The Open Heart Surgery Story

Brian had his surgery Thursday 3/4. I said, "See ya later at about 12p." Brian told his surgeon, Dr. Tsen, that he wanted a biologic valve and a bovine if possible. They gave us a pager to tell us when he was out of surgery. My mother in law, Nadine, the kids and I went up to Forest Park to eat lunch and go hiking. Macey fell asleep on the way up there. Elliott and I went hiking. Nadine napped in the car with Macey. The pager is only supposed to work in the hospital but it went off at 2p about an hour after Brian's surgery was suppose to start. Nadine tried to call the volunteers but they wouldn't/couldn't give out any information. We sped down the hill to Good Sam with all kinds of morbid thoughts running through our heads. It turns out that Dr. Tsen just wanted to let us know that he'd started surgery late. Dr. Tsen came to talk to me at about 4p. He said that everything went well and Brian got the bovine valve he wanted but also that his valve was very distorted and he had some other cogential abnormalities like a vena cava on the right. We usually only have one on the left, I think. I went back to see Brian at about 6:30pm. He was still intubated with many, many lines. Nadine didn't really want to see him intubated. I stayed till about 8p. He started thrashing around several times and the nurse assumed that he was in pain and his HR went to 120's so they gave him versed and morphine. I assume this is how it went all night. I'd hoped that he'd be extubated during the night.

Nadine went to work the next day so I wasn't going to be able to visit Brian until the afternoon, since the kids are not allowed in ICU. However, I had a friend watch the kids for a few hours. They extubated Brian at about 9:30a. I saw him at about 11 and was only able to stay for 30 min. He had most of the lines out and more coming out. He said, "I can't," when asked to push his pain button or really do anything including opening his eyes. I was orienting him to the day and time and said, "It's Friday, March, 5." He said, "April." Classic Zoe and Brian. He was in tears by the time I left and they gave him some Toradol (sp?). I came back at about 2:30p. He really wasn't much different except no more tears. The next day I had to work and Nadine had the kids so Brian didn't get much company till I got off work. They were working on transferring him to the floor but were taking forever because I think the RN didn't want to take any APL. Brian was the last person left in the pod. He ate a little chicken noodle soup before he left. He was starting to wake up at this point but by the time he was ready to get in the wheelchair he was suddenly very sleepy. He got up to 4W and immediately passed out.

Sunday I planned a little birthday party for Elliott and Macey and they had fun but my brother never showed. Again poor Brian didn't get much company but at least he was able to talk on the phone better at this point. I finally got over to the hospital late in the afternoon. Brian took a little walk around the unit. I brought some of the food from Mai and an RN friend made, which Brian couldn't eat much of. The next day Brian said they would likely discharge him. I guess they came by at 6:45a and he was really sleepy and were reconsidering discharge. Brian had had several doses of Oxycodone that night. He was doing better by the time I got there, about. We discussed it and he felt like he could go home. He still had an upset stomach and couldn't eat much but was getting tired of regular TV. So we left at about 2p. I went to get the prescription after he got into the car. He was not in pain. They said it would 30 min. However, the PA forgot to put durations on the medications so it took another 40 min.

Later we discovered that they had mixed up the lasix and oxycodone. Fortunately, Brian was not taking much Oxycodone. I had him put his meds in a organizer and blamed his pain medications on the mix-up but it was actually the pharmacy in too much of a hurry. I am glad Brian figured it out pretty quickly. He had a lot of heartburn, nausea, and stomach pain for the next 2-3 days. After a few calls to the doctor and couple of trips to the store for overcounter meds, he started feeling much better and was finally able to eat some food.

He has been able to hang out in the basement and rest most of the day with occasional trips up stairs. He gets pretty short of breath coming up the stairs but recovers quickly. He played with the kids outside Friday and has been spending a little more time upstairs the last couple of days. He has also been a more sore with more chest pain, which I think he thinks is odd because the chest pain really only causes him discomfort when he is trying to sleep. I think he has just over done it a bit in the last couple of days. His incision looks very good, the bruising is way down, and he is eating pretty much normally now. So here we are on the road to recovery.

Valve Replacement

On April 3rd at 11a Brian will be heading to the Hospital for open heart surgery to have his defective Aortic valve replaced. We had a good long talk with the surgeon today. It seems he feels that the surgery is not urgent but this is a good time to get it done. He is not likely to put it off for that much longer anyway. He will not be able to lift anything over 10 lbs for 8 weeks. Wow, that is a long time. The kids are going to have big adjustment with this. He also won't be able to drive for 4 weeks. He will probably be in the hospital for 3-5 days. I hope closer to the 3 days. He is also going to have an oblation to eliminate his A-fib. The whole surgery is going to take 4 hours. This is just a little crazy. He is worried but glad to a least have a date now and know for sure what is going to happen. Brian has decided with a little encouragement from me to go with the biologic heart valve. He could get a mechanical valve that would like last forever but he would need anticoagulants forever too and the risk of stroke or excessive bleeding is 1-2 percent a year. He does not have to worry about the biologic valve for about 15 years may be more. Also the surgeon did not seem too worried about doing another surgery down the line. He could still change to a mechanical valve at that time.

So I did weigh-in today. Yea!!!! 160 lbs. I get to use my Starbucks Gift cards this weekend. Ok, 150 and 140 here I come. I need to get running this week. I need to look at my 150 reward. I forgot what it is.

Wednesday Weigh in

So Brian still has 5 days before his appointment with the Cardiothoracic surgeon. I think he has realized that having the surgery soon rather than later will be beneficial. There are too many risk factors with delaying the surgery. He is nervous but doing ok. The kids were sick the first part of the week and then gave it to me. I had to work because I don't want to lose any time off with Brian likely needing surgery soon. Macey had her eyes checked because I wanted to make sure that she doesn't have any lazy eye or serious problems with that droopy eyelid. The doctor said she has a "prescription" but her eyes are working well together and wants to check her in another year.

So I weighed in at 161 lbs. I have been too busy to post but my mantra all week has been 2 lbs 'cause thats my goal to use my Starbucks gift cards. I want to go buy some cups. I think, I can lose that other lb this week but I had been eating like crazy for about 2 weeks before my period. I was so hungry and wanted to eat everything in sight. Thankfully, thats over but I still get really hungry in the evening when I get home and end up eating too much. My ultimate goal is still 140 lbs and thats a long way off at this rate.

Heart Update

Brian went to his cardiologist Tuesday.  His cardiologist said he was worried about his heart at this point.  So now Brian has to wait until March 12th to see the Cardiac Surgeon.  Fun stuff I tell you.  He is very worried about surgery.  I told him also that not having surgery could be more dangerous so sooner may be better.  He was hoping the Surgeon would hold off till June, which I doubt.  I am thinking it will happen in the next 1-2 months.  His cardiologist also stated that this heart condition tends to act in a bell curve and decline quickly once it starts down that slope.  If he delays surgery too long he is at risk of congestive heart failure, which could cause irreversible heart damage.   He also has intermittent symptoms of A-fib, which puts him at risk of stroke.  I have heard really great things about the Cardiac Surgeon from his Cardiologist and from Cardiac Rehab nurses who are really know about this stuff.  People at work have been very supportive.  We are also hoping that he can have the minimally invasive surgery so that he can heal as soon as possible.  I know that he would have lifting restrictions for 6 weeks with the full open heart surgery and no driving for at least 4 weeks too.  I don't know the restrictions for the "Mini."  I would likely only be able to take off about 3 weeks with vacation.  Macey and Elliott would have to learn that Daddy can hug them if they fall but he can not pick them up.  They would also have to learn to do more things on there own or wait till Mama gets home.   I think they will adapt fine.   Kids are pretty good at that.

Heart Trouble after V'day

Sometimes life is not all about me.
Brian is a little stressed out right now. For anyone who cares and doesn't know, he has a bicuspid aortic heart valve. Everyone is supposed to have 3 and 2 just doesn't work quite right. You can live with this problem for quite a while but eventually you need a heart valve replacement. He had a recent Echo and he won't know the results until his appointment next week, Tuesday. He is stressed that he will need open heart surgery soon. He also has to decide if he wants a mechanical valve and be on blood thinners the rest of his life or have a bovine or pig valve which will likely require replacement in 10-15 years. He will also be on lifting restrictions for 6 weeks in which he can't lift either of the children. All this is still up in the air until his appointment on Tuesday.

Ok, now about me.
Weigh in Today
162 lbs

This is not too surprising really. I have NOT been pigging out on anything and have been very moderate in my diet but still have to be really strict to lose weight. This is so frustrating because now it's down to the little things I have to pay close attention too. This is hard for me.
Some areas to work on:
NF milk - I've been using 2% in my coffee
Not eating any of the kids left overs
Not eating as much dinner
Eating less on the weekends especially PB and big breakfasts
Eating less snacks around the hospital even just 1-2 little chocolates or sm pc cake at lunch
Try writting down exactlly what I eat as I go so I know the little things to cut back on

This seems a little strict but I am going to work very hard at this. I really don't want to get stuck at 162 lbs. I'll never get to use my Starbucks Gift Certificates, if don't get to 160 at least and that is still 20 lbs from the ultimate goal of 140 lbs. 140 is going to be super tough but I am still going to try.