Octavio's Journal

Kristen Newton  How did it go? What was your experience like waking up and the following days and how do you feel now?

I hope your healing process goes smoothly 🙏 

I have my Ross Procedure next week and I’m quite nervous.

Octavio Herrera  Hi Kristen my thoughts will be with you. You got this!  My surgery went well and obviously took none of my effort 😆 The thing that helped me most waking up is that my nurse anesthesist told me before the procedure that I might wake up with a breathing tube still in. Don’t panic, it’s good news.  It means surgery is over and they are about to take it out. She said that not everyone remembers this but it’s better to know it might happen because it’s an odd feeling and if you didn’t know you might imagine something had gone wrong. Does not hurt just feels odd. They take it out pretty quick after you are awake. The ICU stay was good. They take very good care of you. I never felt pain except when I got nauseous and had to dry heave. But it is tolerable considering the pain killers you are under. Speaking of that, the pain killer they gave me in ICU made me nauseas so I did have to advocate for myself to try something different. That did the trick. The other thing about waking up that I didn’t know (and wish I did) is that you will wake up with a bunch of tubes that they take out over the course of your stay.  I had something in my neck, like 3 in my chest, and of course the catheder. They don’t hurt but I was so nervous about them getting pulled out. It was not a big deal. Feels weird but no pain. I wish someone had told me they aren’t a big deal. The regular hospital stay after the ICU was good except that it’s hard for me to sleep in hospitals. Is anyone staying with you overnight?  My wife did not stay in ICU (I did not need her to) but she did stay during regular hospital stay and it makes a big difference. You can barley move and regular night nurses aren’t nearly as attentive as ICU. I went home after my third night in regular hospital.  By the time I checked out I was walking and felt pretty good. I’ve been home for 5 days and I’m up to walking 5000 steps a day. But also exhausted easily. I hope this helps and happy to expand on anything. This response is long enough. 

Kristen Newton  Wow, Octavia. It sounds like everything went really well and you were home quickly. I’m so happy for you and your family. I hope the rest of your recovery goes as smoothly ❤️