If you are so inclined please send PRAYERS/good thoughts/vibes as my husband (62) is off for an emergency heart catheter today after many episodes of uncontrolled angina. He already has a pacemaker which is now working at 100% capacity. I think my stomach ulcers are back so I have to keep it together now for his sake. We're off to the hospital now.
Thanks in advance & I will keep you updated
Gee, this sounds like it could be a setback for him as far as not being able to be released as planned tomorrow.
It reminds me of when I had the worst bronchitis ever in my mid-20's. I coughed non-stop and since I was still living at home, I had to sit up all night in the family room so as not to keep my parents up. I literally couldn't sleep for an entire week and the delirium set in. Then it got to a point where I was afraid to fall asleep for fear I wouldn't wake up - real strange time.
I hope they can do something for him if the chest x-ray shows pneumonia or aspiration pneumonia as I'm sure it's painful to be continuously coughing!
I guess he's fortunate to have the opiates at this point - continued prayer for him to start feeling better as well as gaining some strength, getting some sleep and strength for you!
Cwillie..........opiates are the only thing causing him SOME relief right now, so taking him off of them isn't being discussed; he hasn't slept for the past few nights from coughing, so things are kind of a mess right now. Please continue to send prayers and good thoughts our way.
Thanks to everyone for everything
Be aware if he was catheritized (I'm sure he was) that the possibility of a post-op (once he is home) UTI is there; if he develops fevers/chills, get him back to the original hospital asap. This happened to my DH and I was clueless as to what it might be. We called our PCP who guessed immediately what it was. Forewarned is forarmed, I think!
Barb............yeah huh? MIL wanting to visit with pneumonia. Good lord, people just don't think, do they?
He may be released on Wednesday if all goes well, and if he's able to have a BM by then. They won't release him until they can SEE the BM! As we all know, it's hard to poop with so many pain meds even though they're giving him a ton of stool softeners, Miralax, etc. Tonight they bring in the next level laxatives........the big guns. LOL
That really helped my DH in the days and weeks post surgery. And yes, the big red heart pillow to hold when coughing of sneezing.
When DH was in the hospital, his mom had pneumonia. She was trying to find out what hospital he was in so she could visit.
I called my BIL and said, "your one and only job is keeping your mom away from here. If he gets pneumonia, he will die".
Fortunately, BIL was able to get her doctor to intervene and tell her she needed to stay put for her own health.
At first I thought "oh, no" when you mentioned the fluid in one lung but, I'm glad the doctor said he's doing well in spite of the pain and coughing.
It's unfortunate that he's unable to sleep well as a result of it because we all know the good sleep is essential when it comes to healing of any kind whether it be physical, emotional or psychological. It is so necessary!
Hope he gets past this part soon so the real healing can begin.
Thank you for the update and hope you and your family are doing a little better now with a new week ahead of you.
Continue to take care of yourselves in the meantime!
So glad everything went well with your husband's triple bypass! You and your family have been extremely busy these past several days with a wedding along with everything else. Hope your husband realizes he's been given a second chance to get it together so to speak.
My uncle has had several quadruple bypasses and will NEVER quit smoking or eating a high cholesterol diet. Same with my ex- BIL, he's had them too and has diabetes to the point of losing a big toe - no changes with him either. Go figure!
Here's to better days ahead!
Too much change too quick can tax an already rapidly adapting, if willing partner. Already so much that he is in control of in his life is under pressure. He knows. He's a grownup. And this is one heck of a message. He will make his decisions and you will be there to support him every step. So glad all continues well.
DH and I have the type of relationship where nobody 'takes care' of anybody else unless there's a total need, ie: my hip replacement where I couldn't get around. Then he was there to help. Neither of us eat sugar as it is, and all the rest of the high fat foods have been discarded from my home. He will be home now and it will be easier for him to eat healthier than on the job where he ate fast food a lot. It's up to HIM how he eats; in 2008, I went on a diet and lost 100 lbs. I did it, not him. He continued to eat normally while I ate my own meals
He is the type of person that, once he puts his mind to something, he DOES it. Never looks back. Quit smoking 25 years ago by throwing the cigs in the trash and never smoked another one. Same thing with coffee. When he gave up sugar 4 years ago, he never drank another cup of coffee again (bc he took sugar with it). He said he'd never drink another alcoholic beverage after he got deathly sick puking at 17 years old, and he hasn't had a drink since. He is the strongest human I know. And, if he decides to live a heart healthy lifestyle, I'll be right there with him and helping him, but not doing it FOR him.
For me, marriage is a team effort. If only half of the team is putting forth effort, it's time for me to move on. If that makes sense. I'm not giving up MY heath to 'mother' him! And I don't think he'll make it necessary, with God's help
I hope you can rest easier now and look forward to DH coming home to recuperate. You and your DD did great getting through this, sending you another big hug!
My DH had the "widowmaker" 4 years ago, but was able to have it remedied with a lot of stents---his cholesterol was 150 and he bragged endlessly how he could eat ANYTHING and it didn't affect him.
He did initially follow the dietary rules, did the cardio rehab and really behaved---slowly he slipped back into eating garbage and never exercising. His diabetes is now on the verge of being a real issue again--I really feel for you and the rehab ahead.
Stents are much easier on the body and a quicker rehab, but still. I do hope your DH follows the rules and realizes that he's a million dollar animal now.
My just got his butt kicked by his cardiologist, Liver transplant Dr. and PCP all in one week. He's now a chastened man, but he doesn't get unlimited passes on walking up to death's door and being turned away.
I will give you ONE piece of advice: Let HIM be accountable for his own eating habits, exercise, etc. Anything that my DH did for 'me' was incredibly resented and I had to learn to step back and prepare healthy meals, not keep sugary foods around and letting him make his own choices.
And YOU take care of YOU!!! I've developed heart problems due entirely to the nonstop stress of caring for DH. I'm medicating so I can live with HIM!
Daughter, LOVE your comment!
Please, get a good night's sleep and check back in the AM. (((((Hugs)))))))