Theresa's Guestbook

Hi Theresa! Thank you so much for your well wishes! I came home from Mt Sinai on Saturday evening. I have to say that the surgery was so much more than I could have ever imagined. I don\'t think that there is anyone who could prepare you for it. I did decide to do the mini sternotomy, as it seemed to be the safest and best access to the mitral valve and also give the best repair. Dr Adams and his team are absolutely wonderful! I can\'t thank him enough for fixing me and for also being such an understanding and compassionate surgeon. Since I have been home, I had a visiting nurse come on Monday and it turns out I was very dehydrated which made me feel not too well. So, I stopped the lasix and also stopped taking Percocets(they put me in a fog) and drank Gatorade for the rest of the day and now I feel so much better! My incision is only sore when I cough thankfully. It is amazing how true it is that each day you feel a little better. Hope you are feeling well! Gina

Hi Theresa, Thank you so much for the information. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, June 18th. I had my pre op testing done yesterday at Mt Sinai. I think I am going to opt for the mini thoracotomy. How big was your incision? Were you in the hospital 5 days? Thank you!! Gina H

Hi Theresa! Thank you for your response. I am happy to hear you are doing well! Dr. Adams was wonderful! He was so thorough and obviously an expert in his field. In my situation he said he can use either approach and explained both. Did they have to break any ribs? If you can, can you email me at ginamn3@comcast.net. I would love to hear about your experience! Thank you!! Gina\"

Theresa, I just joined HVJ this week, as I am getting ready for surgery next month. A few weeks ago I made a list of all those I could find the last few years with MVR, and I have been reading your journals. More and more I am running across stories about repair, rather than replacement, and I wonder whether or not you were ever told that repair was not an option for you. I do not have prolapse (nor did I read you did), but did have rheumatic fever as a child (and I don\'t think you did). This seems to be the reason the replacement is being looking at instead. Needless to say, I would prefer a repair! Any insight you can give me on this based on your own experience would be appreciated. I know we aren\'t medical people but we sure can help each other out! Thanks! Vel Turner

Hello, Theresa -- You were kind enough to check in on my Guestbook and invited me to read your journal. As soon as I got here, I realized I\'d already done so....I put in a search for Mr. Sinai and ended up reading the entries of several folks who\'d had their surgery there. It\'s very inspirational to read success stories such as yours -- gives me a lot of hope. Congratulations on your anniversary! Best, Selma

Hi Theresa Some how I didn\'t get the email telling me you had written in your journal! Big time congratulations. We who have been there will continue to count our blessings daily. So glad to communicate with you by email. Hopefully we can meet some day. Keep smiling. Fran

Hi Theresa Congratulations on your second anniversary. I\'m so happy you are keeping well and are back to living a full life. I too never fail a daily time of prayer where I give thanks that I\'ve been blessed with a new chance to live a full and heart healthy life. I see Susan told you of our small HVJ reunion in Florida a couple of weeks ago. What a blast! We will always have a lifetime connection with the wonderful support group we met here and will count each other as friends always. Someday we hopefully can meet more of our friends here. We\'ll soon get some pictures posted. Stay well and stay in touch. Cheryl, Ontario

HI Theresa, Long time no talk to. Congratulations on your 2 year Anniversary! Richard had his the end of January. We have thought of you often, but Richard does not write much on the journal now --- but he certainly still stays in touch with what is going on in it and reads and tells me, and actually asked me to send Congratulations to you tonight! I thought you might like to know that we went down to FL in Feb and on Feb 18th we met with Duane and his wife Peggy, and Fran and her husband Peter and Cheryl and her husband Pete! \"4 heart valve\" journal buddies through their time leading up to and through their surgeries. I am sure you know Duane, and also Cheryl (from Canada) and Fran from FL, and, of course, Richard. It was pretty amazing and I must say it was a most heart warming (no pun intended) weekend and we all got along very well and enjoyed one another\'s company and the spouses were just as nice and wonderful as the HVJs we had been corresponding with these past few years. We all even went to Duane\'s Church on Sunday - again an amazing time,spiritual and reflective and yet fullfilling of the promise of good hearts and friendship. Richard and I wish you continued good health as you are a pleasure and were always so thoughtful and enjoyable to correspond with in the journal. Richard\'s wife, Susan

Hi Theresa, Congrats on 2 years! Wonderful! I am having surgery next Wed March 7th at Mt. Sinai with Dr. Stelzer (Ross Procedure). Hope you continue to do well for a long time to come. Jeff Shebovsky, Orlando

Hi Theresa! Thanks for your post. This is my first time using the new \"Respond To Guestbook Comment\" feature. A very welcome addition. I didn\'t know if you get notice that I\'ve responded, so I\'m posting it on your guestbook now. I now see this response feature with the email. I am subscribed to your updates, but for some reason I did not get your one year post. So I made sure I was subscribed (I was). And I read your post. Great job! And I humbly thank you for mentioning me. That was so kind and gracious of you. Glad you are doing so great!! Keep it up! Yeah, Richard & Susan are great! Hey, let me know if you ever travel to FL. Thanks for your good wishes on my recent issues. I will keep everyone posted. Come what may, I fully trust in God. Take care, and thanks again. Duane

Hi Theresa I was surprised to get your note. Did you read my note to Diana? I did not put my info on my journal as didn\'t want my problem to be a concern for others on the HVJ and friends who aren\'t aware. But, thanks for your concern and well wishes. Every day is a blessing for each of us. Fran

Hi Theresa! I hope this note finds you doing well. So sorry to hear of your loss of a dear pet. It\'s always so hard to give them up. I am reaching out to you to see if I could ask you a favor. I spoke with a young woman this morning who needs mitral valve repair. She lives in Charlotte, NC, and is considering both Dr. Chitwood at East Carolina Heart Institute (my surgeon), and Dr. Adams at Mount Sinai for minimally invasive surgery. I told her I would reach out to you to see if you would mind talking to her about your experience as a patient of Dr. Adams\'. If you feel comfortable with this, please email me at amachtay@hotmail.com. I will then give you her contact information. Let me know how you\'re getting along. We\'re almost at a one year now since surgery! Can you believe it? It\'s gone by so quickly... Warmest Regards, Amy Machtay

Hi Terry so nice to meet you- yes, we are close as I am south of 33 in Manalapan- almost Freehold. My husband is also staying in the city during my hospital stay. I see you opted for a different approach for the incision- so far, I have not been given that option- I do not think my Dr. does that-oh well. I would love to call you some time- please let me know your telephone # if it is OK so glad to see you are healing well and I am so sorry for the loss of your brother Warm thoughts susan

Hi Theresa So very sorry to hear of your dear pet\'s sudden and unexpected death. I\'m sure your cat was a source of constant comfort during your recovery. Your family has lost a dear friend. Thinking of you. Cheryl, Ontario

Hi Theresa So sorry to hear of the sudden, unexpected death of your cat. Being a pet lover I can sympathize. We\'ve had a dog and 3 cats (not all at the same time) and grieved when they died, although none died suddenly at an early age. They do work their way into our hearts and I do believe there is a place for them in heaven. Let\'s look forward to a year of health, happiness and new beginings. Fran

Hi Theresa Thank you for your lovely Christmas wishes. It was so good to hear from you and know that you are also doing well. We have to count our every blessing that after all is said and done, we are healed. I so appreciate hearing from my dear friends that I have met here. Each and every one will forever be in my prayers. I hope your Christmas was full of happiness and pray your new year to be happy and totally healthy. Thank you for keeping in touch. Your friend, Cheryl, Ontario

Hi Theresa Thank you for your kind message. Glad you are using the walking tapes. I walk a total of 10 miles with them (in 3 sessions) and feel I get a good work out. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and healthy, happy 2011. Fran

Hi Theresa, So great to hear from you. It\'s been a long time, hasn\'t it? Wonderful that our lives have gotten back on track and just so busy. I so appreciate your reflectivenss and am thankful to God for your excellent recovery too. He has truly been good to us. Merry Christmas to you and your family! Are you on Facebook? Duane

Hi Theresa! I feel so guilty for not dropping you a note sooner. I have had such an easy recovery compared to many in our HVJ community, and it honestly makes me feel guilty. I have gained so much stamina, and my resting heart rate is now in the 60s. My cardiologist does not even plan to do another echo until next spring--though I\'m hoping to convince him to do it in December. I did have one hiccup a month or so ago when I let work and projects around the house interfere with my workouts. I started experiencing some tachycardia but got right back into my cardio work and things settled down immediately. So I\'ve learned that even though I feel great I have to keep up with the cardio work. I was really upset by Lori\'s story. There is not a week that goes by that I don\'t think of her and her family. How lucky we all are to have survived. I thought heart surgery was fatal mostly with the elderly, but now I know better. Hope you are doing well and continue to get stronger each day. May you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! Love and hugs! Amy Machtay Raleigh, NC

Hi Theresa, Thank you so much for the warm welcome and for reaching out to me! It means so much!!! I have opted to not share too muc of my news about having to undergo my preocedure until I have decided on a surgeon and have a date, so it feels great to be able to share!!! I am happy to congratulate you on your graduation!! You are an inspiration and I am sure a tremendous resource to others who are in the process right now. I loved your message about pushing no matter what!! I am so sorry to hear about your recent loss; you have my deepest sympathy. You mentioned the beach in NJ; what a beautiful place to be laid to rest.....very dear to my \"heart\"....my husband Bob and I are building a vacation home at the Jersey shore in Avon By the Sea.....it should be done before I have to have my surgery and I will be able to rehab some of the time on the boardwalk down there, which ain\'t bad! Thanks again for making me feel so welcomed. You are a very sweet and compassionate person!!! Nancy H.

Hi Theresa, I really was scared. I really thought that I was dealing with a blood clot in my shoulder because it was the same side that my central line was in. But, like yours, in 2 days it was gone as fast as it came. Really weird! My fever they feel was a severe reaction to the flu shot. And I\'m finding out that a lot of people in the area are having bad reactions to the flu shots, too. At least I know that I\'m good and healthy and no blood clots anywhere, and no endocarditis. Diana

Hi Theresa The print is so small, and am not sure if you have the stat of my address correct or not. FMZILKO@-------. Try it again, please. Would love to hear from you.

Good Morning Theresa I was inspired to read your story this morning. I am so happy to hear you are doing well. I related to you immed as when I was 38 and had my first open heart my son age 9 followed and had his open heart 6 mo later. He also had just survived mengiococcal septicemia the most dangerous form of bacterial menigitis. He was then and still doing well at age 34. Needless to say he and I have always since our experiences share a special bond with each other and life itself. I am 7 wk postop mitral valve replacement 13 yrs ago mitral valve repair. I had to chuckle when I read that @ age 53 you were one of the youngest in rehab class. My last rehab I was in my late 40\'s and I too was the youngest by a long shot and I remember well fellow patients felt so sorry that I had already had 2 surgeries. I am always just glad to be alive each and everyday. Susan V NC

Hi Theresa, First of all I want to thank you for the very touching message you wrote in my guestbook. It really meant a lot to know that you felt that way. Sometimes I feel that my entries are just downers on people as I read how postive they are. Next, CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation from rehab. I feel proud for you and I know you must feel great to have gotten through that. You are also one of the people on HVJ that I think of the most. Here\'s to continued good health for you and may it continue to improve every day. With love, Kimberly S.