Chris Purvis - Heart Valve Journal

Chris Smith Hi Chris. You look great! My wife wants to know if the well developed chest and abs come with the surgery!! :)

Chris Purvis Lol I wish man! But honestly working out something I love doing.

Chris Smith Your hard work has really paid off. Thanks for sharing.

Susan Lynn Chris - your incision healed beautifully. That'll really fade in the next several months. Don't forget to protect it from the sun. 😎🌞

Debbie Kelly HI Chris, You look great! It's amazing how great your incision has healed. I hope you and your family have a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Tracy Fallu Your hard work is paying off. Nothing better than getting the green light to return to lifting again.

The good the bad and the ugly 2 weeks post op

Journal posted on July 5, 2018

The Good: Thanks to my Heavenly Father I’m alive! Walking 4 miles daily. No more recliner needed for sleeping. I can drive and my lifting restriction ends today. Sneezing doesn’t hurt-my body waited 10 days before a sneeze and when it happened I totally forgot about trying to stop it. I’m out of A Fib and can hopefully stay that way. This is the longest streak of being home since my surgery ..hopefully that continues and no more hospitals. My wife has been my rock through all of this and I wouldn’t have made it without her and her support=much love Jin Purvis. My mom also played a huge role coming down for surgery in Houston and then flying back to Atlanta to take care of my kids=love you Mom! I don’t know if this is good but I still can’t cut my grass 😂 I think it’s good but my neighbors are probably getting tired of it.

The Bad: I did go into A Fib 8 days post op. That’s just part of recovery and it shouldn’t feel like a setback. I still have 2 more weeks before I can get into the pool-so I sit poolside in a shirt and a misting fan in hand to keel me cool. I love the pool and this is one of the things I truly miss especially because it’s so hot in the ATL. Still on lots of meds more now than before leaving Houston. I get car sick after a while and that’s still because of the anesthesia...it’s getting better but still ugh.

The Ugly: I’m still bruised all over even after 2 weeks but it seems to be getting better. My chest tube hole...that’s what it is-still grosses me out.

Aaron said it best. Time will heal and that is what I’m looking forward too-each and every day being better than the one before. I feel nothing but gratitude towards Dr. Lamelas, his entire team and everyone at Baylor St. Luke’s that took care of me during my there.

Prayers for everyone with upcoming surgeries and recovering!

Like | Kelly Stoll, Susan Lynn, Bill Gillam and like this

Adam Pick Great to hear Chris!!!! No doubt. Our bodies are extraordinary. Not sure you saw this... But I posted about you and the chest tubes at Facebook. In 19 ... Read more

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Kelly Stoll Congratulations!

Janet Siciak So excited for you! Congratulations. All of us are rooting for you and sending good thoughts for your recovery.

Judy Shaw That's great news, Chris.

Chris Purvis Thanks Adam! I hadn’t seen that until you shared with me. Appreciate you doing that and hopefully that helps other patients in the future with managing pain.

Willie Radl Chris did your tubes enter below your sternum or through the rib cage? Mine went through the rib cage in my right peck, and I didn't feel it at all. I guess ... Read more

Chris Purvis It was really really tight. I don’t want to look at it but my wife says it’s smaller than my incision for surgery and that site had 2-tubes configured of ... Read more

Michael Eichhorn Great news Chris! I have nerve damage on my left hand ring and pinky fingers. I thought it was from the cath but surgeon said it was from the surgery. I guess ... Read more

Chris Purvis Yea I recall you telling me that and if your surgeon says it will come back I’m sure they have seen that happen plenty of times in the past. I tell you what ... Read more

Judy Shaw For me trying to do anything with my left hand. Especially using a fork and spoon. 😅

Chris Purvis I’m actually good today can use my right hand and no bruising at all....yet.

Judy Shaw I didn't use mine for a couple of days. Pretty much back to normal. I have a small amount of bruising and some soreness.

Willie Radl Pick the one you want and that you feel most comfortable with. I had the mini sternotomy and am happy with the decision. Recovery would probably be a bit faster ... Read more

Leanne Cripps Hi Chris I think with how fast your aneurysm has changed and given the anxiety you have been having. I would be getting it fix as soon as possible as waiting ... Read more

Chris Purvis Hey Willie-if you look up Dr. Joseph Lamelas and select videos it has a few on there. But yea as long as the aneurysm isn’t into the arch he can fix the valve, ... Read more

Chris Purvis Thanks Leanne! It’s a tough call for sure...I either leave on Monday for Cleveland or June 12th for Houston. It’s a very tough decision to make!

Barbara Wood It sounds like either decision will be a good one! Glad you're guaranteed the mini incision that you wanted...let us know what you chose! ( does your wife have ... Read more

Catie B You're going to be in expert hands either way. Hope you can find a place of mental and emotional peace in a decision soon. Gratefully, these surgeries have ... Read more

Willie Radl I agree its very hard to talk with them, in my experience the easiest was to set up an appointment and do face to face, otherwise you get the PA calling you ... Read more

Rose Madura I try to sympathize with the doctors. They have tons of patients and they simply don't have the time we would like them to spend with us. On my consult, my ... Read more

Debbie Chatzky Yes it is very hard to talk to them.

Chris Purvis Aw thank you Rose! Your comment added some relief to my over anxious heart.

Anna Jones Hi Chris, can you ask the imaging center where you had the CT done to burn it to CD and send the CD to the surgeon? That is how I had to do it. Sending best wishes.

Chris Purvis Hey Anna yea they gave me a CD but since I’m in Atlanta and he is in Houston I was hoping to get it there quicker. I sent over 30 images that they could view ... Read more

Anna Jones Chris, what surgeon are you thinking of using? Which hospital in Houston will you be going to? I sent my CD to Florida via overnight mail. I mailed it at ... Read more

Chris Purvis Joseph Lamelas at Baylor in Houston. He does minimally invasive BAV and Ascending as long as it’s not past the arch in the aorta.

Anna Jones Sending best wishes, Chris. I know you have picked a superb surgeon and hospital.

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