Christopher's Journal

7 months post surgery, flew through Cardio rehab which was comforting to know I could get my heart rate up and not have to worry.  So grateful to Dr. Stelzer and his team, feel like I'm back to where I was before I knew I had a valve issue.  Keep ticking everybody!

4 weeks post surgery today,  started driving again and mowed the lawn with a push mower (with self propel assistance).  Probably did more than I should have, felt like I was going to puke afterwards, but felt ok after a cold shower.  Starting cardio rehab in 3 weeks. Noticed my heart rate remains high (80s-90s), but I think that is from keeping my BP low - anyone else experience this?

I'm back . As mentioned in my valve story, I postponed my mechanical valve surgery from April and went with Dr. Stelzer for a repair or Ross. Surgery was 16 days ago and it went well, a repair wasn't possible so I am now a Ross procedure patient.

For me, the waiting and wondering was the worst part up until the surgery. As I got closer to the day, just kept telling myself to trust the process.

In my preop appointment 2 days before surgery, I was told Dr. El-Hamamzy would be joining Dr. Stelzer for my surgery. I was thrilled since what's better than one world class surgeon, but two!

I was somewhat calm the day of surgery, all kinds of thoughts can pop in your head, but again just kept thinking trust the process. After laying in a pre-op room for about 90 minutes, the anesthesiologist team came in. It was all going to move fairly quickly from there. Received an iv injection to calm me and before I knew was receiving the general anesthesia, lights out.

I remember waking in ICU being intubated... this was a big fear of mine, but I was still medicated enough that I was calm and it was all a hazy memory that passed. The tube was removed and the next thing I remember was talking to my wife and Dr. Stelzer, all had gone well.

ICU was uncomfortable, I don't think it was pain from the surgery but I was hot and kept needing water. I would try and move in different positions to get comfortable but all the tubes and wires coming off me made it very difficult. I remember sleeping for 30 minutes at a time and looking at the clock on the monitor, it went so slow, I just wanted to be in step down. But after many sleeping and waking and sipping water cycles, it was time they were going to get me out of bed to a chair. Two nurses helped me to my feet, I remember grabbing the walking apparatus, coughing a couple of times, then projectile vomiting water like a geyser for about a minute. I remember thinking this is gonna hurt, but it didn't. Anyway they cleaned me up and the mess and I was finally in a chair and about to move to step down.

The hospital stay was more annoying than anything, hard to get comfortable with all the tubes, all the noises, roommate, interruptions for meds, I didn't sleep much first couple of days. But then the catheter would come out, other ivs, each day something else would come off and comfort was more achievable.

The worst thing for me was the chest tubes hanging off me, those were the 2nd to last to come off, and it was a strange feeling when they were pulling them out, not necessarily painful, just odd... like a gurgling sliding feeling in your chest.

Anyway, after the 5th day, getting the right blend of meds for BP, I was cleared to go home .  

Dr. Stelzer was great,  personally visited with me at least once a day to check in.  I have a follow up with him in a couple days. 

I have been home 6 days now and my sleep is just about normal after 4 of those days.  I have hardly any pain, been down to one or two doses of Tylenol a day. I do get fatigued randomly during the day,  2 or 3 times.  Sometimes I forget I have the healing breastbone and have to stop myself from lifting more than I should. 

I skipped a lot of the minutia of the days in the hospital, if anyone has specific questions let me know. But overall it was not as big a deal as I thought it was going to be, I'm thankful to Dr. Stelzer and Dr. El-Hamamzy and their team and the nurses at Mount Sinai. Glad to be home and ready to keep recovering!

3 weeks out from full open heart surgery, was hoping for less invasive options but at 46 years old,  I am told and understand why this is the best option for my aortic valve replacement. Not looking forward to being on blood thinners for life and would love to hear any positive stories from those that have had to be on them themselves.