Danny's Journal

  Best wishes! I am familiar with a-fib, a-flutter, cardio versions, meds & ablation. Having the MAZE procedure and left atrial clipping soon with MVR. I hated when I was in a-fib, especially extended bouts. Felt like I was going to die. Just horrible. Makes you appreciate a normal rhythm even more. Keep us posted please. What a great photo!!

Rose Madura  Danny, it's common to have Afib and Aflutter after surgery. I had it off and on for about six weeks.  Then it stopped. Mine apparently was a textbook case.  Hopefully yours will go away on its own.  God bless you. 

Dan Fouratt  I had an Aflutter event one week post surgery.  Was back in for a few days.  My Surgeon made rounds and said Aflutter is not unexpected after surgery. It is nothing to do with you but the surgery.  I then said you mean it is your fault.  Hang in their you will get it under control.  

Deena Z  Danny, disappointing, I know.  But as others have said, not uncommon.  

“Hiccups” as we sometimes call them on HVS are pretty common. I remember almost passing out in cardiac rehab, etc.  

Hope that the docs  get this under control now.  Glad they  are being so thorough!!!!  Keep us updated. 

Robert Miller  Cardioversion most likely will help with the heart rate. It might not fix Afib. You might have to go on some medicine. Amiodarone might help with afib. Metoprolol might help with heartrate but it will also lower your blood pressure which can make you dizzy. If none of this helps, you might need some further intervention. But I am confident after the cardioversion you are fine. 

Ana Kelton-Brand  Danny, so sorry you're having atrial flutter.  It's an awful experience. I was back in the hospital with AFIB 3 times in the week after HVS. I was on IV Amiodarone each time and then took oral Amiodarone for 3 months. I was also on Eliquis for 6 months.  Still on Metoprolol for heart rate.  I am one year post HVS and have not been in AFIB since those 3 episodes.  Cardiologist told me it was common after HVS and said it would go away, and fortunately it did.  Hope this is a short-term problem for you.

Danny Humphress  Update: they had me on diltiazem IV last night but my HR was still spiking to 160 at times. Added metoprolol and my rhythm converted to normal within an hour! 

Grace Mason   Sorry to hear you had to go back to hospital but glad to hear the metoprolol seems to be controlling your rhythm. Hope you are back on track for a smooth road forward in your recovery.

Deena Z  wow, Danny. You look fabulous. Welcome to recovery! Enjoy your daily strolls around the unit. I found I felt better and stronger after each one. The hardest part was just getting out of the bed!

Marie Myers  Congrats on the 5 K, but I sure wouldn’t push it with a 10K! Good to listen to your soon-to-be-caretaker…

Adam Pick  You got this Danny! You are in the best of hands with Dr. Accola and his team at AdventHealth. Please keep us updated! https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/surgeons/dr-Kevin-Accola-Orlando-Florida.php

Robert Miller  I was doing great on the elliptical 1h each day and suddenly it did go bad. You are doing the right thing taking care of it early. I wish you all the best. 

Lynne Anderson  Love this!  I'm running the Disneyland 10k and Half in 2 weeks (it will be about 9 months post AVR and aneurysm repair).  

Andrea Babcock  Going into the surgery fit is a big advantage for good outcome and recovery. This is what my husband's surgeons and doctors told us. They did not want him to wait until his heart would get weak and enlarge more etc. He worked physically and went hiking with me until 2 days before the surgery. He also had barely any symptoms, no shortness of breath etc. 3 month after we were able to take our trip to Germany and Greece that was planned long before we knew he needed 2 new heart valves. He went with mechanical valves and now at 11 month after surgery doing great. I hope the same good outcome for you!!! Sending Hugs.

Rose Madura  Danny, the countdown is on! I had a very similar surgery 7-1/2 years ago. It's no picnic in the park but doable. The odds are definitely in your favor. God bless you on this journey and please keep us posted.

Marie Myers  Similar story for me, without the decades of knowing. I was pleasantly surprised that the whole experience was not as awful/bad/painful as my worrying mind would have me believe. Godspeed!

Susan Lynn  Danny - You're ready to put this behind you! That's exactly the state of mind you should have as you approach game day. I also felt oddly calm in the days leading up to surgery and right up to the morning of my procedure. Whether it is our mind achieving acceptance or protecting us from traumatizing thoughts, I don't know, but I was grateful for it. I hope you go into your procedure with optimism and confidence - you've done your research, you've picked an accomplished surgeon, team, and facility and, as we always say, all you have to do is show up! Looking forward to welcoming you to recovery!

Deena Z  Great mindset going in. Finally as Susan said you can put this behind you, along with the worry of "when will it happen". You can only control so much in this surgery and one of the most important aspects to control is your choice of a premier surgeon for your specific heart issue and also your mindset. You have done both grandly. Afterwards, same thing happens. Make sure you remind yourself to be patient with progress; that the first couple days can be rough mostly from the utter complete exhaustion and by the time you are at discharge you will be so happy and be less exhausted.

Suzette Schear  Going in with an amazing surgeon  and acceptance and this has to be done definitely has a calming effect.  Glad you reached that point on your journey.  Best to you.

Adam Pick  Danny, I, like so many patients in our community, can completely relate to the pre-op anxiety you have experienced. It's the worst. The good news... The waiting is almost over! More good news... You are in the best of hands with Dr. Accola. I have been fortunate to know Dr. Accola and many of his patients over the years. I'll post a link below about one of Dr. Accola's patients to help ease your anxiety. You got this!

Adam Pick  https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2023/03/24/dr-accola-patient-story-small-incision/

John Isham  Danny…..I have not signed into this Forum in years but fortunately caught your pre-surgery emotions.  I had my aortic valve replaced on 1/15/2019 and I too had most of the things you have and are experiencing.  Here is my two cents……you obviously have one of the best cardiovascular surgeons in the world……so trust him, trust his entire team, keep your attitude positive, don’t complicate your mind with irrelevant BS especially regarding your surgery, if you are a believer…turn it over to your God (Higher Power) and everything will be fine.  We’ll see you in post recovery…..enjoy the anesthesia meds as you won’t feel a thing my friend!  I was on a spin bike around week 5 post surgery and I am currently 72 years old.  See you on the other side 😎👍

Nancy Manning  Hi Danny. Best of luck with your surgery.  I had AVR surgery 5 years ago at the age of 65.  The anticipation is hard, but truly, my recovery was pretty good.  I was out of the Cardiac ICU on my second day after surgery and was up and walking around that same day.  On the third day the  only pain meds I needed were extra strength Tylenol, but everyone is different. Once I was home the best thing I ever did was invest in a power recliner. I slept in that thing for six weeks.   Good luck!

Rose Madura  Hi Danny, I had a very similar situation and had my surgery at age 59.  Waking up in CICU, I still had the breathing tube in and yes, wires, a main line, drainage tubes, the whole nine yards!  Oddly, or maybe not, my first thought was, ok it's over and I made it, now what!  You will wake up and be extremely thirsty. They took the breathing tube out in probably an hour later after the pulmonologist could come in. It's all scary because it's a new experience.  But it's all doable. Yes, you have a good surgeon so that should help with your anxiety level.  Let us know if you have any other questions. Hope this helps.

Lisa Silverman  I’m 3 weeks out from my surgery and was absolutely wracked with fear and anxiety pre op about what to expect, as I think most of us are. Feel free to reach out or message me if you want support or to talk more. I have some strong memories of the ICU but you are pretty dang sedated through much of that time, and even at a few weeks out major pieces of it feel like a blip to me.

Rita Savelis  It's hard to know how your ICU experience will go. I personally had no pain (which the anasthesiologist had told me would be the case as a sternum cut does not hurt). I did have much discomfort and extreme exhaustion. The breathing tube was out before I woke up and as a patient I was less aware of all the tubing and catheters (than someone looking at me). Pain relief is managed  in ICU and a typical patient doesn't stay very long. As you go into surgery you have to give up control, trust your surgeon, trust the ICU procedures. You can not know exactly what will happen and some things will surprise you in both good and bad ways. And then you move on, and you are in a step-down room. It's a big surgery and your body and your heart will need time to recover. So you'll take it easy. It's not a race. I had double valve replacement almost 10 years ago at age 53. My valves were stenosed by radiation treatment for cancer when I was 15 and it took years to get to where I needed surgery. Surgeons are very familiar with rheumatic fever heart damage, and are becoming more familiar with radiation-damaged hearts. Wishing you the best, Danny, and don't overthink it. 

Ann T  I think everyone has different stories, but for me I was not scared while in the ICU after everything, I felt very well care for while there. 

J Alexander Lassally  Danny - I know what you mean. My day felt like a D-Day - everything was measured by it until the time 4 weeks - 3 - 2 and then 1 - then counting days!  But, it comes  --and then a new phase begins !