Surgery - Dano, Bob, Jeff C

[hensylee]

We have 3 members who will climb the mountain in the next couple of days. Dano, Bob and Jeff C. For all three of you, I am keeping you in my prayers that you will have a gentle and successful trek up the mountain to the other side where the good part is. Please be assured that we are here and waiting for you and for news. Will someone be posting for you so that we know all is ok? GODSPEED

 

[Creed3]

Dano, Bob & Jeff C

Dano, Bob & Jeff C

Hi!
I want to let you all know that I will be thinking about you over the next few days and send you my thoughts and prayers. Please have someone let us know how everything goes with your surgeries. You are almost to the other side of this huge mountain. Things will definately get better.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[Dave5Baseball]

The waiting is almost over gentlemen. I will be thinking of all three of you. Take some time for yourselves before the big day. Take care.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Guys

You have alot of people thinking of and praying for you here at vr.com. In reality, I think the hardest part is almost over....the waiting. We will all be with you in thought and spirit and you begin your journeys....It's scary, but well worth it. Go with God.

Evelyn and Tyce

 

[Nancy]

Dano, Bob and Jeff-

I want to wish you all the best and the greatest surgical result possible. We'll all be waiting to hear how things went for all of you, so please have someone post for you, if possible.

Bon Voyage, guys, and smooth sailing.

You'll all be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[dano]

Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers. I'm scheduled to go in for my "re-do" in the morning. I've discovered that the use of hirudin vs hepron for the CPB is not that common. I think I'll have a small audience of perfusionists watching the surgery. I really would appreciate and covet your prayers. I've shown my wife how to update the site, but there's several folks coming up and I'm not sure she will be able to get to the computer and update this thread. The plan at this point is to go with a St. Jude, so I'd also appreciate thoughts and prayers on being able to tolerate the clicking. Thanks again.

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi dano, bob and jeff!
i too want to wish you all the best in your upcoming surgeries.
you will certainly be in lots of thoughts and prayers. the worst is almost behind you.
i look forward to hearing how things go, so please have someone post to let
us know.
be well, sylvia

 

[dano]

Came home from the hospital Sunday. Things are going well. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Dano-

Congratulations and nice to hear from you. The worst part is over with and it's just a matter of healing and medicine adjustments now.

Best wishes

 

[hensylee]

Dano - so glad that you are home to sleep in your own quarters. The worst part is before surgery, the best part is coming home. Welcome back and hope things keep getting better and better for you. God bless

 

[alicia]

Dano, Glad youre back home. Did you get the St Judes? Thats what they put in me and when I woke up in ICU thats the first thing I remember, hearing it clicking away. Its a comfort for me to hear it, I know its doing its job. You get used to it. Its only been 17 days since my surgery and Im already used to it. Good luck in your recovery.

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi dano!
glad to hear you are home. thanks for posting to let us know. when you feel up to it, please let us know all the details, such as what type of valve, how you are doing, eating, sleeping, pain, meds, etc.
try and take it easy and listen to your body and rest and walk and do the breathing exercises.
hope you have an easy recovery.
wishing you all the best, sylvia

 

[pegne]

I also want to let you all know

I also want to let you all know

Bob and Jeff that I will be thinking of you both and will also be praying for you. Dano I'm happy to see that you are home and over the worst part of that climb. Will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, Peggy

 

[dano]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. Been about 4 weeks since surgery. Yes, I have a St. Judes. I didn't hear it all in the hospital and had high hopes that I wouldn't be able to hear it. But, once I got home I have been able to hear it. It does bother me as little noises bother me anyway. There are times that I hear it that I'm a little surprised. I was thinking that with the TV on, I wouldn't hear it, but depending on the position I sit, I can still hear it click. I'm sure I'll get used to it. Just hope it's not loud enough for others to hear when I go back to work. My chest is still a little sore and I've got some fairly severe neck pain at times. Didn't have that with the first surgery. As far as meds, I'm still trying to get the Coumadin level adjusted and what I should or shouldn't be eating. I know that consistency is the key, but I struggle with that. I like to get a salad with my meal at some places, but I don't eat at those consistently, so do I not get one or is it ok. That kind of stuff. I'm taking 50MG of Metoprolol (Lopressor) twice a day, the generic for Procardia XL, 40MG of Pravachol. I may be back on 160MG of Tricor once a day after my followup with the surgeon on Thursday. He left it off of the med list upon discharge, so I need to ask about it. I was also taking some vitamins, but I've not had any since surgery. I am taking about a 1/2 dose of Dravacet at night to try and help with sleep, but I don't think it is doing much. Is there a timeframe that you should refrain from sleeping on your side? I have an office job and have been working a couple of hours a day for a couple of weeks. Everything's going pretty well, I think. Followup with surgeon on Thursday and back to some in the office work on Monday, I think. Just need to get the Coumadin regulated and find a sound insulator for the clicking.

 

[Ross]

Hi Dano

Ask your Doc about the Procardia XL, they may want to take you off of it. Mine did, but they didn't tell me why and I know there was a reason. They replaced it with a beta blocker instead.

Eat like you always eat. Don't deprive yourself of what you like. The coumadin dosing may be hard to juggle at first, but it'll get there in time. If you want that salad, have that salad. I'm not a big green eater, but if I have nose bleeds or anything that resembles a high INR, I simply eat more salad or a can of popeye food (Spinich) that usually knocks it back down in range. I'm the poster child for inconsistant eating. I simply can't afford to eat like I should.

Sleeping on your side-Your body will let you know when you can. I know I struggled like mad to get on my side, then staying that way and sleeping were 2 different things. It was about 6 to 8 weeks before I could sleep on my side.

You'll get used to the clicking. I didn't think I would, but I rarely notice it at all. I have to be in just the right position to hear it now. A lot of times, I don't hear it and my sons or wife do. Kind of funny really. If there is anything else, ask away. That's why we're here.

Check out the Vitamin K .pdf file for your foods high in K.
http://www.valvereplacement.com/downloads/VitaminK.pdf

 

[hensylee]

Hello, Dano - so nice to see you and nice to hear you are coming right along. Trains pass way out in front of my house - and at first, I noticed every single one - but they could come and go all day long now and I don't hear them. Even my pets don't pay attention anymore. It will be the same with your ticker. As to your side - you may already be moving around when you sleep and don't even know it. Just relax and sleep any way you want. Your body will also let you know when you need to stop the meds, but Darvocet isn't for sleeping, it's for pain. And if you are not in pain, you should not take Darvocet - or any other pain med. If you can't sleep, your dr will give you something for sleep if you need it. Keep on keepin on and let us hear from you. God bless

 

[terry40]

Dano

Dano

I still notice the ticking, but my hearing has always been very keen.

They say eventually it will become, like a "white noise".

They might adjust your meds a bit, but they have to stabilize the coumadin level, Ross gave you a great site to check out. If they gave you a coumadin booklet read it over & over.

I was a big green veg and salad eater, I stopped after surgery, but now I have added them back into my diet. I just have to eat a serving everyday to keep the levels (vitamin K & coumadin)stable.

I had the upper back pain, and since that how I had to lay for over a month (on my back) it took a while to stop hurting, what a relief when I was able to sleep comfortably on my side.

Your doing great, back to work already!

Hope everything goes well a your follow-up visit to the surgeon.

Terry40

 

[Swill]

Back problems

Back problems

Need to talk to my Chiropractor about the back pains I hear about. I know I'll need him unless I can get some muscle relaxers also. He won't be able to do my back while I'm laying on my stomach, but I'm sure he'll be able to do something for me...