Hello fellow heart warriors! Today I am celebrating 2 years of healthy heartbeats! I may not be on this site as often anymore, but I still carry all of you ...Read more
Hello fellow heart warriors! Today I am celebrating 2 years of healthy heartbeats! I may not be on this site as often anymore, but I still carry all of you with me in my thoughts and prayers every day. Your kind words of encouragement lighted the way through some of the darkest days of my life. I love you all!
Ana Brusso Happy anniversary Cheryl. Great to hear from you. We love ❤️ you too. 🎊🎉👍🙏
Klara Čičić Happy anniversary dear Cheryl, you have helped us also! Thank you
Janet Roberson It must have been so interesting to be a nurse and find yourself on the other side of surgery! I enjo ... Read more
Janet Roberson It must have been so interesting to be a nurse and find yourself on the other side of surgery! I enjoyed reading your poetry and hope you are still writing. I have mitral valve repair surgery on April 25. If you have a few minutes, would you please let me know what recovery was like for you? Any helpful hints? Thanks so much! And, congratulations on your two year anniversary. That's my goal, too!
Wishing all my fellow heart warriors peace - trust - faith and love this holiday season. And good health too. You are all heroes to me. Know that you are ...Read more
Wishing all my fellow heart warriors peace - trust - faith and love this holiday season. And good health too. You are all heroes to me. Know that you are loved and appreciated.
Hi everyone! I’m asking for prayers for my father. He is 77 and has known he has mitral valve prolapse since he was a young adult. He just had some tests ...Read more
Hi everyone! I’m asking for prayers for my father. He is 77 and has known he has mitral valve prolapse since he was a young adult. He just had some tests and although his regurgitation is only moderate, he is having a lot of rhythm issues - 22% of his heartbeats are PVCs. He will be having a stress test Monday as they are more concerned about a potential blockage than the valve.
Scott Kinghorn Praying the medical staff can get the PVC's under control and address the blockage. Hope you've been ... Read more
Scott Kinghorn Praying the medical staff can get the PVC's under control and address the blockage. Hope you've been doing well. Prayers to you both.
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, sending prayers for your dad, you and your family. It’s hard seeing your parents with serio ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, sending prayers for your dad, you and your family. It’s hard seeing your parents with serious medical issues. You’re probably wrapped around his finger. Sending you big hugs. ~xx~❤️
Deena Z Including Dad in my prayer tonight. Glad he has you by his side.❤️
Ana Brusso Just added your dad in my prayers and you and your family. God bless you all 🙏❤️
Patricia Dillon It is a repairable thing! It seems to get worse with age..maybe a pacemaker can help with the pvc s b ... Read more
Patricia Dillon It is a repairable thing! It seems to get worse with age..maybe a pacemaker can help with the pvc s but once it is repaired he will do much hetter!
Cheryl Mann Thanks all - dad had his pacemaker surgery yesterday and goes home today - all went well and he is al ... Read more
Cheryl Mann Thanks all - dad had his pacemaker surgery yesterday and goes home today - all went well and he is already feeling better. I appreciate you all so much!
Cheryl Mann @ scott - I am well - just always a challenge to keep consistent w my cardio. wishing you a happy ... Read more
Cheryl Mann @ scott - I am well - just always a challenge to keep consistent w my cardio. wishing you a happy and healthy holiday!
Ana Brusso Great to hear your dad is doing well after the pacemaker surgery. I’m keeping him in my prayers. Be ... Read more
Ana Brusso Great to hear your dad is doing well after the pacemaker surgery. I’m keeping him in my prayers. Be well and keep us posted with your progress. I have the same issues with exercise but do the best I can. God bless you and your dad and family
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, I’m so glad your dad is doing better! Thank you for letting us know. I’ll keep praying fo ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, I’m so glad your dad is doing better! Thank you for letting us know. I’ll keep praying for him and you! Enjoy the holidays!~❤️💚
Ana Brusso Great picture Cheryl, beautiful dog. You are fearless. I’m petrified of the open water. 😂
LOUIS MARTINEZ Hi Cheryln I am going to take your poem with me to my surgery. I love it and it expresses how I feel ... Read more
LOUIS MARTINEZ Hi Cheryln I am going to take your poem with me to my surgery. I love it and it expresses how I feel. It may help me with my anxiety before.
Kimberly Eisenhut I just went and read your poem, then printed it out and will be putting it in my binder of "special ... Read more
Kimberly Eisenhut I just went and read your poem, then printed it out and will be putting it in my binder of "special things" that are reminders of this wonderful, tearful, beautiful, painful, exciting, unpredictable existance we live. Thank you for your words and your heart
Cheryl Mann Thanks everyone. It is my happy place.
This week I celebrated the one year anniversary of my OHS for mitral valve repair. I took the day off and spent some time in reflection. I am filled with ...Read more
This week I celebrated the one year anniversary of my OHS for mitral valve repair. I took the day off and spent some time in reflection. I am filled with overwhelming gratitude for all who have walked with me on this journey- including all of you on this site. Your support and encouragement has meant the world to me. Thank you all!
Congratulations on your first year valveniverssary!
Patsy Stewart Happy 1st. Anniversary! Taking the day off and reflecting sounds wonderful! I’m so happy you’re d ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Happy 1st. Anniversary! Taking the day off and reflecting sounds wonderful! I’m so happy you’re doing well!~❤️
Susan Lynn Happy First Anniversary, Cheryl! That was a great way to celebrate. It's good to reflect on such... Read more
Susan Lynn Happy First Anniversary, Cheryl! That was a great way to celebrate. It's good to reflect on such an incredible year! It's a very reaffirming reminder of your strength and perseverance. Wishing you continued good health!
One of the early questions that I had for my cardiologist was “can I still ride rollercoasters after my surgery?” That may seem like a trivial thing, but ...Read more
One of the early questions that I had for my cardiologist was “can I still ride rollercoasters after my surgery?” That may seem like a trivial thing, but I really love them. Well today (about 8 months after my surgery), I got to ride a rollercoaster for the first time since surgery. It may seem like a small thing, but it made me really happy. It was a great way to wind down a challenging year. I wish you all peace, faith, trust and love in the year to come - and of course good health too. You all mean so much to me.
Rose Madura I'm glad you got your wish. Sometimes, we have a specific think we want to do after OHS. For me it ... Read more
Rose Madura I'm glad you got your wish. Sometimes, we have a specific think we want to do after OHS. For me it waa to climb up Clingmans Dome in the Smokies. I did it two years after surgery. Congratulations on your achievement. I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.
Cheryl Mann Thanks Rose. That hike sounds awesome!
Richard Munson Good for you. Just the word rollercoaster gets me dizzy. I bet you even let go and raised up your arm ... Read more
Richard Munson Good for you. Just the word rollercoaster gets me dizzy. I bet you even let go and raised up your arms.
Rita Savelis There was another person on this site who also loved rollercoasters (she had surgery maybe 5 or 6 yea ... Read more
Rita Savelis There was another person on this site who also loved rollercoasters (she had surgery maybe 5 or 6 years ago) and she was so happy when she could ride them again. Everyone has something they want to get back to. Enjoy the rides Cheryl!
Richard Munson As i sit here all sweaty thinking about rollercoasters i can only bet that you 2 heart warriors used ... Read more
Richard Munson As i sit here all sweaty thinking about rollercoasters i can only bet that you 2 heart warriors used to also rock the ferris wheel when it stopped in mid turn at the very top causing wimps like me to not ride them. I just took an extra eliquis to calm me down. Not really.
Ginny Turner So inspiring and encouraging, Cheryl. A great way to close out 2021! I still have Curtain Time on my ... Read more
Ginny Turner So inspiring and encouraging, Cheryl. A great way to close out 2021! I still have Curtain Time on my desk and find peace in your words. Happy New Year and many more roller coasters ahead!
Richard, I’m like you, petrified of rollercoasters. Good for you Cheryl’s, so glad you are doing ... Read more
Richard, I’m like you, petrified of rollercoasters. Good for you Cheryl’s, so glad you are doing well. God bless you
Richard Munson Ana, now that i have no beach boys concert to go to i may need to take up roller coasters. Bummed out ... Read more
Richard Munson Ana, now that i have no beach boys concert to go to i may need to take up roller coasters. Bummed out. Covid paranoia is raining on my parade. I feel so bad for anyone not having surgery as a result. Makes my grief seem minor.
Oh no Richard, I’m sorry your beach boys concert was canceled. Did they postpone or just plain can ... Read more
Oh no Richard, I’m sorry your beach boys concert was canceled. Did they postpone or just plain canceled? I feel like you about anyone not being able to get their surgeries it’s a raw deal dealt to them. You’ll get your concert even if it’s in a few months.
Hello all. Today marks 6 months since my robotic mitral valve repair. I am feeling well. I am still struggling to get consistent with my self care and exercise ...Read more
Hello all. Today marks 6 months since my robotic mitral valve repair. I am feeling well. I am still struggling to get consistent with my self care and exercise habits, but I’m doing a little better every week. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here for all of the support - it has made this process so much easier. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Lisa Balmer Happy 6 month anniversary, Cheryl, and great job! My surgery is a week from today and reading succes ... Read more
Lisa Balmer Happy 6 month anniversary, Cheryl, and great job! My surgery is a week from today and reading success stories like yours helps to keep me in a positive frame of mind. I am looking forward to being on the recovery side. Best wishes as you make progress back to where you want to be.
Scott Kinghorn Congrats on 6 months. I totally understand the struggle of being consistent with a workout routine. ... Read more
Scott Kinghorn Congrats on 6 months. I totally understand the struggle of being consistent with a workout routine.
Ginny Turner Hi Cheryl, and congratulations on your 6 month anniversary! Thank you for posting and lending encoura ... Read more
Ginny Turner Hi Cheryl, and congratulations on your 6 month anniversary! Thank you for posting and lending encouragement to those of us awaiting surgery. I just came across your poem, Curtain Time. It spoke to me, and helps to direct my focus in the coming months. Everyone says waiting is the hardest part. Just as you did, I choose peace, trust, faith and love. Wishing you well as your recovery and healing continue.
The cardiologist said my echo looked good, so I graduated from cardiac rehab this week - a couple weeks early too! I really appreciate all the information, ...Read more
The cardiologist said my echo looked good, so I graduated from cardiac rehab this week - a couple weeks early too! I really appreciate all the information, suggestions, and encouraging support from this group! Thank you all - you have made this process so much more manageable.
Congratulations Cheryl. Up to the next chapter. Be well and God bless you
Paul Rose Congratulations, my experience is it only gets better. For a good while after rehab my brain definit ... Read more
Paul Rose Congratulations, my experience is it only gets better. For a good while after rehab my brain definitely over thought any anomalies as my heart remodelled and always seemed to get to thinking of the worst possible scenario but that is long past (9 years and 1 month today but whose counting), nothing untoward happened and as my surgeon said from now on just listen to your body and it will tell you if there’s a problem and enjoy life to the fullest. So good luck and have a great future 😎
Tomorrow I have a follow-up echo. It has been 15 weeks since my robotic/minimally invasive mitral valve repair. I am feeling well and expect good news, but ...Read more
Tomorrow I have a follow-up echo. It has been 15 weeks since my robotic/minimally invasive mitral valve repair. I am feeling well and expect good news, but I must admit, I am just a little nervous.
Hi Cheryl it’s been a while but glad you’re doing well. Prayers are going for your follow up echo ... Read more
Hi Cheryl it’s been a while but glad you’re doing well. Prayers are going for your follow up echo to show nothing but healing. God bless you
Mike Dotson Sending positive thoughts your way for an A plus on your echo.
Marie Myers I know what you mean. Even after 4 years, I am still a bit nervous when I go in for my yearly echo. S ... Read more
Marie Myers I know what you mean. Even after 4 years, I am still a bit nervous when I go in for my yearly echo. So far, so good! Hoping you get a great report!
Deena Z Hope all went so very well today, Cheryl! Beat that echo looked and sounded totally different than ... Read more
Deena Z Hope all went so very well today, Cheryl! Beat that echo looked and sounded totally different than before surgery.
Cheryl Mann No results yet - they said 3-5 days for results.
Deena Z Yes! Cheryl, you went deep into your soul to turn your fear into artful and heartfelt power that oth ... Read more
Deena Z Yes! Cheryl, you went deep into your soul to turn your fear into artful and heartfelt power that others can reap from, as it released you. Nice. #Good feeling day.
Susan Lynn Congratulations, Cheryl!!! Keep on writing! You have a gift!
Deep, thank you for sharing. Be well and keep on writing as Susan Lynn says, you have a gift. God ble ... Read more
Deep, thank you for sharing. Be well and keep on writing as Susan Lynn says, you have a gift. God bless you
Well I had an unfortunate bump in the road today - I got in a little fender bender on the way to my first cardiac rehab class... needless to say, I missed ...Read more
Well I had an unfortunate bump in the road today - I got in a little fender bender on the way to my first cardiac rehab class... needless to say, I missed that appointment, and I have some car repairs coming, but at least I didn’t end up in the ER. I am fine, just a little shaken and disappointed to miss my class. :(
Dylan Kempers Cheryl, I understand your frustration, but the most important thing is that you are OK.
Rose Madura Glad you are ok. There will mr more classes to take. The car can be fixed.
Very stressful those fender benders are. So sorry you had one but glad you are ok.
Deena Z Thank goodness you weren’t injured. Six days ago a tree fell on my fairly new car and totalled it. ... Read more
Deena Z Thank goodness you weren’t injured. Six days ago a tree fell on my fairly new car and totalled it. (Obviously I was not in it!)
Oh Deena, sorry about your car but glad you weren’t in it.
Cheryl Mann Deena - oh no! Guess you are not driving for a little while either...?
Dylan Kempers Deena, I'm sorry to hear about your totaled car. The good thing is that you weren't inside it! The da ... Read more
Dylan Kempers Deena, I'm sorry to hear about your totaled car. The good thing is that you weren't inside it! The day I was discharged from surgery, I had to go back to the hospital due to an afib situation. My wife dropped me at the ER and she went to park the car. She was in a hurry and nervous, so she hit another parked car. Luckily, we have car insurance. It seems there's a correlation between MV repairs and cars! LOL
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, I’m sorry, but I’m so thankful that you didn’t get hurt. I hope you still have that big ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Cheryl, I’m sorry, but I’m so thankful that you didn’t get hurt. I hope you still have that big, beautiful smile. This will just be an added chapter to your heart recovery story. You’re going to rock rehab when you get started!
Deena Z Thanks all for the boost after my car was totaled. If I had a choice between the car or my heart bei ... Read more
Deena Z Thanks all for the boost after my car was totaled. If I had a choice between the car or my heart being messed-up, I won with my car. Cheryl, I know you must feel the same. And yes, no car for awhile. I had no idea that we are now in a car shortage-- of course, due to Covid!
Patsy Stewart Oh my, Deena! I had to scroll back up and read what happened to you. Thank goodness you weren’t in ... Read more
Patsy Stewart Oh my, Deena! I had to scroll back up and read what happened to you. Thank goodness you weren’t in your car! I had no clue there was a car shortage.
Cheryl Mann Thanks everyone. I really am doing fine. I was a tiny bit sore from slamming on the breaks/slightly ... Read more
Cheryl Mann Thanks everyone. I really am doing fine. I was a tiny bit sore from slamming on the breaks/slightly stiff neck, but no injuries. My pride and confidence were the only things truly bruised. And at least my car is not totaled... that is one upside to heart surgery - it does give you a new perspective on things, doesn’t it?
Did anyone else have to wait to start beta blockers after their surgery? My docs wanted to start them in the hospital, but my Blood pressure was too low. ...Read more
Did anyone else have to wait to start beta blockers after their surgery? My docs wanted to start them in the hospital, but my Blood pressure was too low. They want me on both a beta blocker and an ACE inhibitor, so we have to tip toe through getting them on board... I think the only thing in my power to help is to stay hydrated and keep trying to eat (most food still tastes funny). Suggestions?
David Smith Ice cream and Raisin Bran! Oh yes fruit plates did the trick as well. Lots of water too!
Jennifer Barnett Yes I was put on metoprolol a beta blocker about a week after surgery while still in hospital due to ... Read more
Jennifer Barnett Yes I was put on metoprolol a beta blocker about a week after surgery while still in hospital due to a fast heart rate. I was on aspirin and warfarin straight after surgery.
I was on these for 1.5 years and then reduced to only the warfarin which I will be on for the rest of my life.
It is usual to be on a few mediations at first until the heart settles down which can take awhile.
I found I could only eat desserts at the beginning fruits, custard, yoghurt etc and drunk quite alot of water. Eventually I got back to proper meals starting with half servings. You'll get there slowly it all just takes time.
David Smith Yeah I was extremely thirsty for the first week. I’m on Coumadin, metoprolol,,flecanide, Lipitor an ... Read more
David Smith Yeah I was extremely thirsty for the first week. I’m on Coumadin, metoprolol,,flecanide, Lipitor and a baby aspirin daily. My new cardiologist may end up taking me off or reducing the metropolol and flecanide. I think the AVR fixed the afib and errant heart rhythms.
Laura Julius I started a few days after I got home. My heart rate kept jumping to 140ish. With meds, it stays in t ... Read more
Laura Julius I started a few days after I got home. My heart rate kept jumping to 140ish. With meds, it stays in the 80ish range. It helped a ton as it was uncomfortable when it did that. They did increase my dose at one point and I take them twice a day now. My cardiologist said he will try to wean me off of them in six months.
I am so glad to have surgery done! Day of surgery went very well - felt great. Day after surgery I had a nasty drop in blood pressure and all of the meds ...Read more
I am so glad to have surgery done! Day of surgery went very well - felt great. Day after surgery I had a nasty drop in blood pressure and all of the meds they gave me pretty much knocked me out - didn’t even open my eyes unless told to for pretty much the entire day. Next day was soooo much better and my “dark day” didn’t even affect my discharge date. So glad to be home. ;)
Marie Myers Welcome to the recovery side! The pillow fort looked pretty comfortable...
Susan Lynn Wishing you continued success with your recovery, Cheryl! ❤
Well I spent all weekend hanging out with my adult children - it was wonderful to have them all home for a visit. Today I finished all the pre-op stuff - ...Read more
Well I spent all weekend hanging out with my adult children - it was wonderful to have them all home for a visit. Today I finished all the pre-op stuff - all I have left is the fancy hibicleans soap shower... I’m waiting on a couple of family members and then we’ll go for a nice dinner. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to get this party started... Many thanks to all on this site who have offered such helpful advice and encouragement. You are all wonderful people!
Michael Morrison Bon chance! Here’s to a successful surgery and quick healing and recovery
Hi Cheryl will be praying for your surgery to go very well and your recovery even better. Write when ... Read more
Hi Cheryl will be praying for your surgery to go very well and your recovery even better. Write when you can. God bless you
Susan Lynn Cheryl - Wishing you all the best tomorrow! We'll be ready to welcome you to the recovery club!!! ... Read more
Susan Lynn Cheryl - Wishing you all the best tomorrow! We'll be ready to welcome you to the recovery club!!! Enjoy the quick nap and the ice chips! Give us a shout out when you can! You've got this! ❤
Writing poetry has become my new therapy. A friend of mine suggested that I share this:
Curtain Time
My heart and mind become night.
Do I think dark thoughts; ...Read more
Writing poetry has become my new therapy. A friend of mine suggested that I share this:
Curtain Time
My heart and mind become night.
Do I think dark thoughts;
Does death stalk me;
Do I find peace and rest;
Amidst the cadence of the sterile theater?
I choose peace.
I choose the stillness of my beloved lake at dawn,
Birds quietly stirring from their slumber as the morning mist wanes.
I choose trust.
I choose trust in the maestro with his hands in my chest,
Conducting a symphony to restore the percussion of my life.
I choose faith.
I choose faith in the God who created me and guides my life,
We have more work to do.
I choose love.
I choose the love that surrounds me, waiting to exhale,
As if it starves all fear until I wake.
Let’s get started,
Let’s get started,
Let’s get started.
I choose peace;
I choose trust;
I choose faith;
I choose love;
This is my new beginning.
Ruby Hondros Your poetry is lovely. Keep writing. I had my mitral valve repair 3 months ago, fortunately a mini ... Read more
Ruby Hondros Your poetry is lovely. Keep writing. I had my mitral valve repair 3 months ago, fortunately a mini thoracotomy done by Dr Sabit Hashim in Hartford, Ct and couldn't be happier. I had considered robotic, but he felt stronger that he has better control using his own hands. My scar, which hardly visible, as it's under right breast, in the crease, is healing very well aS is the incision by groin. I am doing some cardio rehab, but have to say,,I have been very fortunate with my recovery. I feel like Ive never had it sometimes. I do listen to one HR of meditation music that I Google on my iPad to put me to sleep whenever I have mind spinning. I didn't listen to the news, I pet my dog a lot, took deep breaths, all the comforts that I needed. I had put off my surgery for at least 5 yrs as my husband passed away and so I couldn't put it off any longer. Having a very good surgeon you trust helps a great deal. I can say I am so glad now to have it behind me. I believe you will to. The ICU staff was amazing. They took very good care as I needed a blood transfusion and had a reaction to blood pressure medication I had never taken. But I was in good hands, and my surgeon was on top of it all and had no complications with the surgery. I agree with everyone that taking something to relax the night before is fine. You are in a great place with Drs who do this many times over. Trust yourself to do what feels right, which from reading your poetry is what you're doing.
John Mohr Hang in there Cheryl! You’ll do fine and be done before you know it! I found that music helped me t ... Read more
John Mohr Hang in there Cheryl! You’ll do fine and be done before you know it! I found that music helped me through my hospitalization a great deal - when I had it there we’re not visitors so the music got my mind off of things before and after surgery. Hope you can have visitors. Take care! I’ll be thinking of you!
Deena Z Love your poem and you’re ending mantra. You are stronger than you may be telling yourself!
Patsy Stewart What a beautifully written poem!! I’m thankful that you have chosen all of those things. I’m goi ... Read more
Patsy Stewart What a beautifully written poem!! I’m thankful that you have chosen all of those things. I’m going to join in and choose them as well. I will be saying lots of prayers for you. Thank you for sharing!
Victoria Baker I wish I had found this group prior to my surgery. We all share so many thoughts that we often didn' ... Read more
Victoria Baker I wish I had found this group prior to my surgery. We all share so many thoughts that we often didn't get to share until learning about this group. I thank God daily for this group. What a beautiful poem.
T minus 10 days til go time for me - I can feel the tension level rising... Any suggestions for keeping the anxiety at bay? I have a few things at work that ...Read more
T minus 10 days til go time for me - I can feel the tension level rising... Any suggestions for keeping the anxiety at bay? I have a few things at work that I need to get wrapped up before I go - between it getting harder to concentrate and my poor energy levels, I am finding it hard to get anything done...
Deena Z Been there, Cheryl. I took long walks every day to help ease my tension and took naps listening to ... Read more
Deena Z Been there, Cheryl. I took long walks every day to help ease my tension and took naps listening to podcasts. Helped! Know that the pain was well controlled, way more than I ever imagined. (Painkillers work well on me. In the ICU three Tylenol worked wonders.) You are getting your surgery at an incredibly highly ranked hospital (mayo) for cardiac surgery. The main thing to recognize is that you will be incredibly exhausted in the ICU, way more than I ever imagined. You lose a lot of blood during the surgery, so your hemoglobin is low (mine was around 8.8). It will take at least two days to not feel like you will pass out, when standing. The stuff in recovery at home is not that big of a deal, but it is a nice release to talk about it on this website. :)
Plus you look pretty young, so recovery will be faster.
I always tell myself that I had the gift of having my heart fixed, not everyone gets this gift. Godspeed.
Cheryl Mann Thank you Deena - I am looking forward to getting to the other side of this. I appreciate your encou ... Read more
Cheryl Mann Thank you Deena - I am looking forward to getting to the other side of this. I appreciate your encouragement. It really helps. (also saves my husband from a little of the whine and worry...)
Susan Killian Mine was three years ago today. I kept busy with family and getting my "recovery room" ready. Also ... Read more
Susan Killian Mine was three years ago today. I kept busy with family and getting my "recovery room" ready. Also preparing frozen meals for my husband.
Lynn Loudermilk Hi Cheryl...anxiety was bad with me and I started taking anti-anxiety meds a few months before surger ... Read more
Lynn Loudermilk Hi Cheryl...anxiety was bad with me and I started taking anti-anxiety meds a few months before surgery. Still taking them too. I hear you on the no energy prior to surgery, I wanted to get everything set too, including getting our taxes done before my March 9th date, and I did accomplish it. I also had the dog to the vet and some other stuff that I needed to get done so the hubby wouldn't be lost. It took up most of my time. Just keep your mind on other things, I know it is hard. You will do great, follow what they say. HUGS and Prayers!
Mike Dotson I used relaxed breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery before I went to bed each ... Read more
Mike Dotson I used relaxed breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery before I went to bed each night. There are many apps that help with this. I used Calm. Daily walks are great also if you are able. I still had a great deal of anxiety in the lead up, but I was able to manage it. Keep thinking about how much better it will be once you get to the other side.
Jill Boroniec One quick thing I do many times a day these days is 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold for 7 an ... Read more
Jill Boroniec One quick thing I do many times a day these days is 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold for 7 and out for 8. The nice thing is you can use it anywhere and I feel almost immediate relief. Hope it works for you too. Thinking of you!
Susan Lynn Cheryl - What you're going through right now is actually the worst part of the process! The day you ... Read more
Susan Lynn Cheryl - What you're going through right now is actually the worst part of the process! The day you check in for surgery, you will actually look forward to putting it behind you! Surgery will feel like a quick nap and it will be over. You'll be well taken care of by the nursing staff in the cardiac unit - these folks are truly committed to their professions. In fact, most people find that their post-operative discomfort, if any, is tolerable. Hang in there for a little longer - it's almost time to join the recovery club!!! You're going to do just fine!
Joseph Heinzmann Do you have favorite movies? I'm a movie lover and I watched a number of movies leading up to my surg ... Read more
Joseph Heinzmann Do you have favorite movies? I'm a movie lover and I watched a number of movies leading up to my surgery. Stuff that I had seen before and that I really liked so if I drifted away, it was easy to get back into it without losing the plot. It's easy to get distracted leading up to surgery so stuff that doesn't diminish with distraction is what may work best. (I watched all my favorite Wes Anderson movies and my favorite old films.) Also, carbs. Eat. Leading up to surgery you don't want to be reducing your available energy and I think it's common for anxiety to affect appetite, which will lower your energy and concentration. Whatever your favorite foods are, enjoy it.
It's normal to worry about your spouse. But even the most incompetent husbands can figure out how to order takeout and keep wild animals out of the house. And you'll be there to give instructions if he can't manage. Focus on yourself and don't worry about anyone else.
If you pray, pray. St. Pio said it best: Pray, hope, and don't worry. I went to Mass, spoke to my priest, and prayed with him. It helped. And don't be shy if you've been away and want to come back. Clergy doesn't care if you're lapsed and coming back with an issue. They are there to help unconditionally. We are praying for you, too.
Finally, trust. You're having a surgery that has a near 100% success rate. What is a miracle and a mystery to us is just another day at work for the surgeons and OR staff. They know what they're doing probably better or as well as we know what we do best.
I woke up after surgery with no pain or discomfort of any kind. The things I was most concerned about didn't happen. It's cliché to say, "be positive," but sometimes those clichés are spot on.
Marie Myers I listened to lots of “calm”, “acceptance” and “relaxation videos on UTube. I continued my ... Read more
Marie Myers I listened to lots of “calm”, “acceptance” and “relaxation videos on UTube. I continued my walking and yoga exercise, and I did eventually ask for some alprazolam (Xanax) so I could get a decent night’s sleep. The waiting is very hard, because your mind makes a lot of unpleasant thoughts and worries. Wishing you a peaceful wait.
Richard Munson I hugged my dog a lot , before and after getting home. Chatted a lot with my wife before until i drov ... Read more
Richard Munson I hugged my dog a lot , before and after getting home. Chatted a lot with my wife before until i drove her crazy. Nerves make me talk.
Cheryl Mann Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful suggestions! I plan to try all of them - might even use ... Read more
Cheryl Mann Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful suggestions! I plan to try all of them - might even use this thread like my own personal anti-anxiety checklist. (My dog was really happy to make the list). :)
Richard Munson Glad your dog made the list. God love them, they ask nothing in return.
Nancy Denny The anxiety over anticipation is the worst. I don’t see surgeon till 5/3. Then who knows how long ... Read more
Nancy Denny The anxiety over anticipation is the worst. I don’t see surgeon till 5/3. Then who knows how long till scheduled. Already have trouble staying asleep at night. The brain just won’t stop. May have to ask for something short term. I do like all your suggestions, will try those too!
Cheryl Mann Nancy - not sure how scheduling will go for you, but for me - They confirmed I needed surgery in Janu ... Read more
Cheryl Mann Nancy - not sure how scheduling will go for you, but for me - They confirmed I needed surgery in January - my consult at Mayo was in February- and my surgery is next week. I too had trouble sleeping in the beginning- that got better after a week or two of processing and just now I am sleeping a little less, but not as bad as it was in the beginning. Talking to a counselor helped me too. Be patient with yourself as you process this difficult news. It takes time and work.
Adam Pick Hey Cheryl, Yep. This is one of the toughest parts of the process. The "lead-up" to the surgery. Ple ... Read more
Adam Pick Hey Cheryl, Yep. This is one of the toughest parts of the process. The "lead-up" to the surgery. Please know you are doing everything right. There is nothing more or less you can do. It's just "hurry up and wait" time. That said, I'm going to post a few links to articles and videos that might help you. I hope they do. If you need anything, please let me know!
https://www.Heart-Valve-Surgery.com -- Dr. Marc Gillinov, from The Cleveland Clinic, addresses patient concerns related to fear and anxiety prior to heart va...
Patient advice for dealing with fear, anxiety and stress before open heart surgery.
Julie M Cheryl, in April 2019, I had mitral valve replacement & tricuspid repair. At 67, I had never had even ... Read more
Julie M Cheryl, in April 2019, I had mitral valve replacement & tricuspid repair. At 67, I had never had even minor surgery or a hospital stay & was always rather phobic about both... I'm a "medical minimalist" generally! I don't think there's a way to avoid apprehension and anxiety; it's natural to feel them. Mostly, I just kept up with my routine until the day arrived -- keeping yourself occupied with even mindless activities doesn't hurt. I used humor, naming my damaged valves "Squeaky and Floppy" ... Humor always helps. My faith in God helped the most. A simple decision to leave it His hands, trusting His will for me .... Yes, even if it meant I wouldn't survive. I did know -- as should you -- survival is VERY likely, and recovery, and your life will be improved. (I sure do not miss the *fatigue* that severe mitral regurgitation caused!). On the morning of my surgery, my sister could not believe how calm I was. Somehow, I had put myself on "autopilot," just accepting it needed to happen. And it did and it's good to have it behind me. You'll be glad when it's behind you, too. I feel sure you will be just fine. (I like your poem... I write poetry,too.). God bless... Jehovah Rapha... The Lord is our Healer.
A fiend of mine sent me a copy of Adam’s book when he heard I needed valve surgery. Someone had done the same for him and he wanted to pay it forward. The ...Read more
A fiend of mine sent me a copy of Adam’s book when he heard I needed valve surgery. Someone had done the same for him and he wanted to pay it forward. The book just arrived - I’m already halfway through and took a break from reading to check out this group. Very impressive! I am so thankful for such a wonderful resource!
Adam Pick Hey Cheryl, You really know how to make a guy blush. Great to hear the book is helping you! :) If ... Read more
Adam Pick Hey Cheryl, You really know how to make a guy blush. Great to hear the book is helping you! :) If you need anything, please let me know. I'm here to help!