Eric's Heart Valve Journal

It is one year ago today that I had my mitral valve surgery. As with the previous post, I feel fine. So good that my cardiologist doesn't want to see me for a year. Basically everything is back to normal. First off, I want to thank Dr. Adams at Mt Sinai in NYC for doing such a excellent job. His expertise and demeanor are wonderful. I also want to thank all of you who read my posts, gave me such support to help me through a very stressful time in my life. Lastly, let me personally give a big thank you to Adam Pick for writing the "book" and establishing this journal site and the blog site. It is such a good source of information and support for all of us who have gone through our surgeries or waiting for the big day. Thanks to all.

Well, 5 months ago today and at about this time I was being wheeled out of ICU to the telemetry floor and not remembering awhole lot. 5 months later, I'm back at work full time with no restrictions, starting my usual second job as a ferry captain and feeling pretty good. Just some slight twinges in my chest every once in awhile ( mainly at the hospital when dealing numerous call outs and no way to replace the missing staff ). Good thing is that I have had no palpitations at all. Still taking an ACE Inhibitor and Plavix which I am assuming I will take for quite awhile. The only downside is that I seem to be prone to nosebleeds since I started the Plavix, a small price to pay. Anyway, I'm glad I did the surgery as I do feel alot better that before and I can keep up with kids.

It is now 3 months today since my mital valve repair and maze procedure. I went to my cardiologist today for an echocardigram which was clean, no regurgitation at all. EKG is totally normal, B/P totally normal with no Afib. Thank God because he took me off Coumadin starting today. Now on Plavix and a tiny dose of Lisinopril only. So I am able to go back to work tommorrow with no restrictions at all. The hospital wouldn't let me back with any kind of restrictions to duty. As for the near syncopal episodes in December, they never happened again so I'm not going to worry. I was able to be out for 3 months and I'm glad I was because this whole saga of pre-op, surgery and recovery takes alot out you. This not something that you can or should rush. As for rehab, the closest place was over an hour away so I used chasing my 3 year old around the house, yard, store, etc as my rehab. He really worked me.

Eric
Southold

Still plugging away and feeling better all the time though I seemed to have had a small set back. I had 3 bouts of near syncopal (diizziness and nearly passing out) episodes over the last 2 weeks. My cardiologist put a 24 hour monitor on, which of course, showed nothing since I didn't feel dizzy while I had it on so now I am wearing an event monitor for the next 30 days. Hopefully, it is nothing but still it is disconcerting. Anyway, I'm cleared by the surgeon to return back to work on 1/23/10 and I am looking forward to that (so is my wife as I am driving her nuts). Anyway enough about me, I want to wish everyone a very wonderful and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Eric
Southold