't
Have deep pains when you breathed in?Yep, for several months. Do those breathing exercises.
Weas you appetite and taste buds affected? Definitely. Everything tasted weird for weeks.
Run a low grade fever post op? Fairly common. Mine lasted a few days

Have a smooth and speedy recovery.
 
Trina, I can't answer your questions but I wanted to say Welcome Back! Hope the rest of your recovery goes much better than the hospital stay.
 
Welcome over to this side of the mountain Trina. I Hope things go well in your recovery. Eat, sleep, rest, and walk.
John
 
How did all of you handle the long days?

I feel great that all of this is over, but now all the unexpected things the found and just trying to must energy has me overwhelmed. Since I stayed in icu for so long I feel behind. I am having a hard time using this spiromoeter and I can barely life if a half inch. I am doing each hour though (10 times). I only did three Darvocette's for pain in the hospital so I did not come home with anything. I'm going as much as my body can push.

Are some days just better than others?
 
lilteach3234 said:
..........

My heart would never pick up a rythym so I ended up with a pacemaker.

SO...... IT DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED.....BUT I AM ALIVE!

Here is some post op questions I have:

Is lightheadeness commen? What about disoriented?
Have deep pains when you breathed in?
Pacemake people - did you have a sore arm on the side of you p/m
Weas you appetite and taste buds affected?
Run a low grade fever post op?

Thanks everyone. I am glad to be on the other side of the mountain.
Click to expand...


Glad to know you have all this behind and wish you a speedy smooth recovery. You have a new lease on life and I hope you will live it with joy and good health.

You do not mention if you are taking any BP medicine or beta blocker!! they cause lightheadedness. It is normal to be disoriented for a while...mine was extremely minor. Yes, I had pain when I took deep breaths in, and it took me a couple of weeks before I started tasting the real taste of food. If your fever is consistent and returns after you treat it with tylenol, I would inform the doctor. Sorry, I cannot help you with regard to the pacemaker.

Good luck and best wishes :)
 
I think most of us are just glad to hear from you. But don't be surprised at how much post-op pain there is, because everyone has different thresholds. The spirometer was my biggest challenge after the CABG and something I am NOT looking forward to after AVR. IF you're up to it, moving around is the best medicine. All the nurses told me that the more I walked, the faster I'd heal, and they were right that time--so it stands to reason that it still works. Mazel tov on being home.
 
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lilteach3234 said:
How did all of you handle the long days?

I feel great that all of this is over, but now all the unexpected things the found and just trying to must energy has me overwhelmed. Since I stayed in icu for so long I feel behind. I am having a hard time using this spiromoeter and I can barely life if a half inch. I am doing each hour though (10 times). I only did three Darvocette's for pain in the hospital so I did not come home with anything. I'm going as much as my body can push.

Are some days just better than others?
Click to expand...


Use your spirometer as much as you can and try your best to go as high as you were instructed. It will keep your lungs clear and puts them back into good function. You will feel better every day which will be slow in the beginning and then it increases a lot.
 
Glad your back and wishing you a speedy recovery,yes
one day at a time,rest,sleep,eat when your body tells you.
i was in icu for longer than my time due to bed shortages:rolleyes:
sure does feel good to get out of there,better to get home:)

zipper2 (DEB)
 
I will be a month out tomorrow, and I'm just getting my appetite back now. My mom has been baking cookies and banana bread to try to entice me, and I finally dove into one last nite. She's happy now!
I am one of the ones that has had pain. I tried to be brave and go off the painkillers, but had trouble, so I'm back on, and much happier because I'm moving around better. I found myself getting discouraged and depressed because everything was taking so long, and I just wanted to get back to a normal life... but being able to give myself credit for the tiny little bits of progress I saw almost every day helped a bit. This past week has been much better for me.
Good luck with your continued recovery and progress, and remember to give yourself lots of time, and congratulate yourself for getting to where you are... it'll be much easier from here....
jen
 
Hey! Welcome home! If you're already off the pain med, you must be doing quite well.
I have a PM/ICD, and yes, your arm/shoulder is sore for a good week or two after surgery, plus you can't move your arm above shoulder level, or reach around to you back for a month after implantation. I had a rehab person teach me how to get dressed! It's an art form we have to get used to, since the pm gets replaced every 5-7 years or so... or more often if you need an upgrade.
They can do lots of adjustments to the pm, so once you are more healed and active, you'll be making a few trips to the doctor for adjustments to acceleration, response rate, etc. until you get it where you are comfortable.
Don't try to do too much too soon, you'll have a set back. And be careful of the sternum for a good 3 to 5 months---it takes a while for it to really heal--search last year's thread on stupid things we did too early and the owies we fessed up to.
 
Thanks for all the posts everyone. Last night was a rough first night home. I am up moving quit a bit this morning trying to stay focused and positive....it's hard though. My chest feels like it is drying up where the stictches are and boy the soreness. I am trying to plan my days and get on a schedule. The walking is slow but it's going.

Thanks all. It's nice to have someone you can vent to.
 
Dear Trina, You have been through alot this past week!!!
You had those bumps in the road right after surgery and you just got home, don't be hard on your self. Your job is to rest now! If you are a active person like me I did'nt like that word REST . Do absolutly nothing except for rest and walk, drink lots of fluids, eat well. Your body needs this time to heal, really! Let others take care of you, you'll be surprised this next week by offers for food and company from friends and family, take them. I NEVER watch daytime T.V. (well maybe Oprah if I'm home) I got a kick out of watching price is right again although I don't like the new guy, drew.
This is your 2nd day home, guess what the highlight of my 2nd day home was?? I finally got to wash my hair!!! It had been 7 days :eek: It was all I could do that day, it really wore me out to take that wonderful shower, and it felt so---- good to get clean!! Take care Debbie :)
 
lilteach3234 said:
How did all of you handle the long days?
Click to expand...

I slept a lot ... and spent a lot of time (as much as I could, anyway) online.... Being online helped a bit with the "loneliness"....

*pauses*

Course, I also "fretted" because I HAD time to do things I wanted to, but never had the energy to do much of anything....heh.



Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...MidW Event = 04/04/09
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Heaven knows how long it's been since I felt so out of place" ... Garth Brooks ... 'Learning To Live Again'
 
Hey Deb,

I am doing fair. Each day gets better. I feel as though I am carrying around 1000 lbs. in my chest and the incisions are beginning to itch. I still have no appetite, but it isn't going to hurt me to lose a few pounds anyway. I am sleeping in bed now. Hubby just gets me in and uses lots of pillows. It's fun getting tucked in.....hehe!

I think I'm just still trying to let it all sink in of all the damage I had. I was just supposed to get AVR but ended up with so much more....even my surgeon was surprised.
 
Yes, you did have alot done! Don't except to be running around any time soon! I can't believe you are in bed already?? I don't know if I was odd but I could'nt handle sleeping any other way but on my back and i could only do that in the recliner. I slept in my chair for atleast 2 months, when I would try the bed I would be so sore the next day it was'nt worth it. I also had alittle trouble getting my lungs clear. The flater I laided the harded it was to breathe, I slept fairly upright for several weeks. Anyway take care and let your body REST Debbie :)
 
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