first day home from hospital

[SerenK]

Last night it was so lovely sleeping in my own bed, the v shaped pillow lots of people recommended was wonderful the best £15 I have ever spent. Hated the hospital beds and hardly slept at all when in there.

Having a shower and time and privacy to brush my teeth, was great.

A cup of tea in a china cup tastes so much different, my husband is looking after me really well, even making my a cuppa when I wanted to get up at 6.45, another legacy of hospital stay, really early starts to the day.

These minor things are not to say, the staff, the monitoring, the Iccu nurses and of course the fab Surgeons (miracle workers) were all wonderful, could not have asked for better treatment, but home is best xx I have met some lovely dedicated nurses, and even the volunteers were top notch, ready with a smile and kind word and cuppa.

Hoping to recover well now, have to be on warfarin for 12 weeks, due to a spell of A Fib , hopefully will not need to take it for life. Lots of tablets to take, I was overwhelmed trying to sort it all our yesterday but now in the fresh light of day it is all organised and feel in charge.

[Amikatari]

Great news! It's so lovely to get home at last, such a wonderful feeling! The v shaped pillow is working wonders for me too. It's great being able to eat and drink what you want, when you want, and to do a little more each day. I hope you're not in too much pain and get well soon X

[Heather1957]

I was discharged (nearly said released) 4 days after my bypass.

I slept in a recliner for the first few days and then used my v shaped pillow. My mum bought mine and I still use it, it is so comfortable.

[Gowers in reply to Heather1957]

Amazing to hear you were discharged after just 4 days - I couldn't believe it when a friend of mine was discharged after 6 days. Guess they know when it the right time for someone to continue recovery at home.

I too find my v shape pillow useful especially after AF diagnoses & taking the advice of others on this forum to sleep propped up.

Hope the good recovery continues.

[SerenK in reply to Gowers]

I had the operation on the 8th July and discharged yesterday, so 9 days, plus the l night before surgery, so even though not 4 days a fairly short stay, after such a big operation.

[Gowers in reply to SerenK]

Oh - I don't know why I said 4 days?! I was thinking it was a short time!

[Heather1957 in reply to Gowers]

What can I say, they needed my bed. I was released directly from ITU which doesn't happen but as I said they needed my bed. I was out of bed and dressed sat beside the bed as they cleaned it and prepared it for the next person. I had to go to the loo before they'd let me out. As soon as I did my friend was up and took me home.

I had to go to the wound clinic to have me drainage stitches out, no more district nurses to the house.

Don't get me wrong, I was glad to get into my own home but I do think it was a rush discharge.

Anyway enough of my moaning, I'm still here and still very well after 2 years.

Onward and upwards to us all.

[Hidden]

Great news and happy you had such excellent care. You're right though, 'Home is where the Heart is'. No pun intended there! 😊. Wishing you all the best in your recovery journey.X

[meadfoot]

That all sounds good, no place like home. Here's to a speedy full recovery. X

[Dolphin14]

Welcome home

[Purpled]

Glad you are home and try looked after you so well. Take it easy x

[Fredders]

Great to hear you are home, now to start the recovery proper. I think the noise and lights kept me awake most of the time, even with earplugs, plus the very painful shoulders which even morphine didn’t alleviate didn’t help. Hope you go from strength to strength.

Wendy

[Maisiemay13]

Pleased to hear you are home and wishing you all the best x

[Rosei]

What a wonderful and positive start, may the rest of your recuperation be just as positive.

[willsie01]

Dear Serenk, sounds like you’re coming nicely. Well done. I too struggled with sleep on the ward and very intrigued with the V pillow you refer to. What is it and how does it help coronary “victims”?

[JulianM in reply to willsie01]

If you google 'v-shaped pillow' you'll get a big range of offers! It's relevant to anyone who has had - or, like me, is facing - chest surgery where the sternum is cut, repaired, and has to heal. Ribs and shoulders will be sore, at least to start with. It's then very hard to get a comfortable sleeping position. The best seems to be, on your back, with head and shoulders raised. Hospital beds tilt to help with this, but when we get home it makes more sense to use pillows ...

[SerenK in reply to JulianM]

summed it up perfectly, so comfortable, will be using it even afterwards, for reading in bed.

[willsie01 in reply to SerenK]

I’m at the post op stage where the breast bone wound is not comfortable in bed but having looked up the V pillow & seen images I can’t for the life of me see how it would help?

I will try one though. Any recommendations?

[Murphydog3 in reply to willsie01]

I bought one from John Lewis for my other half who had surgery end of February - he still uses it. johnlewis.com/john-lewis-pa... not the cheapest around, but excellent quality and comes with a weird V shaped pillowcase. Best wishes

[Flissy100]

so many of you mentioned the v shaped pillow - which are really helpful - depending on your situation you may be elegible for an electric pillow riser through local occupational health which is now run through your council - I got one due to my circumstances and they are brilliant - well worth ringing them - hope this helps someone

[Janma123]

That’s great news. I hope your recovery continues in the same positive way, just don’t overdo it!!

[Surreychica_1]

That is great that you have had your treatment and are now home. I do so agree with you that a hospital is not the best place for rest, however as you say the are all fabulous and where would we be without them. I only had three days in hospital and that was enough I was exhausted to say the least and it was lovely to get in my own bed shared with my cats.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Surreychica_1]

One or both cats stayed with me constantly for the first 48 hours after discharge. The younger one felt my chest scar gently through my pyjamas inch by inch and did not lay on my chest for eleven weeks. The older one rubs my leg where the PAD is worse. I am constantly amazed by their sixth sense and understanding.

[Surreychica_1 in reply to MichaelJH]

Oh that is so sweet. Cats are very sensitive creatures who love their owners and as you have said they are very intuitive and know when things are wrong and they take good care of you.

[Becksagogo]

Oh lucky you being released back in to the wild. I find myself back in hospital after a Mitral valve TAVI. Despite trying all the tricks except medication I still don't sleep and long for my own bed! I don't understand how half a dozen people can make so much noise when they are supposed to be asleep!

I hope that you continue to recover well.

[SerenK in reply to Becksagogo]

one woman on the ward was fanning herself all night with a spanish fan which was making a clacking noise (arghhh), but its only for a short time, and I bet I was snoring and wriggling too. !!

[Harrison4]

Remember that feeling well helps so much with recovery Love my bed

One of the things it took me a while to work out and most of us in rehab is trying to manage our energy levels, talking about bed going forward an hours sleep ( siesta) in the afternoons works miracles 😊👍

[Hidden]

Great news, now the healing will begin, take care of yourself and take it easy .

Elaine 😇

[Handel]

So glad to hear you're recovering well at home. My husband had his quad bypass on the Monday and was turfed out on the Friday! The bed was needed for another bypass candidate!! He still uses the V shaped pillow when reading or i-Padding in bed!

Sounds like you have a wonderful hubby.

With our love and best wishes (and don't forget to uses this forum for an questions you might have. It was, and still is, a life saver for me!) xxx

[CharlesL]

Sounds good, keep your spirits up.

Take care

C

[Ianc2]

They gave me a large plastic bag with lots of interesting pills. Nearly all are gone now. don't forget to sign up for the post surgery recovery program, it does make a difference.

[SerenK in reply to Ianc2]

Yes lanc2, a large bag of drugs, hope to be dropping one or two, at the beginning of this year I was not taking even one pill. I know they all have their own purpose, and are keeping me alive, but I hate them. x

[Dockdog]

Dear SerenK,

Ah, the V shaped pillow had been a boon to me long before my op last year since I had to sleep sitting up to avoid drowning in my pleural effusion which mercifully stopped post op! Then it became the best way to lay flat on my back and sleep, such comfort and bliss after 4 years of being propped up. Yes the hospital regime can be a struggle to get used to and then get back to some normality at home. I spent 5 weeks in hospital post op and like you say, the staff are fantastic but you really do want to get out of there.

I am down to 4 pills a day from 13 a year ago and some of these I hope to drop off in the coming months. Hoping you too will be able to settle into waking when you want to at home and getting a good recovery, it does take time - more than you might imagine but you will get there I am sure. Good luck!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Good to hear things are going well! The noise at night is a real issue to getting sleep between obs. I hope you did not have a long wait in the discharge lounge - my wait was four hours whilst I waited for some Tramadol tablets! I did not use a V-pillow but an adjustable recliner that I lowered over the ensuing weeks.

[Cottagegardener]

So pleased to hear you’re over the operation hurdle and recovering happily at home - nothing is as good as your own bed and creature comforts 😃🌸

[Hidden]

I missed your first post, but it seems you had a multiple by-pass op. I had my aortic valve which has some surgical similarities. I was interested in your comment that you had a dose of AFib and was put on warfarin amongst others. I also had AFib after my op and was put on Amiodarone to reduce the risk of another Afib episode. Was that also included in your 'pills'?

Mike. (Glad to hear you are doing well). I had my op just over 2 weeks ago.

[SerenK in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mike my operation was aortic root replacement, and ascending aortic aneurysm replacement . I am on diuretics, ramipril, a beta blocker, and amiodarone (reducing dose) plus warfarin, a fair cocktail. I had my op on 8.7.19 so almost two weeks.

[ramotswe]

which v shaped pillow is recommended?

thanks all.

ramotswe