Crystal's Journal

Can I get any recipes for a low vitamin k diet? I see the oils to avoid in EVERYTHING. A normal grocery store trip takes 2 hrs so I can read each and every label for the items to avoid.

Well, I am 8 mos out of bicuspid aortic valve stenosis repair. My St. Judes valve clicks away the time. Sometimes at night I hear it. It might be annoying at times but relieving all the same, without it I would not be here. I had to go to the cardiologist the other day. My heart rate has been 100bpm while doing nothing. I was put back on Metropol 12.5 mg once a day. I feel so much better. I was in workout mode all the time with my heart beating fast all of the time. Wearing a FITBIT has helped me keep track of my heart rate and track it even while sleeping. The dr. was pleased with having a record to refer to along with my blood pressure recording that I do 2x a day for reference. For those with the opportunity.. please participate in the CARDIAC REHABILITATION . I was without insurance soon after my open heart surgery and once I received insurance again it was 4 mos post-op. My new insurance stated they did not pay/cover cardiac rehab if it was not within 3 mos of the surgery! My dr has said my heart is unconditioned. That means I am in worse physical shape after my new valve than I was before my surgery. It has been so hot this summer that I did not walk outside. I have found that walking in the house is where I need to start. He said 5 mins walking, 5 mins resting then back to walking. Keep at it until I can get my heart back into shape again. Now that I am taking Metropol again I can exert energy without feeling my heart was going to pound out of my chest.

I read some of these entries and desperately wish I had found this blog sooner. Before my surgery would have been extremely helpful to me and now I hope to be helpful to others. I found it was much easier to sleep on a wedge. I purchased it at my local Walmart. The wedge keeps you elevated and sleeping on your back. If you prop pillows under each arm it helps to keep your sternum in place too. Laying on your side is not an option for now, and breathing is easier in that position also. I wish I had brought it with me to the hospital. I noticed a lot of PRESSURE after surgery. Not so much PAIN just chest pressure especially when I tried to lay down and sleep. I stayed in a recliner if it wasn't night time. I also used a neck pillow to give me some comfort to just lean my head over. I discovered after a few days I was very bloted and everything was swollen in my chest and abdomin. I requested some medicine and they gave me SIMITHECONE, two doses. That made all the difference. My heart finally had room to beat properly again. I was experiencing a very slow heart beat after my AVR and they had scheduled a pace maker to be placed. That just made me so upset! I had gone in for a mechanical valve replacement and sure didn't want anything else going on. This was all 30 days of a shock as it was. I had no prior notice of my congenital bicuspid heart valve issue until pcp ordered me to see a cardiologist for my heart murmur I had known about my whole life. No one had told me anything about it. If you know someone..anyone with a heart murmur,tell them to get it documented and checked out. It may not be an innocent murmur.

I am 12 weeks post op surgery as of today. My insurance doesn't pay for cardiac rehabilitation for me so I am wondering what I could be doing to help myself get healthier. I am still not working but hope to be back at it by July. I stacked approximately 500 bricks the other day and it felt wonderful doing it. Now the next day is a different story. I felt like I had worked the muscles , especially the back and gluteus maxims. Tylenol helped me get through that day. One good hard day then a day of rest. My stamina is still lacking. My head thoroughly enjoyed being productive. I am used to trimming trees,mowing the yard, and rock scaping our one acre yard. I miss working hard and feeling productive. I'm still nervous when I feel anything in the chest area. I'll be glad when all I feel is my Big Toe.