Dad in the Hospital *UPDATE*

[jillluvsdisney]

About a month ago my Dad said he had to have a doppler type test on his heart. He never said anything else about it and told me the test was fine. On Mother's Day night, he tells us (me, my sister and her family) that he is having a heart catheterization on 05/13. My sister just called and they are taking him down to the cath lab. We know he's going to need open heart surgery to replace a tissue valve. The heart cath is checking for any other problems or blockages.

My poor Dad. The only thing I can hold onto is that he's actually pretty healthy and exercises, eats right and doesn't smoke. I can't be there right now becuase I have been home sick with a raging sore throat. The walk in clinic tested me for strep on Monday, it was negative. I feel so horrendous, I'm going back to see my own DR at 145 today. My Mom told me to get better so she can cross off one person on her list of people she has to worry about.

Anyone else have a parent who had this done? What is the recovery time for the heart cath and what can we expect?

[aurora, ariel, and bell]

My dad just had a quadrupble bipass on April 24. He is 79 years old and he was in the hospital for one week. he is tired alot and gets out of breath easily, but each day he gets better and better. His blood pressure is low which may be contributing to the tiredness. I know how you feel, i was a nervous wreck, but even though this is major surgery it is done regularly now and we were told that it is a 98% recovery. Good odds. Good luck to your dad:pixie:

[SBETigg]

The recovery from the cath itself isn't much, I think. It's just a test. He'll be ready to go home the next day(or same day) and he'll only have to watch out for bleeding from the area where they put it in, usually upper-thigh/groin area.

The actual open heart surgery has the more complicated hospital stay/recovery time, as the previous poster describes. Best wishes to your dad, and try not to worry. Finding these problems now gives him a very good chance of getting the help he needs and recovering to live a good life for many long years.

[kakn7294]

I work on a cardiac floor. I usually take care of the post-cath patients so I can answer you questions there. I have gone to the open heart class but don't take care of those patients yet (and won't if I get my way but that's another story) but I can give you a good idea of the basics of recovery.

The recovery time for a heart cath is generally only about 5 - 10 days to fully return to all activities. Your dad will have a period of bedrest prescribed by the doctor following the procedure - anywhere from 30 min to overnight depending on the type of procedure used to close the artery. He will have restrictions for things like driving, heavy lifting, walking stairs, tub bathing or swimming, etc for the next 5 - 10 days. The hospital should provide instructions on that at discharge. Everything else he can do as normal once that bedrest period is completed. Complications he'll need to watch for are bleeding at the puncture site, pain and swelling at that site, signs of infection at the site (redness, swelling, drainage), chest pain, shortness of breath. They should give him a list of what to watch for as well. He may or may not be kept overnight for observation.

The heart valve is more complicated and takes a longer recovery. In my facility, patients remain in our critical care unit until they are weaned off of the venilator - usually within a few hours to overnight - then transfered to my unit by the next day following the surgery. Total hospital stay is targeted for 5 days. He may or may not have wire protruding from the chest attached to a temporary pacemaker to ensure that the heart has recovered and won't go into an irregular rhythm since it's been compromised. Those wires are usually pulled within a few days. He may feel like he got hit by a truck for the first few days and it may take up to a year for him to fully recover his strength. Valve patients generally heal faster than bipass patients barring any complications. It's not unusual for heart patients to feel excessively tired and fatigued, have changes to appetite and taste, and experience changes in self-image and become depressed. The patients who do the best in their recovery are those that keep a positive attitude, follow the doctor's / hospital's prescribed treatment plan, and take the pain medicine offered in the initial recover period to keep pain at a controllable level.

Good luck to you and your Dad! You can message me if you have any additional questions - I'll try to help. You best resource will be the nurses in the hospital where he has his procedures done. They are old hands at this and have your Dad's best interests at heart (no pun intended).

[Septbride2002]

No advice just a :hug:

[MNNHFLTX]

I also work on a Intermediate Care unit where we get all the post-catheterization (and cardiothoracic surgery) patients. Years ago, the main method used to help close the puncture site (from the cath) was literally put enough pressure to the groin to keep it from bleeding and to clot it over. Now there are glue-like products out there that are applied to the puncture site as a plug. This has dramatically cut down on the duration of bedrest and hospitalization. If he were a patient in my hospital and having the catheterization mid-day, we would expect him to stay overnight for observation. Patients that are done first thing in the morning can often go home later that evening.

Your dad's discharge instructions should be similar to what Kathy stated in her post. The valve replacement will be much more extensive, as previously stated, but sometimes it's easier to cross one bridge at a time with these things. :)

Sending good wishes and :pixie: to your dad. Let us know how he's doing.

[crazypoohbear]

No advice on the heart issue but I wanted to wish you the best of luck with everything.
Hope everyone feels better soon.

[kakn7294]

Years ago, the main method used to help close the puncture site (from the cath) was literally put enough pressure to the groin to keep it from bleeding and to clot it over. Now there are glue-like products out there that are applied to the puncture site as a plug.We go through spurts as to the closure method / device used but most of our docs still prefer manual pressure to a closure device. The patients don't like it though.

[jillluvsdisney]

Thank you much for the information and well wishes. He'll be ovenight tonight in hospital. We bring him back on Monday for the valve replacement. I met the surgeon who will be performing the procedure and felt very good about him. Again...thanks so much for everything.:cloud9:

[mrsgaribaldi]

I also work on a Intermediate Care unit where we get all the post-catheterization (and cardiothoracic surgery) patients. Years ago, the main method used to help close the puncture site (from the cath) was literally put enough pressure to the groin to keep it from bleeding and to clot it over. Now there are glue-like products out there that are applied to the puncture site as a plug. This has dramatically cut down on the duration of bedrest and hospitalization. If he were a patient in my hospital and having the catheterization mid-day, we would expect him to stay overnight for observation. Patients that are done first thing in the morning can often go home later that evening.

Your dad's discharge instructions should be similar to what Kathy stated in her post. The valve replacement will be much more extensive, as previously stated, but sometimes it's easier to cross one bridge at a time with these things. :)

Sending good wishes and :pixie: to your dad. Let us know how he's doing.

I used to work on a step down unit after open heart surgery and sometimes cardiac caths. We used to use the sandbag and bedrest for 8 hours. This was over 10 years ago. Fast forward to my dad having a cardiac cath at a hospital where they use that plug. He was encouraged to walk around after the procedure and I just couldn't get used to that. It just seemed so wrong.:confused:
Anyway, my father in law had his aortic valve replaced 10 years ago. No complications and he's going great. I believe he will be 82 or 83 this year. I agree with what kakn7294(Kathy) told you. Only where I worked everyone had the pacing wires but this was more than 10 years ago so I'm sure alot has changed. Also, the length of stay was targeted at 3 days. They really got you home right away. There was no lying about. You were up and out of bed right away. I'm sure your dad will do fine. :pixie::pixie::pixie::pixie:Like Kathy said, ask his nurses. They should do extensive teaching with your dad and your family. As Kathy said "They are old hands at this and have your Dad's best interests at heart (no pun intended)." I love that Kathy!!!

[ElenitaB]

Not a nurse... only the daughter of a former cardiac patient (back in the day when families were basically left in the dark). Just wanted to send you lots of :hug: and :pixie: for your dad's surgery and recovery.

[Hull-onian]

Speedy recovery to your Dad!!!

[RedSoxFan]

:pixie::pixie::pixie: for your Dad.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Prayers and pixie dust for a speedy recovery for your dad. Keep us posted on his progress.:pixie::pixie::pixie::pixie:

[jillluvsdisney]

Just checking back. Thanks again. Surgery will be Monday. In the mean time, Dad is home resting. My dad is not a stay and home and relax type of person. We already had, ahem, a talk about not driving for the next 3 days. He ready to just zip off to the grocery store today.:mad: Thankfully, my sister was around and she took him. My Dad is type of person who would go to the post office to mail a letter in a blizzard. This will be interesting.

[kakn7294]

Just checking back. Thanks again. Surgery will be Monday. In the mean time, Dad is home resting. My dad is not a stay and home and relax type of person. We already had, ahem, a talk about not driving for the next 3 days. He ready to just zip off to the grocery store today.:mad: Thankfully, my sister was around and she took him. My Dad is type of person who would go to the post office to mail a letter in a blizzard. This will be interesting.While it's going to be hard to get him to slow down, it actually might be good for his recovery that he's not a stay at home and relax person. Hopefully it will keep him motivated to get well quickly! Good luck to your dad and your family!

[jillluvsdisney]

You know, I never thought of it that way Kathy.
My Dad is a pretty spunky person. Thanks.

[jillluvsdisney]

My Dad had an aortic valve replacement and a single bypass yesterday morning. We saw him at 130 in CCU. He was still asleep and on a vent. That sight was very hard for me to take.
We all went home to get some rest. My sister and Mom went back in the evening and he was able to blink his eyes and squeeze their hands.
Around 830, the took him off the vent.:thumbsup:

My Mom and sister are there now. Carrie said my dad was up eating lunch and respitory therapy was going to be in a few minutes.

Good signs so far. I am encouraged. Now if I could just lick this sore thorat virus and ear infection thing, I would feel so much better. The day we found out about the surgery ( May 10) was the day I started feeling ill. Too much stress put me in a real tailspin.

[DizNee143]

so glad things seem to looking so good for your dad!! hope it continues that way!!! :)

[SBETigg]

It's very stressful to have a loved one going through that, and you need to take care of you. I'm glad he's doing well and out of surgery, good news!

[RedSoxFan]

Glad to hear he is doing well. I hope you feel better soon.

[MNNHFLTX]

Good news, Jill! Hopefully he will be out of the ICU by tomorrow morning. It constantly amazes me how quickly people recover from these types of surgery. Your dad sounds like a trouper!

[pianobabe]

I am glad your dad is doing well. Lots of thoughts, prayers and :pixie::pixie: coming your way. Don't forget to take care of yourself too. You will be a much better help to him healthy, than still sick and worn down.

[jillluvsdisney]

It was such a relief to see my Dad today. He looked a million times better. His chest tube was out and he was up for a few short walks.
He was sitting up and eating lunch and dinner also.

Thanks everyone for the kind words.:thumbsup:

[kakn7294]

Glad to hear he's doing so well! :pixie: for a continued speedy recovery. And don't forget to take care of yourself too.