Vinson, you are on your way to meeting your goal. Listen to Meredith she is giving you good advise. Good posture and walking are the passwords to success. ...Read more
Vinson, you are on your way to meeting your goal. Listen to Meredith she is giving you good advise. Good posture and walking are the passwords to success. I don't remember much of the ICU, but I do remember a nurse saying we can't remove the tube until you can lift your head off the pillow. I immediately lifted by head off the pillow and after that I don't remember anything until I was in the step down room. You are doing just fine.
Welcome to the other side! Each day is better than the one before. Stand up straight! keep breathing & walking! Give your back a break - rest your head ...Read more
Welcome to the other side! Each day is better than the one before. Stand up straight! keep breathing & walking! Give your back a break - rest your head by laying down. Did I mention stand up straight?
:) Glad you made it!
Vinson Greer Thank you for the advice. I am feeling better
Live. Love, love the Cleveland Clinic and everyone I met there. Had my surgery there on May 15. Not a thing went wrong! Worried so much about pain, intubation, ...Read more
Live. Love, love the Cleveland Clinic and everyone I met there. Had my surgery there on May 15. Not a thing went wrong! Worried so much about pain, intubation, wires holding me together etc. - no need they managed the pain so well I don't remember having any. Intubation, What intubation? Don't know where the wires are! My surgery was quite extensive - new aortic valve, root, ascending aorta and arch. I was out in 7 days and we drove home 8 hours on day of discharge.
The Cleveland team is great, they took excellent care of me. On the insurance front, my understanding is that due to a much lower complication rate, our insurers ...Read more
The Cleveland team is great, they took excellent care of me. On the insurance front, my understanding is that due to a much lower complication rate, our insurers save money when we go to Cleveland for heart surgery. Had my aortic valve repair and aneurysm repair with Dr Svensson. Great doctor.
The Cleveland Clinic! You can't get any better than that. All we can do is put ourselves in the best of hands and you did. I had two heart surgery's in 3 1/2 ...Read more
The Cleveland Clinic! You can't get any better than that. All we can do is put ourselves in the best of hands and you did. I had two heart surgery's in 3 1/2 years at the Cleveland Clinic with Dr. Gillinov. My first valve (tissue) went bad after 2 yrs and I now have a mechanical valve. Should of went with mechanical first time around. Good luck with everything and remember we have to thank our lucky stars its 2014 and not 1960. Were very very lucky to be living in these times.
All the Best,
It'll be such a relief to have it done and over with!
My prayers are with you this week, the waiting is sometimes worse than the surgery/recovery.
You got ...Read more
It'll be such a relief to have it done and over with!
My prayers are with you this week, the waiting is sometimes worse than the surgery/recovery.
You got this!
Hi Vinson,
I think you made a smart decision to spend time with your family and friends.
My surgery is in another 2 weeks (May 22) and I'm kind of freaked ...Read more
Hi Vinson,
I think you made a smart decision to spend time with your family and friends.
My surgery is in another 2 weeks (May 22) and I'm kind of freaked out too. I thought I had a handle on it in my head - knew I was going to have to have the valve fixed since Nov 2013....but now that the date is coming up I'm stressing.
Good luck with your surgery. Sounds like you picked a great facility and doctor. Everything will go well and we'll feel much better after recovery - we all have to believe that otherwise why would be bother with the surgery, right?
This site is a great resource for information and support. I've read Adam's book and highly recommend it; it helped me feel more comfortable about the upcoming procedure and what to expect. That and reading others' journals here.
Good luck with your surgery when you have it! :)
Take care