Home From Surgery

[Dianne]

Hi everyone,

So sorry that my husband didn't get a chance to post to update you all. He was so busy, he didn't get the time. It never occurred to me to have someone else post.

WOW! Now that was an experience!It's good to be on the other side.

I've got my heart pillow with autographs to cushion me, but all things considering--- I feel great!

My surgical team did an excelllent job, and I can't speak anything but good words for their work. They said that the new valve (homograph) looked the same as my old when they did the echo during surgery. I had a lot of problems with nausea and vommitting the first two days, but after they pulled the drainage tubes it was like the difference between night and day!

The doctors discussed keeping me another day since I'm experiencing some problems with low hemoblobin, low potassium, low blood pressure, and problems spelling (just kidding on the latter but I have spent a lot of time correcting my writing!). But given the fact that I was up running around and doing so well in spite of all that, they let me go home.

It's good to be back and thanks so much, everybody. And Kevin M, your timeframe of how I'd feel was right on target!

Dianne

 

[Kevin M]

So glad to have you back, Dianne.
Chest tubes are THE WORST.
Everybody here talks about the sneezes. I've been sneezing like crazy - it's a cakewalk compared to those garden hoses you have to drag around.

Congratulations on what sounds like a successful surgery!
Kev

 

[hensylee]

Hey Dianne - great to hear your voice again. Happy it's over for you but the shouting and dancing. Now it's your turn to share your experiences with newbies!! God bless

 

[martha]

Dear Dianne,

Glad that all went well for you. Welcome to the homograph club. The number of us is growing. When I got home it felt so good to be there. Take it easy and remember to follow the doctors orders. Walk, Walk, walk....

 

[Christina]

Hi Diane, Glad to hear that you are home and that your surgery went well. Isn't it grand to come home and be alive and also feel well? Not that much pain afterwards either, is there? Aah, there are always the painpills if you need it. My keloid scar bothered me though for months to come, and getting in and out of bed and bending over was painful.
Take it easy!. A person often does too much too soon, and your body will let you know.
Walk often.


Christina
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
Mechanical St. Jude's

 

[Bill Hall]

Dianne - Glad to hear from you. Your note sounded so good, I guess you are happy to be through it. I also had a lot of nausea, but like you said, if you can get through that, it is not so bad. I also have a homograph, so welcome back.

 

[Mara]

You Go Dianne

You Go Dianne

Dianne-
you made it.
I had a lot of nausea and vomiting on day 2 post-op. Low meoglobin and low potassium. Still do. The low blood count is what is making me so tired, otherwise I think I would be 100%. Eat lots of red meat!
I am taking a potassium pill, the same size they give horses It hink, it's huge!

I can't say about the chest tubes, mine got yanked about 12 hours post-op, guess I got lucky. the worst for me was the subclavian line, and those external p[acemaker wires....that was a weird feeling to have those puppies pulled out.

You will do great. Just between us girls, wear those post-op bras, it really has helped me with the incision pain. Good support is essential!

Thanks for your good wishes from before, I am sending all good thoughts your way. Kevin is right, beware the dreaded sneeze!
Watch out for that humidity and walk, walk walk.

-mara

 

[Scottie]

Congratulations Dianne

Congratulations Dianne

Hi Dianne ..I'm so happy to see you back here ...and to read that everything has gone well ...well done ...keep up the good work but be careful ...hope your spendid recovery continues
Scottie

 

[Nancy]

Hi Dianne-

So glad that everything came out so well. Here's to a life full of better health.

 

[BillC]

Welcome Home

Welcome Home

Hi Dianne and welcome to the other side. One thing my new cardio told me the day after my AVR was that I would feel 100% better each day.... of course he didn't tell me how long that would go on, lol, but I imagined it for a long long time.

Like you, I was also weak -- (from "iron-deficiency-anemia" ..remember the old Geritol commercials, ha). I had to take the giant iron pills. Took several weaks to get my strength back from that one.

Anyway, you are well on your way. Like everyone has told you-- walk a bunch; but also, rest even more.... and don't forget to keep using your spirometer (breathing gadget).

All the Best ~

 

[Jean]

Welcome to the other side!

Welcome to the other side!

Hi, Dianne,

so glad to hear from you. Isn't it great to begin to feel good again. Take care and if you do overdo it one day , baby yourself a bit the next. Keep us posted.

 

[Dianne]

Thanks for the support. I used all the tips, info, suggestions from everyone prior to surgery and will continue to do so during recovery.

I was going to post this question on the Post Surgery side but will throw it out here since I'm already typing

Did anyone have problems sleeping after surgery?

It seems like I can only sleep a few hours at a time before the body tells me I have to be up for a few hours.

Dianne

 

[Kevin M]

Yes.
For me, it started to get better 1.5 to 2 weeks after surgery. It seems like you can never get comfortable. Even now (4.5 weeks post-op), I sometimes get up at 5am and I'm wide awake. I think some of it is due to my new habit of napping for two hours in the late afternoon. It feels like a guilty pleasure, but I think it affects my sleep pattern at night a bit.

For the first couple of weeks I had a lot of trouble sleeping; lots of tossing and turning (a slow mo version) and crazy dreams.

I was told this is normal. Our bodies are dealing with some pretty heavy trauma and our tissues are loaded with all sorts of drugs.

I still can't seem to get comfortable when I go to bed, but once I relax a bit, things seem to fall into place.
Kev