At the ER

The circumflex artery was the winner. It's going to be a long road, as there was no blockage, cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides are all in good order and toxicology is clean they want to keep me in house awhile and are leaning towards impatient occupational therapy during recovery.

Also, I've wondered this for years (unfortunately), but why does everything suck at the hospital except for the ice chips. The ice chips make me want fruit juice and rum, or rye. Also, I hate painkillers, puking bile after having your chest cracked is the opposite of fun. Also not being able to rotate your torso is brutal when trying to sleep. Sorry for the bitching, but I've under estimated the post surgery pain that you guys with zippers go through. 

Been over 20 years since I got a zipper but try to learn to just lay straight. took me a couple days to get used to it but being able to sleep like that has helped with subsequent events.

I don't get ice chips! You must be special. Hell, last time I didn't even get any food the first day I was in. I'm gonna try requesting ice chips next time.

Were you awake and able to watch them perform the procedure on the screen or did the cocktail people knock ya out?

In reply to NOT A TA :

Cocktail people knocked me out as I saw the tools of the trade, including the saw, come out and lines starting to be drawn. At least I think it was the cocktail that knocked me out, I may have just passed out at that point. 

I'm used to being more mobile in my suffering. This forearm, hand and feet moving only stuff is really deflating from a confidence standpoint. Being cathed also sucks. 

I find the foley a relief as I've had to self cath with 18" straight caths for the past 3 years due to prostate/bladder issues sometimes up to 3 times a day. So when I'm in the hospital I just get a foley.

Hands & feet moving is a good sign!!!

Keep the spirits high sir - you are tough enough.

Cap'n you are a tough cookie! I mean,  just reading your posts I get feeling uncomfortable can't imagine going through all that. Take care of your self and best wishes for being mobile soon.

 I got my zipper 16 months ago.  Do you have a recliner at home?  Sleeping on a flat bed was impossible for me, mostly because I'm not a back sleeper, and it was a couple of months before I could even think about sleeping on my side.  Recliner was the answer.

Keep an eye on the scabs. I had a couple of spots with fairly large ones, and they need to come off every so often.  My chest wasn't a problem, but at my knee on the donation site I had trouble.  Polysporin and a bandaid to keep them soft helped after I got infected there.

Do your breathing exercises.  Getting my lungs pumped back up was a bit painful.  I was walking a mile within a week or so post op, but I would have to remind myself to breathe deeply about fifty yards down the sidewalk.

Coughing sucks.  Sneezing is worse.  Twisting is not great. 

I'm still aware of my sternum now, but it's not painful or debilitating.  I presume it will eventually get normal.

Good luck with rehab.  You've survived the hard part...

I'll drink some rye for you since I'm sure you can't right now.  But you are right about the right ice for a good whiskey.  I've found that Ruby Tuesdays and Sonic ice is perfect.

I remember the cruelest thing about my surgery was that instead of ice chips, they gave mom a tiny paper cup with water and a "hydrator."  She was instructed to wet my lips but not give me any water.  That's just cruel.  Like dangling bacon just out of reach of your dog.

The cup was a tiny dixie cup, and the "hydrator" was a Qtip.  On the itemized hospital bill it was $5 for the cup and $15 for the "hydrator."

Dude I am so happy you're well enough to post.

I hope you feel better soon.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Thoughts and prayers for you Captain!

tuna55 said:

Dude I am so happy you're well enough to post.

THIS ^ And I meant the capital letters.  Good to hear from you.  Take it easy and get well.

Continued recovery well wishes Cap'n - I'm happy you remain with us.  Missed this somehow. I bet you wish you'd missed it too... 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I remember the cruelest thing about my surgery was that instead of ice chips, they gave mom a tiny paper cup with water and a "hydrator."  She was instructed to wet my lips but not give me any water.  That's just cruel.  Like dangling bacon just out of reach of your dog.

The cup was a tiny dixie cup, and the "hydrator" was a Qtip.  On the itemized hospital bill it was $5 for the cup and $15 for the "hydrator."

Hi Curtis73,

I'll take your post up several orders of magnitude.

August 6th will be three years since my 78 y/o mother died.  She's in the ICU reporting that she's incredibly thirsty.  My step son shows up, says he's hungry, and heads off to the cafeteria.  I ask him to grab me a diet coke while he's there.

Yep, my mom died thirsty, right in front of me while I was sucking down a diet coke.

I'm so, so sorry mom....I suck, I suck so much it's ridiculous.

In reply to RX Reven' :

There's always things in life we regret.  Sometimes it's things out of our control.  Sometimes it's within our control.  Either way the best thing to do is use it as a learning experience and not a self whipping post.  If we ever meet I owe you a hug.

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

Also not being able to rotate your torso is brutal when trying to sleep.  

...and five minutes after you finally do get to sleep, a nurse wakes you up for another temperature reading or blood sample.

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

Also, I've wondered this for years (unfortunately), but why does everything suck at the hospital except for the ice chips. The ice chips make me want fruit juice and rum, or rye. Also, I hate painkillers, puking bile after having your chest cracked is the opposite of fun. Also not being able to rotate your torso is brutal when trying to sleep. Sorry for the bitching, but I've under estimated the post surgery pain that you guys with zippers go through. 

Don't let them get too heavy on the painkillers.  I was cracked open Monday morning, by Wednesday I was on Tylenol, nothing else.  Really wasn't too bad, unless I did something stupid.

Rotate your torso.  HA!  That isn't happening for a couple of months, at least.

They've learned to trust me when I say just ice machine. My oncologist visiting helped with that. I'm still on O2, which is unnerving, and they're aware that it is to me. I was taken for a wheelchair ride this morning, got outside for about 10 minutes and met with a social worker about some potential future steps. 

I've started reading some threads and watching some videos on DIY digital dashes for pre OBD2 vehicles. It's light duty tinkering that will pass time and help me feel somewhat productive at some point. There are many hurdles to overcome before getting there and worrying about it, but I'm trying to keep my mind busy right now and not think about how I'm going to be able to put on a shirt or wipe my own ass. 

Sorry to hear it sucks, but very glad to hear you're on the mend.

In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

How we doing today Capt?

Get well soon!