Posted by Terry Gann on September 06, 2001 at 20:40:36:
In Reply to: Re: heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic posted by Sheena Sims on September 05, 2001 at 22:00:34:
Sheena:
A strechy sports bra worked best for me; it gave me a sense of being held together. I had no problems with arm movement. My worst time after surgery was trying to lie down in a comfortable position. I would have 6 pillows all around me; my poor husband only had a few inches of space to call his own. I found that if I could recruit someone to rub my back and shoulders right before I went to bed that it helped immensely. Those muscles can get really tight. The pain medicine that I took at the hospital and for a few days after I left worked well; the morphine pump that I had immediately after surgery didn't work too well for me, but, luckily I only had that for approximately 24 hours after surgery. Incidently, Dr. McCarthy did our Maze surgeries and he is very good about trying to get his patients off the respirator very early. I was rid of it before I left the operating room!!! So, needless to say, I don't remember it. I don't want you to think it is all a piece of cake - there is pain, and nothing compares to waking up in ICU with IV lines in your neck and arm, drainage tubes in your stomach, pacer wires sticking through your skin, and stiches and cuts where they hooked up the heart-lung machine. It's very important to ask questions about everything you don't understand or want to know about. The pain is short-lived and life for most Maze patients after surgery is great. It feels so great to be in NSR. In regard to your other question, while at the guest house, I was up and around as much as possible. I tried not to sleep during the day so I could sleep at night. There are plenty of patients and families around to talk to and places to walk. The rehab people at the CC are great - they will get you up and going - before you feel like it!If you have more questions, just ask!
Terry