N
Nugrandma1
Hi, well new here found this yesterday with a search. My husband had his aortic valve replaced Monday at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA by Dr. Christina Willimason in their new surgical wing. Everything went perfectly according to them, and he's on his way to recovery.
Now, for the nitty gritty.....he's very very scared. We knew the valve at sometime in his life need to be replaced. Every year he has a few tests to determine it. So when he started feeling poorly in January, we set up his annual physical. In early Feb. he was "let go" from work. A forced retirement with a fairly good package. We kept the insurance of course with COBRA, it's expensive but worth it for sure. His blood tests came back with his thyroid not working at all, so they put him on meds for that. He felt a bit better but not all the way.
So in March they did the echocardiagram, and found his valve was not doing well, and he needed a replacement valve.
They wanted him to get his thyroid under control and scheduled the surgery for Monday July 14th.
We were of course scared but determined to take it one day at a time. He had to quit smoking for at least four weeks. which he did.
Surgery was fine, spent all day at the hospital, I am lucky it's only 20 minutes from our house. And all our doctors are there. It's a full service diagnostic hospital and has an excellent reputation. Dr. Willimason did my late mothers triple by pass in 1991 so I knew and trusted her.
Well we visited hubby the night of the surgery, he was awake and was happy to see us and they took his breathing tube out. He could talk and joke around with us and the nurses. He was so happy to be alive.
Yesterday, a bit different, reality set in and he was again scared and a bit depressed (I have suggested a therapist come in to talk with him) I hope they do it. He didn't want us around. He was sitting in a chair and very uncomfortable. He's on oxygen, full face mask because of a deviated septum.
And his oxygen levels aren't the greatest. Same today with the mask. And he has no appetite which they said was normal.
He told us he asked Dr. Williamson how bad was it????Well it was bad. His valve was almost completely gone, and he was leaking blood into his chest cavity. He was very pale for a few weeks. I think that scared him worse then the surgery.
It's going to be a long process to get him back to something like normal.
He was in denial up to the day of surgery. Saying I don't really need this and that he would be up on his feet in a day or so. Well that's not the case and he's mad as hell.
Is this common with men? Well I think so. They don't like to lose control of a situation and be physically weak.
Hoping to get some answers and some support. Since both hubby and I are only children and our parents are gone, it's just him and me and our daughter her SO and our granddaughter do live with us, we have a large 2 family home. They will be most helpful with chores and other things.
I hope the hospital has support groups, they do for just about anything now.
So glad I found this forum.
Pati
Now, for the nitty gritty.....he's very very scared. We knew the valve at sometime in his life need to be replaced. Every year he has a few tests to determine it. So when he started feeling poorly in January, we set up his annual physical. In early Feb. he was "let go" from work. A forced retirement with a fairly good package. We kept the insurance of course with COBRA, it's expensive but worth it for sure. His blood tests came back with his thyroid not working at all, so they put him on meds for that. He felt a bit better but not all the way.
So in March they did the echocardiagram, and found his valve was not doing well, and he needed a replacement valve.
They wanted him to get his thyroid under control and scheduled the surgery for Monday July 14th.
We were of course scared but determined to take it one day at a time. He had to quit smoking for at least four weeks. which he did.
Surgery was fine, spent all day at the hospital, I am lucky it's only 20 minutes from our house. And all our doctors are there. It's a full service diagnostic hospital and has an excellent reputation. Dr. Willimason did my late mothers triple by pass in 1991 so I knew and trusted her.
Well we visited hubby the night of the surgery, he was awake and was happy to see us and they took his breathing tube out. He could talk and joke around with us and the nurses. He was so happy to be alive.
Yesterday, a bit different, reality set in and he was again scared and a bit depressed (I have suggested a therapist come in to talk with him) I hope they do it. He didn't want us around. He was sitting in a chair and very uncomfortable. He's on oxygen, full face mask because of a deviated septum.
And his oxygen levels aren't the greatest. Same today with the mask. And he has no appetite which they said was normal.
He told us he asked Dr. Williamson how bad was it????Well it was bad. His valve was almost completely gone, and he was leaking blood into his chest cavity. He was very pale for a few weeks. I think that scared him worse then the surgery.
It's going to be a long process to get him back to something like normal.
He was in denial up to the day of surgery. Saying I don't really need this and that he would be up on his feet in a day or so. Well that's not the case and he's mad as hell.
Is this common with men? Well I think so. They don't like to lose control of a situation and be physically weak.
Hoping to get some answers and some support. Since both hubby and I are only children and our parents are gone, it's just him and me and our daughter her SO and our granddaughter do live with us, we have a large 2 family home. They will be most helpful with chores and other things.
I hope the hospital has support groups, they do for just about anything now.
So glad I found this forum.
Pati