Surgery in 3 days

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R

Ron K

Hi everyone,

The last six weeks have been very anxiety provoking, to say the least. However, everything has progressed according to plan and I am set to go into the hospital on Monday morning for a heart catherization. I'll be kept there overnight. The mitrial valve repair and aortic valve replacement will be done on Tuesday.

All the pre-op testing went fine and the catherization is to be sure that no coronary arteries are clogged, although I've never had any indication of any problems with the arteries. The surgeon said he just didn't want any surprises when he opened my chest. However, if there is any problem, he'll take care of that too while he's in there.

My support system is in place. My family has been great and they will all be with me during the first few days. My neighbors will take care of my dog, watch the house, etc. while we're away, and many of my friends and my church family will be praying for me. This all means so much to me right now.

I've found comfort in the recent reports about other forum members that have been through the surgery very recently. Everyone seems to be do pretty well, except for some problems that seem to be related to the the various drugs administered and the trauma that the body has to go through. I hope I'm not mentally impaired for too long. I have enough "senior moments" now.

I'll ask one of my family members to post an update when I get to the other side of the mountain.

Thanks, Hank, for making this resource available for those of us who need the information available here.
 
Surgery

Surgery

Hi Ron,
Just wanted to let you know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers as you face your surgery.
I have read many of your posts and you seem such a focused person. you will do just great, soon you will be back sharing your thoughts with us.

I am almost 8 weeks post op AVR and to be truthful the surgery and recovery were nowhere near as bad as I imagined, I feel so much better, and I am certain you will feel the same.

Be Brave Be Strong all your friends will be thinking of you and your family

Kind Thoughts to you and your Family

Jan
 
Ron,

Wishing you the best as your time for surgery comes near. You'll be in my thoughts on Tuesday, which is two weeks to the day prior to my surgery.

I'm on the mountain road right behind you.

Chris.
 
Sounds like you have all your ducks lined up properly. So when you go in you can rest easy knowing all outside your room is going well. Others will take care of the inside of the room. My last waking moment was that they had said it is cold in the OR but they had heated sheets waiting for me and in my sleepy mind I felt the warmth of those sheets enclosing me and it was sooo comforting - next thing I knew it was all done. Will be thinking of you and hoping for warm sheets, too. God bless
 
Hi Ron,

Just to let you know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers. Wishing you a very successful surgery and a full and healthy recovery.

It does take awhile to recover. We do have to take a few extra drugs for the first few weeks after surgery, and the effects are sometimes unpleasant, but soon, they take you off them, and you are only left with a few that you have to take. You will feel better every day as you progress from surgery. So, be patient, let the healing take its course.

God bless,

Rob
 
Hi Ron-

Your date is almost here. You'll soon be feeling better and after surgery, each day will bring some improvement. This surgery is truly miraculous. Fixing up the heart-who would have ever guessed that it was possible? We live in wonderful times, medically.

I wish you a terrific surgical result, we'll all be here waiting to hear how things went. I hope someone can post for you.

Bon voyage, smooth sailing.
 
Hi Ron,

I will keep you in my thought and prayers Tuesday. Sounds like you took care of everything. Now let the surgeon and hospital take care of you. I'm with Hensylee. It was so cold being wheeled to surgery. Once I was there there, they put those nice heated sheets on me and thats all I remember until it was all over with.

You will feel a lot better after you have healed from surgery. It will take time, but it's well worth it. Meet you on the other side!
 
Ron - just a good night to ya and a last minute wish for your speedy recovery. Guess you'll be headin out in the morning to step into the line toward the mountain. Many hands are touching yours so don't forget that. My prayers are yours. Till we meet again - Godspeed
 
Ron

Ron

I welcome you with open arms. It is great that you have a great support system with your family and friends. I tis good to be prepared. And as for suprises, it is good be throughly checked. And anything can happen but not as bad nowadays. I had mine back in September, two day after the attack on America and am doing better. I just have my bad days, but mostly good days. be brave and you will be fine. Any question you have, ask here. You are in good company and come in when you are feeling better. And keep us updated. You take care.


Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve
 
Ron - Just wanted to wish you the best. I know you may have already left to get the cath, however I want you to know that I will pray for you and will be thinking about you on Tuesday.
 
Ron,
Just want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. i know you've already left for your cath. The hardest part is over. Good luck.
Getz
 
Just wanted to add my best wishes for a successful op and a speedy recovery from surgery,and that you get back home soon
love debs
 
Good Luck Ron! Sorry I saw your post after you've left, but will look forward to updates on the "Post Surgery" side!

--Johnny
 
This is Ron K's daughter Dotty.

Dad's surgery went well, he got the bovine valve he wanted, and he's recovering well. I'm printing out your well-wishes for hand-delivery when I visit Dad tomorrow, and have posted a full update on the post-op forum.

Thanks for your support,
Dotty
 
Dotty,
Thanks for keeping us informed of your father's situation. Please let him know that we are very hapy to learn of his successful surgery and wish him a speedy recovery. Tell him not to push it too much coming back. The better you do, the less attention you receive from the nurses. Take care and congratulations.
Getz
 
Could be better

Could be better

This is Ron K.'s son. Dad is doing great physically 2 days after surgery. Surgery went great on Tuesday morning--best possible scenario. He had the breathing tubes, chest tubes, and most of the IV s out by the next morning and was transferred from CICU to a regular cardiac care floor on Wednesday morning. He seemed good on Wednesday afternoon--no seroius pains and looked better and better. He was a little confused--mostly over time--but that was expected.
Thursday was different. He was VERY confused, even sleepier, and really making no sense. Even had some slurred speech. Of course this scarred the family and the hospital decided to take that day to give the worst care--typical understaffing and some poor quality care. The one good doctor that day reassured us that it was very likely the meds. Dad never even takes a tylenol for a headache so it appears that the Percoset really knocked him into LaLa land. They took him off all narcotics and it seemed to be helping by the end of the day--we'll see today.

Overall: Physically great, drugs may be combining with anaesthesia leftovers and pump-headedness. This should improve.
The family wanted to let everyone know that this forum has really helped Dad a lot--thank you to all.

Bill K.--Ron's son
 
Hi Bill-

Your dad's confusion is indeed probably related to Percocet. I remember very well, how Joe reacted to that and so does he. He opted off it after a couple of days because he wanted to be "in this world". It surely killed the pain though.

Just a little "funny". Our next door neighbors came to see him in the hospital when he was on that med. They chatted with him a little, his eyes were going all over the place and he was drifting in and out of sleep, plus not making much sense, slurred speech.

As they were leaving, they called me into the hall and hesitantly asked if I thought joe would ever be the same intellectually. I got a hoot out of that. I assured them that of course he would, and he's A-OK now.

Everyone who has this operation and other heavy duty surgeries can relate to what your dad is going through. They pump your body full of all kinds of things that you've never had before.

He's doing well. He'll be home soon.
 
You will know soon if its the meds. I recall, looking back, at some of the crazy thoughts I had and related them to any who would listen and probably had slurred speech, too. Remember, your dad has had MAJOR surgery and his body and mind are taking time to get back to normal which takes a time. Please keep us posted and give him my prayers. Look forward to hearing more. Is he still scheduled to maybe go home this weekend.

Dear Ron - hope today finds you up and about (well, sorta). Hang in, Heartfriend. The best is yet to be. Prayers and God bless:)
 
former UPenn patient

former UPenn patient

hi bIll thanks for keeping us informed. I am 6 weeks post op from UPenn. Dr. Schwabb was our attending doctor on the cicu. I can attest that the squeaky wheel gets all the attention (at least at UPenn) feel free to call them whenever needed. My cardio told me if you need a nurse ASAP just pull one of the leads off your chest (the telemetry machine) they come running. We would beep a nurse and 15 minutes later they might come in, we would unstick a lead and they were in our room in seconds. What room is your dad in ? I only live 15 minutes from UPenn and would like to come in and say hi, if he is up to it. Good luck, let me know.Bill (getzfixed)
**the percocet made me much sicker than anything else, I was taking motrin 600 2 days after surgery and felt much better.
 
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