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Depleted

Guest
#101
#101
Best Christmas present ever! (Well, not counting our first Christmas together.)

John was there. Still groggy, but he was there most of the time I visited. He recognized me, nodded or shook his head at questions most of the time, smiled at the choices in music I took, (smiled at my story of how hard it was to get the MP3 player charged up to bring in music), and held my hand for a good 20 minutes. Not the "squeeze my hand" thing he's been able to do when nurses shout at him to see if he can recognize what they're saying. Voluntarily choosing to hold my hand.

Sometimes he fell asleep, but when he woke up the first thing he did was check to see if I was still there. I know he's not completely back, but he's BACK!

And, he got two Christmas presents today. One the hospital gave him. A cute little plastic (but I had to touch it to see if it was real, so not a cheap plastic) poinsettia plant. And the only thing from his stocking he could use right now -- Blistex. (Hey, I had most of my shopping done, and he really doesn't need a toothbrush, candy, hand lotion, and certainly doesn't need lighters anymore, so Blistex was perfect for today. lol)

He's back, he's back, he's back! I didn't just visit my not-really-there hubby today. I visited the new and improved John today. (How many 68-year-old can lay claim to a part of their body that is much, much younger than 68 years old? I don't know how old that pig was when he died to give John a valve, but I can't imagine over 5 years old, so John is truly new and improved.) He's back!

Best Christmas present I could get. Thank you, God!

 
M

Miri

Guest
#102
#102
Wonderful news, I'm so happy for both of you.
I wish I could dance around the hospital with you. :D

Jesus thank you for answered prayer, thank you that your mercies are
new every morning and you never leave or forsake us.
Oh Lord we look forward with expectation to the day John goes home.

I just feel like saying pick up thy bed and walk, but I suppose it would
be more appropriate to say, get out of bed and push it. Lol. Might be
a bit heavy to pick it up :)
 
JesusLives

JesusLives

Senior Member
#103
Oct 11, 2013
14,551
2,173
113
#103
So very happy for you both.. Now he just needs to keep on healing and make it back home and get back to a normal routine....I know you will both be happy when that happens.

Thanks Dad for helping John to make it this far and for giving the strength to Lynn that she needs to keep going...Amen

Merry Christmas to both of you. Hugs.
 
S

skylove7

Guest
#104
#104
Praise God!
Wonderful news Lynn!

I will keep praying for John!
Merry Christmas!
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#105
#105
And getting better has its own problems.

John was squirmy today, so I asked him if he's in pain. A slight head shake. (No, or a little, but it's not bothering him.)

Later I asked him if he's sore. A nod.

Front?

No reaction.

Back?

Biggest nod and face expression saying YES I've seen in him in months. (How often do we use full expression? So, the last time I saw big-time expression was during the summer.) Almost frantic.

Today is the first day he doesn't have a line in a line. (They put thin tubes in him called "lines" for his different meds, so they don't have to constantly give him shots, and they can't simply give him pills. He had so many, some combined smaller lines into a bigger line, to avoid him looking and feeling like a pincushion. Today they took out the last of the multi-lines, so all his lines are single-use lines.) They took out the drain tubes from his chest, but he's still got 6 lines in him, plus the vent, so he really is stuck on his back. Imagine lying on your back for over a month.

Yes, they move him a little to the left, to the right, up and down, but always, always on his back.

He kept trying to tell me something, but I can't read lips. (Even if I could, not entirely sure lip readers are still able to do that when the lips have a large straw going by -- the ventilator.) Poor nurse. I got him to find a chart they have that has the alphabet on it, hoping John would point to the letters, only to find out John either can't or doesn't want to. (But the nurse raised him up to use it, so at least there was another shift to his poor back, which he appreciated. lol)

I got into think-outside-the-box mode. Tried to rub the back of his shoulder, only to find out (from John's expression) that either wasn't coming close to what he wanted, or he didn't like it.

TENS unit! What helps a sore back better than a TENS unit, right? I think John may have the only nurse in the world who never heard of it. (Who could use a TENS unit more than a person whose job it is to move patients every day?) The nurse said if I can bring one in, (uh, I live by mine, which was originally John's, so I can), he'd check it out on whether it can be used. My concern is the vibration can play havoc on the electronic equipment, making it look like his heart isn't beating right, or making the ventilator get false readings, so I'll call the nighttime nurse to leave a message for the doctor to ask.

One thing for sure -- when your back hurts more than your front two days after open-heart surgery, your back really has to hurt. So please pray for back pain relief.

And other thing. When I was getting ready to go, I told John. He panicked. He even reached out to grab my hand. (That's big, since he doesn't move his hands or arms much, and I didn't even know he could reach.) He kept moving his mouth like he was desperate for me to understand. I got it wasn't something he "needed." It may have been something about me, but I couldn't guess in a world full of what-is-he-thinking. I did stay for another 20 minutes, but I don't stay 24/7 because I literally can't stay longer than I stay. It broke my heart he needed me, but I can't help. So, a little prayer for divine wisdom on what he's trying to say.
 
happyface

happyface

Senior Member
#106
Jan 19, 2009
1,496
35
48
#106
what a wonderful lady you are . you prayed for my fiance who recently had a stroke,wow god does hear our cries. little by little we hope for wonderful news.
 
P

Pilkington

Senior Member
#107
Jan 13, 2015
640
99
28
#107
Praise God your husband is continuing to improve. I am praying he can come off the ventilator. When you said back pain and the length of time he has been on his back the thought that come to mind is pressure sores. Please get the nursing staff to check particularly at risk, elbows, buttocks and heels.
 
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Depleted

Guest
#108
#108
Pilkington said:
Praise God your husband is continuing to improve. I am praying he can come off the ventilator. When you said back pain and the length of time he has been on his back the thought that come to mind is pressure sores. Please get the nursing staff to check particularly at risk, elbows, buttocks and heels.
Click to expand...
They change his position at least once every two hours. He has those inflate/deflate thingies on his calves to keep circulation working well in his feet. (I think just about anyone who has surgery wears those for a while. His have been on for most the time.) He got the coolest looking "slippers" I've seen. I hope he can bring them home, they look so comfortable. But they're really something like splints/feet protectors. The part that goes around his heels is made out of aluminium to make sure he stretches his heels, but inside is lambskin -- like stepping barefoot on new shag carpet. And the top is open like a sandal, so his feet won't sweat. But, he only wears those 1/3rd of the time. Another 1/3rd of the time he's barefoot. And another 1/3rd of the time, he has something else for his feet.

Also, his arms sometimes have pillows under them, and sometimes they don't. Same with his shoulders. I'm sure they're really avoiding bed sores.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#109
#109
Hi Lyn,

Know wot you mean about the pressure sore thingy (still a good word thingy :)).
With my aunt and especially due to her age, the hospital got an air bed pressure
mattress for her to lay on. It was great, so comfy! They also change her position
every few hours or so. One thing we did find though is that the mattress material
is so soft and silky, she tends to slip down it when they raise the bed end. So now
they have to raise the bottom part as well.

Those slippers sound good maybe we can all have a pair!

My Aunt was the same when I left, it broke my heart seeing her so vulnerable and
especially when she was confused and hallucinating. For the first 5 weeks or so I use
to go home and sob my heart out. Then the next day I would go to the hospital and
find she had been ok without me. In the end I decided I had to just leave her in God's
hands that His presence was far better than mine.


Continuing to pray for you both. :)
 
O

oldthennew

Guest
#110
#110
Lynn,

hubby and I have had a lot of experience in hospitals and nursing, not only
each other but family and friends...so we just wanted to say that when the staff
come to wash or move your hubby, do an up-close-inspection of his back and bottom
and the tender skin areas, you would be surprised at what we have found....

when we nursed hubs mother at home, she had an inflatable, electric air pockets mattress -
which was a life-saver along with changing her position often and giving her a
daily rub-down with something all natural and soothing....we were younger then
so we were also able to carry her and place her in the tub with healing herbs...
aloe and organic coconut oil are great for getting the circulation going into
those depressed areas where the skin doesn't move...

take care of yourself and please tell your better half we said HELLO
and that our thoughts and prayers are with him.....
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#111
#111
oldthennew said:
Lynn,

hubby and I have had a lot of experience in hospitals and nursing, not only
each other but family and friends...so we just wanted to say that when the staff
come to wash or move your hubby, do an up-close-inspection of his back and bottom
and the tender skin areas, you would be surprised at what we have found....

when we nursed hubs mother at home, she had an inflatable, electric air pockets mattress -
which was a life-saver along with changing her position often and giving her a
daily rub-down with something all natural and soothing....we were younger then
so we were also able to carry her and place her in the tub with healing herbs...
aloe and organic coconut oil are great for getting the circulation going into
those depressed areas where the skin doesn't move...

take care of yourself and please tell your better half we said HELLO
and that our thoughts and prayers are with him.....
Click to expand...
John was 300+ pounds when he went to the ER. (I suspect he's lost a good 40 pounds by now. Possibly more. He loses weight fast when we diet. This was an unelected diet. lol) The only way they can move him is by his sheets. They heave sheets in a certain way and his body follows. To keep him sideways when they heave would be tough. (They're usually inserting wedges or pillows under him in the same motion.) To keep him crunched like that while I inspect would cause pressure on his heart. I'd like the stitches used to heal before giving him that much pressure.

And by the time the stitches have done their thing, I hope he's off the vent, so he can stay on his side by himself.

And, Miri, one of the advantages of living this long with so much uncertainty is the fuller realization that God's got him better than anything I can do. Today, I make sure he remembers God is with him 24/7, and he's fully able to talk long and hard with God.

It is a relief that the uncertainty is finally going away, but I am surprised how befuddled I am without that as a constant companion. (Kind of like hoping to lose two pounds in a month, but discovering I lost ten. An adjustment I can accept quickly. lol)
 
S

skylove7

Guest
#112
#112
Lifting John up in prayer Lynn
Everyday!
God bless you both
♡ Sky
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#113
#113
I did see "pooling" on John's elbow, so all this lying on his back is probably causing the same thing on his back. (At least, they call it "pooling" on crime scene shows. It's when the blood collects at the lowest points of the body.)

But tomorrow they're taking out the vent. They don't know how much swelling it has caused, so won't know if he'll be able to breathe without it, but if he can't, they'll replace it with a trac. (He'll be asleep.) Either way, tomorrow he talks.

He wasn't as frantic today, but he definitely had something to say.

And, one thing I could read from his expressions -- "Stop talking so much." (I usually get that look while talking during a football game. lol) It's always followed by an eye roll and a smile, so not anger.

He can lift his arms up to his shoulders, and even gave his nurse a thumbs up. But, because he's not completely awake all the time, it often looks like he's trying to take out the vent. Because of that, they gave him something like mittens on his hands, so he won't pull it out. I took them off while I was there. It kept looking like his hands were headed toward the vent, but he stopped before he got there or passed it. He was NOT happy with me helping to put them back on when I left. Looked kind of like putting boots on a cat.

I told him he can throw them at me after he's off the vent tomorrow.
 
blue_ladybug

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
#114
Feb 21, 2014
70,869
9,603
113
#114
Vitamin C won't do anything for his damaged heart and organs.. Plus it could interfere with some of the meds he's currently on..
 
S

skylove7

Guest
#115
#115
biblePrayerHands.jpg

Our constant prayers for John...
God bless you Lynn
Please be strong as you can
All my love
Skylove7
 
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Depleted

Guest
#117
#117
This isn't as easy as I thought. I thought they pt a microphone and raised the volume, he was wheezing so loudly. And there's a lot of gunk in his lungs. I watched the container they measured with when he was on the vent. This hasn't collected for the last month, but it sure sounds like it.

And he hurts -- squeeze your eyes and moan hurt. They took him off the pain meds when they took out the vent. It's been a month since the heart attack and five days since the operation. I thought this would hurt less.

I am an optimist, but try to temper that with realism, so I thought he'd be able to talk quietly, or maybe just squeeze out one syllable words. He's very quiet. Put your ear to his mouth quiet, and I still can't understand most of what he said. Sadly, the one word I did get after he tried for a full minute was "never mind." I got a No at one point, but it was an answer to a minor question. (Want the TV on? Want me to straighten out your head? Need a nurse?)

Oh, and one word came in loud and clear -- soda. He hasn't drank anything with his mouth for over a month. I chuckled and told him probably not, but I'd check with the nurse. I asked her if I could put some on my finger, just so he could taste something. No. Nor ice chips. She said they wanted him to adjust for an hour or two first. I tried to wait to give him his first ice chip, but my body gave out after 90 minutes and I had to go home. Checked tonight, He still can't have any. He can't swallow or give a good strong cough.

She also said she would like him to sit in a chair later.

Tonight's nurse isn't as confident. Shes not sure he'll be ready for a chair until a PT comes in an evaluates him. He hasn't moved in over a month either. They can lifted him to the chair, but can he sit in it? She says he should be able to swallow ny now and he's not very lucid.

He was very lucid earlier. He kept wanting to know what was in the hall (no idea which thing caught his interest), and was fascinated by something to do with the ceiling (possibly the rolling device ultimately used to lift him all the way off the bed.) Everything was so new to him. His room was switched three days ago, but all four rooms look the same. (Well, the first one had no windows, but he wouldn't have noticed it it did.)

Recovering from heart surgery with CFS and polyneuropathy so bad he can't feel the front of his feet (making him stumble often) id going to be hard to explain to nurses, this is his normal.

But it broke my heart, his pain and frustration, and the nurses are ready to put him back on it. Why? He's breathing? Hard to believe with that sound, but he is breathing.

Do pray he breathes better, and can swallow. Also for a little strength in his voice.

And some strength for his wife.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#118
#118
Aw Lyn I can sense your frustration. Some of this sounds similar to
what I experienced with my aunt.

She was so ill she didn't eat anything for 10 days and even then, it was
just small sips of soup and a little mash potato like half a teaspoon
for another 10 days.

She also did not drink anything for 4 days, then started to take a little
water just sipping it from a teaspoon for another week after that, she
didnt have the energy to suck from a straw even.

One thing that quickly became apparent is that her mouth and tongue
was sore due to the lack of fluids and the oxygen blowing and drying
out her mouth. They used swabs which looked like foam on lollypop
sticks to moisten her mouth, but it took a while before she was
comfortable swallowing anything. Even when she got eating she could
only eat soft mushy food at first.

We also found that she started to bring up lots of flem and gunk as she
started to sip a little water. I use to help clean out her mouth as at
first she couldn't even manage to swallow her own saliva. I know it
doesnt sound very nice but gradually she got swallowing and drinking
eating and it made me feel useful. I was told by the nursing staff that
the best thing for her was to try getting fluids into her, so I
experimented a bit trying out different juices, until I found
some apple and pear fruit juice she especially seemed to like.

I understand what you mean about him not being very lucid, my
Aunt was the same, although the reasons are probably different.
It was so frustrating as at times it felt like one step back. In my
Aunts case it was down to a severe water infection as she was
catheterised for 5 weeks (catheters can cause water infections),
the strong antibiotics they put her on and also we they think some
vascular dementia she may have, although this is still inconclusive.

She was bed bound for 7 weeks and had a lot of fluid on her lungs
but once she started to sit up the fluid problem quickly sorted itself
out.

I suppose I'm trying to encourage you, my Aunt is 80 and had all sorts
of other health problems prior to this one including diabetes. The human
body is very resilient God made it that way. All of these things John is
experiencing, while hard to watch can be overcome and will improve.

I understand completely what an emotional roller coaster ride you are
going through, you look for each glimmer of hope and are somewhere
with the fairies on a good day and feel like things are going nowhere the
next. Things will improve honestly, just hang on in there and try not to
take anything personally if John is a little strange with you, part of it will
be the medical side the body trying to physically and mentally find its
right balance again, part of it might be frustration on his side.

You both have better days ahead, God has plans for you both its not
time yet for either of you to throw in the towel. :)

I honestly wish I could be there with you and have a good natter
with you.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#119
#119
Miri said:
Aw Lyn I can sense your frustration. Some of this sounds similar to
what I experienced with my aunt.

She was so ill she didn't eat anything for 10 days and even then, it was
just small sips of soup and a little mash potato like half a teaspoon
for another 10 days.

She also did not drink anything for 4 days, then started to take a little
water just sipping it from a teaspoon for another week after that, she
didnt have the energy to suck from a straw even.

One thing that quickly became apparent is that her mouth and tongue
was sore due to the lack of fluids and the oxygen blowing and drying
out her mouth. They used swabs which looked like foam on lollypop
sticks to moisten her mouth, but it took a while before she was
comfortable swallowing anything. Even when she got eating she could
only eat soft mushy food at first.

We also found that she started to bring up lots of flem and gunk as she
started to sip a little water. I use to help clean out her mouth as at
first she couldn't even manage to swallow her own saliva. I know it
doesnt sound very nice but gradually she got swallowing and drinking
eating and it made me feel useful. I was told by the nursing staff that
the best thing for her was to try getting fluids into her, so I
experimented a bit trying out different juices, until I found
some apple and pear fruit juice she especially seemed to like.

I understand what you mean about him not being very lucid, my
Aunt was the same, although the reasons are probably different.
It was so frustrating as at times it felt like one step back. In my
Aunts case it was down to a severe water infection as she was
catheterised for 5 weeks (catheters can cause water infections),
the strong antibiotics they put her on and also we they think some
vascular dementia she may have, although this is still inconclusive.

She was bed bound for 7 weeks and had a lot of fluid on her lungs
but once she started to sit up the fluid problem quickly sorted itself
out.

I suppose I'm trying to encourage you, my Aunt is 80 and had all sorts
of other health problems prior to this one including diabetes. The human
body is very resilient God made it that way. All of these things John is
experiencing, while hard to watch can be overcome and will improve.

I understand completely what an emotional roller coaster ride you are
going through, you look for each glimmer of hope and are somewhere
with the fairies on a good day and feel like things are going nowhere the
next. Things will improve honestly, just hang on in there and try not to
take anything personally if John is a little strange with you, part of it will
be the medical side the body trying to physically and mentally find its
right balance again, part of it might be frustration on his side.

You both have better days ahead, God has plans for you both its not
time yet for either of you to throw in the towel. :)

I honestly wish I could be there with you and have a good natter
with you.
Click to expand...
What's a good natter? What's a bad natter? What's a natter? lol

How is your aunt? Is she home yet, or have they scheduled that yet?

The nurse last night didn't want to answer full "what's next?" but she said if everything went perfectly, (and, it's not), he wouldn't be in the step-down unit for another week. After step-down, he'll need rehab.

She said, "I know that's not what you want to hear--"

I laughed. It is what I want to hear -- truth! I've been so busy worrying if I'd lose him, and then worrying about the surgery, and then worrying about getting off the vent, I really just needed to know what's the next goal. And, for all I know, he might be back on the vent when I see him today. Considering the sounds that were coming out of him could have filled an opera house, I'm not entirely sure I'm against the vent now. I want him to breathe.

The first night after what he called "a different kind of heartburn," (and now I know that was a smaller heart attack), he said he couldn't sleep because of a little whistle out of his nose. After what I heard, I can only imagine he misses that little whistle. I miss that little whistle! No idea how he could sleep last night with that much sound coming out of him, but then again, I also hope he did and he's not on the vent too.

Too chicken to call and ask, although it dawns on me, I really need to call to talk to the doctor when I get there. The doctor needs to know that even when John is alert and really John fully, to most people he looks mentally disabled and a bit palsy.

Ack! Just talked myself into calling. lol
 
P

Pilkington

Senior Member
#120
Jan 13, 2015
640
99
28
#120
I really hope and pray that your husband continues to improve and is able to remain off the ventilator. May God also give you the strength to keep on going and gives you the rest you need.
 
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