Ross/artificial valve

[Kevin M]

I'm glad all went well, Jake.
Now that you're a couple of days post-op, you are going to start feeling a lot better.

Make sure to take the pain meds so you don't subconsciously take shallow breathes.

Keep up your deep breathing and don't get lazy with the walks. Those two things are going to make your recovery speed right along.

Now all the chicks are going to go wild when they see your scar. Chicks dig scars, man. At least that 's what I always tell myself!

Keep well and keep positive.
Kev

 

[Robin Eckmann]

Jake is lookin good

Jake is lookin good

My husband and I (aunt and uncle) just got home from visiting Jake in the hospital -- we took his three brothers and a friend along so they could see him, too. Jake is looking a little pale but otherwise very much himself and he is displaying his scar with pride. He was moved out of ICU today and he is walking and eating -- I was astonished at how good he looked when 48 hours ago he was in surgery.

Jake requested that his surgeon video tape the procedure and so we all watched that together -- that was REALLY SOMETHING! There was discussion about showing the video to Jake's biology class when he returned to school -- Jake was concerned about his classmates being grossed out but his older brother assured him that, quite to the contrary, Jake would be "the man" after it was shown.

Jake's mom will probably keep you all posted as well but the visit was such an incredible event I just had to share it.

 

[JayTwo]

hello everybody, this is jake. thank you for your posts and your encouragement,everything you said before and after the surgery. It helped. I started taking wallks every day, big long ones. the lungs feel like they're gonna cave in but i still do the breathing ten times every two hours. my back and chest is pretty sore. thanks again
jake

 

[JayTwo]

Hi everybody, this is Tracy, Jake's mom. I thought it might be good to start a new thread in post op.
Feels like we're graduating or something.
Can any of you give us advice on what to do with this pre surgery thread? Is it appropriate to leave it as is, close it?
Comments??

Don't mean to get too micro about the post surgery reports, but the latest is, Jake's discharge is being put off since there is a little fluid in the lungs ang also around the heart. STill looking at a possible discharge tomorrow. He is doing really well on the tube breathing and coughing hasn't been too bad. However nausea and appetite are problems, as is energy to take those much needed walks. I have put the laptop on his bedside table and as he is reading your encouragements he starts breathing more deeply..that' s how much help y'all are! He has been asked now to take eight walks a day instead of four which he's none too thrilled about but he knows its important. He's napping a lot.

He will get a diuretic for the lungs and an antiinflammatory for the heart, they will do another xray, echo and doppler tomorrow, and we'll see how things size up. The echo today showed the new valves are doing great.
Anyway, I guess I"ll start posting on the new thread so that's where you'll find us
God bless you
Tracy Jake's mom

 

[Nancy]

Hi Tracy-

Sounds as if Jake is doing very, very well. Those little glitches, extra fluid and such are things that many have had and they will go away in time, perhaps with the help of some meds to take care of it. Don't worry too much, just keep on, keeping on. Let the doctors sweat the bullets, Jake, you just hang in there. Your body has gone through a lot and it needs time to heal.

Good luck.