Carol's Journal

It's been one month and 2 days  since my aortic valve replacement via trans catheter(TAVR). I have gone to cardio rehab 7 times. Since I also received a pacemaker, I have not used any weights during my exercise. I am getting use to being on Plavex for 6 months and baby aspirin for life. I have more energy, sleep better, and overall feel better than I have in a long time. My daughter commented, " Mom, you are back to your old self!"  On a sad note, my 102 year old mother in law passed away 2 weeks after my surgery. With the help of my daughter and her fiancé and friends we were able to plan and have the out of town funeral and move everything out of her assisted living apartment. February 2022 will be a time to remember. I am able to spend a little time in AZ. I walked with friend in the sunshine and I could keep up with her and not be out of breath. Truly a miracle. Thank you, Jesus.  I'm now looking forward to my daughter and fiancé's wedding in Vail, CO this summer.

Thank you for all your prayers before, during, and after my aortic valve replacement and pacemaker surgeries at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. I've had a quick recovery. It's an absolute miracle. Thank you Jesus. Since I now have the pacemaker I cannot lift more than a gallon of milk and could not drive for 10 days. I'm now driving, walking around the block and start Cardio Rehab. tomorrow! Yea! My daughter and her fiancé from Denver continue to stay at my house as Doug's 102 year old mother, Ruth is now in hospice and I need their support and help.

It's me, Carol! Meredith drove me home from Mayo Rochester on Wednesday. Hard to believe I was in the hospital for only 24 hours! I had a little bit of a bump in the the road on Thursday when I felt "a little off", went to Urgent Care for an EKG. We then contacted the Pacemaker nurse at Mayo and figure out that the way I felt was ok. We were relieved. I do know I cannot drink my usual coffee! !I've been eating healthy with Luke, Meredith's boyfriend cooking wonderful meals for us. I walk around the house, rest a lot and sleep like a baby at night. I can really hear and feel my heart beat. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers before, during and after surgery. What wonderful family and friends! The Lord was with me during this surgery. I could not have done this without my faith and trust in God. I put it all in His hands. I now praise and thank HIm.

Mom was discharged from the hospital around noon today. We decided to stay at the hotel across the street tonight just to be safe and to catch up on some sleep. She has been resting most of the afternoon but is pretty much back to normal besides the restrictions for movement with some of her incisions. We plan to head home tomorrow. Again, thanks for the continued prayers as mom recovers!

The pacemaker placement was a success and mom got back to the room around 330pm! Nurses said she is doing great and everything went well. She wasn't put fully under so was pretty much back to her normal self by the time she got to the room! The area where they placed the pacemaker is pretty achey since they had to cut into her muscle, but otherwise she is not in any pain. She will have a few more tests done this evening and then tomorrow morning. If everything checks out she will be discharged to go home! Thanks for your continued prayers!

Hey everyone! Meredith here, giving an update. We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 this morning and were immediately taken to the hospital room where she will be staying tonight. She was able to get changed and prepped for surgery in here and they are letting me stay in here all day, instead of waiting in various waiting rooms. She left for surgery around 6:45am. Around 10, a NP came to let me know the surgery went well and that mom was already commenting on how her breathing had improved already! They kept her in the post-surgery area for awhile to monitor her heart rhythm as it had some gaps it in during surgery. The gaps didn't improve, so the doctors decided it would be best to put a pacemaker in. We knew going into this surgery that there was a higher chance this could happen since her original valve was bicuspid. She was taken in for the pacemaker placement surgery around 12 and I am now waiting to hear from the doctors once that is complete. Thanks for all of your continued prayers! I will post again later tonight.

My specimen/COVID test was negative today so we are officially "a go" for surgery tomorrow at 5:30 AM! I realized I put a lot of details about this surgery in the "MY STORY" section of this site. You can navigate there for more information, but the synopsis is that my anatomy makes me a candidate for the non-invasive TAVR (Trans catheter Aortic Valve Replacement) surgery. This surgery will require less recovery time so I can get back to doing the things I love sooner. Meredith's fiance, Luke and their dog Artemis arrived in Rochester this afternoon after driving from Denver this weekend. It is so nice to have them here to be with Meredith and support me!

We arrived in Rochester last night. Meredith is with me. Yea! So nice that her job has allowed her to work remote. Today I need to get the usual blood tests before the big day tomorrow. Earlier in the week when I had all the tests: echo, electrocardiogram, CT angio chest scan, etc. we stayed near the Gonda Building. Both of us did ok as we made our way through the appointments. However last night as we were checking in to our hotel near St. Mary's Hospital we had a difficult time remembering back to Feb. 2018 when we were at the same hotel and same hospital for my husband, Doug's biopsy and diagnosis of a brain tumor. We miss him everyday. Friday night at dusk Meredith looked out the window and there in my white pine tree (which Doug planted) was an owl! Maybe this was a sign that Doug was and is still with me .....looking down from heaven. I know the Lord is with me every step of the way as he guides the medical team.

So it has now been 3 years since my surgery! Hard to believe! Dr. Kevin Greason at Mayo in Rochester, MN was able to repair my ascending aortic aneurysm and save my bicuspid aortic valve. I continue to feel great and go to my 6 month appointments with my cardiologist where I get an echo yearly so they can check my valve. The repair of the aneurysm helped my valve work better but I know that in 7-12 years I will have to have my BAV replaced and hopefully it will be the TAVR. My 92 year old mom, Phyllis had the TAVR procedure back in Dec. 2014. She did very well with the procedure. She had a stroke in Aug. 2015. She had a nice recovery and we moved her to a care center which she enjoyed. She ended up having some problems with her pancreas, we brought Hospice into the center and she passed away peacefully in Aug. 2016. Through my many contacts, I hear about others who are needing open heart surgery. I always love to listen, direct people to this Web site and share my experiences. Remember that knowledge is power!

To my Family, Friends, and HVS Friends, It is hard to believe that on Oct. 8, 2013 I had my successful open heart surgery to repair my ascending aortic aneurysm. Dr. Kevin Greason, my surgeon and the rest of the team at Mayo- St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN were wonderful. I am feeling great and doing well. Another one of my cousins was diagnosed with the same thing and had the same surgery at Mayo in June of this year and is also doing well. My 91 year old mom had The TAVR procedure last Dec. She did have a stroke a few months ago and is now in rehab. Thanks to everyone who supported me through this journey. I'm thinking of all the new HVS community members who are awaiting their surgery. Remember that knowledge is powerful. Feel free to read my journal.

My mom had successful TAVR procedure/surgery. The procedure lasted 30 minutes. She was in the operating room much longer when they realized there was no pulse in her ankle. They found a blood clot in her leg, removed the clot and were able to put 2 stents in the artery. I took her home yesterday(Sunday) She can now talk without being out of breath and can walk without getting out of breath. It's amazing.

On Thursday, Dec. 18 my mom will have the TAVR( transcatheter aortic valve replacement) surgery. She is in good health for her age and her doctor thinks she is a good candidate. She could not handle OHS at her age. She was there for me when I had my heart surgery last year and now I'm there for her. Please keep her in your prayers.

Just an update about my family. My mom was diagnosed 2 months ago with heart valve issues. She is at the age where OHS is not an option, but since she is in overall good health, the doctors approved her for the TAVR procedure/surgery to replace her aortic valve. Please keep her in your prayers. Is there anyone out there who has had the TAVR procedure done? If so, what are your thoughts/ suggestions? With a heavy heart I share with all of you that I attend my cousin's funeral last week. We were both diagnosed 6 years ago with an aortic aneurysm. Both of us were monitored by our respective cardiologist. I had successful surgery Oct. 2013. My cousin's aneurysm was at 4.7cm for several years. Last week she collapsed with a dissection of the aorta and died as they were prepping her for surgery. I guess the AAA grew very quickly. To think... that she was scheduled for a CT scan this week! So sad! I am so thankful that I could give support to her immediate family at her funeral in Wisconsin. So, so sad. As Thanksgiving approaches I give thanks to God for my successful surgery.

Hello family, friends and HVS friends, Today is my 1st Year Anniversary of my repair of my ascending aortic aneurysm and the saving of my bicuspid aortic valve at the Mayo Clinic - St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. Today as I was walking around the block and watching the leaves fall, it really took me back to a year ago. I reread my journal entry of Oct. 7, 2013, the night before surgery where the title was: "Let's Light this Candle" - after knowing about my condition for 5 years I am so glad that I finally had the surgery. I want to thank my family and friends for praying for me and helping me before, during and after surgery. I could not have done it without all of you. My husband, Doug and my daughter, Meredith were there every step of the way, as well as my mom and brother. Thanks to Adam Pick and my friends here on this website. I even made Adam Pick's "Featured Patient" for several weeks! This website was/is very helpful for information and support. My journaling really helped to keep me calm. The Mayo surgeon, Dr. Kevin Greason and his team were the best. ( I think all patients feel that way about their surgeon!) For everyone preparing for surgery you are welcome to read my journal entires for guidance. In closing I would like to thank the Lord for giving me another year on this earth. He has guided me and protected me. The Bible passage that has guided me: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 2:5,6.

Check out my latest photo under "my photos" My daughter, her friend, my friend and I walked in the 3 mile Central Iowa Heart Walk today to raise money for research. It was great to see so many people walking. It's now been 8 1/2 months since my surgery and I'm doing great!

Wow! It is hard to believe it has been 6 months since my surgery. I feel so blessed that I survived 5 years knowing about the future surgery for my aortic aneurysm, planning for the surgery, having the surgery, and recovering from the surgery. I am so glad that I decided to have my surgery at Mayo Clinic- St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Mn- one of the top 2 places in the country for heart surgery- specifically repair of aortic aneurysms. My surgeon, Dr. Kevin Greason and his team were exceptional. I was so glad that they were able to save my bicuspid aortic valve for another 15-20 years and that the repair of my AAA helped my valve work better! I have been doing great in my recovery. I am now back to swimming laps, working out with my trainer using weights and gradually increasing the pounds, trying to walk everyday and climbing 3 flights of stairs with ease! It's a miracle! I do find that I still get some upper body tightness and soreness when I DO NOT stretch or use light weights for my upper body EVERYDAY. I will have to be careful this summer when I am at the pool that I use plenty of sunblock and cover the scar so I don't get a sunburn and/or get keloid. It is amazing how much more energy I have now. Not only did the surgery help with that, but they also took me off the beta blocker which I had to take for the aneurysm for the last 5 years. My husband calls me the energizer bunny! I could not have made it through this part of my life without my strong faith, trust in God, and the great support of my family and friends. To all my HVJ friends: thank you for being there. We all needed to cheer each other on!! To future HVJ patients: you will make it through this challenging time in your life.

Fellow HVJ Women: Remember to wear your GO RED dress heart pin from the American Heart Ass'n or just wear RED today! It's been 4 months since my surgery! Time passes quickly. I'm doing great but I do notice when I do too much upper body exercising. I then have to back off. I have enjoyed the warm AZ weather where I can walk outside everyday. I'll soon be back to the reality of the cold IA weather. Glad to hear all my HVJ friends are doing well. I'm always here for future HVJ patients who might need encouragement.

Happy New Year to all my friends in this community, friends and family. What a year this has been! We were able to see our daughter graduate from Univeristy of Denver in June and soon after get her 1st job! Not long after that I found out I needed surgery and had my aneurysm repair surgery on Oct. 8. I've been recovering ever since. We had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. (I will try to post a recent photo.) I have recovered and will return tommorrow to my trainer, Robin for 2X a week training sessions and return to my power water aerobics classes(I will probably just do my own thing for awhile!) I also plan to start tommorrow on the new Weight Watchers Simple Start Plan. At the end of January I plan to go to our AZ home for a month and enjoy the warmer climate. I have so much more energy now than I had over the last 5+ years! I wish I would have had this much energy when I was teaching! As I sign off I will add my favorite Bible passage which I put in "My Story" back in September, 2013 and said many times in the last 4 months. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Prov. 3:5,6 God is good!

My Mayo Clinic surgeon, Dr. Greason called me last week to see how I was doing. He asked me if I had any chest pains(no), if I was short of breath(only when carrying a load of laundry up a flight of stairs) and if I had a good appetite(yes, probably too good) He was happy to hear I was doing so well, that my wounds were healing nicely, and that I did cardio rehab.He said that people in the long run do better with rehab. Dr. Greason said that he was bidding me au revoir! I graduated from cardio rehab last week and met my goal. I gained a lot of information and help from the cardio nurses and enjoyed talking to the other patients. I have been going to the gym and will return to working out with my trainer after Christmas. Jim J. and I have talked about the fact that we are both 80mph people. I must say that this week I feel like I am now at 80mph. Yea! I am looking forward to Christmas and spending it with all my family. My daughter, Meredith comes home on the 20th. I haven't seen her since my surgery. I can't wait to see her! My husband Doug really helped in my recovery. Also thanks again to all my friends and family and my new friends in this community for all your prayers. Onward and upward!

It is hard to believe it has been 8 weeks since my surgery. This past week I felt like I had so much more energy to exercise, shop, get the Christmas decorations up with a lot of help from Doug. I am usually an 80mph person and at 8 weeks I feel I am about at 65-70mph. It also helps that after surgery the Dr. took me off the beta blocker(which made me tired) I am still going to cardio rehab. They basically want to kick me out since I am doing so well with my heart rate, BP and resistance on the cardio machines, and weights, but said I could do a maintenance program for a week where they only check my BP 2X/session. Otherwise I am back to the Gym doing cardio and same pound weights I use at rehab. I now only take Tylenol before I go to cardio rehab or exercise at the gym. There are 3 things that Doug and I notice since surgery. I have more color in my face. My fingernails are strong and long. My toes do not get cold on cold days anymore. Amazing! I have found that when I tell people about my surgery I find out more people who have had aneurysm/valve surgery, or their aneurysm/valve is being monitored, or they have family members that had an aneurysm and didn't realize that they should be checked out also. I feel like I have returned to my profession as an educator! Always glad to hear how well everyone is doing in this community. Onward and upward!