Linda Hillman  Hi Vicki, You are so right. Our minds can be very cruel to us I think. Everybody on here said its not that bad. I am just so surprised that I have hardly had a pain at all the whole time. Now dont be fooled the recovery is a long process. I felt like a new born colt. I was so shaky and weak. The shakyness has pretty much gone now but still feel weak. But everyday is a better day. I know I will have good days along with the bad, but I also know I am getting better. I just left it all in Gods hands and he was so good to me and still is. So the main thing is not to stress over it, just know it will be getting better and you can do it. You are woman. :)
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/18/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Ricki, I was happy to meet you to. I thought you were someone I use to work with in Pa. I was so out of it that day. I just wonder what else I did that I dont know about lol. I cant wait to meet up again with you and Linda. Hope it is soon. Thanks again for the beautiful Orchid. I just love it and I get so many compliments on it. Frank is always anxious to tell everyone where it came from. He is being such a good nurse.
Hope to see you soon.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks DVB. You have been an insperation to us all. Keep up all the good work. Im having a slow day today. I think it is from the stuff going on yesterday getting settled back into life. Can you believe its been 1 week today. Dont know where this week went.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi John Thanks I feel pretty good just tired but that will leave soon. Just to much getting back into normal life at home. Cant believe not very much pain at all. Elsie and I are enjoying going down the mountain. It is very calming and the grazing isnt bad either.lol
Hope you are doing good.
Mooing all around
Linda H and Elsie

Linda Hillman  Thanks Chuck, Oh yeah Im mooing all over the place. My husband keeps saying hes going to build me a barn and get a gow bell. Hard to believe its been a week already. I told all the nurses thinking of you and your wife how wonderful every one of them were. They were just like angels. Had some good times with them I really didnt want to leave. St Francis Hospital was wonderful. Had no complaints except the lady in the next room. I was watching church in the morning and then I think I was hearing some holy roller stuff going on. I finally complained at night when they all got loud. Well got company so talk later friend
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks to who ever this is. It has been quite a journey. I am so thankful that I am on the other side now and cant wait to get stronger, but I am retired so Im not pushing it just one day at a time.
God is so good and if are waiting dont worry you can do it.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks Thomas, It was a lot better than I thought it would be. I hardly have any pain at all, even in the hospital. I think the rating was between 1-2 the whole time. I started out on percocet (sp) and went right to Tramadol 50 mg every 6 hours. I usually get maybe up to 10 hours before I feel anything. Thanks for being here. Cheers to you to
Mooing all around
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Connie you are so great. I just love hearing from you. I'll tell you I really dont know what I would have done without HVJ and my church. It has all been such a blessing. I just wish we could meet some time. But I dont pland on going any where from here. I think this has been my new calling. Talk to ya later friend.xoxo
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks Janis, I have so many thank yous on here. First day is a little hectic. Just sitting in the chair releaxing and being on computer. Im lookig forward to getting back right now its just one day at a time.
Mooing on down
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Don,, Thanks for your thoughts. I meant my new visiting nurse today. So they will get me back on the road. I named my cute little valve Elsie. We are getting along pretty good toghter.
Mooing on down
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Mitch Yeah I DID make it. So glad to be mooing and grazing on the other side of the mountain. It is beautiful here. I was telling everyone at the hospital about your experience and a lot of others too. Yesterday before I came home PT was with me and walking around the nuses station and doing some excercises. For the very first time she told me to slow down with the excercise. I about died laughing. I told her that is the very first time anyone has to me to slow down. I said its working yeah. My life sure has changed a lot all for the better and i love it. I just took the day off walked around the house a little took a shower and did Mr Spiro that my dog is afraid of. The cats keep looking at me like what the matter its funny. Thanks for being here.
Mooing all the way
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hey Connie H I miss you too and I will miss tonight. Maybe in a couple of weeks I can start getting around again. Stop in and visit sometime.
Mooing all around
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hey Chuck Life is wonderful and being on the other side is even more than I thought it would be. Lots of good grass too.The only thing that has changed for the worse is my typing, but it probably the drugs, lol. Nice excuse anyway. Would love to meet you and your wife someday. She needs a big hug for being a nurse. I had a good time with all of mine. Hated to leave them. Take care.
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hey Connie. Your right there is no place like home but I really did like St Francis. They were all sooo wonderful. Nurse Frank is taking really good care of me also.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks Holly P. Im busy trying to get all of wonderful posts answered. I am amazed that I dont really have very much pain at all. Im just taking it slow. Got outside today and went to mailbox. That was the next big step. Nurses keep saying Im doing great. Until later.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Connie Im so glad it doesnt hurt to laugh. I was laughing so hard I hardly could read your post. I could just see it it I got home today and doing not to bad. I will make a post tonight.
Mooing right along
Linda and Elsie AVR 9/19/12


I

Linda Hillman  Hey ;Mitch, Im glad I finally meant Ricki too. Just wish my camera was there we would have a foto moment. But I meant her on the worse day. Dont even know how i got to my room and I though Ricki was some one I used to work with in Pa. I have never seen her before. Then I didnt know how everyone else found me and I said lets all go home until Frank reminded me I didnt drive there. I kinda looked out in the hall and figured out I was at St Francis.. So I got back in bed and behaved myself.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Carolina, Thanks, Im glad you are doing better as well. I have been walking around the house and sleeping some and getting on here of course. Today went to the mailbox.that was the high light of the day.
Will do that several more days and then maybe into the yard some. The shakyness has pretty much gone but still feel weak but even that is getting better. You take care Heres to a speedy recovery for us both.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks Janis, Each day is a little better but typing isnt lol. The incision is even starting to look pretty good to. Starting to dry up a little bit. I think it might heal pretty fast. Thanks for being there.
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Selma, you are right the grass is greener on the other side and pretty sweet to. I had a little cousin of Elsies last night went over pretty good. Hope you are doing good.
Mooing on around
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hey Connie Still trying to get all of these caught up. Thought I had it done. Yeah the IV in the neck that really did hurt, and the drains tubes didnt feel to good either. I also had pacing lines too that had to come out, Then when they took the big bandage off the incision I was so scared. I couldnt even look at it as I tend to pass out at things like that. God must have given me strength to look. I look like I tried to go thru a paper shredder and lost. Then when I was in the shower at hospital and looked down to see 2 stitches there I about paniced. They were kinda long and it looked like 4 big ugly hairs there. But it is starting to look pretty good. Until later friend hugs to you.
Mooing all around
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Jimmy, Thought I had everyone all caught up on here Everybody says Im doing great, In fact they say it doesnt look like I had surgery. I just kinda slip down the shirt a little to prove it. It is a lot bigger that I thought I was going to get. Got the full 7 inches but I have no pain. The muscle in my arm hurts more and I think that is from working my new home of the recliner. Yesterday I got out and walked around my yard 4 times. I actually felt a little sudden surge of energy so I walked. Tomorrow I get my first trip out in the car. I do get out of breath easy and tired but I expect that. Hey Im retired its not like I have to worry about going back to work. lol. The doctor said the aorta was larger then all the tests were showing. See I told them. Maybe some day they will listen. You take care.
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Told mom today, just think of what you feel like now and look at myself and see what you are gonna feel like in days to come. :)
Her Mr. yum yum doctor came in late so dad and I got to meet him again. I do have to say yesterday you can tell he was working a while. Much better looking today with his white coat on. Got to shake his hand and tell him thanks for taking good care of mama.
She is thinking about you all. She told him about this site and all. She will be on Im sure in the next few days or so.
I guess I will sign her journals with

My mooooing report
Stephanie :)

Linda Hillman  Thanks Donald, Im going to be staying right on here. I think it is my new calling. Everyone was here to help me and I will continue to do the same. Only now I really dont have to relate to my daughter.
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hey Linda, trying to get all these caught up. As for the typing errors I think its the drugs. So glad I have a delete key. I will probably have it worn out. Actually I hardly have any pain at all. Mostly in my right shoulder and I think that is from working the recliner Im am jjust amazed. Still feel weak but everyday is a little better. Finally got outside in the yard and walked around 4 times. Tomorrow get to go out for a short trip. Nurse Frank is being a really good nurse. He is the one that I worried about, but it was Stephanie that caved in . The breathing tube did her in. She said she had to hide behind the curtain for a cry.
Hope we will be meeting soon. I meant Ricki and now we need to make it complete. But maybe now we can all run up those hills. lol.
Talk to ya later.
Mooing all over
LInda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Thanks Patti, It has better than I thought I am amazed. See you guys at Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for. Love you guys too
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12

Linda Hillman  Hi Paul, Ill take a rain check on the skiing lesons, think I will just remain a watchers. It would be an expensive for both of us as I dont live in Colorado any more, but we do have mountain in SC. They say I doing really good. My pain has really been good I am amazed. I am starting to experience little things of my body coming back to life. Like itching around my chin and thrashing around. Tomorrow I will get to go on a little trip and test my wings out. Hope you are still doing good
Mooing all over
Linda H and Elsie AVR 9/19/12