Bernard's Journal

Just had my post-op with my Cardiologist... everything looks good... BP is high but expected.. Nov 20th i have my big follow-up with tests, the surgeon etc.. IF that goes well than i am hoping life will slowly get back to normal... amazing how much energy it takes to go up the stairs... Still need to take it easy but getting better little by little every day. Thank you for all the dinners everyone has been dropping off... AWESOME! Again thanks for the prayers cards and emails... I hope to slowly get back to everyone over the next 2 weeks... Let me know if there are any good movies! Thanks cheers Bernard "Our heart always transcends us.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke

Day 7. Home with the kids. Recovering..... What a week! So Far everything has gone very well.... My Wife didn't pull the plug... Thank you all for the prayers, encouragements, notes and cards... I never really realized how important that really is.... Meaghan and I appreciate it Big Time! I came home on friday afternoon surrounded in pillows in the back seat of car. I had a huge craving for a cinnamon chip scone and potty break so we stopped at Starbucks on the highway. As my brother Stefan reminded me,,, It really is amazing to have open heart surgery on monday and then be waiting in line at Starbucks on a friday... Pretty amazing!?! The Scone tasted awful!!! I still have a week or so till all the anesthesia and other toxins from the meds leave the body. That's why everything taste terrible.... Can't wait till i have normal tastebuds again!!! Still loosing a pound or so per day of fluids .... Still very tired and exhausted but it seems to be getting better every day... Still learning how to sleep on my back so that is getting better little by little every night... I'm very eager to get back to my Marketing biz but still have ways to go to have the energy for that... I can't drive yet for another 6-10 weeks unless my Doc gives me the green light.... So,, as everyone knows Rest and relaxation is vital for now so my body takes the new valve and a clean recovery is the focus. I signed up for Netflix so if anyone has any good movie suggestions i would love it!!!!!!!!!! Again Thanks for all the prayers and support! -Bernard “I must do something or I shall wear my heart away...” ― Charles Dickens

Morning, Bernard's blood pressure is super high so they are trying to get that under control. They just took him for a chest X-ray to see if all looks good in there. If both start looking better we could be going home in the next couple hours!!!!!!!!! Thank you for all the texts, e-mail, calls and comments I really appreciate all the support:) Meaghan

Today so far….. Bernard had a rough night with not much rest and a lot of pain. This morning he has stood up, sat in a chair and is napping off and on. They just removed the chest tubes (should make breathing a tad more comfortable). If things progress well today then more tubes can be removed. This gets him closer and closer to a shower which he is longing for. So far things looking good. Meaghan

Good Morning All, The update on Bernard as of this morning is…. Surgery yesterday went as well as it could have. They replaced the valve and shaved the aortic aneurism. The surgery took 6 hours. He arrived in the ICU and they removed the breathing tube around 5:00pm. He had a terrible night with lots of pain and unfortunately no tolerance for the pain medication they tried. Lots of discomfort, lots of nausea. This morning they moved him into a chair to make sure everything was draining. About an hour ago they finally found a pain medication he can tolerate. Hoping he can get some much needed rest now. The "plan" is to move him to the step down unit later today if all goes well. Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming……they seem to be working. Meaghan

Saturday Night. Just put the kids down and everyone is asleep.... My Mom is now in NY Living with My sisters family,,, her move went as planed......Watching the Notre Dame game...!! Trying to chill....Tomorrow i head to boston.. Looking forward to having a stronger heart... Thanks for all your notes, encouragements, messages and Prayers... It Helps! "Nothing shakes a smiling heart" - Santosh Kalwar

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. -Helen Keller (sent to me from a friend) Meagan and i just came back from my Pre-op Thursday night... So far, so good. Thursday gave a ton blood , did an xray of my chest and a Cardio cath through my Wrist... If you appreciate high tech medical equipment then you all would of loved the 90'' monitor screen sitting right over my chest. Two surgeons navigating the scope into my wrist, up my arm and into my heart with something that looked like a joy stick! I was fully awake through the whole thing.... What made that whole experience weird was when i arrived in that Cath OR room there was 4 nurses with all their masks, gowns and gloves on standing there welcoming me .... They got right to work shaving my groin area!!!! I said Whoaaaa!!! i thought you guys are going through my wrist? They replied this is just in-case your arteries in your wrist wont take the scope???? Now i know what my dad meant when dignity goes out the window in the hospital. Anyway, The good news is My arteries are in good shape and there is no signs of blockages. So we can rule out a by-pass.. Now just the aorta tube/arch left. They told me they will know that the day of surgery with some other test they do . So it really is a game day decision. Brigham and Womens hospital is amazing! Very organized and prepared!!! I feel we made a great choice. Sunday night we check into the hotel in Boston. Monday early is go time! I'm doing Ok very anxious to to get it over with. I feel little nervous for Myles and lydia, as they are starting to get nervous... Lydia (6 years old) told Omi "i don't want the doctor to hurt daddy" Of this whole experience,,, That is probably the hardest part! they will be home with Grampy, Grammy, poppi and Omi... so that helps. Meghan will take it from here and let you know how progress is day to day Again thanks for all the prayers, heart quotes, texts, calls and emails..... "A good heart is better than all the heads in the world." Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

I'm Ready to get this over with.... Updated my will.... Weird... Yes Michael you get my Triumph motorcycle.... - Heading to boston wed night for pre-op at Brigham & Womans on Thurs am. More blood work, cardio cath, and angio..... Hope to be back home thurs night Will find out if i have to replace aorta tube and do a by-pass on any smaller arteries if they look funky... Game day decision i guess. I also don't know if it will be a minimally invasive procedure which means a 3" -L incision instead of a full 9" sternotomy... In terms of recovery i guess it doesn't matter... it will all stink just the same Maybe that means i will wear a bigger gold chain around my neck to cover the scar if it is the 9".. That's a joke...... The plan is to be in the ICU for 2 days then in the hospital for 4-6 Days after that. If recovery goes well it will be on the shorter side of that -Check in Sunday night,, take lots of drugs to sleep.. Then check in the hospital on the 20th at 5a to go under the knife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Meaghan will up date this journal for the first week while in recovery... Its all about the recovery!!! Again, Thanks for all your prayers, e-mails and posts p.s. Love all the heart jokes.. "You all have hearts of Gold,....

OK So... I'm starting to get ready... Just to update everyone,,,, after lots of appointments with cardiologists and a few surgeons, i am going to one of the best aortic valve surgeons in the country Dr. Byrne at the #3 heart hospital Brigham & Woman's in Boston. Meghan and i opted to go with the less maintenance,,, tissue valve replacement instead of a mechanical one. It should last 10 years,, maybe longer. I will then have to go for "re-op" in my late 50's... By then heart surgery could be less invasive and more advanced....We're betting on it. I may need an aortic tube replaced as well but will know more on the Pre-Op Oct 16th.... Lots a blood work, catheter scope and something else i have to test for in order to know.... Could be a game day decision Monday Oct 20th?! I have been trying to get ready for the recovery,, the most important part of this thang, so i'have been told. Going to a trainer twice a week since june, running and trying to lose weight (Hardest Part). I feel like i'm ready for the recovery. Meaghan has been setting up the care for me, Myles and Lydia and we have been trying to plan out "the recovery" The plan is to be in the hospital 6-9 days then home in bed for 3-4 weeks... Meaghan & her family is going to be a huge help during my recovery.... My mom is doing the "big move" from Yarmouth to Hunting, NY with my sister Angela and her family the Widmers on the 18th right before my operation. So you can say there is a lot going on this October... I'll be the last Willimann in Maine........! Thanks everyone for the prayers, e-mails, posts and calls... I'll try and update each week prior to the surgery and whenever we can after... Thanks b-dub

-Sept 19th 2014 12:05 am 30 days left till D-day.... It's been 5 years since my PCP said in a routine physical "Anyone ever mentioned a heart Murmur before." -June 12, 2014 my cardiologist walked back into the examination room from my routine echocardiogram/sonogram and said "It's Time" with an eager, kinda confidence in his voice.... Uh boyy.... here we go. The timing couldn't be worse. I just started my new company.... -Sept, 19,, Flew out to SanFrancisco to visit my sister and brother In-law's new digs... was updating them on "my Heart" when i just realized this is getting real!!!!! So far i lost 17lbs and can run up to 3mi without turning white... My goal... Get back on my feet as fast as possible and be infection free!!! I just want it to be over with.... I just sampled some ribs, lobsterShack sanvich and had mac daddy lamb chops yesterday... Auhhhhhhhhhhhh. I tried to run it off this morning but wow!!! i miss food...