I can't believe its been 18 months since my OHS to repair my mitral valve. It still seems surreal sometimes!! Things have gone very well over the last 6 months ...Read more
I can't believe its been 18 months since my OHS to repair my mitral valve. It still seems surreal sometimes!! Things have gone very well over the last 6 months since I posted my one year update. I'm back to a fully normal life!!
Lilly Black Darlene, you look great! Happy to hear how well you are doing :)
Barry Kanick Haven't been on the site since July of 2017 Darlene. Glad to see your doing well. Did you ever move t ... Read more
Barry Kanick Haven't been on the site since July of 2017 Darlene. Glad to see your doing well. Did you ever move to the Lehigh Valley???
Darlene Smith Barry, sorry I missed your comment. I'm moving to Bethlehem in June 2019. We close on the house next ... Read more
Darlene Smith Barry, sorry I missed your comment. I'm moving to Bethlehem in June 2019. We close on the house next week!! But I can't retire until next year. I have the time but I'm too young.
Barbara Wood Wonderful photo...you look great! ( hoping this is me next year:))
Steve Farthing Did you get a chance to see the snow sculptures in Breck? Copper Mtn fairly close to Breck. Also gr ... Read more
Steve Farthing Did you get a chance to see the snow sculptures in Breck? Copper Mtn fairly close to Breck. Also great skiing.
Darlene Smith Yes Steve, I saw the snow sculptures. I lived in CO for 14 years before heading to the east coast, an ... Read more
Darlene Smith Yes Steve, I saw the snow sculptures. I lived in CO for 14 years before heading to the east coast, and I've skied most of the mountains. Love Copper. Hope to get back there again.
Darlene Smith Thank you Steven! Saw your pic skiing recently. Feels amazing doesn't it? And Barbara, yes you will f ... Read more
Darlene Smith Thank you Steven! Saw your pic skiing recently. Feels amazing doesn't it? And Barbara, yes you will feel wonderful next year too!
Daniel Kung You & Your sister +Blue sky + white snow + big smile = Perfect Picture. ๐
Less than 6 months out from OHS and I just finished shoveling the driveway with my husband. Feel great and no issues with exertion!!
Lilly Black Awesome! so easy to over-do it though, so be careful. Nice going!
Darlene Smith We definitely were careful and took breaks. In fact my husband, who hates yard work and never does i ... Read more
Darlene Smith We definitely were careful and took breaks. In fact my husband, who hates yard work and never does it, said he didn't want me to have a heart attack!! I said my heart and arteries were fine as all that was checked before I had the valve fixed. No evidence or coronary artery disease or anything else wrong with my heart. :-)
Linda Richards Wow, thats great! Was your surgery minimally invasive? I was repaired from a 4+ to a one to two lea ... Read more
Linda Richards Wow, thats great! Was your surgery minimally invasive? I was repaired from a 4+ to a one to two leak. My one year anniversary will be March 3.
My sister and I having dinner before the Maroon 5 concert during my visit to Colorado.
Ellen Leng You look great! Are you back to work and doing well?
Darlene Smith Ellen, yes I'm back to work and doing very well. The last 3 weeks have been wonderful, and I now fee ... Read more
Darlene Smith Ellen, yes I'm back to work and doing very well. The last 3 weeks have been wonderful, and I now feel like I did pre surgery (I was asymptomatic). I feel so good, and I'm hoping it lasts!!!
Ellen Leng That's just tremendous. You had some rough patches!
Barbara Laurie Darlene! So glad the tough part is over and you are having some fun! โค๏ธAnd you two are adorable a ... Read more
Barbara Laurie Darlene! So glad the tough part is over and you are having some fun! โค๏ธAnd you two are adorable and the picture of health!
Diane Capece Just saw your pictures. You look great. How did you get pictures of your valve repair? Very interest ... Read more
Diane Capece Just saw your pictures. You look great. How did you get pictures of your valve repair? Very interesting.
Briana Morgan Have loved reading your story and progress. Thanks for sharing!
Darlene Smith Thank you all!!! This website has really been wonderful, and hearing all your stories has given me s ... Read more
Darlene Smith Thank you all!!! This website has really been wonderful, and hearing all your stories has given me strength to get through this process. Diane, I was told Dr. Adams usually takes pictures. How I got mine is I went to see my primary care physician, and I saw the photo in my file. I said I wanted it for show and tell, LOL. I believe Dr. Adams usually sends the photo to the cardiologist on file, and since I didn't have one, he sent it to my primary doctor.
Darlene Smith I agree! Technology is amazing!! This picture shocked me as I was told my repair was "easy", a simp ... Read more
Darlene Smith I agree! Technology is amazing!! This picture shocked me as I was told my repair was "easy", a simple prolapse. But that valve on the left looks terrible!!!
Lilly Black That is amazing! My surgeon came out of surgery to show a picture of my diseased valve to my son and ... Read more
Lilly Black That is amazing! My surgeon came out of surgery to show a picture of my diseased valve to my son and husband after he cut it out! they were shocked! I saw it later and I can't believe I lasted that long with a crazy looking valve like yours! Happy for you!! it looks awesome now :o)
Darlene Smith Lilly, amazing what our bodies can do with what we have!!! I think all surgeons should do this, show ... Read more
Darlene Smith Lilly, amazing what our bodies can do with what we have!!! I think all surgeons should do this, show their patients the before and after. Makes it so much easier to understand what the issue was to begin with.
My daughter and I at Metlife Stadium for Coldplay. 12 hours from now, I'm on a train to NYC and Mt Sinai to check in for surgery!!!!
Diane Capece Thinking about you today and wanted to send my prayers and good wishes to you. You will soon be on yo ... Read more
Diane Capece Thinking about you today and wanted to send my prayers and good wishes to you. You will soon be on your way to recovery. Please let me know how you did. Anxiously awaiting August 2nd.
Darlene Smith Diane, I will!! Thank you for the prayers and wishes!!!
Lise Bowles Darlene, as I read this you are just getting on the train, prayers for you and I am sure you will do ... Read more
Lise Bowles Darlene, as I read this you are just getting on the train, prayers for you and I am sure you will do well! Mt. Sanai is a great facility and you will come through this, Godspeed!
Lise