1 Month After Surgery -
Today was the one month mark from my January 13th surgery to replace my Aortic Valve. Everything is going well.
On January 30th I ...Read more
1 Month After Surgery -
Today was the one month mark from my January 13th surgery to replace my Aortic Valve. Everything is going well.
On January 30th I hiked 2 miles, including some inclines. On February 8th, we hiked 6 miles in Ojai, this time with more incline. I feel great while walking and doing chores around the house.
Still taking Tylenol every day and stronger stuff to sleep. Trying to reduce amount of pain meds each day.
Today I started an antibiotic as two of my incisions have small surface infections. Hope the meds help and it doesn't spread inside further. I think the warm weather and my activity may have caused abrasion on the remaining healing scar and inflamed the area.
My INR is doing well and I haven't had any bleeding issues.
I still have some anxiety about returning to work in March and a fear of going out of the house alone. I will try to get more walking in when I am alone next week. The fresh air and exercise really seems to help.
My heart rate is still running high, at about 100-110 beats per minute. I hope this reduces soon, as I sometimes feel like I am having a panic attack but I know it is just my heart rushing.
Still fighting pain in neck and shoulders and hope that as I can sleep in a more regular position, some of this pain and tension reduces.
Overall doing better than I had expected and hope everyone else is also doing well.
Shanna
WOW! I am both nervous and excited. My surgery is scheduled for January 13, 2015.
Kathleen McClung It's good to have a date so you can prepare and know you can start healing too. I am 3 weeks post op ... Read more
Kathleen McClung It's good to have a date so you can prepare and know you can start healing too. I am 3 weeks post op now. I am doing pretty good. Starting to be able to help my little ones some now too. Just no lifting. Best Wishes!
Daniel Spurgeon My anxiety actually decreased once I set a date, so hopefully yours will too.
Tammy Pilcher Congrats Shanna on getting the date set! I only had to wait a month from the first time I knew I had ... Read more
Tammy Pilcher Congrats Shanna on getting the date set! I only had to wait a month from the first time I knew I had to have surgery, but it seemed like forever! I was blessed though to get the surgeon I wanted so fast. I met him for the first time on a Monday and had my surgery on Friday that same week! I had a bicuspid aortic valve that had critical stenosis. I'm doing great now! 5 weeks post op. I'll keep you in my prayers for a successful surgery and recovery!
Suzanne Hunter You will be fine and now you know a date keep busy great time of year to be busy!! I am now 4 1/2 mo ... Read more
Suzanne Hunter You will be fine and now you know a date keep busy great time of year to be busy!! I am now 4 1/2 months post op for new valve and today I made my Xmas cake and mowed lawns. Take care and all the best.
Linda Crawford I am waiting for a firm date. I have officially moved from "I want to put this off as long as possib ... Read more
Linda Crawford I am waiting for a firm date. I have officially moved from "I want to put this off as long as possible" to "let's get it over with" I think I will also feel a bit more in control when the date is set.
Lenore Mitchell I agree about feeling both nervous and excited. Sometimes I'm tempted to just pack a bag and run away ... Read more
Lenore Mitchell I agree about feeling both nervous and excited. Sometimes I'm tempted to just pack a bag and run away.... But my heart wouldn't like that. So onward to all of us who're facing surgery soon. Let the countdown continue!
Patricia Garcia Best wishes to you Shanna. I go the day before you. Pray we all come through this.
Julio LaSalle Shanna, one touch of God's favor will give you the peace and calm you need. In Psalm 41.3 it states t ... Read more
Julio LaSalle Shanna, one touch of God's favor will give you the peace and calm you need. In Psalm 41.3 it states that the Lord sustains them on their sickbed, and restores them from their bed of illness. I pray Jeremiah 17:14 over your body "HEAL ME, O LORD, AND I SHALL BE HEALED, SAVE ME, AND I SHALL BE SAVED: FOR THOU ART MY PRAISE" Amen
Lori Beuerlein I'm scheduled for the 14th. We will be recovering and healing together! We can do this!
Bill Hendrickson My thoughts go with you tomorrow and hope for a smooth journey.I wanted an early Dec 14 date but the ... Read more
Bill Hendrickson My thoughts go with you tomorrow and hope for a smooth journey.I wanted an early Dec 14 date but the earliest date avail was the last week in Jan. I'm at peace with this thanks to the HVS family and all the web site videos plus Adam's book. Great resource! We at least have a chance for a better quality of life. I just lost a lifetime friend on Saturday who had an MI while watching a wrestling match.
Michelle Maring Thoughts and Prayers for you on your surgery. Peaceful thoughts
John Noriega Prayers for your surgery & recovery! Onward & Upward!
Anyone have any suggestions as to items to bring along to the hospital for surgery? I have the basics and have even made my own hospital gowns. Any items you ...Read more
Anyone have any suggestions as to items to bring along to the hospital for surgery? I have the basics and have even made my own hospital gowns. Any items you wished you had brought along or had requested post-op?
Thanks for any suggestions. Having about two months to go is both a blessing and a curse. Too much planning and thinking going on here. :)
Kathleen McClung Great question as I am curious too. Like will I want to read or will I be to tired.
Joseph Ballett Don't worry to much they may not let you use those gowns you made as with many of us the gowns need a ... Read more
Joseph Ballett Don't worry to much they may not let you use those gowns you made as with many of us the gowns need a big front pocket on it
Daniel Spurgeon UCLA provided ear plugs and a sleep mask to cover my eyes. If they hadn't I would have had a difficu ... Read more
Daniel Spurgeon UCLA provided ear plugs and a sleep mask to cover my eyes. If they hadn't I would have had a difficult time sleeping with all the activity going on at the next patient's ICU room.
Daniel Spurgeon The front pocket is for the portable EKG monitor that sends data to the nurse's station while you're ... Read more
Daniel Spurgeon The front pocket is for the portable EKG monitor that sends data to the nurse's station while you're out of bed. Sort of a Sony Walkman size, at least the one I had.
Nancy D was happy I packed my pj bottoms- one was capri and one was boxer type sleep shorts- for walking in t ... Read more
Nancy D was happy I packed my pj bottoms- one was capri and one was boxer type sleep shorts- for walking in the hallways! I was also glad I packed some lip stuff like chap stick or your favorite- lips get real dry from surgery and tubes.
I actually overpacked, and used very little.
John Noriega I packed tooth brush, paste, mouth wash, chap stick, pj bottoms, hair brush, etc. The hospital,suppli ... Read more
John Noriega I packed tooth brush, paste, mouth wash, chap stick, pj bottoms, hair brush, etc. The hospital,supplied me with everything I packed. Had my wife bring my jeans and a shirt to wear home - that was it! But it's good to be prepared!
Onward & Upward!
Clare Auten Charger for electronics like your phone. Nice to be able to contact people. Pen and notebook to write ... Read more
Clare Auten Charger for electronics like your phone. Nice to be able to contact people. Pen and notebook to write down things you don't want to forget or for your questions, etc. Also good for family to write updates in so other family will know when they visit. It took a few days for me to be clear headed with all the meds
Nancy D great tips Clare! I had packed all those too! Notebook was helpful!
Melinda Hacker These are things that helped me in the hospital: PJ pants or shorts, button up shirt and stretchy pa ... Read more
Melinda Hacker These are things that helped me in the hospital: PJ pants or shorts, button up shirt and stretchy pants to wear home, toiletries, no valuables, shower shoes, charger, hair brush, lip balm. Once I got home, these helped me: hand held shower head, shower chair, power recliner to sleep in, several button up shirts and having things I need down low and not up high in a closet or pantry. Some ladies need front closure bras. For me, a bra is too uncomfortable, so since I'm staying home anyway, I'm not wearing a bra until incision is healed (I'm 13 days post op). I was fortunate to have someone with me during my first week back home. I'm on my second week and I don't gave much help during the day. It's working out ok for me because my recovery is going great. It seems like day 10 was a pivotal day in my recovery, as I began to feel somewhat normal again. Not being able to drive is beginning to wear on me though, so plan ahead. Simple things that I would normally just hop in my car and take care of has stopped for now. I have to rely on my husband for everything requiring a car. He's also doing all our laundry. We have front loaders and the doors seal very tight and there's no way I can pull the doors open. I'm enjoying not doing laundry until he messes up something of mine😊. Be sure you have thank you notes and stamps for when you get back home too. Oh, one last thing, laxatives! My plumbing was very backed up from all the medicine I got while in the hospital. I hope this helps!
Pat B. Today is the end of my 2 week post op from my Aortic valve replacement. Personally I found that I wa ... Read more
Pat B. Today is the end of my 2 week post op from my Aortic valve replacement. Personally I found that I was more ambitious with my pre-surgery planning on what I thought I'd feel like doing to pass time while in the hospital. Honestly, I did not want to do that much the 4 days in the hospital. Nurses were GREAT helping you be as comfortable as possible and OT made sure you were prepared to be at home. Where I wish I had spent more pre-consideration was once I got back home and how best to be comfortable both during the day and night. For me the 1st 4 to 5 days home was difficult finding ways to sit / lay and be comfortable. I spent the first couple days trying to figure this out with varying levels of success. After 2 days, and for both our sakes, my wife started sleeping in the spare bedroom so I didn't worry about keeping her up with all my moving around and she was more rested during the day. I would call her (via cell) if I needed something during the night. Good news, the discomfort diminishes and everyday gets better and better. Friends have brought dinner during the past week and a half which has been a blessing. Today 3 walks totaling 6 miles and for the last 2 days no pain meds. Best of luck... Pat
Joan Napier Thanks to all for your tips and recommendations. Since my HVS date is 5 days away, I am in the middle ... Read more
Joan Napier Thanks to all for your tips and recommendations. Since my HVS date is 5 days away, I am in the middle of trying to figure out all of these details. This is helpful :)
Shanna Farley-Judkins Thank you everyone! I seem most worried about the hospital and hand't been thinking about all the tim ... Read more
Shanna Farley-Judkins Thank you everyone! I seem most worried about the hospital and hand't been thinking about all the time recovering. We live a two story house and when I had surgery on my leg last year, I was stuck downstairs whenever I was left alone. I will now start to prep the house and see how I can make life a little easier. I also think I might buy a few different kinds of pillows and maybe a wedge pillow, to help be more comfortable. Any other thoughts are always welcome. I plan to ask Santa for some nice comfies (PJs) for the holidays! :) Hoping everyone a nice Thanksgiving too!
Joseph Ballett The wedge pillow will help for sure , if you can look into renting a power lift chair . I found the o ... Read more
Joseph Ballett The wedge pillow will help for sure , if you can look into renting a power lift chair . I found the one i rented was not the most comfortable but it sure helped for the first 3 weeks for me. As maybe a wheeled walker and a chair for the shower , I rented the walker and had a folding chair at home that i used even thought of using my lawn chair.
Bill Hendrickson Great question and excellent responses. I'm making notes for my upcoming trip.
I was told by my surgeon to avoid anything strenuous until after my surgery, nothing more than brisk walking. No biking, no running and no heavy lifting. I ...Read more
I was told by my surgeon to avoid anything strenuous until after my surgery, nothing more than brisk walking. No biking, no running and no heavy lifting. I love to be outdoors and now I am scared about doing anything that might land me in the hospital before my surgery. After a few years of doing things like the Insanity Workout and mountain biking with a bunch of healthy guys, I realize I may have pushed myself to a point that is not sustainable. I want to listen to my body but I think I may be a poor judge about my limits and am having a hard time. I know I need to slow down, but it is hard to do.
Daniel Spurgeon I reluctantly obeyed the same restrictions prior to my aneurysm repair, and am now reluctantly obeyin ... Read more
Daniel Spurgeon I reluctantly obeyed the same restrictions prior to my aneurysm repair, and am now reluctantly obeying my post-op restrictions. One of my surgeon-shopping consults resulted in a mechanical valve recommendation (if my natural one wouldn't fit the new aorta) but other doctors understood my desire to stay active outdoors (Santa Monica Mountains mostly) so I decided on tissue valve, which fortunately wasn't required. I personally would rather risk re-operation than giving up so many activities, but to each their own. Mtbr.com has many threads on riding while taking Coumadin.
Shanna Farley-Judkins Thanks Daniel. I will check out that site. We have biked at Sycamore Canyon a bunch, near Malibu.
Daniel Spurgeon If you haven't seen it yet, www.venturacountytrails.org has a trail incline comparison tool, so you c ... Read more
Daniel Spurgeon If you haven't seen it yet, www.venturacountytrails.org has a trail incline comparison tool, so you can identify dozens of trails suitable for your restrictions. Wildwood is another great park with an assortment of flat trails and nice scenery with enough equestrians to keep young children entertained.
Tammi Gunwall I totally get it, Shanna. I'm the same way! But it's key to listen to your Dr and your body for now. ... Read more
Tammi Gunwall I totally get it, Shanna. I'm the same way! But it's key to listen to your Dr and your body for now. It's only a matter of time and you'll be back to doing those things you love again. (At least that's what I have to tell myself to get through this phase!) Not to mention, that adorable family of yours is counting on having you around for a long time too. ;)
Just met my cardiac surgeon, Dr. Kochumba at Kaiser LA. Advised to have surgery sooner than later, next 3-6 months. Debate is now on for the type of valve to ...Read more
Just met my cardiac surgeon, Dr. Kochumba at Kaiser LA. Advised to have surgery sooner than later, next 3-6 months. Debate is now on for the type of valve to choose. I am 33, almost 34 years old, and he advised that a mechanical was the best choice. I love to snowboard and mountain bike and would hate to give either of these up. I wonder if anyone else has down these activities while on anti coagulates?
Laura Brase They also told me the mechanical was the best choice. I just turned 30 last week. I chose the tissu ... Read more
Laura Brase They also told me the mechanical was the best choice. I just turned 30 last week. I chose the tissue valve because 1) I want more children and 2) I can't imagine being on Coumadin for the rest of my life. It's quite a decision to make. I don't do any extreme sports, but I do regular exercise and activities.
Shanna Farley-Judkins Hi Laura, I feel guilty for wanting to avoid the coumadin. How did your doctor react to you wanting t ... Read more
Shanna Farley-Judkins Hi Laura, I feel guilty for wanting to avoid the coumadin. How did your doctor react to you wanting the tissue valve? I also may want to have kids and that seems scary on anti coagulates. Shanna
Laura Brase My doctor actually understood my reasoning. I didn't want to have the scary risks that come along wi ... Read more
Laura Brase My doctor actually understood my reasoning. I didn't want to have the scary risks that come along with the medication so there was no other option for me. I didn't even consider the mechanical.
Shanna Farley-Judkins Thanks Laura. I think I am now thinking I will use a tissue valve, for the same reasons. I will keep ... Read more
Shanna Farley-Judkins Thanks Laura. I think I am now thinking I will use a tissue valve, for the same reasons. I will keep everyone posted. Thanks for the comments. It really helps!
Joseph Ballett I went with tissue also after i was told mechanical would suit me
Nancy D My valve was the mitral valve, and my surgeon and cardiologist thought mechanical was the way to go. ... Read more
Nancy D My valve was the mitral valve, and my surgeon and cardiologist thought mechanical was the way to go. At 57 years old, I am done with having children, and do not do extreme anything- however the thought of being on Coumadin forever, and the subsequent diet change and the possibility of hearing that mechanical valve click made it not the right choice for me. Both surgeon and cardiologist were fine with my choice and so it was decided. After surgery, I saw my primary care doctor who is nearer to my age than the other two, said his choice for him were he to need one would be tissue as well. It is an individual decision, and your surgeon should honor your decision. Take good care!!
I also just read the book in about two days and am thinking about making a list of "to-dos" before surgery. Has anyone else done this and if so, what were the ...Read more
I also just read the book in about two days and am thinking about making a list of "to-dos" before surgery. Has anyone else done this and if so, what were the main items you listed to prepare for surgery and recovery?
Joseph Ballett I have not read the book but I have made a list things to do before my date to make live easy for my ... Read more
Joseph Ballett I have not read the book but I have made a list things to do before my date to make live easy for my wife and kids,just odd jobs in and out of the house
Shanna Farley-Judkins I am a planner for a living, so I always think about what to do and how to plan ahead. This is one I ... Read more
Shanna Farley-Judkins I am a planner for a living, so I always think about what to do and how to plan ahead. This is one I am having a hard time focusing on.
Michael Poe Hi Shanna, I will be on Tuesday 3 weeks post op. As far as your list make it a simple one no sense in ... Read more
Michael Poe Hi Shanna, I will be on Tuesday 3 weeks post op. As far as your list make it a simple one no sense in overwhelming yourself with too much to do. We here on this site try to do our best to stay positive about our diagnosis as well as our outcome from surgery. That being said your focus should be on yourself and family. Then your focus should be on what you want to do with the rest of your life after having been given a new start on life.
Eleanor R Hi, Shanna. I was an HR manager before I retired, and always had a list of things to follow up on. ... Read more
Eleanor R Hi, Shanna. I was an HR manager before I retired, and always had a list of things to follow up on. If you scan my journals before July 14 and maybe a few written by me after July 25 I remember writing about what was useful to do before surgery, mostly to prepare your house and yourself for more comfort when you return. I also wrote in a fellow patient's guestbook some suggestions for him to do since he lives alone. You might check my note to Steven Husted, it was generic information. Much you will already know, some things just don't occur to you. I found just doing a walk around in my daily activities in the house (for you won't be going out for a while except for a ride with others), and keeping your elbows in and down at your waist, you get a pretty good idea of your reach which for me was pretty limited. I did not know that I would not feel comfortable extending my arms forward, for example. But, there are ways of re-inventing how you do things, bringing your favorite things down from a shelf or rack. And, you will have your caretakers there to reach and fetch and help you get into and out of bed, which was difficult for me at first. good luck to you all, and feel free to ask anything. Eleanor
Daniel Spurgeon I would devise a plan to defer and delegate as much of your normal workload and chores so that while ... Read more
Daniel Spurgeon I would devise a plan to defer and delegate as much of your normal workload and chores so that while you're laying in the hospital waiting for your next walk or glucose check you aren't worrying about how your family or co-workers are going to accomplish the normal tasks without you. I knew my tasks were safely transferred to great family and co-workers so I could vege out in the hospital and pester the nurses for more walks.
Shanna Farley-Judkins That is so hard and I know I need to be less stubborn about the whole thing. I think I need to start ... Read more
Shanna Farley-Judkins That is so hard and I know I need to be less stubborn about the whole thing. I think I need to start delegating. :)
I am one week away from meeting my heart valve surgeon Dr. Kochumba, at Kaiser Los Angeles.
I am very nervous. I hope to hold off surgery until next spring/summer ...Read more
I am one week away from meeting my heart valve surgeon Dr. Kochumba, at Kaiser Los Angeles.
I am very nervous. I hope to hold off surgery until next spring/summer and hope he will agree that I am healthy enough to wait.
I am nervous about surgery while my husband is attending school to become a civil engineer and my son is on first grade. I expect that I will get more nervous as this week runs on.
I am also having weird tightness and pains in my torso and arms. I hope this is not a sign that I am progressing faster than expected.
Shanna
The reason I started posting on this website is to become more reassured about the path I am heading down now. In life, usually I have guided my decisions based ...Read more
The reason I started posting on this website is to become more reassured about the path I am heading down now. In life, usually I have guided my decisions based on goals and personal desires. I have had few major issues that have restricted my choices and none of them really medically based either.
These choices I have made, like going to college, choosing a major, falling in love, and having a family have all been positive choices and things that I appreciate everyday. I hope to focus on all of the positive things in my life that I have achieved and created and hope to enjoy for the rest of my long life.
One of these and at the top of that list is my son Chase. He is six years old and a first grader. He is smart, cute and loving and I love him so much. Never really planning to have children, he was a surprise pregnancy, and has helped to create a bond between my then boyfriend and now husband Chris. I share his picture to remind me and others of why we make these tough decisions to improve our own bodies, so we can be around a long time for the other people in our lives.