Heart 5-Way Bypass Surgery, 5-21-14

5-21-14 - In the ICU after 6 hours on the heart/lung machine for what turned out to be a 5-Way Bypass Open Heart Surgery.  They ran into complications due to a surgery I had in my early 20's to remove a rib; apparently they also removed a large blood vessel that my heart surgeon was going to use for part of the bypass.  Since is wasn't available they had to go elsewhere to retrieve the required blood vessels.  This is a major over-simplification of everything they had to do, but it gives you an idea.  They have you up walking around the ICU a couple of days later!!

 



 

5 days later, 5-26-14, with my "Heart Pillow" (wrapped in a pillowcase) on my chest.  You hug the pillow tightly to your chest so you won't/can't use your arms.  The breathing tube has been removed and I'm much more comfortable.  Six days in the ICU and 3 days in the PCU (Progressive Care Unit).   

 

Thursday, 5-29-14 - Day 9 and I'm all bundled up in the back seat of Ted's car (with the Heart Pillow on my chest) getting set for the 1+ hour drive home.  I was so glad to be going home where I could finally get some rest -- away from the constant wakeups to check my blood pressure, take some pills, do my breathing exercises, walk around the ICU, order breakfast/lunch/dinner, more breathing exercises, more pills, get taught how to give myself a sponge bath, get taught how to shower, walk around the ICU again......  Now, don't get me wrong, the care they gave was excellent, but it was exhausting!  :-)

Now the long, slow journey to a full recovery begins.

 

5-29-14 - Arrived home and settled into the guest bedroom.  Enlarge the picture and you can see the guest bed in the picture below.  My BFF Diane had come down and hung these beautiful hanging baskets beside my hummingbird feeders.  This was my view out the windows every day and I loved it!  Diane also got together with the "Tea Party" ladies and every other day one of them brought a fully cooked dinner to the house.  It was a tremendous help to Ted (who was my only caregiver) and me during that very rough first 2 weeks. 

 

Diane also planted these beautiful flowers in the planters on my front porch.  I couldn't believe how much that meant, and how beautiful that was to come home to.

I took the pictures below on Saturday, June 21, 2014.