open heart surgery

Yesterday I had to see my cardiologist urgently because of new symptoms following my recent triple heart bypass. It seems only an adjustment to medication is needed and surgery in 4-5 years.

He said to me, “I am not going to bill you for today because you are the unluckiest person in the world “.

He was referring to my recent open heart surgery and then recently suffering compartment syndrome. Now it’s true I had to spend an extra 2 weeks in hospital after complications with the heart surgery. And it’s true that the compartment syndrome has and still is very painful.

However, him not billing me saved me $400, that’s lucky. My heart condition was picked up in a routine exam. The first symptom is often a fatal heart attack. That’s lucky.

If my doctor had not insisted I go straight to hospital and not delay until the following morning there was a high likelihood I would have had my leg amputated. That’s lucky.

Now I am not a great believer in luck the way many people do. I learnt many years ago that the harder I worked the luckier I got. I also believe that luck is L.U.C.K - Labouring Under Correct Knowledge.

It’s been a challenging few years. Yet I am absolutely convinced I am a blessed man.

After 5 weeks of hospital I am going home. I am so excited. Home, a place where you can let your guard down, enjoy familiar settings and spend time with people who know you better than anyone else.

It still amazes me that 3 years ago I begged God to give me a fatal heart attack. When he didn’t I took matters into my own hand and attempted suicide.

Now after having major heart surgery I have been in the same hospital I was admitted to after the suicide attempt. Today I am grateful to have survived the heart surgery and grateful to be going home.

Day 5 of post surgery.

I want to try and discern ideas and tips share them with you. I can’t focus solely on being detached from the recovery journey but I don’t want to waste any opportunities to share.

I was warned that around day 5 that the “cardiac blues” would arrive. And they have. I am pretty teary today. I am in a lot of pain but fortunately the heart arrhythmia is starting to settle down. I was surprised to hear concern about my weight. I am 2 kilos heavier than pre-surgery. It certainly nothing to do with my eating as I am eating only 5 spoonfuls of food at meal time. It seems fluid retention is the issue.

What I have learnt on this journey so fa?

1. Ask for help. Doctors and nurses are great at knowing what the typical symptoms and recovery is but if we don’t speak up they are somewhat flying bad.

2. Ask questions. I have been scheduled so many new and additional drugs. Knowing what I am taking and why I need it helps me understand the process much more.

3. Don’t judge the journey on an hourly basis. The change and healing can be subtle but when you compare the days you realise that progress is happening, just not as quick or seamless as I would like.

4. Don’t discount the link between our psychology and physiology. The two are so intertwined. Both need to be cared for and demand equal attention.

I am holding my heart pillow. The pillow is essential for holding against your chest when standing up or sitting down. I have been getting the nurses, doctors, porters and cleaners to sign their names. I want to have a permanent record of the names of these people who have cared for me and ensured the surgery succeeds.

The encouragement and support from the Mighty has been incredibly comforting and appreciated.

Just a quick update. It’s been 3 days since the surgery . By all accounts it went well. One of he biggest challenges is getting the pain meds right. The doctors said the iv of drugs was making me too drowsy. Which I think is code for you were hallucinating about an apple juice alone, quite loudly it seems. The drug induced hallucinations have been very rugged. I am too weak to answer posts I am sorry,

It’s been an eventful 48 hours in my hospital stay. 2 days ago I started to get extreme pain in my hands that progressively started to progress up my arms and into my shoulders. It seemed my blood flow to these parts was becoming increasingly restricted.

The nurses and doctors tried various treatments with limited success. Today it got progressively worse so when my surgeon arrived to brief me and my family about the surgery he took the problem on and ordered an IV of heavy duty blood thinners. The relief was immediate. So grateful.

The surgeon explained my surgery has been moved up in priority because he has examined my angiogram and some of the blockages are 95% not the previously thought 80%. He explained I will be in ICU 3 days, not the previously advised 1 day.

He could not have been more gentle, kind and informative. Despite being in theatre for 16 hours he answered all our questions and assured us he has done 3500 bypass surgeries and we are in good hands. He said going to the hospital and not waiting to consult him next week as previously planned has saved my life.

I am so grateful for incredible nurses and doctors and my family who have been beside me in this up and down journey.

#Depression #Anxiety #OpenHeartSurgery #Relationships #PTSD #Hope #MentalHealth

#Depression #Anxiety #Hope #OpenHeartSurgery #PTSD #Christianity #MentalHealth

I am scheduled to see the cardiac surgeon next week to set a date for my quadruple bypass surgery. I am still in shock to get the diagnosis 2 weeks.

Last night I started experiencing serious chest pain and pain on my left extremities. So I am now in hospital and it looks like everything will be moving forward quite quickly now.

I am at peace but I might be MIA for awhile.

I am sitting in a hospital bed typing one handed. Thank God for predictive text. I had an angiogram this morning due to some shortness of breath and abnormal scans.

Seems things were more dire than anticipated. I will have to come back in a few weeks for quadruple bypass surgery. A 12 day hospital stay. The thing I am pleased about is my determination to live. It wasn’t many years ago I would have welcomed death. Those days have passed. I am glad it’s been caught early.

Sometimes surgeries can be a source of trauma but other times surgeries are life saving and well met. Do you celebrate them or let the days pass like any other?

#adultchdwarriors #AmericanHeartAssociation #CongenitalHeartCondition #CongenitalHeartDefectDisease #chdwarriors #ChronicIllness #OpenHeartSurgery #HeartTransplant #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #TranspositionOfTheGreatArteries #TetralogyOfFallot #HypoplasticLeftHeartSyndrome #RareDisease