January 28 - Day One Post OP

Today was kind of disappointing. The only symptom that has gone away is my right foot is warm instead of freezing cold. I thought I'd be out dancing, but no such luck.

The follow up appointment was a eight in the morning. We were a little early and the office was locked when we arrived. Dr Grewal showed up just before eight, but unfortunately she did not have a key. We chatted in the hall for about ten minutes while someone found a key. We finally got in and continued the discussion in her office.

I told her how disappointed I was and she said don't be too anxious. She said actually only a few people experience an immediate effect. She said give it one too three months. However she did also say some people see no change at all. So, she said I was right in the norm, and to just be patient.

I told her I stayed in bed all last night, on my back, trying not to strain my neck veins. She smiled and said, 'You don't need to do that, just continue with your life as normal.'

'But isn't the vein split open from the operation?' I asked,

'No', she said. 'Veins are very elastic and stretch with the angioplasty. The blockage or narrowing isn't so much the vein but the little valves in the veins. In our veins there are narrowings in the veins where essentially little flaps stop the blood from flowing backwards.  In our arms and legs these are critical, but not so much in the neck. In the neck blood returning to the heart is not fighting gravity, but is being helped by gravity. These little valves in the neck veins are where the narrowing and blockage occurs. These valves are what we were trying to stretch or rupture and have heal back wider, not the walls of the veins.'

' But  all your literature says stay in the area for 48 hours, isn't that in case there are complications?'


Yes, she said, but you had no complications. For the operation we give patients blood thinners, so one of the main issues is the small incision doesn't clot properly and continues to bleed. After the operation and during post OP yours stopped bleeding nicely, so was not an issue.


Hmmm. I booked the hotel till Monday and our flight back on Monday afternoon because I  was envisioning complications and because I thought I needed to be extremely careful with my neck. Apparently I need not worry. I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.



Now all I need are some positive results, but more than just a warm  foot.