After my open heart surgery

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brendaelkins56

Mechanical aortic valve/root,Bicuspid
Joined
Jul 12, 2022
Messages
5
Location
Poulsbo, WA
my Cardio-Thor. Dr. Was intense. I was Frightened because I was having cluster migraines one after the other . I couldn't see well,nor thin clearly. I was swollen so I couldn't feel my legs.
This Dr. REED. Was not listening to me. He was pumping me up with the insulin etc and 2 blood transfusions. I was weak. No BM
Couldn't even order my own food or eat because I felt so badly. For 9 days.
 
How do you feel now?
I could hardly eat the first week . My throat was too sore and I had no appetite.
Pain control was tough the first two weeks. Heart rate would drop to 32 which was unnerving but no pain in the head or any other part of the body
 
my Cardio-Thor. Dr. Was intense. I was Frightened because I was having cluster migraines one after the other . I couldn't see well,nor thin clearly. I was swollen so I couldn't feel my legs.
This Dr. REED. Was not listening to me. He was pumping me up with the insulin etc and 2 blood transfusions. I was weak. No BM
Couldn't even order my own food or eat because I felt so badly. For 9 days.

That sure sux.

Blood transfusions are not usually needed, maybe there was a glitch. I needed insulin as well, don't remember why, but only for a few days. My bowels were effected too, it's the pain killers. That'll change as you get off the pain medication and your system eliminates them. Fluids and fiber will help.

Please eat though, a good diet is a path to wellness. Good luck.
 
Sometimes there can be significant anemia after surgery. Blood is lost. If the blood count is significantly reduced blood transfusions may be useful/needed.
When I had my second surgery in 1983 replacing a failing tissue valve with a St. Jude in the aortic position I had two units of blood taken from myself several weeks prior to surgery and sent to the hospital in case I needed blood. In those days we were in the early AIDS epidemic and I was nervous about any other blood source. I had the surgery but never got my blood back. After the surgery I was very anemic but I think Dr. Cooley wanted to keep his statistics as good as possible in as much as performing surgery without needing blood. I would have been better off if they had given me my own blood back. Ultimately I did fine but I was a little weak for longer than I would have been with my blood.
 
I needed a transfusion during surgery for some reason. I was anemic for days after. I didn’t have any complications. Maybe the length of time the procedure takes and what they do during that time causes some blood to get left in the temporary machinery. They patched a weakened muscle of the heart, installed a sternum brace and replaced a valve in my case. The surgeon had told me in advance that he liked to take his time to do everything right, meaning take longer than average for such things.

Wasn’t hungry during 5 days in ICU. Was surprised how there was an immediate push to get you to your previous ”normal.” Didn’t have choice to order food until out of ICU. They’d bring spicy smelly food, thick sweet protein drinks I never eat. Only enjoyed some of the fresh fruit.

I was uncomfortable but not in pain. I factored that in when asked to rate pain. That barometer with the scale of 1-10 is relative. The pain I was feeling wasn’t physical. I wanted some padding because I felt at the edge, like a fraction more and the dam would burst. Mostly just wanted out of there and to be home with some privacy. I was in pain for lack of privacy and in some cases lack of respect. There were exceptions of course but too many people including management didn’t know any of the definitions for the word “care” and didn’t care that their job involved caring for people in need of care.

My cardiologist seemed less informed than nurses and technicians. He made more than one significant error. At one point he appeared to be using my own feedback and observations regarding home equipment when offering his opinion. It was contrary to what he had been saying when that equipment was required to share figures with nurses calling me at home Immediately after being released from the hospital. I suspect he was forced into retirement. In my presence he had said to an old colleague retirement “was not in the cards.” Then less than a year later I received a message from the healthcare organization he had retired.
 
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