Home From Vanderbilt ..Lung resection

amcp

We got home today. Frank had surgery Tues. the 10th for lung resection. When they got in there the cancer was small and it was a met. from his colorectal cancer so they only had to take out a wedge instead of the upper lobe. The doctor said he only had to take 4% of his lung. Frank made it through surgery okay but on the first day that they got him out of bed ot sit in a chair his asked could he go to sleep ..then suddenly his heart rate dropped to 34 and respiration dropped to 8 ...the nurse came in and she tried to wake him up and got our son Brian to try and help...could not wake him up...made Brian leave the room and called CODE BLUE...Brian said there were nurses and doctors everywhere...they came and made Brian leave the floor. Thank goodness every thing worked out and Frank was fine. They ran all kind of test but do not know what caused it. The next day they tried to get him up and his heart rate raced up to 139 and had difficulty breathing...the nurse made them stop ...again the team was called and we were not allowed in his room until they finished another series of test. Again could not find out what caused it. The trip home was hard on Frank ...being in so much pain and the bumps in the road did not help any. I was amazed at the care Frank received at Vanderbilt. There was an RN for each 4 rooms...put a care partner...the doctor or another doctor from his team made rounds at least three times a day, plus his RN case manager, and his nurse practioner. The care Frank got was awsome...it is a fantastic place. After being there, I would not want to go back to our local hospital for any kind of surgery or procedure. They will be calling us this week and giving us an appt for Frank to come back for followup. T

tootsie1

Sounds good
I'm so glad Frank only had to have a small portion of the lung removed. That's good news! I do worry about him being sent home after all the problems post surgery. Have those been resolved?

I hope he gets stronger and stronger each day. Sounds like you've found a fabulous healthcare facility!

*hugs*
Gail

CherylHutch

Welcome home!
Sounds great!! And a great facility. But did they ever find out what caused the heart problems and whether they might repeat now that you are at home?

taraHK

yea wedge
I'm sorry to hear about the scares you had re his heart rate. But wonderful news that he only had to have the wedge resection, and not the whole lobe (I've had two wedges and one lobe removed. Recovery is much easier from the wedge!). Also glad that you had such a positive experience at Vanderbilt -- that is great to hear. Best wishes to you both -- esp for the recovery phase. You must be so happy to have Frank safely back at home.

Tara

Buzzard

Great news.....
Vanderbilt is a wonderful hospital...They would never send him home if they thought something else was going on. The care there is excellent and he will do very well from going there. I have all faith that Frank will do well at this facility with his situation. Thats why it is the 14th best hospital in the nation with MD Anderson being #1....Ya'll are in my prayers...God Bless ya both......

VickiCO

Glad Frank is home
We have been praying for him.I am sorry he had heart rate issues. I had some after surgery - mostly blood pressure dropping too quickly and too low - but they regulated it. I take a pill because of high pressure, and they took me off it. It was 'over' protecting me.

Now...on to the next step!

Many hugs, Vicki

lisa42

glad he's home
Hi,
Wow- what an awful scare with the whole code blue thing! I'm so glad to hear, though, that Frank just needed a wedge resection and not a whole lobectomy.
Thank you for updating us all- I had been wondering about how it all went. Keep a careful eye on him at home, as I know you will.

God bless,
Lisa