Operation is go !

[SilverSurfer20]

Hi folks

just letting you know that after months of waiting I finally have a date for my op. Was told yesterday that I'm having my aortic valve and aneurysm repair on Fri 24th !.....talk about short notice !.

I'm not too anxious as I know it really needs doing, but any tips / advice for the big day, the week after and the return home would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers everyone…

Dean

[Yumz199725]

Wow so glad you have a date for your operation x wish you all the best for next Friday!

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Yumz199725]

Thanks Yumz.....I'll try and upadte when I through it, but not sure what the policy is about having mobiles in ICU !

[Yumz199725 in reply to SilverSurfer20]

Your welcome, it's so short notice have you had anytime to pack and prepare? It's a lot to take in! That's a good question actually would be good to know when you do find out x

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Yumz199725]

Not yet. But I've set aside a couple of days next week for packing etc. I've got my V shaped pillow though !

[Cat04 in reply to SilverSurfer20]

I was allowed to take my phone and tablet to ITU. I wasn't really with it enough to use them though. All the best for your op.

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Cat04]

Thanks Cat. I figure I'll be too zonked too.....so wondering about the wisdom of leaving expensive kit lying around anyway

[Cat04 in reply to SilverSurfer20]

I did take my reserve old tablet with me and pin locked it. I guess as I trusted them with my life a tablet & phone were safe too.

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Cat04]

good point Cat

[Rhinos67]

Great news.Advice....

Books etc to take with you.

I took some aromatherapy pillow spray to calm myself down too.

Super concentrate cordial, the tiny bottles to make all the lukewarm water that you will need to drink more palatable. Boiled sweets, to cancel outvthr taste of the potassium drink. Ear plugs and eye mask to help with sleeping. I also downloaded some audio books for when my eyesight was still too blurry to read, and had some noise cancelling headphones.

Be kind to yourself and don't compare your recovery to others. Just look for 1% improvement each day. One day mine was that I hadnt cried for a few hours!

Best advice though... Join UK Aortic and Heart Defects Pre and Post surgery Facebook group. Loads more people who have been on the same journey.

Good luck 😊

Joanne

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Rhinos67]

Thanks Joanne. Brill advice. I'm in the Facebook group you mentioned and have been getting good advice from them too.

Thanks

[Heyjude31]

Hi, wishing you all the very best look forward to hearing you on the road to recovery! Judi

[Hidden]

Hi, Best wishes with the surgery. My advice would be just turn up, listen to what your told and let them get on with it.

Short notice 😄, my first AVR, I took a cancellation and went in on the 14th December, all we knew was they hoped to do it before Christmas. In the event on the evening of the 18th they decided to operate the following morning. So not strictly that short notice, that was saved for the 2nd OHS. Delays throughout the summer, it got to the point I cancelled myself as I had something more important to attend. A fortnight later I rang the Surgeons Secretary for any news on a new date, four hours later I was being admitted to hospital for surgery first up the next morning.

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Heed...I plan on letting get on with it !

[Maxbar]

Dean great newscan't really advise you but sure all will go well .just look on the positive side and have trust in the team doing it,

all routine to them.

look forward to hearing about your speedy recovery .

,❤️👍👍👍👍

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Maxbar]

Thanks Max

[DWizza]

My experience at St Thomas’ hospital for quadruple bypass, was that all your kit (phones , chargers , earphones included) were bagged and the mobile stuff like bags were all labelled with your name , patient number etc and went with me from ward to ward. You could phone ahead and ask your hospital what they do ? Wishing you all the very best ❤️

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to DWizza]

Thanks for helpful advice

[MountainGoat52]

My stuff was bagged up as well. I think my wife brought my tablet (computer type 😁) a day or two aftef the op. I had music loaded on it for which I needed to use headphones. I didn't feel like doing much for the first couple of days and spent my time watching what was going on on the ward. I don't tolerate ear plugs or eye pads, but managed to sleep in between the inevitable disturbances.

When I got home the suggestion that I should listen to my body served me well. Little things meant a lot, like cooking myself poached egg on toast for breakfast exactly one week after my op. Although I was quite fit before my op (climbing hills in the Cheviots a few days beforehand), I was shocked to find I couldn't walk up the slope on our road the first couple of times I went for a short walk. I had to wait for my wife to walk the 300 metres home to collect the car and come and pick me up! Thankfully that didn't last long. Sleeping was the main issue as I don't settle well on my back, but again after a while I was able to sleep on my side.

So 6 days to go to your new start. From that point it will be "upwards and onwards" as we hill walkers say. Take it steady and you will get there. Patience pays dividends. 😀

With my very best wishes,

Gerald

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to MountainGoat52]

Thanks very much for that Gerald. It's hard at the moment to understand just how beat up I'm going to feel. I'm right as rain as they say, right now. Been asymptomatic for years. So it's gonna come as a bit of a shock. But your words, like those of all the good people on this forum, really help. Thanks Dean

[MountainGoat52 in reply to SilverSurfer20]

Well I'm sure you'll be in the very best hands Dean. Just take it bit by bit after the op and you'll get back to where you are now and then find improvements from there. As I say to many, I used to climb hills in the Lakes... now I climb mountains in Scotland. 😀

[Digger0]

I first read your post as FEB 24th! All the best for the op.

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Digger0]

Cheers Digger

[Traveldreams]

great news although I imagine very nerve racking. Let us know how you get on!

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Traveldreams]

Will do. To be quite honest I'm not all that anxious about the actual op (at the moment anyway!) It's more the recovery. But even then , I remind myself that if it was a choice between having the op or living with an aneurysm, it'd be the op every time. I know this is a lifesaver so that tempers any anxiety. Thanks for the reply

[Traveldreams in reply to SilverSurfer20]

I hope I’m as sensible when my time comes! Truly good luck.

[Glyndebourne]

Wishing you all the best for the 24th! I've just heard that my AVR will be on 4th December. I'm very nervous but also just want to get it over with. Good luck!

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Glyndebourne]

I understand that totally Glyndebourne. I hope it goes well. Like you I just want to get it done, and the way I deal with the nerves is to remind myself that it's good and necessary thing I'm having done.

All the best and let us all know how it goes

[Glyndebourne]

Thank you!

[Digger0]

Just checking up on you after your op yesterday! hope all went well.

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Digger0]

Thanks Digger. It was cancelled at the 11th hour ! No new date yet, but I'll keep everyone posted !

[Digger0 in reply to SilverSurfer20]

That's a bummer!

[SilverSurfer20 in reply to Digger0]

I know !