Chilihead is home!

[chilihead]

Well. I got bored at the hospital yesteday and they let me come home. My tongue is really swollen and sort of yellow but that's my only real problem. I may be a bit more sore than normal since they opened my back up to fix a leak after the initiial surgery. I went in at 6:00 AM last Tuesday, the 18th and was in surgery by 7:30. The first surgery took about six hours since they had to do some resizing and I believe add a dacron graft. I got closed and went to ICU. Hours later I was still leaking a lot of blood so they went back in and fixed the leak. I then had trouble clotting and had to have a lot of blood and some platelets added. Anyway I finally got out of ther ICU to a private room at @ 10:00 AM on Thursday, 11/20/03. It was a long wait for my family.

I wish I knoew why this tongue is swollen. It makes me sound goofy on the phone and it's a real pain to eat solid food.

Gotta Run. Thanks to everyone that came by or posted for me.

Regards.

Jim in Dallas
Ross Procedure with Dacron graft, 11/18/03

 

[catwoman]

Jim:

Great to know you're at home now. Have you tried to sit on a bicycle yet?
Actually, it was a little sore and tiring for me to check e-mail the first week or so post-op. Maybe it was the chair at my sister's computer?
Have a great Thanksgiving. I enjoyed visiting with your wife, mother-in-law and others last Tuesday. You've got a terrific family!

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome home Jim! Congratulations on your release back into the world of people that wear regular clothes, not scrubs!

Best wishes for a continued successful recovery,
Karlynn

PS - Do you know why your tongue is swollen?

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Jim,
Glad to hear you are home. You are on the downhill side of the mountain now and on the road to recovery. I hope everything goes Great for you. Now remember to walk, breath and nap.
Take Care

Dave
_________________________
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical

 

[Nancy]

Welcome home, Jim-

It's the best place to be! I'm glad the surgery is behind you now, and your kind of rough road is smoothing out. What do the doctors say about the tongue situation? Could it be some kind of reaction to a medication, or possibly some temporary injury to the tongue done during anesthesia or intubation? Hope that straightens out really soon for you.

Take care,

 

[bvdr]

I don't know why your tongue swelled up but I hope it soon goes down for you since that would be very annoying....and dangerous if it swelled too much.

JIm, I am so glad you are home again and this is behind you. Now for a while just work on relaxing and healing. Spend some sweet moments with your family. We all have so much to be thankful for this year.

 

[M&M]

Hi Jim, welcome HOME - gosh I bet it feels good to be home. I bet its good to know - your on the other side now. I hope you have a speedy recovery and get well soon. So glad to know your home.. Take Care and take it slow..

Best Wishes
Marilyn and Dick (runner)

 

[catwoman]

Jim:

Had lunch today with Debra, from the Fort Worth Bicycle Club. She said hello & best wishes. Said she thought of you Saturday when she drove to Denton for a bike ride. Had signed up for a 50MI, I think, but only did about 20-something miles because of the headwinds. We're taking bets on when you'll be back to biking and cooking chili.

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Congratulations

Congratulations

Way to go, glad to hear you are home and feeling good.
The swollen tongue is probably punishment from a nurse you were to friendly with. lol

Great News.

Ben

 

[Heather Fisher]

Glad to hear you are home. I have no idea what the swollen tongue is about. If it doesn't resolve, be sure to ask the doctor.
Meanwhile, rest and relax. I'm so happy it is over for you!

Heather

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Hi Jim,

Welcome home. Happy to see your posts!

Take care and keep us posted.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Chili

Glad all went well, even with the extra!!! Relax, enjoy home, and start feeling better every day. May you have a great Thanksgiving...you have much to be thankful for, as do we all!

Evelyn

 

[bigbob54]

Jim,

Welcome to the "One Open Heart Surgery is not Enough Club". I had to go back in the next day for a hematoma.

Glad to hear you are home. Feels good, doesn't it? Don't know what to make of the swollen tongue. Hope it doesn't interfere with your Thanksgiving.

Good luck!
Bob

 

[KathyH]

Jim,
Glad to hear you are on the mend again. Take care.
kathy

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi jim!
i'm so thrilled to see you are home and on your way to recovery. i bet you're so happy the worst is behind you, right?
please try and get some rest, walk a bit, and do your breathing (somehow i think you are probably disciplined enough to do this on your own).
what a wonderful thanksgiving this will be for you and your family.
wishing you all the best and a continued smooth recovery. glad to have you back.
be well, sylvia

 

[tommy]

Jim,

So much for "maybe home by Tuesday". Congratulations. You're bouncing back quickly. Keep up the good work.

Tom

 

[nadi]

Jim,

Glad to hear all went fairly smooth for you and you are on the down hill side. Remember to walk breathe and nap.

Take care,

 

[Susan Allen]

Hey Jim,
Had me sweatin' guy. Sorry to hear about the complications.
SOOOOOOOOOOO glad to hear your at home.
Hope the tongue gets better before Turkey Day.
Give me a call when you feel better.
Love to hear from you.

Congrats and take it easy

Susan

 

[chilihead]

Susan,

I guess you heard about my extended stay in the OR and ICU. I think the intubation tube was somehow positioned where my tongue was twisted around it. So, since it stayed in for about 48 hours, I'm trying to unravel my daing tonge! I'm walking, exercising, breathing, napping, etc. but this tongue deal is very bothersome!

Hey thanks for all your help. I'm hoping to return in two weeks for my checkup and learn that everything is well.

Talking is a chore right now, so I'm not calling a lot of people yet.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Regards,

Jim

 

[Georgia]

Way to go, Jim!

Re tongue: Mine wasn't very swollen, but it peeled. yucck. It was quite raw for about a week. I'll bet you're right that your's was irritated by the tube. Gives a whole new meaning to tongue twister.

Gosh, it's good to know you're home and doing well. Hang in there and walk breathe and nap. Bet your kids can't figure out that the old man wants to NAP.

Have a good holiday.