Barbara Harris writes, "Joey,
I am going to Duke today for my Heart cath then being admitted for surgery tomorrow. Dr. Glower is my doctor. I don’t know how complicated the surgery will be. Certainly hoping that it will be minimal! Hoping you the best with your big day! Don’t know when I will be back on line either. "

Wednesday, May 8, I was scheduled for an open-heart surgery to replace my bicuspid aortic valve that was causing severe aortic stenosis. After spending a night with our friends close to Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA, I checked in at Patient Registration at 9 am. While I was lying on the bed in the preparation room, I saw a bunch of staff coming and going, including anesthesiologist. My husband Peter was waiting in the waiting room, receiving updates from the anesthesiologist about the progress of my surgery. Dr. Ryan, cardiac surgeon, successfully replaced my bicuspid valve with a Bovine valve. The new valve is made from a piece of pericardial membrane from a cow.

Around 4 pm, I was moved to the cardiac ICU. Apparently, my heart function and BP came back a lot quicker and stronger than average, and with no arrhythmia. Partly because of that, during the night they found that there was an unusual amount of blood coming from the tube that drained fluid from around my heart. They figured out that this was a leak in the aorta, which happens to about 5% of patients. So they took me back to the OR for another open-heart surgery, where they added a suture near the new valve. I was returned to ICU after 2 am. I was asleep for the whole time, and I didn’t know about it until afterward.

Thursday, May 9, I woke up in the morning at the ICU finding myself with the breathing tube and all kinds of tubes and wires attached to my body. They removed the breathing tube shortly after I woke up. It was nice to see my husband Peter. Later in the afternoon, I walked to the chair with the help from nurses, I ordered room service dinner and split it with Peter. We had pasta, salmon, and fruits. Thursday night was one of my most miserable, due to the strong meds, and many other reasons. I was in an emotional mess all night. I ended up getting little sleep.

Friday, May 10, early in the morning, they moved me out of the bed, and made me stand on the scale; I weighed 21 pounds in two days. In the late afternoon, I was moved from the ICU to the Telemetry Unit, as soon as a bedroom became available. Before getting discharged from the ICU, a Foley catheter in my bladder to drain urine was removed, as well as an IV tube from my neck. The nurse from the ICU took me to the Telemetry Unit in a wheel chair. As soon as I arrived at my new room, I went to my private restroom, I had a little bit of both Number 1 and 2. After Peter left for home. I ordered Asian Stir-fry with Tofu for dinner. Shortly after eating, I became nauseated, and vomited twice. They gave me an anti-nausea med, but it didn’t work. It was very miserable and painful.

Saturday, May 11, I woke up feeling nauseated. The nurse encouraged me to order something for breakfast. While waiting on the chair for the breakfast to arrive, I vomited, just clear fluid. I had a bite of scrambled egg, and yogurt. I was also having diarrhea all day. The PA removed more drain tubes and wires from me. She also removed the tape from the incision over my sternum. I took my first post-op shower with help from a nurse. I kept a banana and a fresh fruit cup on the overbed table. I managed to eat a few grapes and a banana by the end of the day. I also took a short walk in the hallway with the nurse.

Sunday, May 12, with an encouragement by a nurse, I ordered a scrambled egg, yogurt, and banana again. I managed to eat a few bites of each. I still felt nausea even with anti-nausea meds. They stopped giving me narcotics, to avoid nausea.

Monday, May13, I became independent enough to go to the bathroom, and take a shower, with standby assistance. My surgeon suggested ordering anything that I felt like eating, delivered from the cafeteria to my room. I finished a small bag of baked potato chips, and Boost protein drink with chocolate flavor for lunch, and a few bites of grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner. They kept giving me tramadol, Tylenol, and Zofran. I haven’t been able to sleep well at night. I got up from the bed at midnight and walked around the entire Telemetry Unit by myself. I still couldn’t sleep even with melatonin sleep aid.

Tuesday. May 14, I woke up very early with a little sleep. The nurse weighed me. It turns out that I gained 21 lb. on the first day, and I lost 24 lb. in the four days after leaving the ICU. My goal of the day was to convince the nurses and doctors that I no longer have nausea, and I’m fine to go home soon. I ate a half of a grilled cheese sandwich, and a chocolate protein shake for lunch, and I didn’t throw up. When Dr. Ryan came to see me. I convinced him that I’m ready to go home. While Peter was driving down for 2 hours, the nurse removed the last IV tubes from my neck, and they went over the discharge process. On the way back, we stopped by a nearby Vietnamese restaurant that the nurse recommended. I had Pho, and it was so good. After all that bland hospital food, I craved something with flavor and salt. We drove home to Ellensburg in the rain, and got there a little before midnight. It was so nice to sleep on our own bed at home.

Jeremiah Erez writes, "Welcome to the heart warrior family Kathy!
You will find much valuable insight and encouragement, thoughts and prayers on this website, to help you along on your heart valve journey.
Btw, is that a classic Olds 442 you are standing next to in your profile picture?
Nice car!
They don't make cars like that anymore.
Peace and blessings to you! "

Zlo88nose writes, "Odzyskiwanie informacji Warszawa oferuje usługi przywracania dostępu do danych po wszelakich typach uszkodzeń nośników, jak: zniszczenia logiczne typu chkdsk), zniszczenia elektroniczne takie jak: spalenie układów na płytce elektroniki zewnętrznej HDD oraz uszkodzeń mechanicznych jak np. uszkodzenie komutatora. Wejdź tutaj aby zapoznać się z informacjami dotyczącymi [url=https://tiny.pl/t9h64]odzyskiwania danych[/url]"

Naomi Gray writes, "Hi Cindy,
I'm thinking of you today, wishing the best for you surgery and beginning of recovery! I just had my aortic valve replaced 12 days ago. I'm looking forward to hearing from you from the recovery side soon!"

I love reading all your great comments and inspirations. Keep them coming, as it always gives us all a lift in our spirits. We've gone down this recovery road, and it helps to know the good and bad, so we don't feel so alone. Stay positive!!

Well, 29 days away and I am continuing to get to the gym almost every day. Last evening, I walked for 40 minutes on the treadmill at a 3.8 MPH average pace. I'm usually ready to quit at about 30-33 minutes but I felt pretty good last night so I kept walking til I made 40. I then got in some light weight/high rep "push" weight work. I left thinking I might could postpone my surgery for a bit if I keep feeling better :-)) …. then I look down at my swollen ankles and snap back to reality. Today, I have been dealing with some irregular heartbeats and flutters and that is another reminder. Been dealing with those all of my life along with the murmur all the docs hear. One other thing I have to keep telling myself is that the last time I really trained hard, I could only get to a certain level before I plateaued and nothing I changed could get me in better shape. I'm just going to try to go into this surgery in as good a shape as I can possibly get to. I'm at a good hospital and have a very talented surgeon and God's got me so I am going to continue to work and trust. Prayers for all of you that have been through it and are waiting. You are special, my heart warrior brothers and sisters.

Hello Heart Warrior Family!
Hope everyone is doing well.

Well yesterday being the 19th marked the official 6 month anniversary of me having open heart surgery (November 19, 2018).
As I reflect on that I just want to share a few things that are on my heart.

So I've been going through my journal and reading some of my old posts, both pre/post op and reflecting on where I was prior to surgery and where I am now in the recovery phase.
I cannot but thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ for His abundant love and grace toward me and for bringing me through open heart surgery, and all that it entails.
I thank Him for inspiring Adam Pick to start this website. Many people (including myself) have been blessed to find this website. Open heart surgery is a very serious surgery, to say the least, and I don't think anyone should go it alone when facing it.
Imo, oftentimes people are blindsided and left reeling at the prospect of needing to have open heart surgery. I mean, for me I knew that at some point I would probably need to have my mitral valve repaired but it always seemed far off, like in the far off future, and it's not something I researched or prepared myself for.
It wasn't until I heard those words from my cardiologist, "You need to have the surgery as soon as possible", that I realized this is real.
I'm going to have open heart surgery.
That's when I began to dig in and seek to learn all I could about the surgery I was having (I wanted to know ALL the ins and outs of it) and the subsequent recovery process.
And as part of my seeking to know and learn about OHS, by the grace of God I found this website, and it has been and continues to be a great instrument in my recovery from OHS, and I am grateful to God for that.

This website gives OHS patients and their families an outlet, an avenue if you will, to cope with the reality and seriousness of open heart surgery and all the different emotions, fears, anxieties, worries, etc. , but also to have hope that the quality of life will be better after OHS.
I truly appreciate the many kind words, thoughts, prayers and support this heart community has shown me and my wife.
Thank you all so much. God bless each and every one of you! ❤️

Okay, so as I reflect on my OHS journey thus far, here are some things I'd like to share.

I am doing much better each day.
Anyone familiar with my story knows that I did have some minor complications following OHS.
Some of those things still flare up occasionally, such as ocular migraines, low BP/high heart rate, and lately, some sternum pain.
However, my legs are strong (walked 4 miles yesterday morning. Yay!)
My breathing is good.
I'm sleeping much better.
I'm back to working out regularly,
twice a week now but with no heavy weights.
My lab numbers are stable.
Overall, I feel good.
Had my annual physical a few weeks ago with my primary care physician and he thinks I'm coming along well after having open heart surgery.
I'm glad to be alive.
Thank you Jesus!

Peace and blessings to all! ❤️


.

Ok all today is pacemaker placement day. Hopefully the last day of stuff and I can go home tomorrow. It’s been so long and I miss home so bad. My wife and kids both broke down crying last night cause they want me home. I need to be home.