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anutherbuddy

Active member
Joined
May 31, 2012
Messages
43
Location
San Antonio, Texas BAMC/SAMMC
We both had a good nights sleep and now we are heading off to the hospital. DH is the first on the day's docket. Dr told us last night that he would probably not arouse him until tomorrow morning due to the extent of the surgery. One of our daughters and her husband will be keeping me company today. We are ready to get this over with. Thanks for all the good wishes. I'll report back soon.
 
Good luck! The waiting is the tough part for families. You'll soon be on the other side making rehab plans. Positive vibes from Sydney Australia.
 
Good luck. You may not see this but if you do, here is one tip. I had an AVR last Wednesday morning. My wife was stuck w the anxious hanging around. I warned her that I had read on this site that the patient immediately after surgery looks really beat up. She said afterwards despite my warnings, she was stunned how tough I looked. The next day, she was amazed how much my physical appearance had improved.
 
Wishing you a smooth journey through your surgery, ICU, and recovery. Tips?: drink lots of fluids and try to work in a glass of warm prune juice. Speeds up the process! Work towards taking walks down the hospital hallways and maybe use a pedometer to mark your progress as the days turn to weeks in your journey. Look ahead! I am almost 5 months out and feeling great!
 
SCCWS said:
Good luck. You may not see this but if you do, here is one tip. I had an AVR last Wednesday morning. My wife was stuck w the anxious hanging around. I warned her that I had read on this site that the patient immediately after surgery looks really beat up. She said afterwards despite my warnings, she was stunned how tough I looked. The next day, she was amazed how much my physical appearance had improved.
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I have to agree! My daughter saw me right after surgery and was shocked and very afraid that I was not going to make it. By the end of the next day, she was so relieved to see me almost back to normal.
 
Whew - 10 1/2 hour surgery. Took a good while for him to coagulate enough to get him stabilized and into ICU - we are not sure about whether that was before or after they closed him up - doctor said one thing and the nurse another. Doctor wants to keep him sedated and intubated until sometime tomorrow morning. You're right - he looked dreadful when we got to peek in on him. I've gone to daughter's house to try to get some sleep. I hope they don't call me tonight! I just want him to rest peacefully. We are looking forward to seeing much improvement tomorrow?! Thanks for the support.

He had MVR and BVR/Benthal procedure - porcine.
 
He was in ICU for 5 nights and then in step down for 2. They day before he was going to be discharged he went into fibrillation and rapid heart rate. After 3 IVs of lopressor he was stable again and he was able to come home on Thursday. Now that he is only taking tylenol or motrin for pain he doing much better. Still has little appetite but he does eat something. His throat is still pretty sore and he starts to choke or cough pretty quickly - especially with pills. He's alarmed at how quickly he tires and how weak he is but I'm not since I study this forum so often. A bit of swelling in the ankles today for the first time but he's wearing the TED hose and keeps drinking and taking short walks. He's pretty emotional, too, but, on the forum I see that's pretty common as well. He starts sleeping in the bed but by about 3a.m. he moves to the recliner in the other room. I just try not to be too anxious about him. I thought that I would calm down after the actual surgery but now I feel like I have to watch him closely to make sure everything is ok. The fibrillation thing spooked me. He said he really couldn't tell anything was wrong. Oh well. Take one day at a time and keep breathing, right? Thanks for all the suggestions and support.
 
Thanks for the update sounds like things are going about how is expected. Its good to hear he doesnt need much for pain. Does he have a pillow r something to hug when he coughs? if not that can help with that pain.
I'm glad knowing about different things ahead of time from asking things here helped. Be sure to watch yourself too. I now how it can be easy to not get right or get enough sleep when you first bring someone you love home from surgery. Justin never had problem with fluid around the ankles, I know he doesnt have much of an appetite but a you watching his salt?
 
AnutherBuddy. you know with the recliner, it just helps in getting more sleep. It is weird to do it, but it helps not having to back into bed and for him, not to disturb you. He will be over that part soon enough. I was doing the bed-recliner for about three weeks. My brother was with for the first week and he would watch me go to sleep in recliner. I explained to him it was easier than going thru the routine of getting back to bed. He will be fine, just tell him to let his body heal and it will tell him when it is ready to do other regular things. Just take it one day at a time. He will be better soon.:D
 
Praying for great recovery for him and rest for you. I am 2 and 1/2 weeks from OHS to replace aortic valve due to stenosis. The recliner is still my best friend. I hate it! LOL...and want to lie in my bed sooo much, BUT the getting up is the problem for me. My bed is really high, and it's hard to get my feet on the floor to get up. Last year I broke my shoulder and had to use the recliner then also, so I knew it was coming again. They had it in the bedroom when I came home. Hopefully within the next week or so I will be healed enough to get in/out of the bed. I sure hope he will be patient and know that it is going to get better. God bless you both and prayers being sent your way.
Try to get some rest while he is resting and take good care of yourself. I worry more about my dear husband than I do myself.
 
DH is improving a little bit every day! Walking now 9 minutes 2 times/day - gets kind of light headed the last minute or so, but rests and breathes and makes it back to his best friend, the recliner. He starts the night in bed but gets up a couple of hours later to go to the recliner because he's a side sleeper and is tempted to roll over. Our bed is really high, too, but he's over 6 ft tall so he can manage it. I have to have a running start to get onto it. haha! Why are the nights so much harder for us? He says he can feel his heart beat and tries to take his pulse all the time but can't see a clock in the dark so he really can't do it without getting out of bed. I'm so worried about him going into fibrillation or something that I have a hard time sleeping. He gets up because he needs to change position and I wake up and can't go back to sleep. During the day I'm not so anxious but at night we seem to have time to think about all of it.
 
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