Thanks to all of you for your support in my recent surgery.
I checked into the hospital on Apr 17 @ 4:45 am for surgery at 7:30 am to have my aortic valve replaced with a bio (bovine) valve). See Richard's (greyg8r) previous posts a the procedure was identical.
The procedure was done at Indian River Medical Center with Dr. Mark Malias being the cardiac surgeon for my procedure. I won't belabor on the operation details but will say the team was incredible, the operating room out of star wars. I entered the operating room under a mild sedative and received a few more of many tubes and IVs. Within seconds of the anesthesiologist telling me he was administering the last medicine before the real anestesia, I was out. My next recollection was waking to a sea of faces that were bringing me out of my sleep. Whoosie for a while, I then remember seeing the smiling face of my lovely wife.
Once I was awake, the rehab began. Expanding the lungs and expelling liquids from the lungs are of prime concern..and it come with some (a lot) of pain. Thank goodness for the likes of morphine and percoset. I accused my rehab team of being part of Tony Sopranos torture team but the truth is -keeping up with their recommended pace is the reason I was able to return home today.
The rehab will take a while and, even with the need for continued percoset (right now at least), I feel absolutely great!! I'm 8 hours without a pill right now and can still do my deep breathe exercise without much discomfort.
Richard, thanks for all the information and thanks for the prayers and support from you all.
In Tiny Tim's words, "God bless us. Everyone!"
Gerry
I checked into the hospital on Apr 17 @ 4:45 am for surgery at 7:30 am to have my aortic valve replaced with a bio (bovine) valve). See Richard's (greyg8r) previous posts a the procedure was identical.
The procedure was done at Indian River Medical Center with Dr. Mark Malias being the cardiac surgeon for my procedure. I won't belabor on the operation details but will say the team was incredible, the operating room out of star wars. I entered the operating room under a mild sedative and received a few more of many tubes and IVs. Within seconds of the anesthesiologist telling me he was administering the last medicine before the real anestesia, I was out. My next recollection was waking to a sea of faces that were bringing me out of my sleep. Whoosie for a while, I then remember seeing the smiling face of my lovely wife.
Once I was awake, the rehab began. Expanding the lungs and expelling liquids from the lungs are of prime concern..and it come with some (a lot) of pain. Thank goodness for the likes of morphine and percoset. I accused my rehab team of being part of Tony Sopranos torture team but the truth is -keeping up with their recommended pace is the reason I was able to return home today.
The rehab will take a while and, even with the need for continued percoset (right now at least), I feel absolutely great!! I'm 8 hours without a pill right now and can still do my deep breathe exercise without much discomfort.
Richard, thanks for all the information and thanks for the prayers and support from you all.
In Tiny Tim's words, "God bless us. Everyone!"
Gerry
