After Surgery: Getting Back to Life
When you are well enough to leave the hospital, you will be discharged with your own set of VAD equipment. You and your family will be asked to stay close to Stanford Hospital for the next two weeks in case there are any issues with your VAD equipment or complications from your treatment.
You will have appointments at the Cardiology clinic every week for the first month after your surgery, then every two weeks for the second and third month. After three months you will only need to visit the clinic once every month.
When you visit the clinic, you will meet with the VAD team who will answer any questions you may have. They will test your device to ensure that it is working properly, and may request laboratory or further diagnostic testing if they feel it is necessary. Living life with a VAD may bring many changes, and it is important that you have support from the entire community. Stanford Hospital will send letters to all of your providing physicians, emergency personnel and the electric company on your behalf before you return home.