Guestbook of Karen Sievers

Karen Sievers Hi Christine, I wrote a note to you but it got lost. So here goes again. I was off the radar too as I recovered in the hospital and in rehab. The surgery went ... Read more

Hi Karen, Glad to hear you are moving along. I hope you are doing well at home. Yes, I still get tired too, I am 44. I find I usually hit a "brick wall" as ... Read more

Hi Karen, Glad to hear you are moving along. I hope you are doing well at home. Yes, I still get tired too, I am 44. I find I usually hit a "brick wall" as I call it around 2 or slightly earlier...and I immediately know to stop and take a nap for an hr. That usually gets me enough energy for the evening, and than I need to sit around 7 and relax, not as exhausted but usually need a massage by then as the day has caught up with my body. I have been walking in my house, kind of my "indoor track", at least 3 times a day, I hear my surgeons voice in my head..."walk, walk, when you get home", so I do what I can, without pushing it, I am doing the spirometer about twice a day now, next line above 1000, and on my own, doing breathing exercises to keep everything from getting stiff. I am doing some light shoulder shrugs and circular movement with the shoulders , arm lifts..forward and to the side, not pushing it, just normal range of motion for now, whatever my body will allow me to do, my OT showed me all of these. I do them first thing in the morning, I feel pretty stiff when I wake up in the morning. It all helps. Once a day I try to do some meditation, even if it's 5 min. Early on, I felt myself almost feeling trapped in my body because I felt so limited, and breathing was work at times, but I knew I needed to stop that and relax and be grateful. Everyday, I am getting slightly better. :) I see my surgeon 1st of week of Nov, I still do not want to drive yet, even though I got the go ahead, I feel in another week I will be ready. But yes, I get tired too. Takes 8-12 weeks for the sternum to heal, all protein is going towards the scar and healing sight, and I would expect the body to be working overtime, therefore we need to rest. I have decided to not try and push, due to the good advice I got from those on the website. Truth be told, I did pull a strange stunt during week 2....I could not look at my lawn getting long, even though I cut it before surgery...and I got on my John Deere tractor and mowed the front and back. My mother looked at me like I was crazy, my nurse said she was putting this down in her book...I weirdly had energy that day, I also went to a dentist appt for my daughter earlier that day( I did not drive). I have to tell you, I paid dearly for two days after that, and I got it out of my system, I suppose. I remember looking at my girls and mom, people jogging outside, and thinking, god, when will I be able to breathe and move and do all that again? But I know its coming, and continue to be so, so grateful, everyday, as I look at my two girls and thank god I am still here to watch them grow. I wish you a continued, safe recovery, and hopefully you have some things you can do to keep them the mind busy..I have been reading mostly, and adjusting to not having my parents around since they left last Friday..and so far, I am hanging in there. My mother was nice enough to make meals for almost two weeks and freeze, and stocked the fridge and pantry, so I can take it easy at dinner time and not have to do too much. It is important to eat well, as well as rest and walk so I am trying to stay on top of things. Fingers crossed, that all keeps going well for the both of us. Sorry you are having some issues with your fingertips, I am guessing that will go away as you heal? When I wake up in the morning, I notice my toes are slightly numb, I have to move to get the circulation going....as if I had been on my feet all day...in a minute or so, it goes away. Keep in touch when you can. We are on the other side! Yay!! :)

Karen Sievers Hi Christine, Well it is almost 8 weeks now. I have been off the grid again but mostly because I am trying to catch up with email. I finally feel like reading ... Read more

Well you have me beat, i have not been walking a mile a day, so congrats. I do walk though. I began cardio rehab today, i am 7 weeks post op now, and I really ... Read more

Karen Sievers Hey Christine, you seem to be doing very well. I saw my surgeon this past Monday and he is sending me, finally, to cardio rehab. He also took me off the Amiodarrone. ... Read more

So glad you are not feeling tired anymore. Me too! :) My girls are my therapy- they r my happiness and keep me moving. I am thrilled for u that u no longer ... Read more

Karen Sievers Hi Christine, I have read your journal and you are doing terrific. I couldn't drive for what seemed forever and just this past surgeon visit could I resume ... Read more

Hi Karen! Congrats on getting the approval for driving. That is great. Some good advice I received from my mom about driving...she was in a similar situation ... Read more

Karen Sievers Thanks Christine. Driving in NYC at 5 weeks. My surgeon wouldn't let me drive over 35 mph at that time. I know you had to drive faster than that. I used to ... Read more

Oh I am sorry about the cough. I was such a chicken I knew of a place to press on the hand to stop a sneeze and did not for about a month! When the first one ... Read more

Karen Sievers Hi Joan, I know I fell off the radar for a while. I was and still am very tired. I hope that is normal for 4 weeks out. I had a mini-sternectomy and the surgery ... Read more

Joan Napier Karen, thank you for the update on your post-op status. . I completely understand that getting on the computer after surgery is not at the top of your list. ... Read more

Karen Sievers Thank you Joan. It is almost 8 weeks and I'm doing much better, not that tired and walking a mile almost every day. The walking helps. I am hoping to start ... Read more

On September 19, 2014...

Terrie Syvertsen posted a note for Karen that says:

Hello Karen. First off. What you are feeling we have all felt before and then some. I am sure there isn't one of us who have not been exactly where you are today. What is important is that you realize the way you are thinking and are trying to find a happy balance to your thoughts to set you straight to the goal of moving forward.
Karen please listen closely to a few important things I would like to share with you. Look at my photos(Terrie Syvertsen on my page and you will see both my husband and I(in matching purple)just days after coming home from my surgery which was on Aug. 20th. You are seeing a photo of me and I want you to take in the fact that I too am overweight. I too went in to the surgery worried about the following: #1 will I be able to get up from a chair at the hospital. answer: yes you will because you will have a TEAM of people who can get any person of any weight up so that you can use the bathroom and take your walks. They are trained to move at your pace and will do absolutely nothing to put you or any piece of your beautiful body in harms way. You will also be able to get to the bathroom and use it in spite of the weight. Trust me it is not as bad as you will imagine. Might embarrass you to need some help at first but the thought should be this. Several days from now I will be headed out of this hospital and into the "Recovery Road" that all the people talk about. You will never see any of these people again and they are going to make sure your comfort and safety through these days is their only FOCUS. As to walking with a cane. I would say no also as it will put you off balance with your sternum and I am sure you will be offered the walker for that reason. The goal is slow and steady and to be patient as much as you can with the nurses and yourself.
As to pushing up. I realize that because I am not thin this was also one of my concerns. I had the full sternotomy. And yes there will be tubes at first that won't be there for long and you will be surprised at how time moves quickly and they will be out making it easier to get around in due time. I also would like to say that you will be instructed while in hospital how to get up and down without using your hands and arms. One thing to consider is renting or buying or borrowing a power lift recliner for when you come home. It might be the easiest thing to sit and sleep in at first so if you can look into it if you haven't already. Also sounds scary when one is overweight but I used that weight say in the bathroom or on a chair near the bed to my advantage by hugging my heart pillow to my chest and rocking forward carefully to the count of three and rolling up to my feet and slowly standing up. The first few times were the most difficult but the nurses are right there to guide you the whole time and make sure that you don't fall. You will find strength in this and surprise yourself Karen, believe me. The other thing I want to say is that your surgeon who said in his estimation that you are frail because of your weight is (I hope and pray) going to be enlightened at just how much strength you find within yourself to let him know he might be wrong. I won't lie to you and say it would have been better if you had lost weight before surgery but if you were like others(myself included) the symptoms of severe aortic stenosis put a big chunk of time off exercising that didn't afford you the time to do that or the state of mind probably to think of dieting when you are focusing on survival of something in the "unknown".
Karen, in the beginning as I first joined on to this site I was anxious, frightened, bewildered and feeling like no one understood where my brain and insides were taking me. I hit some very desperate dark moments(also not uncommon) that led me back out to the fact that my will to live, will to wake up to the gift of each new day surpassed any fears or anxiousness I had for a time held on to too tightly. I stopped thinking of the what ifs and thought of the fact this stenosis had been robbing me of my life for months in very subtle ways. I knew too that not having surgery meant eventual death. That is the most frightening thing a person can lock on to. And why go there when you are living in a time where the technology has been around, there are so many talented and experienced Surgeons in Hospitals equipped with everything necessary to take that beautiful heart of yours and bring it and you back to health and a Life totally worth living and totally worth any chances or risks you will be taking to get on with your Journey. You will be surrounded by a Team of people who are ready to help you move on with your life and give you the opportunity to make changes while recovering that will strengthen you and bring you to better health. Please believe me Karen and all of those who are writing you from our heart village here that it is far worse in our imaginations than having the actual surgery and you are up for this challenge as I am sure you have had to face other challenges in your life. Please trust in your Team. Trust in the Universe and Higher Powers that hold your Life Within. Believe you are in the best of hands and say to yourself over and over again that "You can do this" and remember we are here for you with many good thoughts, prayers and will be here when you are home recovering. Take care Lady. Terrie

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Karen Sievers Terrie, thank you so much for this comforting note. It had me in tears reading it. You are wonderful to have written it to me. I know I am overweight but not ... Read more

Karen Sievers Terrie, thank you so much for this comforting note. It had me in tears reading it. You are wonderful to have written it to me. I know I am overweight but not as overweight as I have been but the surgeon doesn't know that. I reached my high point in weight in 2011 when I got on the hospital scale for an emergency retina surgery and saw my weight. I resolved to lose weight then and I have. This summer I did gain a little back but that is because I haven't been walking as much or kayaking. It was easy for me to kayak as we have a sit on top kayak and I just had to position myself over the seat and fall into it and my husband helped pull me out of it. But no kayaking this year. I did ride my recumbent trike four miles before I found out that I needed this OHS for my aortic valve. I did feel a little winded after that but had no idea I was this close to surgery.
I know the nurses will help me, everyone is telling me that, and I have been practicing trying to get up from the bathroom.
I have been more tired but didn't give it a second thought but my legs are always swollen and red and that is a big give away that I am having heart problems. I am hoping after the surgery that my legs will go back to a normal size and some strength will come back into them, especially my left leg. I had two cervical spine surgeries years ago and the last one while greatly improving me still left my left leg weak and that is why I cannot get up easily from anything and the weight doesn't help. But the cardiologists have told me I will feel great after the surgery and that I need it. What is the alternative. I do not want to die. I want to enjoy life.
I will be able to use my walker and the seat on it is higher than a normal chair so I will be able to get up from it without holding on.
I know it is normal to worry about the unknown but everyone here is helping me to learn more of what to expect.
I am having a mini-sternectomy so that should help too. At least that is the plan now but I have had a lot of tests as the surgeon said he didn't want any surprises, so I guess I am a good candidate for the mini-sternectomy. I have made it through other surgeries, of course, my heart wasn't stopped for those and I wasn't on a heart lung machine, but I plan on making it through this one. I can't leave my husband and two dogs alone. LOL
And thank you for suggesting the electric lift recliner. We bought one the other day. A friend who had OHS for bypass surgery suggested it as he bought one and he said it was great after surgery. I plan on sleeping in it for a while.
Thank you again Terrie for a very up-lifting message. I appreciate it more than you know. You take care too Terrie.

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