On April 17, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
Hope it goes well at the dr tomorrow.

nancy B
On April 15, 2012...
That's fascinating, I've never heard of anything like that. Has it been controlling your pain? It certainly does look like the catheter is super thin, so it should come out easily. Let us know how it goes.

Nancy B
On April 14, 2012...
Hi Kerry,

I am so happy you are doing so well. The family has been praying for you. I will continue to check in on your recovery. Get some rest and God Bless!

Tamiko Burnell
On April 14, 2012...
Ooohhh...you went home with a pain pump? I've never heard of that. Where. Does it go in? It can't be through the incision??
Thanks,
Nancy B
Kerry Thomas  It is in the incision, on the very end. I took the incision bandages off, but there is still one ove ... Read more
On April 12, 2012...
Great news Kerry so happy for you!!! Prayers for your continued recovery.....

Cindy Pastrano
On April 12, 2012...
Wow! That was fast. Glad it went well. Lily Cardlin
On April 12, 2012...
Two and a half laps right out the gate!

Keep...
on...
going!

-- DVB
On April 12, 2012...
Hi Kerry, Happy to hear all is going good. Now the work really begins, but in a good way. Every day will be better. Take it easy and slow. Good luck
For the long haul
Linda H
On April 12, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
So glad to hear your surgery went well.
What type of incision did you have?
Did they place an annular ring and/or repair the leaflets?
My surgeon thinks I'll only need an annular ring, no leaflet repair. That's why I'm asking.

If you had the minithoracotomy....how's the incision with wearing a bra?

Thanks,
Nancy B
Kerry Thomas  Hi Nancy. I had the leaflets repaired and the ring. I did have the mini thoractomy, but honestly I ... Read more
On April 11, 2012...
Awesome news. So glad to hear it went well. Onward to recovery!

-Tom H.
On April 11, 2012...
WAY TO GO!

You are going to like the new you.

-- DVB
On April 11, 2012...
Wow! Great news Kerry! Wonderful being on the other side! Now on to recovery!
Linda Dixon, AVR 3/13/2012
On April 11, 2012...
God bless you! I know with all the prayers being sent your way you will be up and about before you know it.
Love,
Cheryl Green
On April 11, 2012...
That is great news. Speedy recovery.
Debbie Argetsinger
On April 11, 2012...
Love you girl and sending you and the family prayers and love.
On April 11, 2012...
I have been praying for you, your family, and your doctors today. I look forward to running with you again soon.

Donna Lann
On April 11, 2012...
Dear Kerry,
Oh so many prayers & positive thoughts for a successful surgery & a speedy & complete recovery!!! Thinking of you!!
Hugs, Barbara Michalick (friend of your Mom's from WHS)
On April 11, 2012...
Thinking of you today, Kerry, and wishing you a smooth surgery and recovery.
Selma Kaplan
On April 11, 2012...
Kerry ~
You are in our prayers today and for days to follow as you go through surgery and then with recovery. May God keep you strong through this journey.

Hugs!
Lulu
On April 11, 2012...
You are in my thoughts and prayers. The waiting is past-now the recovery can begin. Good days ahead.
Debbie Argetsinger
On April 11, 2012...
Wishing all goes well and keeping you in prayer today, Kerry.

Judy Stahl, Clever Container
On April 11, 2012...
Good luck Kerry - you're in our prayers. Those years of running will help you greatly in your recovery now. I had MV repair with Dr. Massimiano as well just 10 weeks ago. He is a wonderful surgeon.

Mark Buffkin MVR - 24 Jan 2012
Kerry Thomas  That is neat Mark. He is wonderful (certainly in my mind anyway!)
On April 11, 2012...
Thank you for the update. Kerry is in all of our prayers. We will keep watching the site to celebrate her success
With you.
You will be amazed how well she breezes through this procedure. She is ready to impress!
Its very rewarding to see the look of awe in your familys face when you ROCK the recovery! God Bless
Stephanie Cole
On April 10, 2012...
Good luck tomorrow Kerry and hope you are able to get some decent sleep tonight! Like so many others, will be closely following your updates tomorrow.

-Tom Hunt
On April 10, 2012...
Kerry,

God bless you tomorrow and your family as they wait, all is going to be perfect!!! I will be keeping you in prayer tomorrow and for you to have a speedy recovery.

So glad to hear how calm you are feeling.

Cindy Pastrano
On April 10, 2012...
Hi Kerry, Good luck tomorrow. It will be your big day of a good life again. I will be sending a prayer your way. I love your quote. Something to live by.
For the long haul
Linda H
On April 10, 2012...
Dvb has it down pat. But Kerry. You'll do great.

I am a professional speaker and do a program on Attitide It is truly a choice. And you have made yours

Best of luck. As they say " see you on the other side "

As for getting out of Bed I didn't experience any problems. Good luck.

Nancy Friedman st Louis mo. Avr. 2-9-12
On April 10, 2012...
Best wishes to you on this journey Kerry. May your surgery be a complete success and may you have a speedy recovery. I am a FB friend of your mom Betty who is a wonderful woman. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
On April 10, 2012...
Kerry,
Try to relax today. Laugh! You are so close! Once you wake up in ICU the relief hits immediately. It's amazing!!! You can do this better than all of us before you. You're strong! Those long runs will be here by summer.
My prayers are with you. Send us all a quick post when you can- with new valve!
Steph Cole
Kerry Thomas  I will write as soon as I can. I have to be up at 3:45...I wonder if I will sleep?
On April 9, 2012...
Slippers, take slippers. You're a runner. You are going to want to get up and moving as soon as you can. It will hurt, but push through. Rest. Then do it again, but farther. Before you know it you'll be doing laps around the ICU. Hey, what else is there to do? All that will get your healing into high gear and you'll be amazed at yourself. You are going to be 125% when all this is over. Wow!

Here's a trick you can use to get out of bed without pain. Hook your foot under the doo-dad at the end of the bed and do a crunch to sit up. Or someone can hold your ankles down. That was huge for me.

You are going to do great - show us how its done!

-- DVB
On April 8, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
You will do amazing. I'm three weeks out and feel ready to be cleared for everything!
I had a few favorites:
my own fleece blanket, neck pillow, sweat pants.

They put you in a bra and you'll need it first 2 days, but then I went to tank tops under a t-shirt. Don't worry about button-up shirt, you'll be fine!

Chapstick, facecream, sneakers. By day 3 or 4 you'll feel like walking more than you think and getting dressed. I will be sending prayers.

You will be surprised at how EASY this is. Stephanie Cole
On April 8, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
I did bring one pair of pajamas. I used them on day 3. I brought something that had a nice fragrance, perfume or body spray. I used the dry shampoo. bit didn't really like it. My most important things were lip balm and throat lozenges. I brought a cardigan with buttons and yoga pants, actually I wore them there.My slippers came in handy also. The hospital gave me a bag with every toiletry i needed even though I had brought it all. I was there 5 days with day one being surgery day. I had a repair for mitral valve regurgitation.
It will be here and over before you know it. the waiting is the hardest. I had my surgery about 5 weeks after seeing the surgeon, so my wait wasn't awful.
You will do fine,
Jane
On April 8, 2012...
Hi Kerry,

I brought a lot of stuff I didn't use (books, magazines, thank you notes), but there are a couple things I was really glad I brought. One was my own pillow, and the other was my ipad. The pillow was crucial for me because the pillows at Cleveland Clinic were hard and awful. The ipad was nice for watching movies, checking email and doing journal entries.
God speed and good luck! It won't be nearly as bad as you are imagining. The waiting is the worst!
Deb Ziegler
On April 8, 2012...
Also meant to say - They told me. The better shape u r in - the better u will do

I was in good shape. U r tool. It means a lot apparently.

One of my dr friends at my gym told me the other day. " u did so well cuz u exercised so much. ". No doubt about it. & I'm older than u Ha a
On April 8, 2012...
Hi Kerry. Good luck - you'll do great. That's all I heard 9 weeks ago & they. were right ! Serious as it is - it is routine !

Things to take. Ask 10 people & you'll get 10 different must haves

I took my entire bedroom & only used my robe

My hospital in st Lou's provided every thing else. From lip balm to my pills. ( your not allowed to take your own)

My suggestion other than the robe. & clothes to go home in.

*. Your positive attitude
* your sense of humor
*. IPad.

I didn't have a need for that neck pillow. Or any thing else --

But again. There are those that did.

Honest you won't go wrong No matter what u bring. ! Best to you & wishing you an uneventful recovery. Mine has been awesome.

Best wishes

Nancy Friedman. St Louis mo. AVR. 2-9-12



On April 7, 2012...
Hi Kerry,

I thought I would sign your guestbook this time instead of sending an email. I'm glad to hear about your trip. You remain in my prayers!

Terri Ray
Kerry Thomas  Thanks Terri!
On April 6, 2012...
Kerry,

Thinking of you all the time and praying for your recovery.

Love, Aunt Pat
Kerry Thomas  Thanks! I'm looking forward to Mom getting here :)
On April 5, 2012...
hi kerry. i think you are my second cousin. your mom and i are cousins and i never know how it goes after that. OMG you look exactly like your mom!!. sorry to hear about your heart valve problem, but the md's will fix it like new. i will be praying for your protection during surgery and your speedy recovery.
love, kathy campbell linarelli
Kerry Thomas  Thanks Kathy, I think the picture on here looks especially like her...I think that's why she picked i ... Read more
On April 4, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
Waiting is the hardest part, but now you're in the last week countdown. I also found it helped a great deal to find things to do, especially with family and friends. I'm sure the road trip will be good for you. You'll arrive on the other side to a mended heart soon. Hang in there. Blessings
- Jim Smith
On April 4, 2012...
Hi Kerry,

That is so awesome that your son is doing that for you I can imagine it helps him too to be a part of helping you.

Glad to hear you are taking that trip a distraction is probably just what you need to get your mind off of things.

Will be thinking and praying for you!!

Cindy Pastrano
On April 2, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
I also have issues with IV's. I have learned that if I ask for someone from the "IV team" it goes so much easier. Those are the people that put the pic lines in. If you ever need one of those they are great. Even with my tiny vein issues,my OHS surgery went very, very well. It was so much less than I ever anticipated. I had a mitral valve repair without any complications.
You will do fine. the waiting and anticipating are so much worse than the actual procedure.
Hang in there,
Jane Porpora
On April 2, 2012...
Hi Kerry,
That experience sounds crappy. I'm so sorry. I hated my IV's as well. (Unfortunately, there are more to come with OHS)
However, I LOVED my PICC line. It's one they put in your neck. You don't feel it. It doesn't get in the way. They put it in while you're asleep. When some of the meds went through my arm they burned a bit, but I couldn't feel anything going through the PICC.
Maybe you could suggest they use one and keep it in for recovery! Good luck Stephanie Cole
Kerry Thomas  Thanks Stephanie, someone else mentioned that about the PICC line also. I just looked at your scar p ... Read more
On April 2, 2012...
Hey Kerry ~

I want you to know that I am praying daily for your during this journey. I know that God will have his hand on the doctors during your surgery and everything will turn out just fine.

Stay strong!

Lulu
Kerry Thomas  Thanks Lulu! I have no doubt it will all be fine :)
On April 1, 2012...
We are always available to raise spirits. Bart thanks you for including him; brought a tear to his eye.
Love,
Mom
On March 29, 2012...
Kerry,

So glad that is over for you, I know what you mean about needles I am more scared about getting the IV than anything else. Wow what a horrible time you had with that part but the great news is, it's over.

Cindy Pastrano
On March 29, 2012...
Kerry,
I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you (and your dad). I'm glad the cath is over for you and will look forward to your posts about the next procedure. Take care and get lots of rest. Please call if you need anything.
Patti
On March 29, 2012...
So glad the cath is done. Didn't know you had such a strong aversion to needles being poked at you, but a "baby" you are not. I've always seen you as a strong spirited, willed woman. Can they give you a valium or something to take the edge off before they stick you in the future? Just a thought. Thinking of you.
C. Davis
On March 28, 2012...
Hi, Kerry -- Chief wuss here! The cath was a piece of cake. I was joking with the nurses and the doc right up till the time the happy juice kicked in. You'll do fine. :-)
Selma Kaplan
On March 28, 2012...
That's what it is all about, helping one another. See you soon. Hugs
On March 28, 2012...
Kerry,
The cath is not all that bad. Not only did the sedative relax me, it caused me to forget the entire procedure once it ended. The cath is also necessary. The surgeon has to know ahead of time whether the coronary arteries have any plaque or blockage.
- Jim Smith
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