The Long Awaited and Requested Update!

Ok, Ok, Stone me now...... I know, I know, I suck but I have an excuse!!!!! Ok here's the low down....... Hubby went in on December 26th, his Bday. First he was on the 4th floor in the co-op until his surgery December 28th... They took him down on the 28th at 1pm but didn't start surgery until 2:30. Needless to say by 5:30pm his sister and I were getting a bit anxious. At about 6pm Dr. Roye came out and told us everything went well, that it was a bit of a long surgery because of my hubbys size and height but over all there were no for seen issues........ Sooooooooo up to the new I.C.U. step down unit he goes.. Oh my gosh this unit is so wonderful!!! Anyone just starting your journey let me tell you the new unit it unbelievable! They are all single rooms, The bed they were able to round up for my hubby is called the "purple" bed and let me tell you, me, my hubby and his sister fit in it!!!!! It's a temperpidic type of bed..They also rounded up this chair that my sister-in-law and my self comfortably sat in together!!!!! It was a remote controlled recliner.. The nurses up there are all unbelievable!!!!! They told us they recently had a in-service on beriatric surgery and the expected care of patients on this floor.. Dr. Roye told us also they have a weekly meeting were he goes over any issues "WE" tell him about in the office about our stay and they get addressed immediately. He said he expects the highest of quality of care from everyone we come in contact with. And let me tell you every single nurse, aid, even housekeeper went above and beyond the call of duty. They offered to lotion him up, get him s/f Popsicles at the drop of a hat, if he broke a sweat they were in there changing his sheets and getting him a never ending supply of 10xl johnnies.. At one point we had at least 6 people in his room and not one nurse had a problem with it.. All I heard constantly was "can I do anything for you?".. And that also went for me. if I was there for dinner, I was brought in a tray also. My son who is 9 was there one day, they brought him in a try for lunch too. THEN came back and asked me if they could take him to get a Popsicle. My sister-in-law who had her surgery at Roger Williams Hospital with Dr. Phole was joking saying she wanted to have her surgery re-done just so she could have that care hubby was getting. She said "Man I feel like I had the drive-through service compared to this!!" Now, Because my husband is on blood thinners for his heart valve we were up there in the step down till Tuesday!!! Which wasn't that bad because we had an awesome view of the New years Fireworks Down town.. They couldn't get his I&R (coumiden level) where it needed to be. So they had him on heparin, and lovnox shots at first trying to get it where it needed to be, the theropuiduic range. So then they got him back on his coumiden and things still weren't right so we still stayed put in step down from Thursday till Tuesday.. By Tuesday things were looking good and they sent him back over to coop but this time floor 3.. So he was doing great, on the full liquids, feeling like a million bucks then had a mouth full of undulated cranberry juice!!!!! Almost instantly he felt sick!! He got the sweats, felt his heart pounding in his head, felt his stomach flip and had to almost RUN to the bathroom... Yep he dumped for the first time!!!! And not only dumped but dumped what looked like reddish brown tar. It scared the hell out of him because he's had bad bleeding issues before. This happened a few more times but it was redder and redder so they decided they had to do a scope to see what was going on in there.. So now freakin because of the blood and they tell him about the risks of doing a scope and how its even riskier doing it after bypass surgery. Yeah he was needing an adavain by then... Maybe even a few.... So Dr. Roye told hubby that there is this doctor who's the best in the country with doing the scopes and he just happens to be at RIH for some seminar and he's managed to get him to do hubbys scope! So Thursday they do the scope and find out everything is fine! It was just some crap (in more ways then one) working it self out. Soooo we're crossing our fingers hoping Friday will be the day he comes home because he's going completely stir crazy... We also found out that my hubby's going into Dr. Roys history books... Come to find out my hubby was the first person Dr. Roye did surgery on who has a heart valve and is on coumiden for that valve!! And here I was telling hubby "You'll be fine, your not the first person he's done surgery on who's had a heart valve and is on blood thinners and you're not going to be the last." Well I was half right....lol Dr. Roye is a wonderful man! Each time he came in to speak with my husband and I through all of this he made us feel at ease cracking jokes and talking to us not like a patient in cold clinical terms, but like a concerned friend trying to make sure all our needs were met, a friend who we both will be eternally grateful for.... Sooooooooooo I'll keep you guys posted on what happens next..... Oh yeah and the friggin hose on my radiator went on Sunday when I got to the hospital...... If it's not one frggin thing it's another....... Hugs ~~ Na ~~

good morning nadene, Thanks for the update. We were all waiting to hear from you and you gave us an excellent update. Sounds like hubby is doing good. Oh boy I know the feeling of wanting to get home. Keep us posted ... Carol

yay!!!! i'm so happy for you guys. dr. roye is the best. but i think i'm jealous i didn't get to experience the new and improved step down!! private rooms must be spectacular! can't wait to hear about the rest of his progress.. he's in the best of hands between dr. roye and yourself! hugs, kristen*

Yay Nadine and Hubby!! Congrats to Hubby and that he made out very well. Glad to hear that both of u are doing well and hope to hear more great news from u!! Thanks for keeping all of us updated! Shannon

Wow your really getting an education and a proffecional care giver. I am so happy your both home and hubby is doing very well I really love the person Dr. Roye is and he is the best . I got to read an artical about on of his sucess stories in the no. Prov. Papers last week and its a miracle what he has done for us and this particular girl . Im bringing him a copy if he didnt see it . Take care be well and your in my prayers for an uneventful recovery elaine