Tina's Guestbook

Thank you, Tina, for this wonderful forum to learn and to ask questions. Can you speak to the emotional ups and downs within the first month after your surgery? My otherwise very healthy friend just had MR repair and she seems to be bouncing all over the place with highs and lows. I didn't expect that.

Hi Tina, My name is Ruth Ann and I'm 5 months post aortic valve replacement. The best advice I can give is: Join cardiac rehab. It is the fastest way to get back to yourself and helps you as you are with others going through the same recovery. Another helpful item is a wedge pillow to keep in your bed. Looks like a big wedge of cheese. I now wish I had rented a remote recliner. The shower chair helped a lot too. I had meditation, spiritual CDs to listen to as well-helped calm me when I felt a bit overwhelmed once at home. You will be strong again soon. I promise.

Had my valve replacement and aneurysm done 6 weeks ago...glad is done and over with it...had and still have lots of support from family and friends...all went well...after a week in the hospital ..had my operation...out of recovery the next day and spent the rest of my stay in cardiac post op..with stomach tubes pacemakers for the next 4 days..went home and still recovering...taking it easy...thanks to family and friends..hope all is well for you and all new patients...

I drank lots and lots of water to keep hydrated, especially since I knew that I wouldn't be able to drink water for about 24 hours. I was so thirsty when I woke up from surgery. As for food, I kept it fairly normal. I didn't eat a lot so that I wouldn't get constipated in the hospital, as some of the pain medicine can do that to you. I was put under at 6:30 a.m., my surgery was done around noon, and I didn't wake up until about 5 pm that day.

Hi Tina, I'm responding to your post about how you feel after you get home and whether or not you need someone to take care of you. I had my mitral valve repaired using the DaVinci 6 months ago. My bedroom is upstairs and I was able to go up and down the stairs (SLOWLY) after I got home from the hospital without a problem!!! I just had to rest a bit after going up or down the stairs. I am a female in my early 50's and fairly fit. The chords in my heart also broke, so my mitral valve was flapping quite a bit. My surgery was on a Wednesday morning and I was released from the hospital on the following Sunday around noon. My doctor told me that I should rest at home after I did an "activity", such as climbing the stairs, taking a shower, etc. I could walk without any problems, but I walked very slow. I found myself "resting" quite a bit....even after washing a couple of dishes. On about the 3rd day home, I felt like I needed to take the vacuum cleaner to the kitchen to get a couple of dust bunnies....big mistake! Even though I felt pretty good, my strength wasn't there. I had to hurry to the couch and rest for about 45 minutes because my head was spinning after that little task! I was able to do everything (the basics) for myself, but I was really slow at it. One helpful hint is for your to get a plastic stool to place in the shower so you can sit down and rest when you shower. You can get a cheap plastic stool at Walmart. After my surgery, I didn't have the energy to stand up in a shower and wash my body and then shampoo my long hair without resting. The stool in the shower was great because it allowed me to sit down and rest before finishing my shower. For about the first week, I rested a lot. At around 7 days after surgery, I was feeling fairly decent. Ten days after surgery, I attended a family wedding 4 hours away from my house (was ok'd by my doctor because my husband drove and I wore compression socks); I was feeling pretty good. My family was amazed at how well I was doing! Sleeping was a bit difficult because the wounds under my right breast hurt a little bit when I tossed and turned. Overall, the experience was so MUCH easier than I had imagined. I didn't have anyone to take care of me during the day while my husband was at work, but I knew hat he was only one phone call and 20 minutes away if I needed him during the day. I didn't have to call him for help. The good Lord really watched over me!!! Praise be to God. I will keep you in my prayers.

Best wishes to you Tina for a very successful day on Wednesday, and an even better recovery!!! Looking forward to hearing how things went for you in the coming days. All the very best to you.

Hi Tina - Will be thinking of you on the 27th! Sending you many positive thoughts and prayers! I was where you are now 18 month ago and can say recovery goes slow in the beginning, and faster after 9 months or so. Thanks for asking about the WomenHeart group. I see you are from Indiana so here is a link to a list of the groups in that state:  http://www.womenheart.org/?page=Support_INNetwork And if you don't find one is close to you, there is info there on how to match up with a heart sister.

Tina, I was told the same thing about my mitral prolapse, that it was common, and not to worry about it. I had an echo because I had started fainting for the first time in my life. My dr. Said imitral regurgitation was severe, and I needed open heart surgery. I was completely shocked. Prayers sent🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. My surgery is Thursday. If she can't repair I'll get a bovine one.

What technique are they using for your repair? Sternotomy, mini, minimally-invasive, robotic? There are so many different methods now! I hope you have something fun planned this weekend, or at least a special dinner before going in. Feel free to email me at fabphyllis@gmail.com. BTW, you'll love that they'll all keep telling you how young you are.

Tina: Thanks for your note on my recent post. Tell your dad that you're going to be just fine. Tell him that an old boxer said so. Fear is a funny thing. I know that someday I will have to have another valve replacement and the thought of doing so with this dissected aorta scares me a lot, BUT I know that every day I have spent on this planet since my surgery is a gift. If this would have happened thirty years ago I'd be a headstone right now. SO, I take every day as the gift it is and don't dwell on the past or the future. This stuff WILL change you, believe me. And you SHOULD let it change you !! Let it open your eyes to the real gift that we received...."life" !! I used to chase dollars. I was a lawyer on a mission. I didn't see what life was truly all about. But when I walked out of that hospital....well, when I was wheeled out of that hospital.....I felt the sun on my face and the light went on. Use this whole experience to become a BETTER person and to open your eyes to things that you didn't really see before. In the end you will praise the day this happened to you; not lament it

Hi Tina, Did you have any symptoms with having ruptured Mitral Chorades? I've been having shortness of breath and can't exercise because of the shortness breath. I also have mild to moderate Mitral regurgitation.

Tina: Stay positive and when it's difficult to do so, think of your grandchildren. Focus on them when times get rough. Dream of them while you are "under." Hug them when you have recovered and tell yourself, and them: "Moments like these is why God and my medical team saved me."

Hi Tina I see your surgery is the day after mine. I'm sure you have a lot of the same feelings that I have. Staying distracted has become a habit. Sorry to hear about your business loss. My husband and I are also self employed but we work from home working online and also publishing books. It's nice cause for me it's sort of a part time retired person. I hope everything goes well for you....you take care and hopefully we can share our experiences later on when we are both able. God bless.

Hey Tina!!!! Glad to have you on the site and thanks for reading my blog!!!! My prayers are with you- if you have read my back blogs (starting in February) you can see I was completely freaked out! I did have to have a sternotomy which was really a piece of cake! Surprisingly!!! It was the months of anticipation that were the worst!!! Try not to worry (I know it's easier said than done) but just take a deep breath and give it to the Lord and your doctors! They do this everyday!!!! I will certainly be praying for you!!! You will be back to those grandbabies in no time!!!!!

Gosh so sorry to hear your story. You look great. I hope you are feeling good. I feel terrible after being diagnosed a month ago. So many blood pressure meds are killing me.

Gosh so sorry to hear your story. You look great. I hope you are feeling good. I feel terrible after being diagnosed a month ago. So many blood pressure meds are killing me.