LakesRider: Update on Patriot's Day

[Lakesrider]

Tuesday's update 1:00 PM

Thank you all for your kind words. I know Paul will be so happy to read all your best wishes for him when he is able.
He was moved to the stepdown unit today around noon. He is resting, however has pain by the incision site, also where all the tubes are. They are trying to find a good pain drug for him too which will not make him nauseous. He just needs to heal & get better now. Not fun for him at the moment, but take this one step at a time. Thanks all for now! Kathy

Hi all Winnipesaukee Forum friends & readers!
This is Kathy here, reporting for LakesRider.

We arrived at 4:30 AM - Patriot's Day in MA - Boston Marathon & a Red Sox game, no less!
However, Mass General Hospital was definitely still open for business! Paul had his BP checked (very good) & his temperature checked with a new-fangled thermometer waved across his temples. I want one of those!

After putting on his johnnie, robe and socks, Jorge wheeled him to the surgery suite where we parted ways at about 6:15 AM. No messing around there! The surgery should take several hours, and the nurse, Melissa, told us that we wouldn't get to see Paul much before approximately 10-12 hours. That seemed longer than we were initially expecting.

Feel free to go to this Heart website & I will be able to post an update later, when the patient is wheeled to ICU.

Here is the site for future reference: put in patient's name Paul
http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/journals/mystory/paulgamache

Thank you all for your well wishes - I know LakesRider appreciates hearing from you all. Take care.
Kathy

[WinterHarborGirl]

I don't know Paul but am wishing him the best anyway. He is in the best place he can be in. My husband suffered a heart attack 10 years ago and had a couple of stents put in at Mass General.....Great place. His suffered 75% heart damage but with rehab and new meds is great today! I am sure Paul will pull through just fine.... Best Wishes

[Lakesrider]

Thanks again for your reply WinterHarborGirl! Paul is now out of surgery & will be asleep between 4-6 hours.
Best for now,
LakesRider (& Kathy)

[DickR]

For those curious, I found (easily) a couple of URLs with more info on robotic assisted surgery:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotic_surgery
http://www.davincisurgery.com/cardiac/conditions/mitral-valve-prolapse/

Gee, LR, it seems like complicated surgery is getting more and more like taking the car in for engine problems. Need a valve job? No problem, drop it off in the am, back on the road in no time!

Glad to hear the procedure went well. We'll look for a post about your first ride out on the lake after you're back home.

[rrr]

Kathy,

I don't know Paul either - but like so many on this forum, I too am including him in my prayers.

Thank you very much for the updates. He's sleeping - but I bet you're exhausted! Don't forget to take care of yourself while he's got all those doctors and nurses taking care of him!

[tis]

So glad to hear he is out of surgery, Kathy. Thanks for keeping us all informed.

[VitaBene]

If you need anything let me know. I am pretty sure I know where you live and we are close.

[Winnisquamguy]

I hope he starts feeling better in the days to come.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Thanks for the update Kathy. I am so glad that Paul is doing well!!! Thinking of you all and sending lots of healing thoughts and prayers.

[Island Girl]

Glad to hear you are in recovery mode.

IG :D

[Lakesrider]

Today around noon, Paul was moved from the SCICU to the Cardiac Stepdown Unit, (Ellison - Floor 8) which is across the hall, but specialized for Cardiac patients. The night was uneventful; he was trying to get into a comfortable position, but his incision site had (and still has) a lot of tubes still sticking in, & it was difficult to get comfortable.

In the SCICU, the Hill-Rom bed had an inflatable component to it & he was more comfortable on it. Now he is in a Stryker (Secure II) bed, which supposedly is not as comfortable, he said. He sat in a chair briefly today.

Percoset, gave him a nauseous feeling, so the doctors have found a better medicine for him. He has drunk a little ginger ale for his dry throat.
Paul is sleeping on and off, which will be good to help in his recovery.

Thanks to you all for your prayers and good wishes. We will get back with an update as things progress! The best to you all,
Kathy, for Paul
http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/journals/user/paulgamache

[Retired Ole Guy]

Hope it continues to go well Glad to hear :D

[Lakesrider]

Hello fellow Winni friends!
We can see the changes in Paul day-by-day & he is feeling better.

The rest of the tubes came out today, another couple X-Rays & he does not feel as loopy & having had eaten is making him feel so much better.

The doctor described Paul's mitral valve as having an extra fold of tissue on the posterior side that flapped and would not close that previously was not seen on the pictures. This needed to be cut back, reshaped and sutured back together to form a snugger fit and a ring was sewn in to make a better structure against the heart's pumping action. As a result, the surgery was longer and little more complicated than they had anticipated.
He also said that if Paul is not woosey, can manage walking several times a day & going up a couple flights of stairs, he may be able to be released tomorrow (my birthday - quite a present!). He will really be happy to leave the hospital. It seems amazing that one can have this surgery Monday & be released in 5 days, which I read that is the average length of stay for this surgery.

Thanks again for all your words of encouragement - I can't wait for Paul to read them. We shall be in touch soon.
Best - Kathy & Paul

[NoBozo]

Things are always looking better when the nurses Make You walk up and down the halls pushing your own IV Stand. 5 days sounds right when everything is going on schedual. That only happened once with me. A couple of times (there were 4) it went to 12 days. Mass General did the trick. :) NB

[Lakesrider]

Hi all,
Just wanted to post an update for you! Sorry to be a little late :)
We left the hospital Friday and are head to the Lakes & our house after a quick pit stop for some ice cream which Paul loves. He is still quite sore, but it is so amazing to see the results of the surgery! He told me to mention, that he will do the further updates once he has gotten good solid sleep.

Mass General DID do the trick!
Once again thank you for your well wishes, and we consider you our extended family.

Best to you,
Kathy

[NoBozo]

Hi all,
Just wanted to post an update for you! Sorry to be a little late :)
We left the hospital Friday and are head to the Lakes & our house after a quick pit stop for some ice cream which Paul loves. He is still quite sore, but it is so amazing to see the results of the surgery! He told me to mention, that he will do the further updates once he has gotten good solid sleep.

Mass General DID do the trick!
Once again thank you for your well wishes, and we consider you our extended family.

Best to you,
Kathy

EXCELLENT...:D NB

PS: Time to buy something big that he has always wanted....but never could justify...:)

[Lakesrider]

Well I am home and alive. It is rough being house bound and not being able to drive for a month. It is only day two of being home and it is already boring just sitting around. I just wanted to thank everyone for the well wishes if I didn't already. The Tylenol with Codeine really helps with the pain but it makes everything a bit of blur right now. Hopefully that will get better in a few days.....:D

[tis]

Glad you are home. It sounds like a long time now, but I am sure the time will go by fast.

[GFP]

So happy all went well for you. Being home will help you feel better even faster.

[secondcurve]

Well I am home and alive. It is rough being house bound and not being able to drive for a month. It is only day two of being home and it is already boring just sitting around. I just wanted to thank everyone for the well wishes if I didn't already. The Tylenol with Codeine really helps with the pain but it makes everything a bit of blur right now. Hopefully that will get better in a few days.....:D

Best wishes on your recovery! Don't forget to listen to your doctors and most importantly your wife to ensure a full recovery!

[NoBozo]

Well I am home and alive. It is rough being house bound and not being able to drive for a month. It is only day two of being home and it is already boring just sitting around. I just wanted to thank everyone for the well wishes if I didn't already. The Tylenol with Codeine really helps with the pain but it makes everything a bit of blur right now. Hopefully that will get better in a few days.....:D

Welcome back LR: You will rapidly improve..BUT take it easy. You will THINK you are really doing good....can do 30 push ups and are ready to go. NO. Take it easy. +/- SIX weeks. If you over do it..you will get dizzy. Enjoy the vacation. :look:

They didn't crack your chest..so maybe things will improve faster. One of the most interesting things about this experience..Your outlook on life ...WILL change. NB

[riverat]

Nice to have you at home. But you were always with us here.

Relax and do some walking when you can. It made my bypass recovery quicker.

[Lakepilot]

Welcome home LR and get better quick.

[ishoot308]

Wishing you a speedy recovery Lakesrider!!

Dan