more prayers buddy,
thanks for keeping us all updated, it's appreciated.

God Bless!

Z , the breathing drill's / blow and make the ball rise..are VERY important in his recovery.
tell APU to get with it ..or we will come down there and chase him around the ICU..that will get him breathing ..or slip him a copy of some fine T & A mag.

Rika

Good to hear progress is (mostly) forward. Sounds like the medical staff is on things, which is good. Hang in there.

Thanks for sharing that information on tonglen - I wasn't familiar with that. I'll try it.

Let him know we are all still here for him!

Z
Sounds like he had a fast irregular heart beat? Pretty much de riguer postop. don't worry about it too much.

The swallowing thing is more concerning. Was he cleared after the swallowing study? Implications from "meds starting up again" suggests so. The lung and swallowing issues are usual postop and are also usually transient. Hope the kidneys are doing OK.

Tell him he has to show up at the next UPM in Vegas...

More here from Pema Chödrön. She is amazing.

Hope the week is looking up Z...

Z- just wanted you to know that I am also pulling for him and the rest of his family. I was in a similar situation April 22nd of 2005, except it was me that was going to be on the table. I was facing an extremely complicated and high risk surgery. The neurosurgeons only gave me a 20% chance of even surviving the surgery and making it off of the table. I had a team of neurosurgeons(6) and a score of other surgeons(8) that had to assist in the 14-1/2hour surgery. Prior to my surgery, I had just over a week to get all of my affairs in order, because they did not really think that I would make it. After the surgery, I was in the intensive care unit for little over a week, then I was able to be in a room on the neurosurgery floor. I actually have an appointment for next week for scans and a visit with my neurosurgeon to see what is what. I am really glad that you have been sharing all of this with us, and I hope that you do know that your Father, and the rest of his family are in our prayers. Please keep us posted, and don't miss any chances that you have right now to be with your Dad, because those chances can end, all to suddenly. Take care my friend. Tony.

Thanks all for your continued prayers, support, and encouraging words. It means a ton to my family and me.

Well, my dad's a tough bird alright. His vitals are doing much better now that he is on his meds. The biggest problem now is that he is so disoroiented, it is effecting his ability to get some rest at night.. Yeah, it is about 5 o'clock in the morning, and I just got back from the hospital, after fighting half the night with my 'out of it' dad trying to get him to rest. Not even morphine could give him rest. He wants to get out of bed and escape. He asked me several times if I brought the car, and when can we go. Then he tells me we need to go to the hospital because his heart. Then we have to go to urgent care. Three times he took off the sensor that is taped to his finger. (SPO2 sensor). When he was coherent, I would tell him we are at the hospital, in good care, and that he needs to rest. It sinks in for only 10 minutes or so. Finally, the nurse got hold of a doctor who allowed her to give Apu a good sedative. Then he finally settled down. Mellowed out.

It was very hard for me to see my dad like that, but I had to be strong -- I couldn't jump up every time he called out or started gesturing, but when he started to swing his legs off the bed, or put his sensor taped finger in his mouth to tear it off again, I had to do what I could to settle him down.

They say this disorientation is a typical post op behavior, especially with older folks. It is likely temporary - but it is extremely frustrating to see him in this condition, and quite a bit tiring. But the biggest issue is that this is preventing him from getting the rest that he needs.

I am hopeful that this too shall pass. One thing is for sure - that bypass surgery has most certainly envigorated my dad - it was all I could do to keep up with his antics! He is stronger that - expected, and with all that physical effort, his vital signs were very good, even his bp was only slightly elevated.

I'll probably do the night shift again - all I know is that they better walk him around the block a few times during the day so that he can be nice and tired for me at night!

Good night / morning / whatewver - kinda losing track of the days...
-Zoltan

Fiesty is good Z-man...that's what makes your dad's generation special...hang in there brother, you're gonna get through this!

Z- That sounds great. I have seen the post-op dementia before. It usually does pass in a short time. But it does sound like your Dad, is coming along great. Hang in there! Tony.

Update: it's been a good 24 hours...

Yesterday, they kept my father sleeping pretty much all day. That did the trick in terms of the post-op dementia. He was 100% more coherent and alert today. He remembers some of the stuff that he was making up, and recognizes that it was indeed made up. I know that everyone was saying that this disorientation is typically a temporary thing, but it was sometimes difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, especially when your dad is going through it...

This morning, they discovered a small clot in his catheter tube. So they put him on a bladder flush. That can't be a comfortable thing -- I mean he already had one tube up there... :eek: This afternoon, the flush was showing that the blood had pretty much cleared out -- which is good. But due to this, they couldn't transfer him out of SICU today. Maybe tomorrow. Everything else is looking very good -- no sign of renal failure, his breathing is much improved, his lungs are clearing up, and his ticker is beating stronger.

On a side note: I don't know how folks in the medical field do it, especially those who work with critical care patients. The nurses and therapists and all who are taking care of my dad, and others in intensive care have HUGE hearts, tons of patience, and are able to dissern what is needed for all of their patients. To those who are in the medical field who have been posting up here, or have been following this thread, I want to say, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." Without folks like you who sacrifce so much to help others, my dad would be far worse off -- and many, many people would be worse off. Yeah, I know -- "It's just a job that pays the bills." But it is also a job that is a calling, and a job that requires the workers to have a compassion for those in need. Thank you again.

When I asked him if I could do anything for him to help him get comfortable, he said that me sitting there with him is comfort enough... I'm going to hate saying goodbye to him, but if they do transfer him out of ICU, I will have to return to NJ and get back to work. But once he's out of the hospital and out of physical therapy, I'll have to come back and visit with him more.

Tomorrow, I am hopeful that my dad will be transfered out of ICU. If that happens, it will be a tremendous relief to us all. He is in good spirits today -- while I was there, he even said, "Let's watch some TV." So we watched 1/2 an hour of Jerry Springer. Some deal about love triangles gone bad. At the end of the show, my dad said that man who had to men lovers is just ridiculous. I told him, "Apu, those weren't men - they were women! He just about fell out of his bed! (They did look like men...)

As always, I appreciate all the support you folks have given me. It has been quite the roller coaster ride, and I hope that these last few turns coming up will be nice and gentle -- no loop-de-loops. It is great to have an online community (my wife calls you guys my "imaginary friends") where I can share my thoughts and can get an encouraging word.

Thanks all.
-Zoltan.

Be careful with the Springer- that show could make ANYONE get dilusional. :eek:

Been out of the loop for the last couple of days. Good to hear your dad is doing better!

hey Z....just seeing this thread.....loads of well wishing your way bud. Your support is fantastic....you are a great son.

Best,
J

:cool:

Makes you think of Harry Chapin right?

A child arrived just the other day,
came to the world in the usual way,
But there were planes to catch
and bills to pay, he learned to walk while I was away
He was talking before I knew it and as he grew
he said I'm going to be like you Dad,
you know I'm going to be like you.

......

And the cat's in the cradle,
and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue,
and the Man in the Moon,
When you coming home son, I don't know when
We'll get together then, you know we'll have a good time then.

A good reminder for all of us. I think I'll go call my Dad too.

Z- that all sounds like VERY good news!! A positive mental attitude will and does help beyond measure. Hopefully all of the good signs will keep coming! We are all pulling for your Dad and the rest of the family. There is nothing better than having your parents around in your later life. My Mom passed away in 1972, and my Dad, on Thanksgiving Day, 1990, it was also his birthday. That really did change the way I feel about Thanksgiving Day. Keep us posted with the good news updates. Tony.

Best wishes, Z.

Do not forget to take care of yourself too.

Hey guys -
Things are looking very well. This morning, the doctors felt that my dad needed his lungs sucked out again. So with no antestesia, they stick a tube down my dad's nose and into his lungs. That must have been a wonderful feeling for him....

Anyway, after that procedure was done, they transfered him off the SICU and up to the cardiac care floor. This is a huge step forward -- while he still needs to rest and heal, at least he is off the ICU floor, meaning he has healed enough not to require urgent care.

While the lung sucking did quite literally knock the wind out of him, and he was tired for the rest of the day, he is also happy to be improving.

I feel more relieved now. I'm planning on returning to NJ on Sunday - it's going to be sad for my family and me to leave Florida... but I plan on coming back when my dad arrives home.

Thanks again,
-Zoltan.