Hello

[MRSLADP]

I'm a 50yo female who is today 7 weeks post op, having had OHS for a Mitral Valve (metal ONYX) replacement. I am very grateful to feel well (better even!) physically, but the hallucinations that I suffered for the 8 days that I spent in hospital post op., still have me shaken, confused and scared. Also, and I know this sounds silly, but when did you wash your wound normally? I think I remember being told that I could only allow water to run over it. Calling the wound clinic tomorrow. Thanks and I'm thinking of all of you. Leslie

[Dickyticker26]

Me too!

I had a quadruple bypass on 28 August and was discharged on 7 September after 10 days in hospital

I had heard of Delirium and even had the hospital booklet on it but was totally unprepared for the "out of body" experience

I was in the High Dependency Unit which involved constant activity even if with nurses just standing silently by the bed, or with staff walking to and fro, it was all like watching it on a screen

There was a complete breakdown between reality and fantasy I lost all sense of time and couldn't distinguish night from day

I asked the nurses if they were real-I touched one on the arm and found that she was made of marble

When asked by the staff if I knew where I was I could never get the name of the hospital right and I was telling visitors I was in different places-USA, Canada, Paris Belgium and I was absolutely convinced I was there

The worst was trying to get back from the fantasy world which seemed absolutely real and into the ward

I was either with a group being held captive by African rebels in reprisal for some wrong they had suffered, or I was having to watch an unending series of films which would go on for ever or that I had died and would never get out

Eventually as promised by the medical staff the delusions grew less and less and have not returned and the taste of the anaesthetic had pretty well gone

As for the surgical wounds they were not dressed by the hospital and now on day 26 after the operation I am finding that they are not nearly as dashing and impressive as I had hoped

Instead as the skin heals they are getting dry and tight, in places very sore and tender

The Practice Nurse recommended E45 which we used to use for the children's nappy rash but my wife's cousin who recently had an operation for Carpal's Tunnel Syndrome swears by Bio Oil so I have a bottle of that and have started to use it-apparently it has to be well rubbed in and not just smeared on

Otherwise I am ending regular pain relief (up to 8 paracetamol a day) and increasing my daily walk on the common opposite our house from 1,000 steps last week to 3,000 this week

I try to get back to normality by returning to household chores and the fine weather in the last weeks has been a big help in getting out into the garden

I must admit I have not been terribly hygienic since the operation but my wife has insisted on a wash down with a soapy flannel and then a shower on a stool but just with water and not soap on the surgical wounds

The Delirium was like the Arnie Schwarzenneger film "Total Recall" which was on again the other night

Hoping that your recovery progresses satisfactorily

[MRSLADP in reply to Dickyticker26]

It's honestly still not easy for me to comprehend - that the things I heard were not true, but physically (touch wood) things have been going very well. An ECG on Friday confirmed that I am out of AF, so I've a lot to be grateful for. Thanks for sharing your story with me. It helps to know that I'm not alone.

[Dickyticker26 in reply to MRSLADP]

Yes and the doctors on their rounds told me that they had got my heart back into sinus rhythm

Someone else is telling me that the Delirium is caused by morphine