Danny's Journal

Rose Madura  Hi Danny, I had a very similar situation and had my surgery at age 59.  Waking up in CICU, I still had the breathing tube in and yes, wires, a main line, drainage tubes, the whole nine yards!  Oddly, or maybe not, my first thought was, ok it's over and I made it, now what!  You will wake up and be extremely thirsty. They took the breathing tube out in probably an hour later after the pulmonologist could come in. It's all scary because it's a new experience.  But it's all doable. Yes, you have a good surgeon so that should help with your anxiety level.  Let us know if you have any other questions. Hope this helps.

Lisa Silverman  I’m 3 weeks out from my surgery and was absolutely wracked with fear and anxiety pre op about what to expect, as I think most of us are. Feel free to reach out or message me if you want support or to talk more. I have some strong memories of the ICU but you are pretty dang sedated through much of that time, and even at a few weeks out major pieces of it feel like a blip to me.

Rita Savelis  It's hard to know how your ICU experience will go. I personally had no pain (which the anasthesiologist had told me would be the case as a sternum cut does not hurt). I did have much discomfort and extreme exhaustion. The breathing tube was out before I woke up and as a patient I was less aware of all the tubing and catheters (than someone looking at me). Pain relief is managed  in ICU and a typical patient doesn't stay very long. As you go into surgery you have to give up control, trust your surgeon, trust the ICU procedures. You can not know exactly what will happen and some things will surprise you in both good and bad ways. And then you move on, and you are in a step-down room. It's a big surgery and your body and your heart will need time to recover. So you'll take it easy. It's not a race. I had double valve replacement almost 10 years ago at age 53. My valves were stenosed by radiation treatment for cancer when I was 15 and it took years to get to where I needed surgery. Surgeons are very familiar with rheumatic fever heart damage, and are becoming more familiar with radiation-damaged hearts. Wishing you the best, Danny, and don't overthink it. 

Ann T  I think everyone has different stories, but for me I was not scared while in the ICU after everything, I felt very well care for while there. 

J Alexander Lassally  Danny - I know what you mean. My day felt like a D-Day - everything was measured by it until the time 4 weeks - 3 - 2 and then 1 - then counting days!  But, it comes  --and then a new phase begins !