Re: My Dad Had His Operation Today

minkbunny · ‎03-09-2010

Just read this thread, so glad the surgery went well and he is on the way to recovery.

Now, get some rest and take care of yourself as well ${#emotions_dlg.wub}$

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

On 11/12/2014 Plaid Pants said:
It is now 1:10 p.m., and I am back at my hotel, and Dad is in I.C.U. The procedure is over. I can breathe again.

He checked in to the hospital at 0600, filled out the necessary paperwork, and by 6:45, they were wheeling him off.

I was right, the waiting was the hard part. At one point, I couldn't handle the stress anymore, and I stepped out of the waiting room, went to a window, and said, "Oh, God! Oh, God,! Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! I can't do this! I can't handle this!", and just cried.

Once the tears stopped, I went back in to the waiting room, and this sense of peace and calm came over me, and I knew that everything was going to be okay. I didn't question it. I just accepted it.

At about 11:00, the doctor came out, and said that Dad did great, that they were finishing up, before taking him to recovery, then to I.C.U.

They told me that he needed two valves, because he has a big heart, (in more ways than one).

Let me try to explain as best that I can, because it's still a little confusing to me, but as I understand it, he has his regular heart valve, the one that he was born with, the one that was leaking. They put a stent inside that valve, and inside that stent, is the new valve.

Because of the size of his heart, the new valve leaked also.

So, what they did was, put another stent and valve inside of that.

Does that make sense?

In any event, he's resting comfortably now.

When I went to see him, he was awake, and aware of his surroundings, and knew who everybody was (me, his sister, and his niece).

They are going to keep him flat on his back for the next six hours, then get him up and walking.

They are hoping to send him home by this weekend.

My aunt remarked that he looked so much better, and he does.

So, I just wanted to say "Thank-you" to everybody for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. It really meant a lot to me.

I am assuming you mean he has "an enlarged heart", which is certainly not a good thing for most. While I have some experience with heart issues( 2 heart attacks and diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure(CHF), have not heard of putting a stent in a heart valve. And to put "another valve plus stent inside of another valve with a stent"?

Have seen heart valves, my own many times on a lot of Echo cardiograms and other similar procedures. Don't remember anyone saying anything about putting stents into a valve, but hey, I sure ain't a doctor much less a Cardiovascular Surgeon.

Spent many weeks on the Cardiac Floor of my 2nd home, the hospital. Over that time I met many patients that had Bypass surgeries and also many that had heart valves replaced and/or repaired. Most of them when I saw them were in what they call Post ICU, 1 day out of surgery if all went well. They had them sitting up on day 2 and walking later that same day. Most of them went home after 4 days post surgery.

Does not surprise me that your dad "looked so much better". When a heart is not pumping blood efficiently to all areas of ones body, it lacks oxygen and that is not good. Once the heart to working smoothly after this surgery most patients do look and feel better, after the first couple of days anyways.

I hope you dad continues to improve without any setbacks. Been around many heart patients, as I said above, and most that follow through with Rehab and good eating and exercise habits, do pretty well. Those that don't?

Best to you and your dad,

hckynut(john)

Plaid Pants · ‎11-03-2014

On 11/15/2014 hckynut said:
On 11/12/2014 Plaid Pants said: It is now 1:10 p.m., and I am back at my hotel, and Dad is in I.C.U. The procedure is over. I can breathe again.

He checked in to the hospital at 0600, filled out the necessary paperwork, and by 6:45, they were wheeling him off.

I was right, the waiting was the hard part. At one point, I couldn't handle the stress anymore, and I stepped out of the waiting room, went to a window, and said, "Oh, God! Oh, God,! Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! I can't do this! I can't handle this!", and just cried.Once the tears stopped, I went back in to the waiting room, and this sense of peace and calm came over me, and I knew that everything was going to be okay. I didn't question it. I just accepted it

At about 11:00, the doctor came out, and said that Dad did great, that they were finishing up, before taking him to recovery, then to I.C.U. They told me that he needed two valves, because he has a big heart, (in more ways than one). Let me try to explain as best that I can, because it's still a little confusing to me, but as I understand it, he has his regular heart valve, the one that he was born with, the one that was leaking. They put a stent inside that valve, and inside that stent, is the new valve. Because of the size of his heart, the new valve leaked also. So, what they did was, put another stent and valve inside of that. Does that make sense? In any event, he's resting comfortably now. When I went to see him, he was awake, and aware of his surroundings, and knew who everybody was (me, his sister, and his niece). They are going to keep him flat on his back for the next six hours, then get him up and walking. They are hoping to send him home by this weekend. My aunt remarked that he looked so much better, and he does. So, I just wanted to say "Thank-you" to everybody for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. It really meant a lot to me.

I am assuming you mean he has "an enlarged heart", which is certainly not a good thing for most. While I have some experience with heart issues( 2 heart attacks and diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure(CHF), have not heard of putting a stent in a heart valve. And to put "another valve plus stent inside of another valve with a stent"?

Have seen heart valves, my own many times on a lot of Echo cardiograms and other similar procedures. Don't remember anyone saying anything about putting stents into a valve, but hey, I sure ain't a doctor much less a Cardiovascular Surgeon.

Spent many weeks on the Cardiac Floor of my 2nd home, the hospital. Over that time I met many patients that had Bypass surgeries and also many that had heart valves replaced and/or repaired. Most of them when I saw them were in what they call Post ICU, 1 day out of surgery if all went well. They had them sitting up on day 2 and walking later that same day. Most of them went home after 4 days post surgery.

Does not surprise me that your dad "looked so much better". When a heart is not pumping blood efficiently to all areas of ones body, it lacks oxygen and that is not good. Once the heart to working smoothly after this surgery most patients do look and feel better, after the first couple of days anyways.

I hope you dad continues to improve without any setbacks. Been around many heart patients, as I said above, and most that follow through with Rehab and good eating and exercise habits, do pretty well. Those that don't?

Best to you and your dad,

Well, I'm no doctor either, so I don't know all the big, fancy medical words to accurately explain what they did.

But this video from El Camino Hospital, where it was done, shows what my dad had done to him.

http://www.elcaminohospital.org/Heart_Vascular_Institute/Clinical_Trials_Research/CoreValve_Clinical...

This video has my dad's actual doctor talk about the procedure.

http://www.elcaminohospital.org/Heart_Vascular_Institute/About_the_Heart_Vascular_Institute/Heart_Va...

I hope these videos are able to make things more clear, and clears up any confusion.

Thank-you for your concern, and I hope that your wife gets well soon.