Paul's Guestbook

Paul Fodor  Ole - interestingly I usually feel great today my sternum has driven me crazy and had a few moments of being winded... Before the operation I was completely symptomatic but I do have residuals. I was just debating whether I should workout tomorrow and decided I will but really force myself to take it easy (I do use a heart rate monitor and power meter)

Paul Fodor  By the way thanks for the advice my real frustration is a lack of people telling what I am experiencing is normal or not and ensuring that my recovery is being done correctly.

Paul Fodor  Thanks Ole... Ended up sleeping in today felt my body was begging me. Tomorrow I will go out on the road and ride a 40-50km ride at leisure pace. Prior to the operation I was doing 40km in 1h05min so I figure 40-50leisure will be 2hrs... Gulp. :)

Paul Fodor  Thanks Bob! I am now getting back on my bike on Wednesday and will start a daily regiment of 30-45 min of low impact riding and gradually rebuild to my original training level which was an average of 1.5hrs per day. I like your program... I will discuss that with my cycling coach - who has also worked in Cardiac rehab as it turns out.

Paul Fodor  Hi - yes he is - probably one of the most pragmatic doctors I have ever met! I am going to see if I can get him to join me on a European triathlon in 2016!

Paul Fodor  Christine that is great to hear... I had a really bad day today. I could barely walk five minutes before my heart would start racing and I would be breathless... Hell I even tried controlling it when I went up the stairs at the Harlem-125th street metro north station!!! Here I am looking fit and not able to make it up stairs go figure... I slept badly last night and was tired all day, and started mentally on work so combined with my long walks I may have over-trained and it just caught up with me today. I am seeing Allan on Tuesday and bumped into him today and he seemed unphased by what I was experiencing so not that worries. In the mean time I amusing my heart rate monitor when ever I go out just to see how my heart is behaving.... On a positive note decided to eat a bit more than usual so a great dinner including poached salmon to start, followed by roast pork and desert a small tiramisu :)..... As for you how are you feeling four months out? What was your procedure? How much of your strength do you have back? What exercise are you doing? Did you get any cardio rehab support. I am still in NYC till the 26th and would love to hear more about your experience. I plan to fly back to Hungary after that. Incidentally I was born here at Mt Sinai and grew up in Canada - so my English is native).

  Hi Paul, it's Thursday, I am seeing your post now, I am so sorry you had a bad day. Can make one anxious and worried (at least for me it does :) What does Allen say about all that? I have a feeling you are right about possibly doing too much, but it is always smart to question anything right away, just in case. One of my symptoms, early on, around two weeks post op, which I still have.....I remember writing Allen and thinking...he is going to think I am nuts. Turns out he knew exactly what I was complaining about and told me it is normal. I did email him again last week, because it has not gone away, and he keeps telling me he promises I am ok (I went to the cardiologist to get checked out). There is normal fluid that we all get after cardiac surgery and he said the heart sticks and when I breathe in, my lungs push on it, exaggerating the sound and feel at every breath. He explained it a lot better than I just have..... I think about once a month I lose it and check in with him to make sure I am ok! I guess I worry about the fluid. I need his reassurance! It will go away, and he said because I am thin, I feel it even more than others :(. I suppose the good thing is I am still ticking! He is sooo relaxed about some things, and I have to remember, I have to trust him as he has seen thousands and thousands of us going through recovery. It is always good to question any symptom, I feel, as soon as possible, just to make sure all is ok. You sound amazingly fit, (I try as well, although not like you) but I was wondering how you are doing so much after such a major operation! :) The surgery site needs massive amts of protein and just overall rest, you are amazing! I had an aneurysm in my ascending aorta, and a bicuspid valve that Allen repaired and now I have a tricuspid. I only had mild to sometimes moderate leakage. I was working out with a trainer and one day, about three minutes into my workout, I got dizzy, and felt sick, and it lasted for 20 minutes. And then again, and again, even when I was not working out. I learned six years ago about all this, and have been monitored, and was asymptomatic. I am so glad this is all behind me now as I hated living with an aneurysm. As best as I could, I just lived my life, and never thought I would need OHS at 44! I am glad you are eating more, keep it up for now. Good idea about the heart monitor. I feel very good at four months now, but not perfect. Just happy breathing is normal again for me. After three weeks of pure rest, I have been non stop, but was tired at the end of the day. I was warned by many to relax and take it easy, and that recovery is not linear. My strength is good, but not great. I found that out again when I dismantled the x-mas tree and dragged it outside last night. I felt it....but it is more like a soreness after working out. Then I have to remind myself to take it easy. The biggest thing I have learned is patience, something I tend to lack. :) But it has been a gift to me, and I am getting better and better, stronger and stronger, and you will as well, remember that. I am taking things slow, I walk a mile a day, and do yoga type stretches, or any stretch that feels really good. That's it! It is hard because I see most of my tone and muscle gone that I worked on , but I know I will get it back. Keep in touch as I would like to hear more about your journey.

  I did cardiac rehab for a month, it is highly recommended, but I did not like my facility so I am dong it on my own, and I am good with that.