Surgery done, worst thing?

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Knowing what to expect (e.g., the breathing tube, the removal of the lines, etc.) made almost everything bearable to an extent...simply because I made it out to be worse in my mind than it actually ended up being. The worst part for me was the unexpected...the removal of my catheter. Sorry to be crass folks, but that surprised the heck out of me...especially when the the nurse said, "This won't hurt a bit."
 
Hello Ajay!

So glad you are on the road to recovery!

Ditto! Yes, that was one of my worst problems right after surgery. Nausea! It was a really BIG problem. I am one of those people, that can not take the really good pain killers! It was hell. The breathing tube was not much fun either! I remember feeling like I was gagging, and I could not breath. The nurse kept telling me "Ms Mccain you can breath", and I kept trying to tell him "no I can't". I can laugh about it now, with my husband, but believe me, it was one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced!

Take care. Don't do too much, too soon.
 
I was actually able to handle the breathing tube a lot better that I thought even thought I had it in over 12 hours because the gas weren't where they were suppose to be. One time I started to hyper-ventalate and couldn't get enought OX2. The ICU nurse calmed me down (great job KIM) and got me through it.

As far hurt goes, the breathing tubes were, I'm not really sure how to say it, it hurt like hell. Brought tears to my eyes. Then they did the second one!!

Best wishes for speedy recovery.

Regards Bill K.
 
towerman said:
I was actually able to handle the breathing tube a lot better that I thought even thought I had it in over 12 hours because the gas weren't where they were suppose to be. One time I started to hyper-ventalate and couldn't get enought OX2. The ICU nurse calmed me down (great job KIM) and got me through it.

As far hurt goes, the breathing tubes were, I'm not really sure how to say it, it hurt like hell. Brought tears to my eyes. Then they did the second one!!

Best wishes for speedy recovery.

Regards Bill K.
Click to expand...

I assume you meant the chest tubes. Those are funny. Some people have extreme pain upon removal and others don't. You just never know what one should expect.
 
LeakyValve said:
Knowing what to expect (e.g., the breathing tube, the removal of the lines, etc.) made almost everything bearable to an extent...simply because I made it out to be worse in my mind than it actually ended up being. The worst part for me was the unexpected...the removal of my catheter. Sorry to be crass folks, but that surprised the heck out of me...especially when the the nurse said, "This won't hurt a bit."
Click to expand...

It shouldn't have. :confused:
 
I'll refrain from answering anything about the question. You all don't want to know my experiences.
 
Welcome home and to this side of the mountain. For me, I didn't have any bad experiences with the operation itself. In fact I was totally surprised at just how "not bad" the surgical/hospital experience was. The worse part for me was the recovery...I had a few bumps after I got home (which included returning to the hospital for a surgical drain and another weeks stay) and it seemed so slow before I felt back to my old self.
 
Hi,
So glad that you are home, i must be one of the lucky ones i do not remember anything about been in ICU or HDU.When i did finally woke up all i had left in me where the pacing wires, when they took them out was a bit sore but all i really felt was pulling. I think the worse time for me like many others was before the operation and not knowing what to expect, i had my self dead and buried LOL.
JUst take things easy now your home and dont over do it.
Take Care
Jane
 
The waiting, that was the worst part. I'd say the second was getting sick and throwing up due to a bad case of thrush caused from the breathing tube only 3 days after surgery. THAT HURT!!!!!
 
Glad you are on the otherside of the cardiac ohs mountain. I agree with the many posts about prior anixety as I prayed for direction since I had to make decisions about where to have surgery and what valve. God led me to the exact best place, gave me strength to go through the surgery and not really have much problem at the hospital other than never getting any SLEEP(I require 8 consecutive hrs). I was awoken in the night for chest x-rays on another floor in the hospital and basically had stuff done to me every 3-4 hrs.! The 2nd worst thing when I got home: being impacted; going into afib 2x and then having anxiety that produced palpatations and higher bp. After being on a 24hr and a 48 hr heart monitor, it was determined to keep me on meds for the irregular beats. Then when I just saw the electrocardiophysiologist, he said to see a psychologist since my aniexty level was the problem and that I would be ok(normal post op stuff) so that made me feel so much better and now the hard beating has subsided. I am also going on a 30 day event monitor to document any further events and to be able to get off meds.
 
I have yet to see anyone mention either of the two worst things for me.

1. Waking up after surgery, just as they were moving me into the ICU bed. I don't think I'd been given any pain meds, yet, since I don't think they expected me to wake that early. On the "0-10 pain scale," that was about a 20 or 25!

2. Post-op delirium, aka ICU psychosis. The docs think it was brought on by a combo of sleep deprivation, pain, anesthesia, morphine, and ambien (trying to sleep). I was ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that I was dying and my DH and the docs were just letting it happen so they could "part me out"! I wish someone had warned me that sometimes, your head screws with itself post-op.

I feel sooo much better, post-op, now that I'm pretty much healed. I'm praying for you to have an easy, speedy recover, too.

Marcia
 
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Congratulations on making it home!

I remember the worst part about OHS was when they were removing the breathing tube.

At the time, I was heavily sedated and I felt like I was in the science fiction film, Alien. Somehow, I was convinced that I was Ridley Scott and that an monster was bursting out of my chest. I was very distressed and the medical staff had to knock me out again for several hours.

Oh well, it was great entertainment for the ICU staff when I told them afterwards the reason why I panicked was because I had halucinated a scary scene from Aliens.

Regards,

Liz
 
honestly...the worst thing about everything for me...the diabetic diet they put me on after the surgery. They had me on insilin for the first 3 days after surgery...and the whole no suger thing really sucked for me. Other then that, not being able to sleep on my side hurt my neck a bit. The pulling of the tubes and everything, wasn't so bad...it was quick, and I hardly remember it.
 
Welcome home ----

War Stories what fun---

The worst for me was fluid in my throat while intubated, here I had made it through surgery and I was going to be taken out because the suction thingy was not working right.

After having my hands tied down after other surgeries ? I started kicking my feet to let them know I was back just 20 min after the surgery completed ? they were still getting my first X-Ray (that hurt as they rolled me from side to side ? I had almost forgotten about that.)

My sister came in with my husband and pastor for that first visit ? she knows finger-spelling for the deaf and I do as well, so while intubated I was able to let them know what was going on with me. It was wonderful to be able to communicate.
 
Ann, I did a little finger spelling, too. I was intubated and trying to make a joke about the name on the intern's nametag. My BIL thought I was trying to say I was having chest pain, so I finger-spelled "L-O-L" and my son said, "LOL! Mom's making a joke!"
 
the worst thing for me was the breathing and chest tube coming out. Then I had a nurse that would trip over my chest tube. I could kill her.

i am glad that you are home and that surgery went well.
 
The worst for me was when I barfed with the breathing tube still in place.:( That and the pain just went out of control toward the first morning after, while still in ICU. A nice Doctor switched me to Dilauidid, and upped the dosage on my pain pump. Then all was fine :D The ICU staff was calling me "the model patient" because I wasn't grabbing at the breathing tube I guess. I heard them tell several patients "not to touch it again or we will have to tie your hands down". Actually, I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but then again I had the robotic repair.
I have to add that while I did participate in this thread, I really don't think these types of threads should be here. They could terrorize someone to hysteria. Just my .02$
 
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It has been awhile since my operation, but I do not recall having significant pain. I don't remember needing pain killers. Of course, my memory may not be correct.

The biggest discomfort were all the tubes going in and out of my body
 
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