This is the fifth in a series of articles about the writer’s recent open-heart surgery and the recovery process afterward.

By Ty Cobb

For the Salisbury Post

This is the fifth in a series of articles about the writer’s recent open-heart surgery and the recovery process afterward.

Fate was playing tricks on me, which left me down in the dumps. So we went the rewind route. I was required to wait a month, then be re-evaluated by another doctor at the Winston-Salem stroke center.

No one would proceed with the open-heart surgery without the stroke center clearance. Smart move! I was cleared by the stroke center doctor and now it was on to the heart surgeon in Charlotte. In early December, my wife and I met with our surgeon. Since I had been told in September that my heart should be operated on in the next six months, I was getting anxious to get the show on the road. The surgeon said it would not be good to have the operation during the Christmas holidays. He assured me that there would be no problem with waiting until Jan. 6 (2016).

I was checked into Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte on Jan. 4 to spend two days’ time having my body absorb 20 pounds of fluids to ease surgery risks. That done, I weighed more than any time in my life! Of course, all during that I was checked by nursing personnel on my vitals and other information. I was also given shots to put additional fluids (or medicines) into my blood stream via the intravenous needle placed firmly in a vein in my arm. Thus, I was often awakened for nurses to do their job. (The hospital is absolutely no place to rest!)

The day of the actual heart surgery was Jan. 6, after the two days to load up on fluids. I was roused by a nurse around 5:30 a.m. (I swear these ladies never sleep!) All the hair was shaved off the front of my body, then I had to take a thorough shower with a special liquid soap. I was loaded upon a gurney for my trip to the surgery suite. Frankly, I do not remember going into the surgery suite, as they must have injected something into my veins to put me to sleep.

As I am told, the surgery took about four hours during which time my sternum was cut (probably with a small surgical “skill” saw) open to permit the surgeon to work on the heart. The aortic valve was removed from my heart and a cow (we call her “Elsie”) heart valve replaced my aortic valve. I was told that I awakened briefly, but then the trouble started.

I’m not sure was happened, but I must have reacted negatively to the anesthetic. I was never conscious of what I was doing; I was in an area between unconsciousness and semi-consciousness, in which I got very physical with nursing personnel. I was later told that I got so physical it took three security personnel to hold me down; actually to keep me from hurting myself. (Remember, I had just had my chest opened up). I was physically constrained to the bed so I could not hurt myself or others. I had more medicines applied to make me wake up, but they only seemed to make the situation worse. I had hallucinations and terrible nightmares. I feel the additional medicines caused that. This was very uncommon, and I had never reacted to anesthetics before. (My brother had the same operation and he had no problem waking up.)

However, I finally “woke up” for real, and my wife had a lot of stories to tell me! I was “out” for three and a half days, and I was thrilled to “be back.” I now had been in the hospital seven days and had a few more days to stabilize by body to its trauma and medicine therapy.

On the 11th day I was cleared to leave the hospital and go home. The home therapy had a few troubles in store for me and my rebuilt heart.

 Ty Cobb lives in Rowan County.