roundsgirl
Well-known member
First I want to give a heart felt Thanks to Bonnie, for letting everyone know how things went during surgery. I am home now, actually came home yesterday. I'm glad to be here, although the pain level is still pretty intense. I'm sure it will get better each day. They said everything went very well. I was off the vent within 4 hours of the surgery, which I was told was really rare, in valve replacement surgeries, the surgeons told my family I went on and off by-pass very easily. All of these things I am greatful for. I have to be honest and say it hurts like Hell, I guess I really didn't expect it to hurt as bad as it did. The same day after I woke up and could talk with my family I let all of them know I would never do it again. It's not even a week out yet and I still feel the same. Unless, they come up with a way to do it, which is not so invasive. The doctor told us my valve was worn completely out, really streched out, that's why it was letting so much blood leak back into my heart, he did admit that he didn't know why it had done this, it just sometimes happens. I'm hoping this tissue valve will last for a long time, as I understand it, it's part pig, part cow, I don't know the exact name of it, don't feel much like looking for it right now although I'm sure most of you know exactly what kind I'm talking about.
Pain management was a big issue for me, as I was already on high powered pain killers due to back pain; Percocet, then when I came out of surgery they were giving me Loratab, no way, so needless to say this was not helping me at all. I felt like my chest was on fire, still get that sensation mostly after I get finished walking. It was hell, the first day and a half, they finally put me on a morphine pump, which helped, but up until that point, I really didn't know if I was going to make it. Or atleast that's how it felt, then the doctor on top of it all made me feel like I shouldn't have been in pain, which actually made me cry but then pissed me off. Anyway, I let him hold it once I got myself together enough to let him know I didn't appreciate how he was telling me how I should have been feeling. I think my mom would have crawled out of the room if she could. I had to listen to how his 89 year old patients, were not in as much pain as me, well this obviously made the nurses caring for me mad because they stepped up, and let him know most older patients don't have the sensations and most of them with little pain are also diabetics, which causes them to have less nerve sensations etc. It was affecting my heart rate and blood pressure and as soon as they got the pain under control, all of those stat.'s went down. I don't know it was just really frustrating for him to make me feel like "I shouldn't have been in the kind of pain that I was in." It's over and done with, Thank God for that, the mountain is a big one, I will not lie and I hope that I have not scared anyone waiting to have this surgery, in all my venting; just remember I'm not even one week out yet, so...... take it for what it's worth. He said it would have killed me and it was defiently not an elective surgey, so I know I did the right thing, for now. I'm sure as I get stronger and finally get to live that better way of life I may feel different about doing it again. I want to thank all of you for letting me vent, I needed it, you know when you feel lonely, like nobody understands, but I know all of you do and it does help.
Thanks for all of your well wishes and prayers I know they all helped.
I hope this finds you all doing great. Sending hugs your way.
Sincerely,
Roundsgirl,
Lisa
Pain management was a big issue for me, as I was already on high powered pain killers due to back pain; Percocet, then when I came out of surgery they were giving me Loratab, no way, so needless to say this was not helping me at all. I felt like my chest was on fire, still get that sensation mostly after I get finished walking. It was hell, the first day and a half, they finally put me on a morphine pump, which helped, but up until that point, I really didn't know if I was going to make it. Or atleast that's how it felt, then the doctor on top of it all made me feel like I shouldn't have been in pain, which actually made me cry but then pissed me off. Anyway, I let him hold it once I got myself together enough to let him know I didn't appreciate how he was telling me how I should have been feeling. I think my mom would have crawled out of the room if she could. I had to listen to how his 89 year old patients, were not in as much pain as me, well this obviously made the nurses caring for me mad because they stepped up, and let him know most older patients don't have the sensations and most of them with little pain are also diabetics, which causes them to have less nerve sensations etc. It was affecting my heart rate and blood pressure and as soon as they got the pain under control, all of those stat.'s went down. I don't know it was just really frustrating for him to make me feel like "I shouldn't have been in the kind of pain that I was in." It's over and done with, Thank God for that, the mountain is a big one, I will not lie and I hope that I have not scared anyone waiting to have this surgery, in all my venting; just remember I'm not even one week out yet, so...... take it for what it's worth. He said it would have killed me and it was defiently not an elective surgey, so I know I did the right thing, for now. I'm sure as I get stronger and finally get to live that better way of life I may feel different about doing it again. I want to thank all of you for letting me vent, I needed it, you know when you feel lonely, like nobody understands, but I know all of you do and it does help.
Thanks for all of your well wishes and prayers I know they all helped.
I hope this finds you all doing great. Sending hugs your way.
Sincerely,
Roundsgirl,
Lisa
