37 day hospital trauma

My apologies from the start on a rather long story. I have tried to keep it as brief as possible and still relate it accurately.

I was August 4th 2011 that due to suffering from some persistent neck and chest pain I went into my doctor’s office for some tests. Very quickly the doctor determined I needed to go immediately into the hospital for more thorough tests. Within hours I was being prepped for a surgical procedure called an angiogram.

I was stunned. All my life I had been an avid athlete, martial artist and body builder. Eating very healthy even as a teenage (late 1960’s and early 70’s). I did have a family history of heart problems but that didn’t concern me to much as they all lived rather unhealthy life styles. My recent blood tests did show my cholesterol was high but I was able to get it down through natural supplements and by going on a semi vegetarian diet.

Back to the hospital…. The angiogram showed some very severe coronary artery blockage (one artery was 99% closed). I would require immediate open-heart, coronary by-pass surgery. Five hours later, I had five grafts put in.

Post surgery, the first 48 hours I seemed to be recovering very well. Then day three I developed these terrible diaphragm spasms, severe hiccups that would not go away. These were very painful on my newly opened chest. My surgeon had left, literally hours after my surgery, to go on vacation and he had apparently left me in the care of his ”team”.

The fever got worse. The spasms got so bad they had to sedate me. They ran blood test after blood test, which showed nothing. This went on for 10 days! The sedation I was on was so bad I requested I be taken off of it, as I would rather suffer the spasms than the effects of the drugs. My surgeon finally returned from his vacation and it was on this day that my chest incision literally broke open at the staples and a mass of purulent matter (puss) oozed out all over my chest. There was so much matter that I thought I had spilled my beverage on the front of my hospital gown.

From this point I remember very little. I was rushed down to OR for immediate surgery.

The next thing I was aware of was about 14 days later; I was in ICU (intensive care unit) gradually being brought out of a medically induced coma. Over the next few weeks I was told little bits of information of what had all occurred over the past two weeks.

I had developed a massive infection in my chest cavity, most likely from an operating instrument, because I was closed up with it in my chest. The infection required twice-daily operations for the next 10 days to rinse and clean out the chest cavity from the diaphragm up under the sternum and all throughout the pericardial space area. After the cleanings I would be packed with antibiotic soaked gauze and then partially closed till the next cleaning. It was during this time one of my new by-pass grafts blew out and I was taken back down to OR for another by-pass surgical procedure.

After two weeks of cleaning they had to close up my chest and hope for the best. Because of the infection’s damage to my sternum bone they could not wire it shut again, as in normal cardiothoracic surgeries, so the sternum bone was left open and to protect my open chest area my pectoral muscles were detached from the sternum bone as well as the rig cage, all the way up to my axial (armpit), and the pectoral muscles were then sewn together in the front covering the open sternum bone. The procedure is called, bilateral pectoralis advancement flaps.

My recovery was very slow with many, many setbacks. My arms and legs had been tied down to my bed during this long time of surgery I also had a breathing tube down my throat because I had apparently stopped breathing at some point. I was not moved very much so I developed nasty pressure sores as well as numerous blood clots in my legs and arms. I had also developed quite a bit of fluid in my lungs. This was later drained; I had an infection but no pneumonia thank the good Lord! I was near death numerous times; my own personal doctor said later that they did not think I was going to make it because of the severity of all that had hit me and for so long.

As I mentioned the recovery was very slow, I was not able to talk due to the tube down my throat. All my muscles had severely atrophied due to being tied down for so long. Not only was I unable to write a message but I could not even point to an alphabet tablet. By profession I’m an artist, I had painted and drawn intricately detailed portraits of people and animals and now I could not even hold a pencil in my hand.

Eventually the breathing tube was taken out and slowly I got my voice back, what a wonderful thing to be able to talk once more! Standing and walking was another big new task. I had gone from a strong, very athletic 58 year old, at close to 200 pounds of lean muscle, to a 158 pound “80 year old man” who could not even stand on his own power. Looking back now I was in too much shock to really take it all in, plus I was still recovery from all the drugs which kept me asleep and pain free, to really realize what had happened to me.

37 days from the day I check into the hospital I finally went home. I still had numerous tubes in my chest as well as an IV in my biceps. For the next month I had to drain my own tubes and give my own IV meds.

Going back a little-- the doctors told me that because of the chest altering procedure they had to do on me, which they said was to save my life; I would not be able to lift any more than 10 pounds with my arms. My pectoral muscles, no longer being attached to bone, were, for all intents and purposes, a non-functional muscle group now.

My physical recovery has been slow but I have been very determined to heal and get back to some from of normality. My emotional recovery has been up and down. Dealing with these past months has been a real challenge. Now I seem to be going through a new phase of anger, frustration and depression. Anger with the negligence, which caused the whole thing. Frustration with not being able to do anything about it. And anger again with having been sent the bill for the hospital’s error and damage repair. And depression with what they have left me to live with.

Now I find it hard, if not impossible, to work and function normally. Ironically, the very word “normal” means little to me at this point… what exactly is normal for me now? I used to know; now I have no clue what normal is.

I have not had any nightmares of my occurrence; I seem to sleep okay, though I do wake up every hour or so and can only sleep flat on my back. My “nightmares” happen, ironically, during the day. It is then that I see the images and incidents so clearly and that is why daily work has become so difficult.

This story has become so long I do need to end my writing, I have tried to tell it briefly. So much that has been left unsaid but the important points have been covered.

My most sincere thank you to anyone who has read this far! Though I don’t know you, in my heart I love you for it. The most important thing form me now, it seems, is to simply be heard, to talk. I feel like the more my story is told the more it becomes diluted, lessened.

With the most kindest regards,
Renaissance Artist

Renaissance Artist,
i'm so sorry you went through this and that you are currently struggling. you went through a LOT. i hear you. i admire your courage and strength. here with you listening and offering support. i know it feels bad right now but it will pass and it will get better. sending you warm comforting thougths. please be gentle with yourself. keep writing.

Haier:

Thank you so much for taking the time to read all that I wrote I know it’s a lot. When talking about it to a friend it’s hard to know just where to start.

I do know that part of the healing process is talking about it and getting the thoughts, feelings and emotions out in the open.

Again Haier and everyone else, thank you for the gift of your time and encouragement, it means a lot!

Renaissance Artist

If it were I, and if it were in any way possible, there is no way I would pay money for the negligence by the original doctor or for its consequences. You have paid too much in other ways already. They need to pay you.

I can't even begin to imagine.....What you've come through is enormous. I can understand the anger. I could understand rage. Is there any legal recourse for you?
I know it is common for cardiac patients to have a sort of breakdown/psychosis/depression but I think you have very good reason for anger and depression. Please keep writing and hopefully that will ease some of the depression.

Again, thank you everyone for your support and thoughts they are much appreciated!

Pachyderm:
I definitely feel that way, the problem is that little waver you sign before going into surgery, the doctors and hospital are pretty much untouchable with that. In signing it the patient is agreeing to any and all the risks right up to and including death.

An interesting note; I recently discovered an article interview of an ex-hospital administrator / Doctor. He suggested taking a sharpie marker and crossing out all the areas you do not agree to then sign it. If they tell you they cannot perform the surgery without the proper waver you ask them to then please provide you with a hospital letter saying they refuse you medical care.

I only wish I had known this nine months ago.

I am hoping to find opportunities to go out in public and share my story and alert people on some of the dangers of hospital care and ways to help prevent medical errors and mistakes.

Here’s another statistic offered by the Doctor / administrator in that article. “In the United States, more than 2 million people are affected by hospital-acquired infections each year, and a whopping 100,000 people die as a result.”

Calista+12:
I am just now becoming aware of some of these possible emotional after-effects. Especially in light of my long drawn out procedure, I’m sure I’ve been affected in some of those ways I will check into it more on line, again thank you the info.

I can not believe those administrators are trying to bill you. Mn was one of the leading advocates of hospitals and doctors not getting paid for mistakes. What you described is called a "Never Event" Two of them, the first when they left a tool in you that caused the infection, and second the bed sores. Both of those are called "never events" because they are not ever supposed to happen during routine surgery. I think around 12% is the national average for tools and sponges being left inside patients and that is why there is malpractice. Currently Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for anything that happens after one of those "never events" happen and last I knew Minnesota hospitals did not bill for any of them either. Many insurance providers will no longer pay either, there is a list of 28 or 29 "never events" it includes suicide and attempted suicide as "never events" that should not happen at any health facilities, thats how I am aware of this list. I'm on a advocacy and protection board for MI and it has come up at meetings. I can't tell you what to do, but I know your story certainly leaves me feeling outraged and like saying that you should take them to the cleaners for having the audacity to bill you at all. They should have set you up at a 4 star hotel with Rn's to change your dressings and had a full physical therapy recovery plan set up. I'm glad you are angry. When you can write more. I'll be happy to read more.

That aside I can certainly understand your nightmares and sleeplessness. To have gone from a life that was "as it was supposed to be" to the unreal. It has to be hard, to be told all that you thought will not be changed because a team did not do an accurate count. Life must indeed feel as if it is on a tightrope. I hope you have people to who you can talk to, and who listen. Here at PC Psych Central there are many who have been though different forms of traumas and can listen(read) and understand.

Did that list you talk about include negligence on the Dr's behalf??? You need to speak to an attorney. Have you yet?