ccummins
Well-known member
Hello all,
Well, I can't tell you how happy I am to be on this side of the mountain!!! It is unbelievable to me to think that a week ago today I was just coming out of surgery and today I'm sitting on my couch typing this out!
So, here's my story. I went into the hospital at 5:30 AM on Monday, March 16. Into pre-surgery by 6. Anesthesiologists and a few docs checked in with me. Came this close to canceling surgery because I had an upset stomach. Come on, who wouldn't have an upset stomach the day of OHS?? Family got to hang with me for about a half an hour before saying goodbye and being wheeled into surgery. I do remember the first few minutes. It just seemed huge and there were so many people .... then out! Surgery took 6 hours as expected. Great news was that they were able to spare my bicuspid aortic valve and a small bit of the root. This was the decision that my surgeon and I were planning and hoping for. It was kind of an in between the mechanical and tissue valve. My bicuspid valve is obviously not idea but it show no symptoms of deterioration. So if it lasts whatever its normal lif would be, it should be longer than a tissue valve. So, after 6 hours out and in recovery. They wouldn't let my family see me for another three hours because I was having some trouble with the breathing tube. That is the next thing that I remember. That damn tube!! I just wanted it out! I ended up with quite a sore on my tongue from it also. My brother is a doctor and eventually sort of bullied his way in. My family was happy to see me but couldn't believe all the tubes coming out of me. Luckily, thank to this site, I had them well prepared for this. I was able to give them a wave of my feet to let them know I was OK. After that just a long night in CICU. Tubes inserted, removed, blood drawn, pills taken, sponge bath (I guess I was covered in some sort of iodine to keep thing sterile). I also remember the agony of breathing into that spirometer.
The next day, more tubes removed and they had me out of bed for a breakfast of veggie broth. Let me just say that was about the best food that I had the entire time there! I was getting in and out of bed surprisingly well. I also had a lot of pain in my back and shoulders. I was told that this is proabaly becuase they strap you down! I was ok to go to the step down unit the next day but there were no rooms available. There was some worry about my blood pressure being very low, like 75/50 something. So, lots of interruptions to take my pressure.
The next day I get into the step down unit. Everything is portable here so I got to start walking! From here out my days were similar. Sleeping, eating, watching some tv, sleeping ...
I am cracking up now at how I was worried that I would be bored at the hospital with nothing to do. I had a full bag packed, including lots of books, DVD's, magazines. Nope, none of them cracked. The only clothes I used were the ones to come home in. Anyhow, the Mack truck analogy is appropriate. I also just felt yucky. I did not want any visitors other then immediate family. Most of the time I didn't even want to talk on the phone.
Things got better each day and I got released on Saturday, March 21. Things just keep getting better each day. There was absolutely nothing better than that first shower. I could about wring my hair out. I feel surprisingly really great right now. I mean, pretty normal. I have to really remind myself to take it easy. The worst thing right now, that I posted in another thread, is sleep and back pain. I'm going to try a couple more nights with various remedies before resorting to a recliner. I am spending about 12 hours in bed each night, about 6 of them actually sleeping. The only other issue I have is that my blood pressure is still a bit low and my heart rate is a bit high. In the hospital they kept trying various dosages of beta blockers but ended up sending me home with none.
I now have a home health care nurse who is checking on me until my Cardio appointment in a week. Oh, any my scar isn't so bad. Doc said he made it smaller and lower down then normal. And they used internal stitches. Check out my pics on TOOTS page if you like.
So, knocking on wood all day long that there are no complications! Not so bad so far.
Well, I can't tell you how happy I am to be on this side of the mountain!!! It is unbelievable to me to think that a week ago today I was just coming out of surgery and today I'm sitting on my couch typing this out!
So, here's my story. I went into the hospital at 5:30 AM on Monday, March 16. Into pre-surgery by 6. Anesthesiologists and a few docs checked in with me. Came this close to canceling surgery because I had an upset stomach. Come on, who wouldn't have an upset stomach the day of OHS?? Family got to hang with me for about a half an hour before saying goodbye and being wheeled into surgery. I do remember the first few minutes. It just seemed huge and there were so many people .... then out! Surgery took 6 hours as expected. Great news was that they were able to spare my bicuspid aortic valve and a small bit of the root. This was the decision that my surgeon and I were planning and hoping for. It was kind of an in between the mechanical and tissue valve. My bicuspid valve is obviously not idea but it show no symptoms of deterioration. So if it lasts whatever its normal lif would be, it should be longer than a tissue valve. So, after 6 hours out and in recovery. They wouldn't let my family see me for another three hours because I was having some trouble with the breathing tube. That is the next thing that I remember. That damn tube!! I just wanted it out! I ended up with quite a sore on my tongue from it also. My brother is a doctor and eventually sort of bullied his way in. My family was happy to see me but couldn't believe all the tubes coming out of me. Luckily, thank to this site, I had them well prepared for this. I was able to give them a wave of my feet to let them know I was OK. After that just a long night in CICU. Tubes inserted, removed, blood drawn, pills taken, sponge bath (I guess I was covered in some sort of iodine to keep thing sterile). I also remember the agony of breathing into that spirometer.
The next day, more tubes removed and they had me out of bed for a breakfast of veggie broth. Let me just say that was about the best food that I had the entire time there! I was getting in and out of bed surprisingly well. I also had a lot of pain in my back and shoulders. I was told that this is proabaly becuase they strap you down! I was ok to go to the step down unit the next day but there were no rooms available. There was some worry about my blood pressure being very low, like 75/50 something. So, lots of interruptions to take my pressure.
The next day I get into the step down unit. Everything is portable here so I got to start walking! From here out my days were similar. Sleeping, eating, watching some tv, sleeping ...
I am cracking up now at how I was worried that I would be bored at the hospital with nothing to do. I had a full bag packed, including lots of books, DVD's, magazines. Nope, none of them cracked. The only clothes I used were the ones to come home in. Anyhow, the Mack truck analogy is appropriate. I also just felt yucky. I did not want any visitors other then immediate family. Most of the time I didn't even want to talk on the phone.
Things got better each day and I got released on Saturday, March 21. Things just keep getting better each day. There was absolutely nothing better than that first shower. I could about wring my hair out. I feel surprisingly really great right now. I mean, pretty normal. I have to really remind myself to take it easy. The worst thing right now, that I posted in another thread, is sleep and back pain. I'm going to try a couple more nights with various remedies before resorting to a recliner. I am spending about 12 hours in bed each night, about 6 of them actually sleeping. The only other issue I have is that my blood pressure is still a bit low and my heart rate is a bit high. In the hospital they kept trying various dosages of beta blockers but ended up sending me home with none.
I now have a home health care nurse who is checking on me until my Cardio appointment in a week. Oh, any my scar isn't so bad. Doc said he made it smaller and lower down then normal. And they used internal stitches. Check out my pics on TOOTS page if you like.
So, knocking on wood all day long that there are no complications! Not so bad so far.
