Hi, I'm happy that I found your group. Simply browsing the archives answered many of my questions. Honestly, these days, I don't feel like a kid anymore... On may 17, after finally being diagnosed with constrictive heart failure, I had my pericardium stripped. While I was on the table, 2 by-passes were done at the same time. The operation went real well. When the time came to remove the chest tubes, 2 days later, I was really feeling great. That's when things changed. 2 residents were to remove the tubes. Roxane, very professionnal, who was finishing her residency pulled on the first of 3 tubes. You all know how it feels... Tube 1 was soon out. Tube 2 soon followed... Roxane grabbed tube 3 and pulled. It didn't move at all, so she pulled stronger and stronger... It would not buldge. Resident 2 being a man and having 8 inches balls asked to try. I braced myself some more... And the resident pulled, pulled... It felt like if my chest was going to rip open again. Pain was terrible, I couldn't screem by fear of loosing my stamina while he pulled my heart out. Finally he stopped. Roxane said it was not possible. That the tube must have been clipped with the sternum or tangled in some ways. They ordered a chest radiography. I suspect that not much was to be seen... The 2 residents reserved some surgery time for the next morning and asked their boss "the duty surgeon" to come and see me. Soon enough, the surgeon came. I didn't know him. The residents explained what had happened and that surgery time was reserved. The surgeon really was the boss, he was acting like if he had 36 inches balls and that only he knew what he was doing. I knew he would want to try pulling himself. Having tasted the pain of the resident's pulls, wanting to prepare myself for what I feard would be worst, I asked the nurse for some pain killer of some sort... I was answered that I was not in pain now and would receive some if needed... And the surgeon grabbed the tube and while the residents and nurses were holding me, he pulled, pulled and pulled so hard I couldn't breath, couldn't screem, it felt like my heart, lungs and everything wanted out of my chest. And suddenly, the tube broke and part of it went back in my chest. You've all see what kind of tube I'm talking about. Quite large with thick walls, something that is not easy to break. My heart was running squarily. My sternum was on fire. Took a long time before I could breath normally again. I was exhausted, not even feeling pain anymore. As much as I remember, they let me rest. My heart had change. Something was not right. I had weird sensations in my chest... My wife came that night, and I cried like a baby in her arms. I couldn't stop. I was so frighthen and wanted out of this place but couldn't... Quite late on the morning of may 23, they came to take me to surgery again. People were extra nice with me... When I woke up in recovery room, my wife was there. I was happy that she was there. She had been called in emergency. The nurse who called told her that something had happen during suggery but she was not aloud to say exactly what. Later, Roxane the resident told me that I knew that something had happen during surgery. I said that I didn't know. She said that I knew. My wife said that she was with me since recovery room and that no-one told us anything. I insisted and was told that there was a hole in my heart and that not to worry, it was fixed now. My sternum was cutted higher Pain was much worst than the first time By the side of my bed, I now had a morphine pump. At the push of a button, every 8 minutes, I would receive a dose. I soon learn not to loose a single one... And night became day, I didn't know who or where I was. I was hallucinating big time. I had thoughts of throwing myself out of the window... I wanted out. I wanted to go home and see my sons... I realized that this drug was killing me... I volontarily eased off morphine and began acting like if everything was normal. I did my exercises. My walks. I wanted to prove that I was ready to go home. I was back home at noon on the 26... It's only a couple days ago when a nurse called to do a follow up that I learn that when the tube was remove my right ventricule was damaged and that indeed there was a hole in my heart causing a hemoragee... At this time, I don't know anymore. Nothing in writing of course. I shall see my surgeon soon. I feel that I have been treated like no dog should be. There was no necessity to inflict that much pain and horror to me. Bad judgement, real bad jugement. I feel lucky that this "on-duty" surgeon who broke the tube and re-opened me the next day didn't kill me... It's not normal to feel lucky that a surgen didn't kill you I saw him once. He never came to either explain or to apologize, if he had I could remember his face. A face worth killing. Still on Supeudol. Walking as much as I can. Pain is getting lesser each passing day I sometimes feel my heart running squarely again, but I don't want to be back to that hospital. I'm hoping that everything will settle down now Will see. Sorry for my english. Sorry for the bads vibes. I had to talk to somebody Dominik Prefontaine Montreal.