Hi csutherland-
It's tough when your doctors "blow you off", especially with a heart surgery patient. What exactly was the excuse the cardiologist gave for not wanting to see him or at least talk with you on the phone??? Sort of leaves you swinging doesn't it.
OK, Joe has had and on occasion still has CHF. The fluid can accumulate in the lungs, the stomach area, the heart, the neck veins making them protrude, the legs, feet and sometimes the hands. It can cause shortness of breath. Most heart surgery patients are on Lasix at least for a short time. Joe is on it probably for life.
Right now, after you read this, put Jerry on the scale and write his weight down, then weigh him every day and write it down. If you see a sudden weight gain of 3 pounds, you should get on the phone with the doctor right away.
Sodium will make CHF much worse because it makes the body retain water. If you put "ole" Jerr on a salt free diet over the weekend, and I mean cut it to the bone, unsalted butter, no salt in cooking and absolutely no table salt, plus no convenience foods, no canned soup, etc. you may find that Jerry can shed some of the fluid if that's what it is. It might help him to feel better.
Immediately on Monday morning get on the phone with whichever doctor cares to take care of their patient and get him in to be seen. You will of course bring your little weight chart with you. Hopefully you'll see some weight loss signalling fluid leaving the body.
I wish you and Jerry the best. heart problems are serious and need to be monitored carefully.
I hope your doctors will respond with due diligence.
Keep us posted.