Barb's Heart Valve Journal

It's hard to believe it has been exactly one year since my surgery at Brigham and Women's in Boston. Time really does go by very quickly. A lot has changed, but most notably this site! It looks great, and is still going strong. There's one thing I learned after I was told I needed an AVR is that I wasn't alone. This site was a great source of information and encouragement, and for that I am grateful, as I'm sure many others are.

I have had no complications, feel great, and can hardly remember the experience (LOL... don't really care to). If you can get through the first week, you'll be just fine. All pain is manageable. My worse fear was having my 17 pound cat lying on my chest, which she does regularly. She's very smart, and knew not to attempt it while I couldn't tolerate it. She's been back to lying there for months, and it doesn't bother me at all.

The worse part for me right after surgery was the pain between my shoulders. Heating pad and massages helped tremendously. I am still on Metroprolol, low dose - 25 mg/day. It makes me a bit tired, but I do have a visit with the cardiologist next week and hopefully he will give me the OK to stop taking them.

A big "Hello" to everyone from my graduating class! Hope you are all well. All the best to those who are preparing for surgery, or who are still recovering... take it slow, and don't vacuum!

It's been 7 weeks today... where did the time go? Went back to work two weeks ago, a few days/week to start off, however it looks like I'll be going in every day this week.

Had my follow-up with the cardiologist two weeks out, who said "see you in April"... then with the surgeon 5 weeks out. I asked the surgeon when I could start cardiac rehab, and he replied "you don't need that". I called my cardiologist a few days later to ask him what he thought about cardiac rehab, and he said "you don't need that"... at that point I was convinced. Still not quite sure why.

I haven't had any problems at all. I can sleep any which way, even all bunched up like a pretzel, or on my side, with no adverse effects. I can cough without pain, but I must say, if I sneeze, I have to hold on to my left breast.. for some reason there's a sore spot under there. Otherwise - I'm feeling great!

I refuse to vacuum, and will not do so for a few more months, due to my previous experience. I did go grocery shopping last week, and put a few too many heavy items in one or two bags, so I was sore for a few days afterward. One of these days I'll learn!

I'm posting a few photos. One is of the cats watching over me... they stayed on either side of my feet. Another was when I was waiting for the surgeon, the plastic model of a heart kept catching my eye, so I walked over to the automatic paper towel dispenser, pulled one off, and covered it up. When the surgeon came in, whatever he was doing (I believe it was breathing) caused my paper towel to fall off. I told him I was the one that covered it up, so he gently placed the paper towel back on the model and turned it so it faced the wall. I wish I had taken a photo of that! He asked me if I wanted to see my chest x-ray... ugh... no thanks. I'm glad this ordeal is over with. I just have to remember to always bring paper towels with me to my cardiology appointments.

Glad everyone is healing nicely... or getting ready to heal!

Yep... that was me!

Ugh!

That darn plastic model!

My feet in the middle.

5 Weeks post op today. Sorry I haven't posted for awhile :-(

I had a visit from the VNA the day after I cam home. Less than two weeks later they fired me... said I didn't need them, and they didn't need me. I have been feeling great, and even WORKING from home. I have the ability to log onto our main computer remotely, so I've been getting a lot done. Had family over for Thanksgiving, and I survived the day. Felt SO good that the following day I did a lot of chores - emptied the dishwasher, collected the trash, and even vacuumed... NOT SMART !!!... the vacuuming part, that is. My back and shoulders have been KILLING ME since then... (and almost brought me to tears). So much so that I was back to sleeping in the recliner, as I couldn't get comfortable in bed. There really is something to be said for "take it easy" and "don't overdo it". I've also found that lifting a heavy dish into the microwave is not a good idea either.

Pain meds - As soon as I got home I was taking an oxycodone and two tylenol at night... not for pain, only for sleep. I didn't not get a prescription for a sleep aid, so this did help. Then I was talking to a friend of ours who had a heart attack and quadruple bypass the week before I had surgery, and he said he was taking a benadryl to help him sleep. Since we have the same cardiologist I figured I could do the same, and it works. I've been sleeping through the night.

When I'm not working on the computer I find there's not much else to do that I CAN do. There's not much on TV, but I did find "Antenna TV" which runs shows like "I Dream of Jeannie", "Hazel" and "Bewitched". Brings back some memories. I also found QVC and the Home Shopping Network. One should never ever leave a woman home after surgery with a credit card and those two channels! I've received 4 boxes so far... more to come :-)

Other than the above I have had no issues, and am just like Jeff... "medically boring". (Love that term!). I'm going to Boston this Friday for my post-op appointment with the surgeon. I'm hoping he will say I can drive, and next week I can start cardiac rehab.

Glad everyone is healing nicely! The marvels of modern medicine are truly amazing!

*** My husband brought to my attention that when I said "the VNA fired me" it didn't sound so pleasant. What I meant was - I was doing so well, they didn't think it was beneficial to either of us to come back.

ALSO... forgot to mention... to remove all the glue from your body from the squares (NOT the incision), baby oil works perfectly!

I am now two weeks and three days post op – but who’s counting? I see/feel continued improvement every day, albeit slight. When I first came home I was shuffling around the house when walking… now I can move at a pretty good clip. It is a bit boring just walking around the house in circles, but it has been FREEZING here, and since I can’t stand the cold, I will not be walking outdoors. ‘Tis the season for colds and flu, and I would like to think I’m preventing that as well.

Monday I went to visit my cardiologist. It’s a good thing my appointment was at 3:00, as it took me almost all day to get ready. I did get a good tip from the VNA regarding showering. I like a hot shower, which makes me a bit lightheaded… so she recommended drinking a cold glass of water before a shower. That helps control your blood pressure while in a hot environment. It works! Still can’t lift my arms up to blow-dry my hair properly, so I just considered it a “bad hair day”. All other days are “horrific hair days”, as I don’t even bother with the blow dryer. Cardiologist said everything was great! Although the intense pain in my back between my shoulders has subsided, there is still one spot in the center of my back that is constantly sore. I was told it was muscular, would go away shortly, and massages would help :-)

Still having a hard time sleeping. Although many have gone home with Xanax, I did not. I have been taking an Oxycodone with two Tylenol (a Percoset cocktail) at night to sleep. That may last 2-3 hours or so, then I’m wide awake. I have only had one night where I believe I slept for 5 hours. Of course this makes me extremely tired during the day, and I doze off all day long.

My scar is still as fresh as the day I got it. I only wish my lettuce would act that way. I was told to leave it alone and the glue would fall off when it’s ready. Was also told not to put anything on it (vitamin E, etc…) as if there is ‘one little hole’ the entire scar could become infected. I also tried getting the glue off from the ‘squares’ with nail polish remover, but that didn’t work. If anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears!

Don has done two rounds of laundry since I’ve been home and has passed with flying colors! The specific instructions taped to the machines did the trick.

All in all I’m doing pretty well. Amazingly it’s the little things that are difficult to do, like using the soap pump on the kitchen sink, and lifting more than one plate at a time when emptying the dishwasher. Maybe next week I’ll be able to lift two.

Thinking of everyone on their way to recovery, and wish you all the best!

Yesterday started out just perfect. I woke up feeling great. Spoke to my husband who was on his way to pick me up, and I told him on the way home I wanted to go to The Container Store. After a bit of silence on the phone he told me we were not going to the store, we were going directly home. I then went to take a shower. After turning off the water, I suddenly got very dizzy, grabbed two towels, and quickly shuffled to the bed to lie down. It was then I decided The Container Store would have to wait.

Don arrived about 11:00. I couldn't wait to get home, away from the poking and prodding, and get some much needed rest. Arrived home about 1:00, but something wasn't right. My cat, Lucy, who always greets me, was no-where in sight, so Don went hunting for her. Couldn't find her right away, but did find vomit everywhere. Rut-ro. When she finally came out, it was evident that she didn't feel well. for the next four hours she continued with dry heaves, so at 5:00 we were on our way to the emergency Sunday clinic. Just what I didn't need on my first day home. She had an upset tummy, and was dehydrated. They hydrated her, gave us some meds and bland food, and back home we were by 7:30. She has been by my side all day today taking care of me :-)

During all that commotion in the afternoon, my Mom snuck in a visit to make sure I was OK.

Nights are worse for me. Still a lot of back/shoulder pain, making it hard to find a good spot to sleep in... then my tailbone hurts. Ugh!

Visiting Nurse came today. They were very nice, but told me I had to start eating a bit more. I don't have an appetite at all, but I'm going to give it a try.

I do read and appreciate each and every Guestbook Entry, and almost all the Journal Entries, I just don't have the stamina right now to respond to them all... but as I continue to heal I will.

There was mention of the Red Sox, the President here on Wednesday, my nephew flying in from Arizona for a game, but NO mention of me being in Boston! LOL!

Well here I am, 3 1/2 days later, and doing great! I did type a journal entry yesterday morning, however before I uploaded it, someone came in to either take my vitals, or give me a pill... and it disappeared! That has happened to everyone at one time or another I'm sure. I was a bit sore yesterday, so in no mood to re-type.

As soon as they removed the breathing tube, the first words I said were "I'm alive" (according to my husband). Of course I don't remember anything. All my tubes are out at this point, and the only pain I am having is in my back. The ICU nurse said this is because you we're cracked open like a lobster, over a very hard table. Nice visual. She gave me a nice back rub, and it seemed to help a bit. My current nurse, Donna, has just ordered me a heating pad. I'll let you know how that works.

I sent my Husband home yesterday to get a few good night's sleep. Although the hospital is accommodating, the constant interruptions have prevented any kind of good sleep for him. He has been the best! Here to get me whatever I need, and occupying himself endlessly while I sleep. I would have been climbing the walls.

Was able to take a shower yesterday, and put on my own PJ's which made me feel better. The only item I would add to my "To Take" list would be a back scratcher. From lying there for so long you do get a bit itchy, and now I have to do the Itchy Dance along the bathroom door jam.

Well... Off to take a small nap. The pills are kicking in!

Not much sleep last night. Every few hours they came to draw blood, not to mention the bed is far from comfy. To top it off, a physician's assistant came in and said "Remember me from yesterday? Well I accidentally pricked myself with your needle. I'm sure you're fine, but would you mind if we took a blood sample?" No problem! I'm already the human pin cushion! (And by-the-way, you'll be fine.

Got an early start this morning, and arrived at the hospital a bit before schedule. Boston traffic is lighter mid-morning and beyond. Cardiac cath went well, through the wrist, no blockages. The procedure took about 20 minutes, then I was wheeled into recovery, where I spent the next 7 1/2 hours behind curtain #23. Yes, that's right! Apparently my room was occupied longer than anticipated. My tailbone was sore!

In the midst of all the boredom I received a call from my surgeon, Dr. Byrne. He informed me that an emergency situation came up, and he would not be able to perform my surgery tomorrow. What?? He offered me two options... delay surgery until Friday or Monday, or have Dr. Aranki tomorrow afternoon. After speaking with several employees, meeting with both Dr's Byrne and Aranki, and researching the Internet, Dr. Aranki is a go! You don't work for Brigham and Woman's unless you are the best, so I'm confident in him.

So here we are in my room, hoping to get some sleep. Everyone has been extremely nice, including my nurse Kirk. I don't know how my husband managed to survive the day, but he did. Hopefully he will put up with tomorrow -:)

The time has come. I'll be checking into Brigham and Women's Hospital/Hotel tomorrow. They initially wanted me there at 7:30... A.M. This meant I would have to get up at 3:00, and be on the road by 5:00. That just wasn't going to happen. Had I known within a reasonable time frame I would have booked a hotel and planned on it. Hotels are also not easy to come by right now due to the World Series. SO... I begged and pleaded for them to let a night owl have a little bit of sleep... and they were accommodating. My arrival time is now 10:30. Much better!

The only thing I'm scheduled for tomorrow is a cardiac cath. After that, I believe boredom will set in, with not much to do for the night.

A friend of ours had an "H" attach last Monday, and surgery on Friday for 5 bypasses. We spoke with him this morning. He's very 'loopy', but says he's doing OK. They have not made him walk yet.... hmmmmm.

Lynn, Jim, Dan, and Jenn (and anyone I'm missing)... good luck to all of you if I don't post before you go in... and know I will be thinking of you :-)

Had dinner here 10/21

Loooooooong day at BWH today. Nothing to eat or drink after midnight in prep for the TEE. Check. Not a morning person, but was up at 5:00, left the house at 7:00, and arrived at 9:20. Boston - your traffic is a nightmare!!! Got all prepped for the TEE, IV and all, and 5 minutes before they were to start... someone came in an said "we are not going to do this test". What?? Instead they sent me for an echo... yes, just a plain echo. Well here I was, cute as can be in my hospital gown, running through the halls with a glass of soda and inhaling 3 small bags of graham crackers, as the nurse is scurrying to get me there. During the echo the technician said "now I know why he ordered a TEE - your rib cage is very tight". So now I'm thinking I'll be going back for the TEE, but too late... I already had something to eat and drink.

To make a long day short... pre-admission with a nurse, blood work, chest x-ray, and carotid artery test. This all ended at 4:00 with NO breaks in between. At that point my husband and I were both starving. Thought it was apropos to eat at The Squealing Pig in honor of my valve.

Now after a 2+ hr. ride home I'm exhausted and will sleep very well tonight.

I'll be checking in ONE week from today. ^--^

Lucy and Kramer

One week to go and NOW the questions are coming. Please keep in mind there are two chapters in Adam's book I couldn't bring myself to read, so if this was answered there - my apologies.

I've been following these journals fast and furious lately, and I believe those who have had a Mitral valve replacement have a shorter (and easier) recovery than those with an Aortic valve replacement. I do know they're accessed in two different locations, the Mitral being the minimally invasive. Does anyone know this to be true?

They adore each other!

My fur babies

Where did the time go??? I do visit this site regularly, and have read most of your journals, however I have not had the time to type to everyone individually. I've been extremely busy trying to get the business ready for the Holidays, while also trying to organize everything at home. I can almost guarantee everything will not be completely done.

My reclining loveseat arrived on Saturday, and the cats immediately claimed it as their new hangout. Can't blame them - it's very comfey! I did not paint the accent wall as I had intended to do, and it's a good thing, as I have completely changed my mind about the color since the arrival of the loveseat AND I'm too darn tired to do it anyway. It's a daunting task just staring at that wall!

My husband failed the laundry lesson... which means I now have to type specific instructions and leave them on the washer and dryer doors. (I may be wearing smaller clothes in the near future).

I called my insurance company yesterday to ask if I am covered for a home health aide. Turns out I am, for 100 visits, AND they will pay for rehab, AND for a skilled nursing facility. What? I don't think I'll be going there... LOL... but good to know.

I'm happy to see the Aubrey, Ernie, and Cindy group are doing well, with a few minor setbacks. Aubrey is back to work already! Debbie and Carol F. are the next group, doing great ... and Carol J. is doing just fine. You have all made me fee SO much better about having this done, and I appreciate your honesty in your journals.

Now we get to the upcoming grads. On the East Coast, in addition to myself, we have Jim and Mary; Dan in Florida, and Tony and Lynn on the West Coast. (Sorry if I forgot anyone). I will be following your journals, and am hoping for the best for all of you!!

Started with a visit to our Atty. to do our wills. The last time we actually saw this guy was almost 9 years ago when we bought our business. We may have asked him a few questions over the years via phone, but he’s not a close, personal friend, however, a really nice guy. Anyway, he was asking us questions, one of which was “I assume you are both in good health”? I told him about my upcoming surgery, to which he had a story of his own. Turns out HE had the surgery in 2010, when he was 53. Did a little math… and he’s 56, exactly my age! He looks great! He said it wasn’t as bad as he had expected, and that he went back to work 3 weeks later. I told my husband not to listen to that last part, because I would be out a bit more than 3 weeks… guaranteed :-)

I had also visited a friend earlier in the week, told her about my surgery, and she shared that her Mother had the same procedure done last year, at 80. Two days later she was off pain meds entirely. The doctor said older patients have an easier time with it. The pool of people that have had the surgery keeps growing, and is MUCH larger than I ever imagined! It’s actually helping me to feel better about it.

There are times when I get subtle hints, when I least expect it. We were driving to work on the highway the other day when along side us passed an 18-wheeler… “Heartland Express”. Watching a commercial the other night (which we never do, as everything is TIVO’d)… for Beneful dog food – the new “heart” healthy one. There have been many others – hearts are everywhere! I guess it’s like putting your house up for sale, and as soon as they put the “For Sale” sign on your lawn you notice everyone else’s “For Sale” sign.

With my surgery 6 weeks away, I’m not at the point where Carol and Debbie are – their surgery is in less than two weeks, and I know it’s constantly on their minds. Ladies – you WILL be fine! I know ‘everyone says that’ and it’s hard to believe, but the more I read and talk to people… the more I believe it myself. Besides, I’m counting on both of you to share your experience, so I can be LESS worried!!

The day closed with the "ordering of the reclining piece of furniture". With the help of family members, I decided on the reclining loveseat rather than the single recliner. It’s VERY comfy, and I think my cat(s) will like it too ^--^

This whole thing would make more sense to me if I actually FELT bad. I really feel fine! Don has been carrying the laundry for me, so that eliminates the shortness of breath I would feel a few times a week.

What makes it easier is reading everyone’s progress… you’re all doing great! Ernie made me a bit nervous when his first words post-op were “shoot me now”. That just about summed it up for me! I don’t think anyone else has written about the true horror of the ordeal… lol. I’ve decided I’m going to ask my doctor to put me in a medically induced coma for about 4 days LOL !

The only time this is really on my mind is around midnight – when I’m trying to SLEEP. The minute I put my head on that pillow, I’m inundated with thoughts of “what if something happens in the middle of the night post surgery… is there a doctor on call at the hospital”? etc… etc… etc… I’m sure my thoughts are not much different than anyone else’s, but UGH! Thankfully there’s Benadryl. I’ve tried ZzzQuil… it doesn’t work.

Starting to make some preparations. When this first came about, my husband said “we’ve been talking about doing our wills for a long time, I think we should do them now”. Thank you honey!… lol! Then I hear him on the phone “thank you, Atty. so-and-so, we’ll see you Monday”. Well you all know where I’ll be tomorrow :-). Don just turned 60, and we own a business, so seriously a good idea.

Then there’s the issue of a recliner. From what I have been reading, most everyone is using one post-op. We have one, manual, about 30 years old… it’s definitely not going to do… we need to upgrade to power. We currently have a sofa and loveseat in the family room. My husband is well over 6’ so he commandeers the sofa, while I take the loveseat. The new recliner will replace the loveseat. So off we went to find one. Geeze… the choices! 3 days of looking, and we’ve finally decided… almost. Now the issue is… do we get another loveseat (both sides recline) to replace the loveseat, or do we just get an oversized recliner? We can always get the matching sofa at a later date. What a dilemma to have! It’s been 4 days, we’re ordering it tomorrow, and still don’t know what we’re getting. I’m going to ponder it today, and, believe-it-or-not, the decision will be based on my fur baby, Lucy. Is there room on the recliner for her to sleep with me? … or do I want her curled up on the extra seat of the loveseat, where she will more than likely stay (and watch over me) all night? All these decisions are still keeping my mind off the Big Day.

Other preparations include…
- Making sure the extra rolls of toilet paper are within MY reach. Right now I use BBQ tongs to get them down, as they’re kept on the closest shelf to the ceiling.
- Painting the accent wall in the family room. I’ve wanted to do this for a year now, and since I’ll be staring at it for longer than usual, it makes sense that now is the time to get that done.
- Teaching my husband the fine art of laundry. Lesson 1 today.
- Writing down all my Usernames and Passwords. If you’re anything like me – that could take 6 weeks itself!
- Keep my address book handy. Christmas is a very busy time for us with the business, so I haven’t sent cards in several years. I just may have enough time to get them out this year!

I’m sure there will be many more “To Do’s” as the time draws near, but until then I’m just keeping myself busy, busy, busy.

Good luck to those currently on the journey… and those who will be joining them soon! ^--^

Got the call today, and I am scheduled for pre-op tests on Monday, October 28th, with surgery on Tuesday, October 29th. Lots to do before then to prepare... mainly making sure everything is set for Don to run the business by himself for awhile. He's going to miss me, and I'm sure he'll be pushing for my speedy recovery, and having me do some work from home.

Not really thinking about the surgery at this point. It is unavoidable... so I'll just keep myself busy until the time comes. ^--^