Terrie Syvertsen  Thank you Karen for such a thoughtful post to celebrate my one year anniversary of my valve surgery. Your posing your understanding of how
you remember the day is an important piece of this last year and our friendship means a great deal to me. I can't wait until you too are done with this part of your life that is in your future. I will be there along with all of the people you are making friends with here at the HVS so that we too
can earn our "Gold Stars@" Love you my friend!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin Szymanski, dear Heart Sister! Thanks so much for all of your kind words. They touch my mended heart in a very special place that was designed to feel the kind of sentiments you are consistent in showing your Heart Brothers and Heart Sisters here at our community and you will never fully realize the impact. I consider you my special friend and look forward to continuing in the months and years ahead. I have a special post coming to y'all on the 20th as I celebrate the one year so be sure to check in, ok?! Love to you ,
Your heart Sister in California!
Terrie

Terrie Syvertsen  Thank you Robin S. I appreciate your thoughts and yes Hunter had an active roll in my heart surgery recovery and I was blessed to have him this long. He lived 14 years, played hard, loved freely! He was ill and sometimes you don't know how fast these pets of ours can leave our sides when an illness hits, especially when not showing symptoms where you can do anything but love them until it is time for them to go....We are comforted in that we were with him and he was calm and loved right up until he fell asleep! Knowing this did bring us comfort and now peace. We were blessed to have him so long! Thanks so much and I hope you and yours are doing well....Your heart sister and friend, Terrie

Terrie Syvertsen  Hello Cheryl! Good to hear that you had your ablation done and I am curious about your results! I am feeling well and do have minor SVTs but remain on a med that has kept them at bay. My cardiologist had wanted to wait at least a year after my heart valve replacement before doing an ablation so I will be discussing this with him probably in the near future. I hope yours was successful and I am looking forward to giving it a try as it would be nice to get off this medication that I am on 2 times a day.(It is called XR/Diltiazem. I think it would be worth the effort to have the procedure done especially as it was similar to a heart cath for you and that wasn't anything I couldn't handle! Thanks for the information, seriously!
You can reach me too at: tsyvertsen1@sbcglobal.net. Be well and I forgot to mention that I am at one yr. anniversary in a couple of days! Doing very well, thank you. How are you doing?

Terrie Syvertsen  Don- You didn't alarm me as I have heard mentioned before(right after I received my valve) that there had been some problems. My Catalogue # is DLA23 and I will continue to check for more information that is more updated than a year ago when I looked into it. I am glad that you have a St. Jude bovine model as I have heard no indication of any problems with that mode. Truth is I live with what I have and hope that if there is a problem in the future I am made aware of it in time for a change too! Thanks for the update and I really wish you well in your recovery and feel confident you are really, truly on your way! Bless you too. Live LONG and prosper!!!!!!!

Mary Myers  Ginger, thanks for reminding us how precious these little furry companions are to us. I actually have my two bichons Mandy and Zeke. Since May we are caring for our two grandpups, they are italian greyhounds, Anna and Snickers. They keep us hopping. Somehow this temporary home may be their permanent home. Love them love them love them. Sending
Butterfly kisses and eskimo pies to you and all our heart family!

Terrie Syvertsen  Howdy Marathon Man (AKA mini Zipper) Thanks so much for dropping a line on this fun day with your Heart Brothers and Heart Sisters as I celebrated my 11 months and it was a special day from sun up to sunset even in the humidity and heat here in Calif. I hope you are still living life to the fullest and I will email you soon to catch up. Take care and let me note that I have been checking out your adventures that have left me awestruck. Here's to life my heart Brother.

Terrie Syvertsen  Mary M. Thanks for the update and I am sure the community would also appreciate a place to send a card to Duane when he is up to receiving them. Let Carolyn know that she and the Family are in our thoughts and Duane especially is in many hearts tonight. Prayers continue for all of our heart brothers and sisters and their loved ones!

Petey Bello  Thank you Mary for an update on Duane. I check everyday to hopefully hear how he is doing. Keeping him (& our heart family) in my prayers!

Tammy Pilcher  Thank you so much, Mary, for the update and your sweet email today! Praying for Duane and his family.

Terrie Syvertsen  Mary Myers: Congratulations on your son's marriage and your extended family both home and with HVS. It will be great having their little boy around to keep you even more active! It is nice you will be able to visit with Duane when he is up to visitors and I hope we all hear soon that things are going well for him. Glad you are doing so well yourself Heart Sister. Keep u the good work and support you have been giving the community. Love, Terrie, Hunter and Kat

Terrie Syvertsen  Hello Robin! Thanks for the positive and encouragement...Sweet.
By the way I tried the loofah seeds and they didn't work due to the change in weather at the time and the wind knocked over the first seeds planted.
I bought some "Renee's Garden" seeds and planted more with some sunflowers(Hope to have some beauties like Bill has in his yard!) Don't you love his photos of his yard? I also planted two other packets and feel silly as first light I am out looking into the plastic lid that protects the seeds to see if any of the gourds or loofahs have shown their tiny little heads! Yes, I have to be PATIENT! I look forward to all of your encouraging posts to others as well and enjoy this family we have all helped to create daily here at HVS! Going to bed now as Hunter is actually at my feet "glaring" up at me as it is past his bedtime! Night!

Terrie Syvertsen  Thanks Tony! It is an Omen that both you and Eleanor said the same thing minutes apart, Ha! I am going to go ahead and hit the 24 hour fitness place this weekend as "Kaiser" has a great Senior/Member yearly discount and it is right down the street. I have been putting it off. After reading your blog recently I can't make any more excuses. You look wonderful and I am so happy that your recovery has been "Wow" what can you say! AMAZING! I will drop you a line when I hit the water! Thanks for the note! Take care
heart brother.

Terrie Syvertsen  Hello Robyn! Glad you like the "kitten" and you are welcome. I am glad you couldn't have it near you as everyone had gone to the "Plastic suit and no visitor phase" and what you didn't need was an additional problem like an outsider bringing in a large "Hairball" to complicate the sterile room conditions! Looking forward to "chatting" with you. Take care you two! So glad you are doing so much better. I swear I could feel the sighs of relief after your last "relocation" to this facility throughout the community!
Hugs from Terrie, Hunter and Kat!

Terrie Syvertsen  Larry- Looked for your "story" to read up on you and didn't find one as I wanted to give you and your Terry encouragement for your June 9th "Day". Have you already had your surgery or having it this June?
Glad that you have a "rock "in your wife as I had in my husband "Gary" and it is so important to have that "Rock" when going through such a life experience, isn't it. Yes, sad though it may be that some "Family" seems to get lost along the way so that friends/neighbors and sometimes the mailman/women become just as important "Pebbles" working along with the "Rocks" in our lives! (Boy can you tell I am in a rock and boulder mode today! I am hoping that you are able to join your bandmates in Reno in Aug.! Sounds like a great goal to have moving forward in your recovery. I am sure Terry will help you get there! What is your place in the band?(I am just getting to a point where I am going to buy a guitar and get back into it. I sold mine before surgery thinking I wouldn't be needing it anymore due to the incision and a brief depressed state which quickly cleared and now my incision is at a point where I could hold the guitar once again without flinching, ha ha. Do us a favor if you don't have a journal and fill one out so we all can give you added support on your journey and also be there for Terry! You take care now and keep positive!

Larry Fuller  I play bass -www.beatlesflashback.com
but I'm a guitar player normally.
this music is so fun to play..

Terrie Syvertsen  Hello Larry and Terry! I am happy to think that you will be one of those heart brothers who sails through his surgery and gets a chance at getting a chance to progress well enough to make it to personal goals like your "Hot August Nights"! I am sure Terry will be there to help you make that slow and steady transition with your newly mended heart! Look forward to your surgery as a start of a new beginning with a much healthier outlook! Check with your surgeon about the chances of playing with the band. Maybe you won't be able to do those jump up and turn around do the splits, type moves with the band but let's hope for sure you
will be able to join them as it is pretty soon after your surgery and you will be wise to think of such future plans when you go in as things happening when this is over and you are back on track for your and Terry's future!
You will do great Heart Brother! Read your story and your information.
Hope you and Terry get all of the support and information you need from our community of great, understanding, heart brothers and heart sisters.
Looking forward!

Terrie Syvertsen  Jeanette- Thank you for the sweet response! I also watched your informational "Stroke"video and want to tell you that you sound pretty strong yourself and this will help get you through what lies ahead! Attitude plays a big part in having surgery as with the right one you can envision yourself climbing mountains, even if in reality you can only sit at the bottom of that mountain in a lawn chair and a picnic basket looking up at that mountain in the clouds! I think my most important lesson before surgery was to listen to my "heart" and put all the information I was learning from the heart sisters and heart brothers to good use prior to the surgery(I mean right up until I was wheeled in and gave my surgeon a big smile and a thumbs up and told him I knew he was going to take good care of me. The smile on his face made rolling through those surgery room doors a gentle swift breeze and the next thing you know I was waking up! I think when you go in confident it gives your heart a gentle send-off as well. Almost like it can kick back and let the "Team" do its finest work until it can be started up again and head for the healing days ahead. We have all witnessed for quite some time that all surgeries are unique and that for some things take a turn that is unexpected but we have also witnessed that in each case, what can be done will be done to give each of us that fighting change(I sound like Duane here!) and like with Robyn and David, a fighting chance is sometimes all that is needed to turn this unexpected turn into another remarkable twist in the road that leads you back to the road of recovery and forward with our lives. So Jeanette, I hope you gain strength and confidence the closer you get and know the love and support from this community is with you all the way. Take care-

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin- This is one of the kindest, sweetest posts I have ever received in my guestbook and it touched my heart. You are right in mentioning that as we neared the time of our surgeries it was a blessing to have the love of someone who we knew had our backs and would watch over us such as David is so dearly doing with Robyn. I don't know that I would have faced it as easily for sure!
By the way Robin, I consider our growing friendship to be just another blessing that came out of the year 2014. Love, Terrie, Gary, Hunter and Kat!

Terrie Syvertsen  Great to hear from you Tony C-P! Yes I enjoyed it yesterday and just got inside from doing another 5 miles! It was hot out again today and I have to learn how to get out before the heat hits! It was pretty warm when I left at 10 a.m.. Hope you are doing well with your running and travels! Think of you every time and I mean every time I get lazy about getting going with any kind of exercising! Ha. I keep picturing you first at the hospital with your tennis shoes and pink robe and then your photo of you as you just finished your marathon in Berlin. Who can be lazy with those images! Take care Heart Brother!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin- Sunflower doesn't compare to "Bill's" in Colorado but I bet none of his
sunflowers spin like mine do!!!!!!!! Take care heart sister!

Bill Cherry  No spinners here but this year my youngest daughter is going to try her hand at growing flowers to cut & sell.

Terrie Syvertsen  That should be a fun enterprise. Who doesn't love a bright cheerful sunflower let alone a bunch of them! Your garden sunflowers are just beautiful. My favorite sunflower is the "chocolate" one! (Color)

Terrie Syvertsen  Thanks, thanks, thanks Robin for the love, love, love. Check out today's added photo to all the heart people on celebration of March 20th first day of spring and 7 months into the recovery! Love to you heart sister! (Don't mind my rather giddy photo op with my bovine/heart props!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin- Thanks and I feel as blessed knowing and getting to know you better! Looking forward to the future for many of us who have made life-long friends here in our community of hearts/great supportive people! Love to all and to all a good night. Prayers world wide!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin- Really enjoyed hearing your voice as well as we have been communicating for so long now it was and added bonus! You have no idea how much your words have taken on such a supportive and comforting place as I not only began but continue with all of the others here in the community as we journey through all phases of this incredible time in our lives. It means as much to me that you are also feeling better that you have begun coming to be there more and updating and supporting so many besides me! YES YES YES I enjoyed both Saturday and today. In fact I was going to journal about it yet today! Hope you had a great weekend as well Robin. You take care and we will talk again soon! Your heart sister Terrie!, Kat and Hunter!

Terrie Syvertsen  Ginger- Thanks Sis. Love you to my heart Sister! You are right too, my fingers have been very busy today typing away as there is a lot happening here at our heart community and since I have caught Gary's "work" cold it was just me, hot tea, Tylenol and the computer or a good book! Love and Hugs back at you and Jim, Peter and Sandra, Lisa!

Terrie Syvertsen  Peter-That is what this wonderful community is here for. To be there for each other for support and comfort. You are doing a great job keeping the "calm" and I am happy you have family with you to join in the wait. Until the next update! Heart Sister, Terrie!

Terrie Syvertsen  Jim-Great that heart and kidneys returning to normal. You are very welcome. Accepting love and hugs for the whole darned community but
of course will let them boomerang out into the Universe! Good to hear from you. Take it slow Heart Brother. Terrie, Gary, Hunter and Kat!

Terrie Syvertsen  Thank you Robin! I too am glad to have you along with me on this Journey and all of my other heart brothers and sisters! Glad you are back into the community more of late-hope this means you are progressing! Hooray for all of us here at the community! Terrie

Terrie Syvertsen  Hello Robin! What a pleasant way to head off for a well earned sleep tonight! Encouragement and loving praise from another Heart Sister and Friend. As Hunter and I slip off down the hall towards soft pillows and warm blankeys I know I will dream the dream of many Angels dancing around a heart where upon the imagined faces of many Heart Brothers and Heart Sisters are joining hands of love and support as they form their
circle. I will pray for all in this vision as my very happy but tired heart keeps its new healthier quiet beat until all the angels have fallen safely off to sleep. Will be in touch again soon dear Lady. Love, and nighty night from
Terrie, Gary, Hunter and Kat!

Terrie Syvertsen  Good morning Duane. You are welcome for the "words" as words are one of the most valuable tools we here use here at the community to go through the immense emotions each of us has as we enter the path to our surgeries and hopefully come out the other side as we have planned!
Many times we see the line of people with upcoming surgeries and have been using these words over and over again telling each other the same answers to the questions again and again and again but you know, each of our stories have their own unique beginning, usually starting out with the fear and confusion and the hand and heart reaching out for someone out here to tell us just the right words in just the right way to make that tightness in our guts loosen up or the mind stop racing with a depth of feelings we never knew our minds or hearts could support.
But I am here to tell you that although you will see several people give the same or different answers to the many, many questions, to the many, many feelings that continue to invade our psyche as we travel this path.....Duane---
WE ARE ALL ON THIS PATH TOGETHER.....Same fears, same questions, same difficulty going thru all of the tests, consults, results, searches for answers and wanting Comfort and Support that reassurance along the way. Some of us have the added blessing of Families, There are those who have few to reach out to and WE HERE at the HVS site step in and step up to try to fit into that piece of the puzzle that makes the travel less difficult.
Duane. I see many people reaching out to you as they did for me while I began my journey and I hope you take TO HEART all of the words written to you and know that as you continue to communicate to us we will continue to share our words, prayers and love that will make this hopefully get even less overwhelming as you take your place on the Upcoming Surgery List and get this thing over with as so many of us have and continue to do. This time right now must seem like an over-extended warm up before one of your fights-one you will be prepared for! I also believe the Love you feel for your Dad is an important part of training for this "event" and will empower you with the strength needed to see you through. Have a good day today and take care my heart brother!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin- Thank you for your post and continued encouragement. I enjoy hearing from you and agree it is great to be living in a time where we are able to have our hearts mended by such gifted and dedicated individuals. What a good feeling they must have knowing that their life's work gives so many of us a fresh start or the opportunity for a longer life span. And..... you are so right that soon Spring will be here again and all of the colors, sights, sounds of the changing of another season will give us all the joys of life at our front doors. My park will see the new growth of grasses, the trees will form new leaves and soon I will be able to ride my park course listening to the leaves twisting in the wind like paper wind chimes(my favorite sound!) and enjoy watching the mounds grow larger and larger from the busy gophers! More people will venture out into the better weather greeting me as I walk and I will no doubt hear great stories of what everyone did the months before we all started this, a new year!
Many of my neighbors I meet walking have not seen me since I had my
surgery as they gather together in groups and take trips during the winter in their R.V.'s as many are retired. We also get up in the 110's here in Manteca but have a constant breeze from the nearby "Delta".
Thanks for the uplifting words and also I envy you the beauty you must see in Arizona as the seasons change! I will be thinking of you on the 25th., your 2 year anniversary of your special mended heart and wish you continued progress in healing and join you with prayers for all of our heart
brothers and sisters.
Your heart Sister, Terrie I will send my # to you in case we haven't traded already!

Terrie Syvertsen  Robin-Sorry if I got you worried but it is like anyone who has something going on with the heart with a-fib or some other part is showing symptoms. I was not concerned as much with having this "Misfiring" at times just not wanting to face another time where it goes "off" and I am somewhere alone when I might need to get to an ER to get help. But you know we can't live our lives worrying about what might happen or we won't be truly living. I am being monitored and I know it is a matter of getting to an ER where they will be able to address the situation and get the beat under control. You are right. We pretty much know when something is off and my problem was that Gary and I were sick with a cold virus that hit at the end of October at his work place and us soon after and for me in recovery it hit my chest dead center and caused terrible coughing jags and put pressure on the upper chest/sternum.
We went thru December up until recently with this "Bug" and it wasn't unlike the people in our neighborhood or his work. It just didn't want to
go away. So please don't worry. I don't usually talk about the recovery part of my journey because I believe I have been exceptionally fortunate other than this irriegular heartbeat and upper chest pain from what I was told is part of the area still mending. In the ER on Dec.19th. they did contrasted scan of the heart as well as chest xray and believed all was looking good and the problem was just in the healing part of the chest wall still working out the aggravation of the assault on it during surgery. So don't be worried(anyone out there)and realize I was just a little nervous about getting back into a program of exercise today as this is the first week I haven't had some left-overs affecting me from the virus.
Thank you for caring lady. Still healing here!