Hi Jerry
Found myself holding my breath as I read this last entry. You do live on the edge. Did you get the food poisoning at a restaurant and if so,hope you reported them to the board of health. What a lot of exciting trips you are looking forward to. Enjoy life and your repaired heart. I look forward to your adventures.
Fran

Jerry,
Gods speed and enjoy your new lease on life, and may your journey be an uneventful one from this day forward.
Diana

Jerry!

Enjoy the journey of life - it is all we have. I would encourage you to listen to your life and all that it offers.I have been dealing with a cold now and the sneezing has been rough. Iam glad that I am 7 weeks out. Best of luck on the journey!
Paul Reiter

The best of luck on your new journey, Jerry. I will miss your wonderful sense of humor. But, will look forward to hearing from you from time to time.
Enjoy life,
Diana

Hi Jerry,
Thanks for writing it my journal. It is good to hear that things are starting to look up. And I know you will be ecstatic when that PICC line comes out. I saw you are doing the Heart Walk:)That's great! Ours is October 30th here and we have also joined.
Prayers for your continued healing,
Kimberly S.

Hi Jerry, enjoyed your entry. After feeling now 3 X all of the ups and downs, complications etc of open heart, valves and hole, I can relate to your expressions of feelings. So many times I have felt I ate right exercised my whole life, never overweight etc etc and boom congenital genes prevail. When my son had an atrial septal defect repair 6 months after I did when I was you age I had a struggle to dealing with guilt etc. There are days in my now 7 wk recovery about to start rehab next week that some of the feelings of discouragement as far as recovery time frame. You are amazing, I just started driving this week and still painful to turn steering wheel.
I know you cannot wait to get the PICC line out next week and enjoy your walk
Susan VandenBusshce NC

I love reading your journals, Jerry. So upbeat and positive. Congrats on being a Red Cap Ambassador. Keep on tickin, my friend.
Diana

Hey neighbor,
You ought to be a writer. You do an excellent job of telling us what to expect. I'm happy to see that you are up and about but I'm sure they have told you not to try to do to much too soon. I'm going to Las Vegas in the very near future. No, not to gamble but to have my aortic valve replaced. I'm just a young guy but I have 30 years on you. I want to get this over with so I can go skiing next spring. Hopefully next year I'll be in that A.H.A. walkathon with you. Gary Vice

Hi Jerry. So glad you are doing so well. I'm amazed that you are up to walking in the heart walk as I would not have been at 4 weeks. Take care & keep on getting better. Joy Vera

And life continues to get better and better, Jerry. I'm sorry to hear about your friend, he was very young. There are a lot of ups and downs in life. But it is all part of life, unfortunately. Your doing great, you sound great, so keep up the good work.
Diana

keep up the good work bro....

sean m

Hi Jerry:

I started rehab this past Thursday - 4 weeks after surgery. All continues to go well here in St. Louis and my recovery, including the pain in my sternum is now manageable. I wish you well in your recovery. Thanks for your candor, and thanks for touching base. My cow valve is utterly fantastic! And my repair on the mitral valve has had no problems.

Paul Reiter

Hi Jerry
We all have unique experiences but when it really comes down to it, we all go through the same thing. Am sure lots of the guys will be happy to read a male's perspective (esp. the pre-op shave)!!! Continue to heal and do well, hoping it's a smooth recovery for you.
Fran

Hi Jerry,

You and I sound a lot alike pre-surgery :) I am glad to see you are feeling better and it will take time. Rehab will do wonders for you too when you're able! Wishing you an uncomplicated recover.

Kellie

Hi Jerry

Thanks for such an honest posting. I absolutely agree this is such an emotional situation and I would doubt very much there is anyone here who hasn't shed a tear at some point during the process. We are only human and we are suffering emotionally and physically. I'm glad you could write as vividly as you did because it confirms to others it's okay to feel.

You obviously have great spirit and I wish you a speedy full recovery with few detours. Take care.

Cheryl, Ontario

OOPS, posted too many times, guess if your computer is slow you don't hit the submit button more than once. ;) Sorry about that.
Diana

Jerry,

So happy everything worked out keep up the good work. There will be days u feel like crap but all the good days will follow. How is the INR level? Mine is 2.5now but for the fist month it was 1.2. Hang in there man and yell if u have any questions maybe I can help

Sean

Hi Jerry!

So glad you're home and doing well. Your summary of your experience brought back a lot of memories for me . . . I can't believe it's almost 4 months ago! You've got a great attitude which is the key to success. But be prepared for days you don't feel so good . . . we all have them. I STILL have them.

Keep us posted on how you're doing!
Ricki

Jerry your sounding really terrific. I'm 14 weeks post op and feeling terrific. Still have a good amount of discomfort from my incision, but other than that, I feel like a brand new woman. It only gets better from here. Keep up the good work, your on your way to a new you.
Diana

Jerry your sounding really terrific. I'm 14 weeks post op and feeling terrific. Still have a good amount of discomfort from my incision, but other than that, I feel like a brand new woman. It only gets better from here. Keep up the good work, your on your way to a new you.
Diana

Yay!! Congrats! I am so glad to hear you are doing good!! lol...your buffet comment was really funny!! you keep feeling better!!

Ellen K

Hi Jerry
So nice to know you are OK
You seem to have a sense of humor about you which is so nice to hear and uplifting.
Hang in there, we are all in this together
Susan VandenBussche

Hi Jerry,
Great news that they caught everything in time. Remember not to rush recovery and get plenty of rest.
You are in my prayers.
Happy Labor Day!
Kimberly S.

Hi Jerry

Sounds as if you dodged a bullet. Lucky you didn't have to waste any time in getting into surgery when you did. Keep focused and keep positive. Glad to see you are back on your computer so whatever it takes.

Cheryl, Ontario

Wow - 2 years! It's a good thing they got it out of there. Glad to hear that you are feeling alright & my wish for you is that your recovery stays on track - Joy Vera

Congrats Jerry!

Looking forward to the next update!

Keep on tickin!

Adam Pick

Hi Jerry!

So happy to hear from you! Make sure you walk a lot, use your spirometer (A LOT!!!), and rest . . . you'll be better than ever in a month or so.

Ricki Shine

good news Bro, take's time to rest first... wishing you speedy recovery Bro.
andro

Hi Jerry,
So good to see that you have come through surgery and were all ready able to get on the computer. Rest, rest and rest some more! Prayers are with you,
Kimberly S.

Hi Jerry
I commend you for getting on your computer so quickly and giving us the good news.
Fran

Hi Jerry

One hour at a time, one day at a time. Don't rush it.

Cheryl, Ontario

Rest my friend, we look forward to hearing from you when you are more awake.
Diana

jerry,

so glad to hear from you. Keep up the good work buddy.

Sean

Hi Jerry!

Thanks for the update!! Hopefully it will be all down hill from here on out :) Wishing you a very speedy and uncomplicated recovery.

Kellie

My prayers for your early recovery, I'll get your updates. Don't be scared, everything will be fine, just submit everything to the LORD, as what I am doing now. My aortic valve replacement will be done between Sept. 6-15, no final date yet,still waiting for my doctor to call for final date of my surgery.

Hi Jerry

Praying for a very successful surgery and will look forward to your post-op report. Good luck.

Cheryl, Ontario

Hi Jerry,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Good luck and we will chat with you once your awake.
Diana

Hi Jerry
I assume you are in surgery getting that new valve job done. We lost internet access last night, so couldn't send you a wish and a prayer till now. Will wait to hear the good news. Prayers from FL.
Fran

Jerry,

I'm glad your cath went well (clear arteries!) and that you decided on a valve. It's a hard decision - good and bad on both sides!

You're in my thoughts and prayers today. We'll be waiting to hear from you in a few days.

Ricki Shine

Jerry,
Good luck on your surgery. Prayers being sent your way.
Theresa C.

Hey Jerry,

You will do great !!!! Talk to u soon buddy

Sean Murphy

Hi sir Jerry,

Wishing you the best to your surgery.
God is always there to guide you.
with heart full of loved,
Andro

Hi Jerry,
So good to hear that everything looks good except the valve and you have made a choice. I know that is a relief. Thank you for your note in my guestbook. Best of luck tomorrow and I look forward to hearing how well things went soon. Here's to a new life waiting for you!
Prayers are with you,
Kimberly S.

PS-you did really well typing while you were drugged and didn't need spellcheck at all:)

Jerry
I will be thinking of you hang in there and it will be a tremendous relief once you are on the other side of surgery Susan V

Hi Jerry,

For me, a great deal of my pre-surgery stress was deciding on the valve (I went with bovine). Best of luck tomorrow. You are in my thoughts prayers.

Kellie

Great news from the heart cath, Jerry. Best of luck tomorrow. I'll look forward to hearing how you are doing on the other side of surgery. Joy Vera

hey Jerry,

Good luck tomorrow if posible keep me posted. Hopefully u still have my e mail

Sean

Hi Jerry,
Just want to wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. I had endocarditus back in 1990 and my tricuspid valve was replaced with a porcine valve.It served me very well for 20 years.At present I have severe tricuspid stenosis and will be getting it replaced with another porcine next month. Anyway, Hang Tough, I'll be thinkin bout ya Pat

Hi Jerry,

My hospital actually provided a keyboard in my step-down unit to use their internet service through the TV. However, I was in the hospital 3 days and did not use it at all. If you have a small one, it probably wouldn't hurt to bring it...

Kellie

Hi Jerry

My dentist stopped prescribing antibiotics a few years before my surgery and you are a case in point refutting that move.

If your computer is a lifeline then by all means be prepared to have it with you. You might want to take along one of those wire lock things though if you are concerned about loss. You probably won't be up to using it for the first few days though. Kimberly's husband David had his there and the postings he sent are the most detailed I've ever read giving out his own personal thoughts as well as updates about Kimberly.

My I-pod and books were my most important things and I used them all the time as a source of comfort and entertainment. I had the TV hooked up but just couldn't get that interested in it. The Toronto CN Tower was right outside of my window and I remember watching the night "light show" every night practically all night long.

Will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and will be looking forward to your post-op posting. Try and stay strong.

Cheryl, Ontario