Hi Colleen

Weak is probably exactly how she feels but keep encouraging her to challenge herself to do a little better each time she's out of bed. She absolutely must walk. Is she using a spirometer? That also is an essential tool to helping open the lungs and move the fluid. Wishing her well.

Cheryl, Ontario

Great news Lee!!!!!
Keep positive you look great

Jacki

Great news. I am so pleased you are doing so well. It is your positive outlook and knowing you can be over this major event and enjoying life once again. Each day is now a new day to be savored and enjoyed with a new quality of living. The fluid build up in the legs can be aided in removal with a leg pump which covers the leg and applies a gentle pressure to get the fluid to move away. The pump was invented by a man here in my home town of Sewickley to help his young daughter get the swelling down and the fluid removed. Your physiotherapists will know of this treatment, easy to apply like a stocking, no pain but lots of gain. No salt diet as Colleen mentioned is important. Mark your dance card for ME so I can have the first waltz with you. Strauss of course.
Love to you and Colleen,
Cousin Jeff

Hi Lee,
Glad to hear you are getting stronger each day and hope they get rhe fluids under control. After Collen has done auch a fabulous job with you in the hospital,Now the second string is getting ready to get into action to be there for you in rehab. Who knows, we may even have bridge in your facility!!!That would be fun. See you soon, Love, Laura & Bob.

Hi - sorry I never posted before - just realized I could but have been checking the posts as often as possible - (was out of town - with very limited internet)SO GLAD to hear Aunt Lee is doing well! I know PATIENCE is not her middle name either! Is there a phone # we can call to say HI? Doug is working late every night this week and I dont get home from work til at least 6. By the time we could get there visiting hours would be over. Very sorry about that! If no phone - PLEASE post where she is going so we can come and visit her Saturday afternoon! We hope we can catch you in town too Colleen!
Hugs and kisses with lovefrom Anne and Doug

Hi, Lee and Colleen,

I hope that tomorrow is Lee's lucky day and that she will be able to leave the hospital.

Lee, I am so proud of you for your will and spirit.

May God give you comfort.

Love,
Louise

You look great today :)
Jacki

Aunt Lee Colleen
Just have Aunt Lee remember when Dad was in the hospital and he had his ups and downs. She has to remember even though they do a lot of heart surgerys now the body still has to have time to recover. Her body is telling her to slow down. I know she can't wait to get home both of you will fell better. Wish Vince, Melissa and I could come vist.
Lot of Hugs and Kisses
Shawnee

Hi Lee,

Continue to hang in there. You'll be home again before you know it! You're in my prayers.

Kellie (MD)

Hi, Lee and Colleen,

Another good day! Lee, I know that God is in your corner. I feel the strength of faith and prayer.

Keep me posted.

Love,
Louise

Hi, Lee!
It's been great reading Colleen's updates and I'm so glad to hear you are recovering so well. What a relief to have all of the info right at hand on the Internet :)
I'm sending well-wishes and a big (gentle!) hug. Hoping for your speedy recovery.
Lots of love,
Lis Grant (and Dave, Tovi and Tallulah)

Colleen
That is great Aunt Lee will be going home.
One word of advice. If you can help it don't
let her go to the drug store with you. I thought I was going to have to take Dad back to the hospital when he found out how much the drug where going to cost. You know Dad (Uncle Doug) cheap. Keep huging Aunt Lee for me. It will be better when you get home
Love both of you
Shawnee

Hi Lee, Just got my kitchen floor installed. It looks great! Jeff asked about you and wishes you well. Bernie Called and said to tell you "Hello" and so good to hear you came through surgery with flying colors. I am going down to shore this eve and returning tues eve. This " girlfriends group home" works out so well. Hope you feel better, love laura & bob

Glad to hear each day gets better. Thank God for the surgeons what they do is truly amazing.
Love carol and Frank

Hello there, Lee! I just got this from Louise. Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but glad to hear that your are recovering!

Doug

Hi Colleen,
Tell your mom that the strong heart beat is indeed a good thing! Prior to my surgery I was very aware of my heart beat, especially after meal times. They said it would go away after surgery, which it has - but it was still beating hard when I would get up out of bed or a chair for the first few weeks. Just tell her it is normal and that at some point she will realize that she doesn't feel it anymore.
I read your mom's story and it simply said this is her second time in for surgery. When was the first?
Who was your doctor there this time?
And the nurses are right - take the pain medication so she can concentrate on other things in the recuperation process.
Best wishes,
Hubert, Lancaster county, PA

Hi,Lee and Colleen,

I LOVE good news.

Love,
Louise

So glad but not surprised that you are doing so well. Keep up the good work!!!

Love,
Don & Mary Jo

Lee,
I'm glad to hear your recovery is going so well. Keep up the good work and keep walking the halls. It really helps speed the recovery. I was running to keep up with my son just two days after his surgery. My prayers for a fast recovery. Mary

Lee,
Great news about your progress today ( Sunday ).
I am just hoping Lee you can stay as long as possible in the hospital and not rush out too soon. Enjoy the 24/7 service and great attention you are receiving. Besides you are going to miss all that good hospital food!

Love,

Cousin Jeff.

Hi Lee, this may be a duplicate, but good to hear from you . Looking forward to seeing you next week in Rehab. You are amazing!! Take your pain meds and get plenty of rest. Love, Laura & Bob

That is awesome news was worried -tried cell phone but went right to voice mail.
Is there phone we can call her?
Colleen thanks for updates -mean so much.
We'll be away this week till late Thurs but hope to access to email -so keep blog going.
Let me know if can call her.
Again tell her keep up good work.
Love, Pat & Jack

This is very good news. Hoping each day get better for you.
Love Carol

Hi, Lee and Colleen,

Glad to hear that today was a good day for you, Lee. Please send the address of the hospital.

You remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Louise

Hi Lee and Colleen-love this blog and the daily updates! The worst is over now, I hope, and rest assured that the prayers are continuing. I am now home to rehab from my knee replacement-my dr was phenomenal! I'm in pain but getting around with the walker. My thought are with you
Love, Genni and Sal

Hi Lee. Sounds like you're doing great! Keep up the good work. I'm rooting for you :)

Kellie (MD)

Hi,Lee and Colleen,

You are both in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep in touch and let me know how Lee is progressing.

Lee, you sound like your Uncle Lew: flirting with the nurses!

Love,
Louise

Good morning Lee. You may be glad to be in air conditioning today! At 8:30 am it is so hot and muggy that can't even have coffee out on the deck! Hope you get your A-fib regulated very soon. Plan to stop up to see you this evening (Sat) or tomorrow. Will call first to see if you feel like company. Laura & Bob

Hi Lee,
just heard about your surgery from Connie Rupin, and I was surprised. I'm so glad for this journal to be able to write to you. My thoughts, prayers and good wishes are with you for a fast and speedy recovery. Take care and I will talk to you soon.
Love
Linda Bruno

Hi Lee, We have it from a very reliable source that you are flirting with the male nurses!! Not surprized. Keep that up and you will forget about your recovery "issues" (hate that word) Bob & I plan to stop by Sunday afternoon or early evening. You are still in our prayers for a quick recovery. We have lots to do ...places to eat..so keep up the good work. Laura & Bob

Coleen
Thanks Coleen for keeping us so informed. I am sorry to hear today has been difficult for your Mom. I hope things are better by the time you read this.
Lee
I hope each hour gets easier for you.

Love carol

Colleen,

Maybe if Lee would stop flirting with the younger guys on staff her heart beat will return to normal. Much too much visual over stimulation tell her from me. If you remember her aunt, Florence, her Dad's sister who lived in Florida, she was just the same. It runs in the Mason family. You will have to tell her to 'Cool it' for a short while until she gets her rhythm back. What a character she is. I have the same genes and they come out often to play in the same way.
Tell her she is doing wonderfully, and you are her angel.

Love to you both.

Cousin Jeff

Hi Colleen
Thanks for the update on your mom. Did they do a MAZE proceedure during the surgery? Many times that can stop the afib. You can "google" it if you don't already know about it. I've been in a-fib for 15 years or more and the MAZE was done during my valve surgery in March. Unfortunately it didn't work because my heart was too enlarged. They also did a cardioversion with no result, so as my cardiologist says, my heart has its' own rythym after all these years and wants to stay that way. I am not really aware of it and do have to take coumadin but that's no big deal. Don't know how long Lee has been in a-fib and I am hoping they can get her into good sinus rythym.
Fran

Hi Lee, The first thoughts that came to my mind was a saying from my mom: "Patience is a virtue." It sounds a lot nicer in Italian, but I think you get the drift. Be patient my friend, and everything will be just fine. You're in our prayers.
Love,
Margaret & Dave

Hi Lee,

I am so glad that you came through the surgery with flying colors. I hope that the a fibs get cleared up asap. I will pray for your continued progress. Linda S.

Sorry about the set back.
Please give her our thougths and hug.
Let me know when she's up to talking on cell phone.
You take care too Colleen.
Are you still at hotel?
Pat & Jack

Colleen
This is great give Aunt Lee Hugs and Kiss for me I new she would make though with flying colors but I still said a lot of prays The Mason's are strong. I love this blog. I get to read everything that is going on. Being so far away it helps.

Shawnee

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK lEE, YOU'RE AMAZING.
Love, Nancy & Bobby

Hi Lee & Coleen:

So glad to hear you are off vent and ahead of schedule. You are one determined lady!

Coleen - know it means so much to Mom that you are by her side.

This blog is an awesome idea!

Love,
Don & Mary Jo

Wonderful news I am so happy for her that she is doing so well. She'll be dancing sooner than we think.

Love Carol and Frank

WOW!.
How amazing.Great news.How relieved you must be Colleen.
Won't be long before Mom's toes start to tap

Colleen,

Great news that she came through safely and is wide eyed and alert. Tell her from me if she behaves she can have a cup of tea sometime soon.

Love,

Cousin Jeff

HI lee, I had my cardio team spy on you yesterday while I was across the Street having my mitro valve looked at, my spys reported that you were late getting into the OR but everything was on target. I will be in to see you on Saturday, behave yourself, see you then
Love ya
Muriel

Colleen,
Thanks again for update - know getting off the ventilator big thing for her.
Again, you being there has meant so much to her.
Hope you get some rest.
Give her big hug when it's out and she's in chair.
Don't forget call if need anything.
I am trying to keep club members posted too.
Love and prayers.
Pat & Jack

Great news! Thanks, Colleen. Our prayers, thoughts & love continue to be with you both.
Hugs,
Fred & Marilyn

Colleen.Being there with your Mom wil help her recovery,have no doubt.She has a great deal of fortitude & I'm sure that she will come through this ordeal & be ready to dance again quite soon.
Quite a relief for you to see her awake responsive so soon.
Hope that you will be able to rest too.
Geraldine

We're so glad that you came thru so well. You're in our thoughts and prayers. Get better soon. Colleen, I know how it means to Lee to have you there.
Nancy & Bobby

Colleen. THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL NEWS! Your mom will be so happy to be off the vent...i am so happy the surgery went so well.Now will be praying for fast recovery. With her determination and strong dancing lungs , i know she will. laura

Colleen,

That is good news from the surgeon and the surgery going well. Great job you are doing. Your Dad would be proud of you.
Maybe today you can get some rest.
If you get a chance later to chat with Mom tell her from me that she came through the surgery with the willpower of the typical Mason family.

Love to you both,

Cousin Jeff.

Lee and Coleen
So glad to hear everything went well. Hope the next few days do too.
Carol and Frank