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My mom's going in for triple bypass surgery tomorrow...
- Thread starter Renzatic
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I'll save that for later. For now, I think the best thing for me will be a big ole glass of going the hell to sleep.
@Renzatic , I'm happy to hear everything went swimmingly. Hah, the 5 hour stress test, I like it. It sounds like something more urgent cropped up and might have bumped your mother down the line. That could be seen as a GOOD thing
(At least they didn't have her climb onto the operating room table herself (but my story is one for another time))
Anyways, I hope things continue to improve. Best wishes to your mother. Get some rest now.
Woah woah woah woah. That 'something'/"glass" better be nothing more than a glass of red wine. Did we not just talk about lifestyle changes for improving cardiovascular health?
Ok... This might be a fair exception.'
(At least they didn't have her climb onto the operating room table herself
(but my story is one for another time))Anyways, I hope things continue to improve. Best wishes to your mother. Get some rest now.
I'll save that for later. For now, I think the best thing for me will be a big ole glass of going the hell to sleep.
Woah woah woah woah. That 'something'/"glass" better be nothing more than a glass of red wine. Did we not just talk about lifestyle changes for improving cardiovascular health?
Ok... This might be a fair exception.
'
Whew. Still haven't felt like I've had enough. But eh, I'm good. I'll just take a VERY long nap when I get home from the hospital today.
But more good news! I called the ICU nurse, and she told me mom's off the ventilator, and is now able to hobble around a bit and snark off. Apparently everything's looking great. The only issue is that she's still on the temporary pacemaker, since her heartbeat is a little lower than what they'd want, but they're treating this as only a minor concern. Everything else is performing up to code.
Woah woah woah woah. That 'something'/"glass" better be nothing more than a glass of red wine. Did we not just talk about lifestyle changes for improving cardiovascular health?
Ok... This might be a fair exception.
Red wine? Ha! Once everything is stabilized, I'm going straight for a bottle of Jack, and not looking back.
Whew. Still haven't felt like I've had enough. But eh, I'm good. I'll just take a VERY long nap when I get home from the hospital today.
But more good news! I called the ICU nurse, and she told me mom's off the ventilator, and is now able to hobble around a bit and snark off. Apparently everything's looking great. The only issue is that she's still on the temporary pacemaker, since her heartbeat is a little lower than what they'd want, but they're treating this as only a minor concern. Everything else is performing up to code.
Red wine? Ha! Once everything is stabilized, I'm going straight for a bottle of Jack, and not looking back.
Smooth red wine, a classic, say, Ripasso, would seem to be in order……
Enjoy your Jack (wouldn't be my tipple of choice, but, hey, variety is is what makes the world an interesting place). More to the point, enjoy your nap, when you get to be able to crash into oblivion without conscience.
Above all, very glad to hear your mother has recovered sufficiently well to be able to 'snark off'. That is clearly a very good sign that she is rapidly coming back to herself.
Whew. Still haven't felt like I've had enough. But eh, I'm good. I'll just take a VERY long nap when I get home from the hospital today.
But more good news! I called the ICU nurse, and she told me mom's off the ventilator, and is now able to hobble around a bit and snark off. Apparently everything's looking great. The only issue is that she's still on the temporary pacemaker, since her heartbeat is a little lower than what they'd want, but they're treating this as only a minor concern. Everything else is performing up to code.
Red wine? Ha! Once everything is stabilized, I'm going straight for a bottle of Jack, and not looking back.
Hobbling and snarking sounds good! Post surgical bradycardia is pretty normal and said to be caused by the swelling/inflammation of the heart affected the AV node signals. Something like 97% of people with bypass surgeries (as a whole, not taking into consideration other factors) do not require permanent pacemakers.
Great to hear she's doing well and the hospital tag is so optimistic. Also, glad to see you're recovering yourself.
Ours is a sarcastic family, from my great-uncles on down. It's a small wonder none of us have been shot yet.
I just got back from the hospital about 20 minutes ago. This marks the first time I've seen her in the ICU, since I had to leave shortly before they finished the surgery. I have to say, it was sobering. Her vitals look good, and she's now sitting up in a recliner, but it's very obvious she's having no fun whatsoever.
The doctors said that the healing process is fairly quick, and she'll feel much better a couple days from now. But at the moment, you can practically see the pain wafting off her in waves. It's a rough thing to witness.
Well, I'm just back from a visit to the Private Clinic (private hospital) with my mother where she has had a vascular scan & examination (a machine takes 3-D imaging of her arteries), and we have a follow-up consultation with the consultant this coming Monday to discuss the results of today's scan.
If you mother is in a recliner, and able to be snarky, this is a very good sign. It is good to see that mental resilience has returned with a vengeance.
And I don't doubt that the healing process will be rapid - and path to recovery - positive and progressive; these days, the prognosis after cardiac surgery is excellent.
But yes, it is rough to witness, and unsettling, too, because the traditional roles have been, or are, inverted. She is the patient, and you have become the supporting cast offering the proverbial shoulder and much more.
Today, in the private hospital, while we were waiting, my mother was waving happily at me when she caught my eye, and beaming that I was there. To her, I represented safety and security. Needless to say, that is not how it used to be when I was a child...
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It is hard. I've visited close family in hospice care. It is very hard.
But this is different, and her recovery seems to be coming along at a nice pace.
I'm still sending the good juju.
The snarkiness is disconcertingly low key at the moment, but it is there. Hope still remains.
Though from what I heard from the nurses, she is managing to drive people crazy in other ways. Not even 15 minutes after they took her off the ventilator, they were sitting at the station, and saw that her pulse had dropped to near zero. They panicked, and rushed into her room, only to see that she had jostled the monitoring equipment loose when she went to sit up on the side of the bed.
And speaking of role reversals, I have to do mom's job, and go to the store for dad. I'd let him do it, but I know it'll end up the same way it always does when he goes shopping. No matter what he has to get, he'll come back with two dozen doughnuts, a bag of beef jerky, and nothing else.
...my assistance is needed.
Oh, dear.
Yes, the role reversal stuff is tough. And, psychologically, pretty hard to handle. Sounds as though your father would prefer not to learn to shop!
I remember my dad after his by-pass; the ICU period was no problem - he was an excellent patient - but he found some of the other patients a bit of a trial when he was in step-down, stuff about inconsiderate, ill-mannered, individuals hogging access to the remote control for the TV and insisting on having the volume up at an uncomfortably loud level.
Don't worry, the snarkiness will return, probably the very minute whatever drug they have been given to speed them out of the hospital wears off and they are safe at home. Then, the inner demons are - or, will be - unleashed with a vengeance.
Remember, too, they are in a strange environment and a frightening one - for, despite the fact that cardiac surgery is very accomplished nowadays, it is no small thing to be cut open and have the functions of your vital organs suspended while their medical problems are attended to - this is a shockingly invasive procedure.
And the fact that they are in a strange environment, reliant on others to do everything - feed them, clean them, operate on them, - means that they will - for the most part - watch their manners. Besides, they probably come from that generation that was brought up to be polite in public, and - of equal importance - to show respect and deference to medical professionals.
However, all of that will be rapidly discarded the minute the front door shuts behind them, and they are safely ensconced at home.
Trust me, 'disconcertingly low key' snarkiness will dissolve in the proverbial heart beat once they are home. Then, the source of the disconcertion will not be the fact that the snarkiness is low-key, but, rather, how sustained it is and - um - how emphatically it gets expressed.
(Yes, been there, done that, was gifted the t-shirt…)
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Excellent post, just the answers this young man wanted. This is why I love this forum, so many kind,caring souls.
Thank you everyone!
Some arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm) are normal after the surgery. If she didn't have a history of arrythmias prior to surgery, then there is little to worry about as the abnormal rhythms will eventually subside as the heart begins to heal after the surgery. She will only need a permanent pacemaker if she's had a history of arrhythmias like Afib.
I'm the guy that removes the Endotracheal tube (the breathing tube) from patients like your mom just hours after she is brought to the CCU (cardiac care unit, the cardiac ICU) …. working as an ICU/CCU respiratory therapist.
Glad to hear it went well.
Here's a small tip: be nice to your ICU/CCU nurses (both day shift and night shift). If they seem to be doing a good job, even bring them a box of candies, snacks, pastries**, etc. Why? Because believe it or not, your mom will get better care and they will be more attentive to her needs. Yes I know it sounds like favoritism and unequal treatment. But this is human nature. It's just reality. Not only do I work with the nurses, my GF is one of them, and my mom is also a retired ICU nurse. And some of my closest coworker-friends are the nurses that I hang out with (sometimes we go out to happy hour after work, etc). I know what makes them tick. I know what makes them happy and smile at work. And I also know what makes them grumpy and what makes them pissed off at work (e.g. rude, disrespectful patients and/or their families).
** you can give small gifts like candies, box of pastries, donuts, even a box of Starbucks Traveler coffee, to hospital employees. But giving them anything more is tantamount to offering bribes/favors, and thus against the ethics policies of most hospitals.
Fascinating and no doubt very psychologically rewarding job, @Solomani, and your advice seems spot on.
In the least year of his life, my father was in and out of hospital quite a lot as his frequent brushes with death took on an almost random but surreal aspect; as it happened, he had recovered completely from his heart surgery - which I mentioned in an earlier post - but cancer - and a stroke - eventually did for him.
He had been rushed to hospital by ambulance on December 23 (2004) - as a medical emergency (his timing on such matters was always beyond awful) one of the many occasions when it was thought that he might not last the night. As beds were at a premium, as a temporary expedient, he was placed in the only mixed ward in the hospital.
This did not faze him in the slightest, he was a handsome man who was naturally gifted with charm, and chat, who thoroughly enjoyed - and actually liked - female company, and was not beyond flirting, even from his hospital bed.
Anyway, I remember his clear instructions when I went to visit him. I was to bring several boxes of Leonidas chocolates (his own personal favourites) for the nurses who worked on the ward when I returned later that day. It was Christmas, - not an easy time for anyone to have to work, they were fantastic, and he wished to show his appreciation for them. Other sweets & candies were requested for his female fellow patients (most of the males appeared to have been unconscious, from what I could see).
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Just came across your thread @Renzatic. Glad to hear you mom is doing well and that surgery went positively. In regards to after effects don't discount the mental aspect of it. When our bodies start to fail us whether it be due to age or medical issues that can also take a toll on our minds. She might have some anxiety, fear, doubt, or even depression. This is normal and the best thing you can do is just be there to listen to her and offer encouragement.
Additionally, family members and close friends might also need some time and support with processing their feelings about everything. It's scary almost losing someone you love. Let me know if I can do anything to help.
Additionally, family members and close friends might also need some time and support with processing their feelings about everything. It's scary almost losing someone you love. Let me know if I can do anything to help.
You say that like it is a bad thing.
Well, when you want something besides doughnuts or beef jerky...
The temporary pacemaker was very much that. The only question was when it would be removed, which was answered sometime last night between the 4:30 and 8:30 visitation. Her pulse and blood pressure are now in normal, healthy ranges.
The ventilator was the one thing they were most concerned about, since she smokes (or did as of last week), and has slight case of COPD. Smoking has been determined to be the primary cause of the blockages, since she's not overweight, and has this weird aversion to things with flavor. COLLARD GREENS ALL DAY EVERY DAY 24/7!
I hate collard greens.
...though now we're all eying dad suspiciously. His diet consists primarily of Crisco and chocolate.
Already done with the nurses in the patient wards twice. Both my dad and I have brought Krispy Kreme mix 'n match boxes for them on two separate occasions.
The hardest part was getting them to their intended destination. It seems when you walk into a hospital with pastries, every nurse, technician, and doctor in the area automatically starts flocking towards you, all shouting "are those for me? HEY THANKS" in unison.
Our healthcare professionals need to be fed better, I think.
Well, when you want something besides doughnuts or beef jerky...
The temporary pacemaker was very much that. The only question was when it would be removed, which was answered sometime last night between the 4:30 and 8:30 visitation. Her pulse and blood pressure are now in normal, healthy ranges.
The ventilator was the one thing they were most concerned about, since she smokes (or did as of last week), and has slight case of COPD. Smoking has been determined to be the primary cause of the blockages, since she's not overweight, and has this weird aversion to things with flavor. COLLARD GREENS ALL DAY EVERY DAY 24/7!
I hate collard greens.
...though now we're all eying dad suspiciously. His diet consists primarily of Crisco and chocolate.
Already done with the nurses in the patient wards twice. Both my dad and I have brought Krispy Kreme mix 'n match boxes for them on two separate occasions.
The hardest part was getting them to their intended destination. It seems when you walk into a hospital with pastries, every nurse, technician, and doctor in the area automatically starts flocking towards you, all shouting "are those for me? HEY THANKS" in unison.
Our healthcare professionals need to be fed better, I think.
The nurses' station on that floor, or nearest the ward, is the place to go. And request that these chocolates are reserved for the nursing staff who work on Ward X.
But @Solomani is quite right when he observes that polite, and mannerly patients are really liked - and hence, very well treated.
My father was adored by the nurses - and not just for the chocolates, or his banter and good looks and gracious manners. He was an excellent patient, polite and uncomplaining. Actually, over time, I lost count of how many who told me 'oh, he's such a lovely man', or 'oh, he's a an absolute dote' when I'd ask after him medically. Some of them cried when he died.
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ICUs, CCUs, and the like are highly challenging environments. Patients are more acutely ill, and the variety of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments is far greater than anywhere else in the hospital. The complexity of therapeutic and diagnostic instruments has also increased tremendously. Time was, it was just an IV, ventilator, and cardiac/vital sign monitoring - now, it's that plus ventricular assist devices, ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), and other equipment, each with unique methods for generating alerts.
Managing all this are people, be they nurses, respiratory technicians, physicians, or other caregivers. That's why so much effort these days is placed on team organization and other factors that affect how people work.
At the center of it all is the patient. Dr. Don Berwick, former head of CMS in the U.S., explained it better than I can in a 2009 address in Berlin.
The critical care setting is particularly frightening because it removes control and makes patients so highly dependent. Fortunately, progress has been made since then. A leading watchword in all medical care these days is so-called patient-centeredness, in which everything that is done (or not done) is focused on the patient's needs, not the needs of the facility or the people who work there.
Managing all this are people, be they nurses, respiratory technicians, physicians, or other caregivers. That's why so much effort these days is placed on team organization and other factors that affect how people work.
At the center of it all is the patient. Dr. Don Berwick, former head of CMS in the U.S., explained it better than I can in a 2009 address in Berlin.
The critical care setting is particularly frightening because it removes control and makes patients so highly dependent. Fortunately, progress has been made since then. A leading watchword in all medical care these days is so-called patient-centeredness, in which everything that is done (or not done) is focused on the patient's needs, not the needs of the facility or the people who work there.
The good news regarding the ICU is that mom is no longer in there. They put her into a room yesterday around 4PM. I'd post a long, detailed update, but I'm so tired at the moment, I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I'm home for the moment, and I want to go to bed without having to worry about a nurse popping in every hour on the hour shouting HEEEYYY, HOW YOU DOING, DON'T MIND ME, I'M JUST HERE TO CHECK YOUR VITALS.
Her demeanor and energy have improved tremendously since Thursday, and is more like her normal self again. She still has the one tube in her chest, and is still on a portable oxygen box, but they're both expected to be removed sometime today. She's moving around quite a bit, even if it is only between the bed and the bathroom, without any assistance from a nurse of a walker. She even went so far as to pick up and carry the two boxes the tubes are run into before realizing "maybe I shouldn't do that". She's still in a bit of pain, and she does get nauseated occasionally, but it's nowhere near as severe as it was just the day before.
From my perspective, the recovery process is speeding along faster than I expected. She's expected to be out of the hospital Monday at the very latest, though Sunday is looking far more likely.
...but she is going to ask if she can be checked out today.
The family's one concern is that there is no therapy scheduled after the fact. Just a list of exercises, and weekly and/or biweekly visits to the hospital. This seems to fly in the face of everything I've read here, and heard elsewhere. I guess we'll find out why later.
Her demeanor and energy have improved tremendously since Thursday, and is more like her normal self again. She still has the one tube in her chest, and is still on a portable oxygen box, but they're both expected to be removed sometime today. She's moving around quite a bit, even if it is only between the bed and the bathroom, without any assistance from a nurse of a walker. She even went so far as to pick up and carry the two boxes the tubes are run into before realizing "maybe I shouldn't do that". She's still in a bit of pain, and she does get nauseated occasionally, but it's nowhere near as severe as it was just the day before.
From my perspective, the recovery process is speeding along faster than I expected. She's expected to be out of the hospital Monday at the very latest, though Sunday is looking far more likely.
...but she is going to ask if she can be checked out today.
The family's one concern is that there is no therapy scheduled after the fact. Just a list of exercises, and weekly and/or biweekly visits to the hospital. This seems to fly in the face of everything I've read here, and heard elsewhere. I guess we'll find out why later.