Nancy's Posts

My one year anniversary will be 6/4/13! I can't believe I even had OHS. I feel great. Absolutely no symptoms. I still take meds for HBP, cholesterol, diuretic and a daily aspirin. I feel like like a walking medicine cabinet, but there's not much I can do about it. My cholesterol dropped down to 173 when I was on the meds so I tried stopping it for six months to see if it would stay there but it shot back up. I guess it's genetic. I've been keeping up with lots of exercise..aerobics, walking, lots of lugging around fire wood and gardening. I feel good, flexible and strong. My incisions are completely healed and I don't even think of them. The only one I really see if the ones on my neck from the central lines. The big one under my right breast is not noticeable and I have almost no numbness. I do have another between my breasts but its family small and doesn't show with clothing. My mother passed away in February 4 days after having a stroke. She was 88 years old. We spent the entire 4 days at Mass. General with her. It brought back a lot of the heart surgery memories for me. I did learn though, that I'm a lot more comfortable in a hospital then any of my brothers! I guess maybe because I've spent so much time as a patient and employee. Other than that to note, I have six additions to my family. In March I got six baby chicks. We built them a coop and they're doing wonderfully. I'm expecting them to start laying eggs around the end of July. I can't wait! Its a fun hobby. They're interesting creatures, but poop more than you can imagine! Thats about my year in retrospect. Will be looking forward to see my comrades one year updates as well!

For those of you who have had their teeth cleaned after OHS.... How many days or doses of antibiotic are you taking prior to seeing the dentist? Is it just one dose on the day of the cleaning? Do you have a standing prescription from your cardiologist for the antibiotic that gets renewed every year? Is it your cardiologist that prescribes the antibiotic or is it your GP? Which antibiotic do you take? Thanks!!!

Hi all, I promised myself I would post an update when I received the results of my thyroid biopsy. As some of you may recall, a carotid ultrasound incidentally found nodules on my thyroid that needed to be biopsied. I had that done last week and received the results today....benign...yipee! I need to have an ultrasound every six months and nothing more than that. Back to the regularly scheduled program called LIFE. I feel great. I'm still doing cardiac rehab twice a week and an aerobic class twice weekly also. I feel strong and healthy. Best of all to all regurgitators!! You can get through surgery and carry on with life like nothing ever happened.