Hi Everyone,
I had my thoracotomy/lobectomy on march 30th. It didnt go as well as planned and I had to have a second emergency surgery a few hours later.
The initial surgery went well and the doctors were very happy with everything. They said my right upper lobe was absolutely disgusting and it was a good move to get it out of there. I was awake and seemed to be doing well.
A few hours after the first surgery my blood pressure and hematocrit started to decliine. Suddenly my blood pressure dropped to 25/15 and my hematocrit was 8!!!! I lost consciousness and they had to do compressions to keep my heart beating. My body went into complete shock and my kidneys and liver stopped working. They realized I was bleeding internally and immediately took me back to the OR. When they opened my chest for the second time there was 2 liters of blood in there. They could not find the source of bleeding but finally saw way down at the bottom of my chest there was a rib that had gotten cracked and it nicked an artery and was causing lots of blood loss. They repaired the artery and sewed me up and hoped that my body (kidneys, liver, brain etc..)could recover.
So, after two 8 hour surgeries I finally went to the ICU to recover. I wound up being intubated for 5 days and in the ICU for 7. Finally on the 7th day I woke up and was stable enough to go back to the regular floor. I just left the hospital last thursday (april 14th). Now Im home recovering slowly.
I have a 9 inch long scar that goes from under my right shoulder bone to under my right arm (and a small one below that from chest tube) Other than that, the rest of my body, kidneys, liver and stuff are slowly getting back to normal. All of my labs are getting better each time they check them.
My family never left my side, they really thought they were going to lose me--that whole week I was in very critical condition. The doctors said things could change from good to bad at any second. It was a trying time for everyone. But, I made it through and now I look forward to a healthier summer since I will no longer have to deal with that ratty right upper lobe (once this chest pain gets better)!!
I had my thoracotomy/lobectomy on march 30th. It didnt go as well as planned and I had to have a second emergency surgery a few hours later.
The initial surgery went well and the doctors were very happy with everything. They said my right upper lobe was absolutely disgusting and it was a good move to get it out of there. I was awake and seemed to be doing well.
A few hours after the first surgery my blood pressure and hematocrit started to decliine. Suddenly my blood pressure dropped to 25/15 and my hematocrit was 8!!!! I lost consciousness and they had to do compressions to keep my heart beating. My body went into complete shock and my kidneys and liver stopped working. They realized I was bleeding internally and immediately took me back to the OR. When they opened my chest for the second time there was 2 liters of blood in there. They could not find the source of bleeding but finally saw way down at the bottom of my chest there was a rib that had gotten cracked and it nicked an artery and was causing lots of blood loss. They repaired the artery and sewed me up and hoped that my body (kidneys, liver, brain etc..)could recover.
So, after two 8 hour surgeries I finally went to the ICU to recover. I wound up being intubated for 5 days and in the ICU for 7. Finally on the 7th day I woke up and was stable enough to go back to the regular floor. I just left the hospital last thursday (april 14th). Now Im home recovering slowly.
I have a 9 inch long scar that goes from under my right shoulder bone to under my right arm (and a small one below that from chest tube) Other than that, the rest of my body, kidneys, liver and stuff are slowly getting back to normal. All of my labs are getting better each time they check them.
My family never left my side, they really thought they were going to lose me--that whole week I was in very critical condition. The doctors said things could change from good to bad at any second. It was a trying time for everyone. But, I made it through and now I look forward to a healthier summer since I will no longer have to deal with that ratty right upper lobe (once this chest pain gets better)!!