Dad
Surgery was yesterday. It was complicated–more complicated than they had anticipated–but it went well. It took 6 hours; they ended up replacing one valve and also having to repair the other. There was an area of his heart beneath the aortic valve that was constricted, so they actually removed some tissue to open up the space. They decided while they were there to leave the aorta alone. Although it is big, it is not stretched thin. The surgeon didn’t have anything bad to report, but he wasn’t exactly reassuring. I guess that’s not his job.
The nurses in the CSICU, however, are very optimistic. Dad is not bleeding and he came out of the anesthesia pretty well. The first 12 hours after surgery can be dicey, but he did fine. They had to slowly warm up his body to normal temps: during surgery they made him cold. That really creeped me out.
We saw him about 45 minutes after surgery, with the ventilator and the tubes and everything. He looked like hell, but everyone said cardiac surgery patients always look like that. Mom and I went home after that, at about 4:30 yesterday afternoon.
We have just returned from visiting him this morning. They’ve removed the ventilator and he was awake and able to talk. His brain is working fine. I can tell he is hurting, and while we were there they gave him a pain pill. Does that mean he’s off the morphine drip? We are supposed to limit our visits to 10 to 15 minutes at a time. I’ll be going back again later today or this evening. I took photos of his grandsons for him to look at. They are moving him today out of the post-op ICU room and into a regular ICU room with a TV, so he’ll have that distraction. My brother will be seeing him later today, too.
Dad will be in CSICU for another two whole days. Then they’ll move him to a PCU room, which is more like a regular private room. They will be getting him out of bed and walking every four hours around the clock from about this point on. They are also monitoring his blood sugar levels very closely because there is a major correlation between reasonable blood sugar and good healing.
I am relieved, but still tense and anxious. I won’t be happy until I see him with all the tubes out of him.
October 30, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Sending you and family love….and a big hug~
October 30, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I’m glad to hear that your father is recovering well and will continue sending healing, healthy thoughts his way.
Much love to your dad, mom, your hubby, your boys, and last but not least, You.
October 30, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I’m so glad the surgery went well. I can imagine how harrowing this must be for you. Sending healing thoughs for your dad and supportive thoughts for you.
October 30, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I’m glad he came through and is on the road to recovery. Much love and many hugs to you.
October 30, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I;m proud of you for staying strong
October 30, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Glad to hear he made it through in what sounds like a very strong fashion. Big love to you and the family! *muah*