Nov 20 2016 ... My wife and I drop off are 2 children to my mom's house, give kisses and try to explain to a 2 & 6 yo that we will be gone for around 2 weeks because the doctor is going to make daddy's heart better. If you have children you know how hard that was. Then my dad takes us to the airport in Nashville. We make it thru security and eventually board the plane. I have only flown a few times several years ago and there was a reason for not flying, I hate it. Long story short , my wife enjoyed watching me almost rip off the arm rests from tensing up during the flights, lol. We arrive in Cleveland around 7 pm. Cleveland Clinic arranged a driver to pick us up, which was great. Felt like a big shot when he was standing there with the sign with my name on it. Checked in to the hotel and got ready for the next day of tests.
Nov 21, 2016... Up early, didn't sleep well. Comfort Inn where we are staying, has a good breakfast bar and they provide free shuttle to CC. Arrived at CC at 6:45am. This place is amazing! Had every test knobs to man and met with Dr Lever. He is a hard working man. We left at 7 pm and he had 3 more patients waiting. Wow what a day!
Nov 22, 2016... Arrived at CC at 6:40am. More testing and dental appointment today. At dental appointment, they advised they would need to pull a tooth, back,bottom molar. That will be Tomorrow , along with meeting anesthesiologist and surgeon Dr Johnston.
Nov 23, 2016... Had tooth pooled, that sucked, lol. Then met with anesthesiologist and surgeon. They explained the procedure. Now it is getting real!
Nov 24, 2016.... Happy Thanksgiving! We layed around all day in room at hotel. Went to Tower Center for Dinner and some gambling, why not?
Nov 25, 2016.... SURGERY DAY. We arrived at CC around 4:50am. We were advised to be here at 5:15. We get checked in within a few mins and then they call me back to get my gown on and lay on gurnee. They let my family come back for around 15 to 20 mins. Then a nurse comes gets me and takes me to OR area. Staff is amazing. They explain everything to me.
This is when I'm told by the anesthesiologist, "Usually we intibate patients after we put them under. Unfortunately you have a difficult airway. So we will need to do it while your awake." This SUCKED! !!! After 4-5 tries, he finally gets it in. 😲 Then he flipped the night night switch. Everything went dark.
Suddenly I open my eyes and he is pulling out the tube. Why? Wtf? Everything goes dark again. I hear my wife calling my name. Holding my hand. I begin to realize that surgery is over. My memory is very spotty at this time. I'm in and out. I wake up sorta, I'm alone laying in a bed when I hear the nurse speaking to another patient. I can't see anything, but I can hear very well. Suddenly I hear code blue!!! Code blue!! Suddenly the room has 20-30 people and seems like total chaos! I then hear one voice over all, he says " get me a scalpel and a pair of pliers" . I also here someone say crash cart is here and ready. I start feeling around my chest. I'm still kinda drugged and I'm wondering Omg, are they working on me? This went on for a few mins if that and then I hear "take him to OR!" I found out a few mins later from a nurse that the gentleman next to me coded, they had to reopen him right there and shock his heart. They Saved Him!!!! Craziest thing I have ever listened to in my life. People, this why you go to a COE to have heart Surgery!!! They can handle anything!
Nov 27, 2016.... They say my numbers were good for me to get my own room in step down unit. 👍💪 hooray! Pain hurts but tolerable with good drugs 💉.
Nov 29, 2016.... Bad night and rough day! This bed sucks!!! Very little sleep. They say I'm doing good. Walked around nurses station 3 times today. Hurting and tired. They say tomorrow they will pull my heart wires and then do an echo with amyl nitrate. If it looks good,I might be released!!! I'm so happy!!!
Nov 30, 2016.... Still not resting much. So tired. Pain is getting easier. Walked 5 times today. Pulled the wires, SUCKED! Echo done after. Just waiting to here when we can go. Below is photo of xray showing wires holding chest together.
Doc comes to room. I have some bad news. Turns out echo did not show the mitral valve area as well as they would like and had some regurgitation. You are Not being released today. We will need to do a TEE Echo tomorrow for a better view of it. Basically they stick a camera down your esophagus. If that looks good, then you can go home.
Me: "F!CK!
Dec 1, 2016.... Pain is better. Still sore but getting better. They take me for test early. SUCKED! But not that bad. Walked a lot today. Nervous. Waiting. Doc shows up around 1:00pm . He says " Bad news. Your not going home. The mitral valve area has a gradient of 120, Which is what we call a plus 3. The valve is regurgitating severely. We will have to operate again on Monday. "
Me: $%&$* "#$%$$&&$$&&!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!! Let's just say he heard a lot of bad language.
So, stay tuned for part Two, Mitral Valve Replacement.
