Christopher's Guestbook

Breathe, sleep, breathe, eat, breathe, sleep, breathe...you get the idea! And walking tomorrow maybe. Food won't taste good for a few days. Keep smiling, keep breathing!

Chris, You're going to do great!! I'm 2 weeks post-op, and every day gets easier and easier. While the whole experience was scary, looking back on it I can truly say that every phase was easier than I expected. ICU wasn't as bad, step down wasn't as bad, and coming home wasn't as bad. While each had it's challenges, they all were easier than expected. Now that I'm 2 weeks out, I walk about 2 miles a day (1/2 mile each walk), but yesterday I went a whole mile in one outing. You will do fine...just do what the dr.s say, and don't try to do too much. Good luck!

Hi Chris! Welcome to the longest weekend of your life - make the most of it! I don't have any children of my own, but i did have questions from my nieces and nephews that I wasn't sure how to answer. They are ages 8-16, with some genius and some autism thrown around a bit. My experience has been that it's easy to answer their questions if I know why they are asking the questions. That was I never gave them more info than they were ready for. ie "Are you going to have you heart taken out?" translated meant "How do they know where to put it back in when they are done fixing it?" That said, you know your kids better than anyone. :) You got this! In a week, you'll have forgotten about the waiting.

Hello Christopher, My husband, Dan, just posted his 6 month anniversary celebrated with a 10 mile walk this morning. I promise you will get through to the other side of this. I definitely remember the stress of waiting and fear of the unknown. We are all different but trust the docs and nurses. We were going to order motorized reclining chair but never got around to it. We did order a wedge pillow and that was all Dan needed. He had aortic valve replacement also. We found that reading past journals helped us know what to expect. Many of the alumni post detailed accounts of their recovery. Oh and the guided imagery meditation that I believe can be downloaded from Cleveland Clinic was very helpful in dealing with that pre-surgery stress. Good luck!

Hey Christopher, So it's a little hard to quantify the "tired" part of the recovery. For the first two weeks, you feel like you got hit by a truck. I know that sounds funny but it is the only way to describe int. It is more the general weakness you feel as opposed to feeling tired. I remember being humbled by the fact that I was breathing heavy with a high heart rate just to eat a small meal the first few days after surgery. This was tough as I have an athletic background. Everything takes a little longer to do as you will be walking slower. Magically, at two weeks I felt MUCH better and I would definitely say you could hit a baseball game at 3-4 weeks post op as long as your are not diving for any foul balls! Again, really the only restriction you will have is not lifting or pulling anything, ( refrigerator, kids, etc. ) I was walking, albeit slowly for almost 1/2 mile the day after I came home from the hospital. Getting outside for those little walks daily was what really helped me. Just an FYI- I am 11 weeks post op and started working out with a trainer yesterday and did a 15 mile bike ride this morning. Aside from getting my stamina back, I hardly feel anything except a little incision sensitivity! Time will fly, I promise. Good Luck to you…

They had me walking the halls the day after surgery. I was in the hospital 7 days and walked 3-4 times everyday. Since there was no family member that could be with me during the day when I returned home, my husband got a home health care provider to come in from 9-3 the 1st 2 weeks after surgery and then my mom would come over for a few hours until my husband got home from work. The home health care provider monitored my walking, food, and taking meds.I walked everyday in the neighborhood. I could not open the fridge or door the 1st week home. I rented an electric reclining chair for 2 weeks and then switched to a bed with pillows against my back. I started cardio rehab at the 5 week mark and drove at 6 weeks. After my 6 week appointment I went back to the gym but did mostly cardio and light weights. I went back to swimming/water aerobics after 3 months although I could not do the breaststroke or crawl until about 4 months. Really by 2 months my husband called me the energizer bunny because I had so much energy and could go up flights of stairs and not be out of breath! I still have to make sure I do the upper body stretching exercises that the hospital gave me to do with a yard stick otherwise my upper body can still get tight and will get a twinge. Hope this helps you. you will do fine.

Hi Christopher I am going in for surgery this Friday, so it appears we are in the same boat , maybe with a slightly different diagnosis (BAV replacement, maybe aoritc work too). I actually am not too worried, and I don't think you should be either. All this stuff is way more common than I realized, and aside from some post-op pain, it really isn't that daunting. I've stopped thinking about the surgery, and started visualizing all the things in recovery. It actually makes it less worrisome, and more of like a checklist of the things you need to get done. I've been talking to many people I know who've been through Open Heart surgery. All of them said it isnt nearly as bad as you expect. Hell, I just learned that my grandfather had the same valve replacement I had when he was 85, and he was home and doing well in 6 days. So we should be fine. Check out my blog under Matt O. and look for good news on Friday/ Sat. Good Luck!!!!

You can read my journal. I had surgery Oct. 2013 for my ascending aortic aneurysm with possible replacement of my aortic valve.....but when they repaired the AAA they found that my valve worked so much better so decided to not replace it. They could not repair it. So I will have my valve for another 15 years! I had my surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn. I'm so glad to be on the other side of surgery after doctors monitored it for the last 5 years. You will do fine. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hi Chris, The first week while in the hospital you will be medicated and comfortable! The first two weeks when I got home, I pretty much showered every day and went on small walks. I was able to open the refrigerator door and prepare meals although I would get very tired. I rested a lot and caught up on tv and reading. My guess is that you will get some good cuddle time with your kids but won't be able to lift them for about 6 weeks. Some days you will feel like you can lift them but don't!! I promise you you will throw a ball and hold your kids. I would say give yourself a solid 6-7 weeks without lifting anything and but 8-10 you will be pretty much back to normal. Where are you having your surgery? I am at 11 weeks today and feel awesome physically. I'm having a small struggle getting my head back in the work game. I'm going to the gym and will ride my bike when it is warmer!

Hi Chris I am 43, also a dad, and just found out this week that I need surgery which may possibly happen next week. While I don't think my aortic valve is bicuspid, it is my aortic valve that needs replacement. Sometimes I am afraid. Other times I am mad. Then sad. Also frustrated seems to work its way in. Mostly, I feel terrible for my 2 kids - that they have to go through this. But there is nothing I can do about it. I need the surgery to live a long time so I can see my kids grow old and so that I can play with their kids and spoil them rotten. There is nothing I want more than that. So I feel like I have no option or room for any other possibility. Thinking of it under such a constrained approach sometimes helps me deal with my negative feelings. Another method I have read about is to be thankful. Be thankful for all of the great things around you - kids, etc. The theory is that filling yourseld with thankfulness and gratitude leaves no room for fear. And of course, technology these days is incredible. While it is a serious surgery and definitely includes a difficult recovery, it is now amazingly commonplace. That gives me comfort. Well I hope that some of these coping methods help you. If you find or know of any others, please let me know. I'll probably need them within the next couple of hours as this emotional rollercoaster continues to cycle. Jaime