Tom,
I'm so glad to hear you are doing well. I'm glad that things just keep getting better. Having heart surgery really does change your perspective on things. ...Read more
Tom,
I'm so glad to hear you are doing well. I'm glad that things just keep getting better. Having heart surgery really does change your perspective on things. Sometimes it easy to forget that we might not be here without heart surgery with all the annoying things in life. It's good to remember.
Carolyn AVR 9-25-12
Glad you had decent weather to get outside on Saturday before the cold front hit. You never know what the weather will be around here.
Also good to hear that ...Read more
Glad you had decent weather to get outside on Saturday before the cold front hit. You never know what the weather will be around here.
Also good to hear that work is going ell for you. I start back next week.
Tom, good to hear from you and hear about your precious granddaughter. I have 3 brands and they are blessings. Enjoy, enjoy and enjoy. 😊. God is good ...Read more
Tom, good to hear from you and hear about your precious granddaughter. I have 3 brands and they are blessings. Enjoy, enjoy and enjoy. 😊. God is good and greatly to be praised.
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. Sitting with my 2 year old granddaughter the day I got home from the hospital 5 weeks ago, was something I will always ...Read more
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. Sitting with my 2 year old granddaughter the day I got home from the hospital 5 weeks ago, was something I will always remember. They are so comforting. Makes me so glad to think that I will have many years with her and my grandson (and future grandchildren) because of what I had the courage to go through, but of course only by the grace of a God.
Hi Tom...been reading your journal and keeping up with your progress...it sounds like you're doing great....Congratulations. I Want to let you know that you've ...Read more
Hi Tom...been reading your journal and keeping up with your progress...it sounds like you're doing great....Congratulations. I Want to let you know that you've been an encouragement to me. I too have a Bicuspid Aortic Valve. I've known about it since my early 40's and I'll turn 60 this May. Had zero symptoms all these years until the past 12 months...I easily get short of breath. I was hoping to wait till I turn 65...but I know the time is soon. Meeting with my Cardiologist on May 5th, then with my Surgeon to make plans and pick dates. Thanks for sharing your story.
Tom Bender Joe,
Thank you for the most kind words. I've share with others in my journaling that it became a for ... Read more
Tom Bender Joe,
Thank you for the most kind words. I've share with others in my journaling that it became a form of a ministry or mission to me. I had taught adult bible study about a decade ago (time flies) and was looking for my purpose. Seems like this fits. Let me know if I can help more. I think you will be happy with getting it done sooner than later. After spending the weekend with the 16 month old and knowing there is another on the way! I made it a personal commitment at the time of surgery to be at their high school graduations and visit them in college.
note: The hospital days and the 8 weeks recovery at home wasn't near as bad as I imagined.
Tom
Hey! Tom congrads on the full work and still holding your own. It is amazing to think of where you were and where you are now. Keep up the good work and keep ...Read more
Hey! Tom congrads on the full work and still holding your own. It is amazing to think of where you were and where you are now. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. God is looking out for all of us.
I'm glad you survived your first day back at work so well. I'm not ready for work yet but I am continuing to make steady progress. I would like to know how ...Read more
I'm glad you survived your first day back at work so well. I'm not ready for work yet but I am continuing to make steady progress. I would like to know how your first full week of work goes. Take care and hope you get out to beautiful Oregon again.
Tom Bender Susan,
I'll do an update at he end of the week. Funny thing today, when my alarm went off at 6 am I ... Read more
Tom Bender Susan,
I'll do an update at he end of the week. Funny thing today, when my alarm went off at 6 am I thought "why is my alarm going off this early on Saturday"! It's going to be a long week!.
Tom
Carolyn Stone AVR 9/25/2012 posted a note for Tom that says:
Welcome back to work! I'm impressed with you. I ran out steam when I first went back to work. Especially on days where I had rehab in the morning before work. ...Read more
Welcome back to work! I'm impressed with you. I ran out steam when I first went back to work. Especially on days where I had rehab in the morning before work. Glad your still doing well!
Tom Bender I'll probably run out of steam on those days next week. That's why I let Friday be my first day, half ... Read more
Tom Bender I'll probably run out of steam on those days next week. That's why I let Friday be my first day, half the people were gone.
I like how you have your surgery date in your digital signature. I sent the website a suggestion to have that as part of the profile, so it is easy to compare progress. They gave me a busy reply. I'll try again. To bad I can't count it for our 2014 CI quota!
Maybe when it really becomes spring and warm we can go walking on the path at Botts. Have you used the fitness center there yet?
Tom
How did that first day back at work go? Anxious to hear!
Tom Bender It went pretty well. I wasn't sure if I would make a full day, but I did. It helped that on Fridays ... Read more
Tom Bender It went pretty well. I wasn't sure if I would make a full day, but I did. It helped that on Fridays about half the people are gone. I got home and ate dinner and then crashed earlier than normal, especially for a Friday night. I'm sure Monday will be different. Thanks for asking. I did not get to doing a journal entry last night.
Tom, it sounds like you're doing well. Hope your first day back at work is calm and peaceful! You put good info in your journal posts, reading them helps ...Read more
Tom, it sounds like you're doing well. Hope your first day back at work is calm and peaceful! You put good info in your journal posts, reading them helps me a lot. My surgery is March 3!
Best,
Tom,
My sternum didn't feel solid until about 8 weeks after surgery. I felt movement, too as well as occasional "clicking." Both apparently came from cartilage ...Read more
Tom,
My sternum didn't feel solid until about 8 weeks after surgery. I felt movement, too as well as occasional "clicking." Both apparently came from cartilage that's attached to the ribs and sternum. However, I've also read that sternums do separate for one reason or another. So, this is something you'll want to talk to your surgeon about.
Tom Bender Thanks. I asked the rehab nurses about it this morning when I finish for the morning. One of them f ... Read more
Tom Bender Thanks. I asked the rehab nurses about it this morning when I finish for the morning. One of them felt it and listened to it as I lifted my arms above my head in what is typical for drying after a shower. She did not hear anything unusual. Just a strong sounding new valve. I'll keep an eye on it and talk with the surgeon in 2 weeks (if not sooner)
Tom
Tom my chest only gets sore if i turn wrong in bed or move just doing the wrong thing its more tightness than any thing..
Tom Bender Tightness would probably describe it. Yeah tht getting out of bed is still the single biggest pain ( ... Read more
Tom Bender Tightness would probably describe it. Yeah tht getting out of bed is still the single biggest pain (literally). I got a reply below from my coworker Carolyn Stone and she said it was not unusually for it to hurt down the road with new activities.
Hello Tom,
I find that when ever I do something for the first time since the heart surgery then my incision hurts. There are a lot of firsts towards the beginning ...Read more
Hello Tom,
I find that when ever I do something for the first time since the heart surgery then my incision hurts. There are a lot of firsts towards the beginning so it hurts a lot more. For example I did yoga for the first time 1.2 years after the surgery. I definitely pulled that scar tissues in ways it hadn't been pulled yet. So my scar hurt for a couple days. Hope this helps, the pain should get more and more infrequent. You probably hadn't been sick like that since the surgery and tugged on the scar tissue uniquelly and it caused pain.Hope you feel better.
Tom Bender Carolyn,
Thanks for the input. Hard to believe new activities will trigger the hurt down the road. ... Read more
Tom Bender Carolyn,
Thanks for the input. Hard to believe new activities will trigger the hurt down the road.
But the body is a mysterious thing. The biggest key is to listen to the body, and it's been yelling and nagging at me this weekend. As you can see below also heard from Glenn who had surgery bout a week after me and Jeff with similar reports. This really has been a great resource.
See you in about 3 weeks.
Tom
Tom, my chest soreness started to go away at about 4 weeks. Then as I felt better, I started to do more and more and my chest soreness stayed with me for about ...Read more
Tom, my chest soreness started to go away at about 4 weeks. Then as I felt better, I started to do more and more and my chest soreness stayed with me for about 5 months. Though it was greatly diminished it was still with me. Then one day it was completely gone. I think trying to lift and move a steel swing set at week 5 set me back. Now, even at 6 months my chest gets sore with over-exertion.
Tom Bender Jeff,
Thanks. It is good to knowI am to alone. I did not figure it was anything new or unusual, but ... Read more
Tom Bender Jeff,
Thanks. It is good to knowI am to alone. I did not figure it was anything new or unusual, but certainly good to hear or others.
Tom
Hi Tom,
You're about a week ahead of me, but I've been wondering the same thing. I had the mini-sternotomy (4 in.), but my chest feels as sore as it did just ...Read more
Hi Tom,
You're about a week ahead of me, but I've been wondering the same thing. I had the mini-sternotomy (4 in.), but my chest feels as sore as it did just after surgery.
I'm able to move arounds easier, but the dull ache hasn't changed that much since the first day.
I'm limiting my contact with large groups to lessen the chances of getting a bug.
Let's hope that things improve.
Tom Bender Glenn,
I had not been around anyone last week except my household family members and a short visit f ... Read more
Tom Bender Glenn,
I had not been around anyone last week except my household family members and a short visit from my brother after lunch on Monday. And the cardio rehab staff, clients and equipment. But I got the flu anyway. I sure the soreness will start getting better in week 6 (at least I hope it does).
It seems a little different than the soreness before.
Glad to hear I'm not a lone. Hang in there.
Tom
Hi. I had bicuspid valve replaced on 1/9/14. Good to read your updates since you are just a little ahead of me. I am near St. Louis so just on the other side ...Read more
Hi. I had bicuspid valve replaced on 1/9/14. Good to read your updates since you are just a little ahead of me. I am near St. Louis so just on the other side of the state. Sorry to hear about the flu. Hope you are better soon.
Stephanie O'Donnell posted a note for Tom that says:
So glad to hear! You have been in my prayers.
Tom Bender Thank you. But I got a nasty batch of stomach flu in the middle of the night. And so
I had to post ... Read more
Tom Bender Thank you. But I got a nasty batch of stomach flu in the middle of the night. And so
I had to postpone my surgeon visit for 3 weeks. Other than that I'm doing well.
Electronic hugs....
tom glad to here your doing so well. I too feel ok just back pain and need to keep up with meds on that.I did have some problems with my potusium and blood ...Read more
tom glad to here your doing so well. I too feel ok just back pain and need to keep up with meds on that.I did have some problems with my potusium and blood pressure hope to get that sqared away to tomorrow when i see my primary.. i try and walk3 times a day out side (as its been nice) but when back pain is bad i try to walk in side.I hope to start rehab next month and a class on cooking right when i can dirve we live 30 mins away for hospital where i have to go your lucky you close enought=. keep up the good work..
Dr. Junaid Khan is a world-renowned heart valve surgeon that has performed thousands of heart valve operations that include minimally-invasive techniques.
I am from: Kansas City, Missouri
