Thursday PM

Reporting in: Thurs. 6:52 PM
The appointment with Dr. Doty went well today. Both Barb and I really liked him. He answered all our questions and was most helpful. He, too, was disturbed by the identity mix up last week and will investigate and tell me what happened when I meet him in the hospital on Sunday. A PA (Terry Powers) that helps Dr. Doty also came in to give us information.
Answered questions:
Length of surgery is 4-5 hours.
Time in ICU 1-2 days
Hospital stay - about a week 5-7 days.
Visitors - unlimited. ICU visits are more limited but someone can be right outside the ICU room all the time. I will be moved to a room in a day or two. He even said they can put a bed in my room for someone to spend the night. Oh yes, no children can visit.
Tubes: two drain tubes in lower chest as well as two pacer wires in the same area. They get removed 2-3 days.
Hole in heart will be repaired during valve replacement - no big deal.
Laying flat won't be a problem - they would prefer me to be propped up anyway.
He said it will be six weeks before I get my energy back.
The entire visit was very satisfactory.
One humorous incident happened last night:
I had pulled my list of questions out of my purse - the next time I turned around I noticed Smokey Joe was eating a piece of paper with red, white and blue on it. Of course I freaked - he had eaten half of my Medicare Card. Pure panic! Then I remembered that I had made copies of all my important cards before I went to Europe - so all I had to do was find it. Called Beth because she and I saw them the other night but by the time she called me back - I had found the copy. Sooooooo today, I took all the parts and pieces in a baggie and took the copy with me Fortunately, the doctor's office accepted the copy. Whew! (I sure did not want to wait for the rest of card to come through) Yuck!
By the way, the anger is now gone - my attitude is much improved. Love to all, Mom