Laurie's Posts

Please note I am writing this so all of you who have had valve replacement will know to be alert. So there I was feeling sort of crummy and not knowing what to do next. Well about 2 hours later the PA calls me back, she is going to show my echo to the cardiologist just to be sure. Well it wasn't even a day later she called AGAIN. The doc said the echo wasn't as "pristine". as he would like and wanted me to come in for a TEE (an echo that looks at your valve from inside thru your throat). I asked the PA what the heck does that mean and what were the ramifications. She said that I might have to take antibiotics for a few months if something showed up . That didn't sound to bad so at least I might find out what was wrong with me. Well the day of the TEE rolled around and I went into the hospital. The procedure was nothing I think I kind of went to sleep a little because the next thing I know the doc is standing by me saying they were going to have to operate again, put another valve in because mine had something growing on it! Operate!! What!! That didn't sound like "A few months of antibiotics" I was admitted then and there and then the great debate started. More tomorrow

Have had a hard 2 years. After my first surgery things were looking ok. I was recovering well but after about 10months started feeling not too well sort of like I was coming down with something all the time, really tired. After a month of this I went to my internist, he couldn't find anything. I think he thought I was a hypochondriac. So I went home, never relating my feeling punk with my heart. After 2 months of this I decided thAt just to rule it out I would go to my cardiologist. Of course the wait to see my cardiologist was 6 weeks but I got in with thePA. What a good decision that was. I got an echo done and waited for her to call me. She called a few days later and said my continued feeling under the weather was not valve related and my echo looked fine. I was relieved but still didn't know what was wrong with me. Well I didn't have to wait long to find out. More lYrr

Today is Monday. Laurie is feeling better. The doctor has nixed a discharge today because she is still on a catheter and he is concerned about the potential for bladder infection, not so much about the infection but the possibility that it (the infection) would impact the heart.So we are all still hanging out. See you all soon.