Well today is the first full day back at work. I think I am ready. I continue to do cardiac rehab 3times a week,which I hope to be able to fit in during or ...Read more
Well today is the first full day back at work. I think I am ready. I continue to do cardiac rehab 3times a week,which I hope to be able to fit in during or before cases at the hospital. I wanted to tell everyone thank you for your prayers and well wishes throughout this tuff time. Thank you Sherry,Linda H,Mitch,Deb Z,John T,DVB Jimmy J for all your great advice and words that helped when down. Thanks for the great talks from those who went through this during that same week,Michelle D,Todd B,Steve A without your stories I might have thought I was the only person going through this. Continue to get strong. Good luck and my prayers to all who are getting ready for surgery or just starting recovery. Thank you to my beautiful wife and great girls for staying tuff for me. Work time
Alex
I met with my cardiologist today,3weeks post op. He said everything looks and sounds good. He gave me the ok to start cardiac rehab and to start pushing my ...Read more
I met with my cardiologist today,3weeks post op. He said everything looks and sounds good. He gave me the ok to start cardiac rehab and to start pushing my walks a little further. I am still having the abnormal EKG and some PACs but he said nothing to worry over. Time to get strong, get out of this cardiac depression. Good Luck to all going through surgery and to all those who prayed for me while they were going through this close to the same time as I.
Alex
Well it is the end of recovery day 9,10pm just got home from our 10yo basketball game and kids to DQ. It was so amazing to watch her game the last game was ...Read more
Well it is the end of recovery day 9,10pm just got home from our 10yo basketball game and kids to DQ. It was so amazing to watch her game the last game was before surgery I was an emotional wreck thinking bad thoughts(dumb thoughts)that it could be her last game I see. Fast forward and here I am watching her run up and down the court wonderful. Well I hope I didn\'t push myself to hard today to see this. Question for everyone, when they say get rest does it mean just lay at home or is it ok just to relax and be a passenger in the car or just sit and watch your kids play sports? I keep asking myself what is the right way to do this recovery,is there a right way. Thank you
Alex
I wanted to know did most people on here have multiple different ECGs? I look at mine and the seem to be different everyday, some AV block 1, some irregular, ...Read more
I wanted to know did most people on here have multiple different ECGs? I look at mine and the seem to be different everyday, some AV block 1, some irregular, then saw 1 that said afib bundle branch block, yet was released from hospital.
Well I am sitting here at Duke recovering. I was not able to get a tissue valve as I had a ton of calcium build up and my valve size was 28 mm,Dr Glower thought ...Read more
Well I am sitting here at Duke recovering. I was not able to get a tissue valve as I had a ton of calcium build up and my valve size was 28 mm,Dr Glower thought a tissue valve could fail in less than 10 years. We had discussed this the night before and my wife and Dr Glower agreed to do what is best. I was able to get the thoracotomy( mini ) which I am told is a lot more pain at first but better in the long run,we shall see. I am sorry I did not update quicker I did not give my wonderful,beautiful wife my login info. I love marvel comics so my daughters said it is cool I am really ironman. Thank you,thank you,thank you,to all that said prayers or just had one thought of me getting this surgery done. Talking to complete strangers and getting this much compassion is unreal. Again thank you,2 days post AVR
Alex
Well getting ready to head to the airport, to Duke med from Denver. We had are big cry last night as a family. I am glad our girls are coming with us again ...Read more
Well getting ready to head to the airport, to Duke med from Denver. We had are big cry last night as a family. I am glad our girls are coming with us again I don\'t think I would have made it without them. My nerves are getting the better of me now, nervous about leaving our house.
Thanks to all, 1/22/13 is right there.
Alex
Well I had my cath done on Monday and everything looked good. I am just relaxing before we leave to Duke,yea right relaxing,freaking out. I have all these ...Read more
Well I had my cath done on Monday and everything looked good. I am just relaxing before we leave to Duke,yea right relaxing,freaking out. I have all these bad thoughts in the mornings and then become positive and think of recovery in the afternoon and evening,anybody else have these symptoms. I try to keep up beat as I feel like I am close to getting clinically depressed. We have decided to bring the kids with us as we didn\'t think the saying good bye on Sunday would go good. Well good luck and my family will pray for all going to surgery this week.
Alex
Well today is my last day in the operating room until I have recovered from surgery. I am really overwhelmed today here at work. All the nurses and Drs say ...Read more
Well today is my last day in the operating room until I have recovered from surgery. I am really overwhelmed today here at work. All the nurses and Drs say I will be just fine and back to normal in no time. I wish I could get this feeling of sadness out of my head. I walk around here and just continue to think how I will be in a room having this surgery. Thank you to everybody on here that has given me advice and well wishes. I am still not 100% set on Valve choice. Thank you to my beautiful WIFE for keeping me on the right track and letting me talk openly,love you.
Well time seems to be moving real quick now. I am just under 3 weeks from having AVR. I have been feeling real nervous about this lately. I have tried to go ...Read more
Well time seems to be moving real quick now. I am just under 3 weeks from having AVR. I have been feeling real nervous about this lately. I have tried to go along life as normal but becoming tuff to do. I work in the OR and get real tense as we do cases. I am done with work on 01/11/13 until I am fully recovered. I am hoping this all goes smooth so I can get back to my normal self. I am still having the worst time trying to decide on mechanical or tissue. I go back in forth everyday. Sometimes I think get mechanical so there is less chance of doing this again but then all the surgeons I work with talk about the complications of coumadin(with surgery or other medical problems).I also have a mildly dilated aorta(3.7) which some Drs say not large enough to fix or fix now while young. This sure is tougher than Marine Corp Bootcamp.
Merry late Christmas. I have set a date for my AVR for 01/22/13 at DUKE medical center with Dr Glower. We are planning to do the mini thoracotomy incision ...Read more
Merry late Christmas. I have set a date for my AVR for 01/22/13 at DUKE medical center with Dr Glower. We are planning to do the mini thoracotomy incision in which Dr Glower is considered to be an expert in. I still need to get my cath done to make sure this procedure will be ok to do. I am still very nervous on how this is going to change my life. I would like to know how most of the people on here made the choice between mechanical and tissue. I don\'t do to many risky things but am also nervous of what taking Coumadin for life will do. Any and all help is super appreciated. Also is there anyone that has had the mildly dilated aorta that needed to be fixed soon after their initial surgery?
I recently had my CT scan done and it showed that my Aorta was mildly dilated at 3.7cm. I wanted to know if there was anyone else that had something similar ...Read more
I recently had my CT scan done and it showed that my Aorta was mildly dilated at 3.7cm. I wanted to know if there was anyone else that had something similar and what did the surgeons do about it? Did they say that you would definately need aorta fixed also or was it just a fix valve and wait and see? I wish I had this information when I met with Dr Glower last week who seems like a super smart surgeon. I also recieved news that Dr Gillinov had surgery and would not be able to schedule me until April which he has adviced against me waiting that long. I had my records move to DR Roselli,if anyone had surgery by him would like any comments possible. Well glad to see so many people doing so great after surgery this week,and good luck to all.
The wife and I have just landed in North Carolina. We are gonna get some sleep and get ready for our first face to face consult with Dr Glower of Duke Medical. ...Read more
The wife and I have just landed in North Carolina. We are gonna get some sleep and get ready for our first face to face consult with Dr Glower of Duke Medical. I also talked on the phone with Dr Luis Castro of the Sequoia Medical group. If anyone has had their valve or other procedure by either would love to hear from yea. Good luck to all going in for surgery tomorrow.
I have finally put all my records together to send to Dr Gillinov at the Cleveland Clinic. I am trying to get my head around all of this and become more mechanical ...Read more
I have finally put all my records together to send to Dr Gillinov at the Cleveland Clinic. I am trying to get my head around all of this and become more mechanical so I can ask the best questions to recieve the best care from the best surgeon/team. I also am flying out to Duke University to meet with Dr Glower. I have worked as an OR nurse for 11 years now so the people here at the hospital have been great with their knowledge of Cardio Surgery. I only do Neuro/Spine but now wish I would have watched some heart cases. We have now told everyone in our family of my condition,so at least that is out. My wife talked to our girls first without me as I am way to emotional to get through that conversation at this point. Well good luck to all,and would love any advice .
Thanks Alex