Dan S-otts - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

Dan S-ottsposted a photo

398 days ago

Rebecca J, Lacresia Falls, Rose Madura and 3 others reacted to this

Another weekend, another 5k in the books. Love running with my family.
💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Susan Lynn Beautiful family and photo!

Dan S-ottsposted an update

405 days ago

Pamela Gregory, Grace Mason , Rose Madura and 1 other reacted to this

14 months post OHS, my 1st 5k of 2024 Supporting Children's Hospital. Raised 250k. 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Sue Maize Wow Dan, way to go! 👊🏻💪🏻🥳 It’s so uplifting to hear stories like this because it’s ... Read more

Sue Maize Wow Dan, way to go! 👊🏻💪🏻🥳 It’s so uplifting to hear stories like this because it’s tempting to give in to the fear that I won’t be able to do the active things I love after surgery—for me that’s hiking and swimming! You’ve inspired me! ❤️‍🩹

Congratulations!! Super inspiring. Way to go! I look forward to exercising again/swimming and power ... Read more

Congratulations!! Super inspiring. Way to go! I look forward to exercising again/swimming and power walking with my husband in the future. Your success Definitely helps calm the nerves…Thanks for sharing your journey

Dan S-otts Sue and Jane, I too, early on in recovery, wondered if I had made a big mistake having surgery. Now l ... Read more

Dan S-otts Sue and Jane, I too, early on in recovery, wondered if I had made a big mistake having surgery. Now looking back it was well worth the journey.
Take Good Care! 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Hi Dan! Thank you so much!! Wishing you continued awesome health! Way to go!!💪🏻

Rose Madura Awesome! Congratulations!

Sobhan Dutta Congratulations, Dan; Very inspiring. That will be my goal someday.

Dan S-ottsposted an update

455 days ago

Isabella Heart, christine blackway reacted to this

Hey warriors, has anyone gotten a bacterial infection post surgery from having your teeth cleaned? I have taken a dose of antibiotics 1 hour prior to dental ...Read more

Hey warriors, has anyone gotten a bacterial infection post surgery from having your teeth cleaned? I have taken a dose of antibiotics 1 hour prior to dental cleanings for years. Well, 2 weeks ago I did the same. 1 day after the cleaning I had a sore gum then the pain went up the right side of my face and 2 days later my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest and my sternum was super sore, and I was becoming lethargic. (PTSD started too 😩) I was immediately put on an antibiotic regimen for 10 days and thank God I feel fantastic again now.
A bacterial infection had made its way past my Prophylaxis treatment. 😩
My point is to make sure all of us stay on top of potential risks and listen to our bodies warning signs.
Take Good Care! 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Yumiko Ishida Thank you for sharing this. Glad you are feeling better again! I used to take prophylactic antibiotic ... Read more

Yumiko Ishida Thank you for sharing this. Glad you are feeling better again! I used to take prophylactic antibiotics but then stopped when the AHA protocol changed. It looks like I need to go back to taking it. One of the many things my cardiologist has failed to mention…

J Alexander Lassally Wow. Thanks for sharing ! Was this your first cleaning post surgery? I will be extra vigilant when ti ... Read more

J Alexander Lassally Wow. Thanks for sharing ! Was this your first cleaning post surgery? I will be extra vigilant when time comes. My dentist is pretty uninformed.

Ana Brusso Dan, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Glad your infection is now gone. 🙏❤️

Dan S-otts Hey Alexander, No, it was my 2nd cleaning. The 1st one was about 7 months post surgery with no issues ... Read more

Dan S-otts Hey Alexander, No, it was my 2nd cleaning. The 1st one was about 7 months post surgery with no issues.

Christine Maiorano Hey friends , I’m a dental hygienist, getting ready for MVR repair on 4-10! REMEMBER to pre medicat ... Read more

Christine Maiorano Hey friends , I’m a dental hygienist, getting ready for MVR repair on 4-10! REMEMBER to pre medicate before your dental appointments. I’ve had so many patients forget to take their antibiotics prior to a prophy appointment…. Or simply think it wasn’t necessary!

Joyce Shelby Wow! Thank you Dan for sharing the importance of antibiotics for any dental procedure! Glad you are ... Read more

Joyce Shelby Wow! Thank you Dan for sharing the importance of antibiotics for any dental procedure! Glad you are ok!

Sue Maize I’m so glad you shared that Dan, but more glad you’ve recovered from the infection. One more reas ... Read more

Sue Maize I’m so glad you shared that Dan, but more glad you’ve recovered from the infection. One more reason why I appreciate this forum so much—we are empowering each other with what we experience. Stay well! And thank you Christine for the expert advice! ❤️🙌🏻

Grace Mason That is scary. An infection despite premedication. I'm glad you caught it and the new antibiotic regi ... Read more

Grace Mason That is scary. An infection despite premedication. I'm glad you caught it and the new antibiotic regimen helped you. Did they give you any information on how often this happens or why it might have occurred?

Jennifer Fuller Oh, that’s so scary! It’s a good reminder to all of us to act quickly if we have any issues post ... Read more

Jennifer Fuller Oh, that’s so scary! It’s a good reminder to all of us to act quickly if we have any issues post dental visit, even if we’ve taken our antibiotics as prescribed.

Dan S-ottsposted an update

465 days ago

Valerie Allen, Yumiko Ishida, Rob Nielsen and 3 others reacted to this

🎉🎈🎊 Today marks my one year Valversary for a heart valve repairs!Take Good Care! 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Rose Madura Happy Anniversary! ❤️‍🩹💪🪖

Meredith Bray Eat cake! You deserve it! :)

Paul Lebel Yay! What a journey. Congratulations!!

Grace Mason Congratulations and happy valvesary💖💐

Kathy Ozio Happy Anniversary!!🩷

Andrea Babcock Happy Valve Anniversary!! Wishing you a long Happy Life with your valve.

Dan S-ottsposted a photo

473 days ago

At a Dr’s suggestion, I’ve been using this scar tape during my recovery.

Dan S-ottsposted a photo

475 days ago

Susan Lynn, Daneen Douglas, Yumiko Ishida and 5 others reacted to this

CC ICU 2/23/23 2 days after OHS.

Susan Lynn Happy First Anniversary!!

Dan S-otts Thank You! 🎉🎈🎊

Daneen Douglas

DeWayne Adamson Looks familiar..

Dan S-ottsposted a photo

475 days ago

Window with a view 2/27/23

Kathy Ozio Hey! I was there the same time! Hard to believe it's been almost a year!

Dan S-otts Happy 1st to you too! Hope your doing well Kathy. This year flew past faster than I ever expected. � ... Read more

Dan S-otts Happy 1st to you too! Hope your doing well Kathy. This year flew past faster than I ever expected. 🎉🎈🎊

J Alexander Lassally That sign was kind of like a beacon for me. A North Star, right?!

Lyle KIMBRELL Window with a view 12/27/23. We were there too a little over a month ago. Dan, your view looks l... Read more

Lyle KIMBRELL Window with a view 12/27/23. We were there too a little over a month ago. Dan, your view looks like the view from room 12(?)

. We spent a week there including Christmas Day. Unfortunately, it does not look like winter weather typical of Cleveland (cold/rainy/cloudy) was any better for you than it was for us. Which, I might add, makes it hard to get a view of the lake from the rooftop. Happy 1 year!

Dan S-otts Hey Lyle, how’s your son doing? I think I was in Rm 8, it was across from the nurses main station. ... Read more

Dan S-otts Hey Lyle, how’s your son doing? I think I was in Rm 8, it was across from the nurses main station. My blood was a wreck after surgery for several months. Also, where are you in Virginia? We are in Hamilton in the NW.

Dan S-otts Yes Alexander, it sure was and still is a beacon of new life for me. 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Kathy Ozio You all got nice views. Haha mine was pretty much some brick walls , although the ICU seemed to hav... Read more

Kathy Ozio You all got nice views. Haha mine was pretty much some brick walls , although the ICU seemed to have a good view, but without my glasses, I couldn't really see.

Dan S-ottsposted a photo

477 days ago

Valerie Allen, Yumiko Ishida reacted to this

5 months post surgery I’m back to exercising, lifting weights and working out. I decided to own my scar and share the results of the surgery in hopes of making ...Read more

5 months post surgery I’m back to exercising, lifting weights and working out. I decided to own my scar and share the results of the surgery in hopes of making the decision easier for others. 💔❤️‍🩹❤️

Isabella Heart Wow! it looks amazing! You can barely see the scar!

Rita Savelis You might keep that scar out of the sun for the first year (or with lots of sunscreen) so that its co ... Read more

Rita Savelis You might keep that scar out of the sun for the first year (or with lots of sunscreen) so that its color will completely blend in with your skin. Otherwise it could stay pink.

Dan S-otts Hey Rita, thanks for the heads up, yes, my surgeon said the same thing. I use scar tape 100% of the t ... Read more

Dan S-otts Hey Rita, thanks for the heads up, yes, my surgeon said the same thing. I use scar tape 100% of the time. I only took it off to show the results of the surgery aren’t always terrible. I know there are many who fear the cosmetic results.

DeWayne Adamson Hoping for similar end results.

Rita Savelis Some people scar better than others.

Isabella Heart For women its a bigger deal!

Sue Maize Just posting to say I deleted my last comment. My intentions were harmless but I made an inappropriat ... Read more

Sue Maize Just posting to say I deleted my last comment. My intentions were harmless but I made an inappropriate quip about a “calendar” for our scar pics. As soon as I posted it, I had a bad feeling because our scars are personal and often a very sensitive issue. From the bottom of my heart I sincerely apologize for my misstep, and especially if it caused any bad feeling besides my own. I’m so proud to be part of this community which is nothing but supportive, and the last thing I want to do is cause harm or offence to any of you. Please forgive me. 😔

J Alexander Lassally Rocking chest. I hope mine looks that good at 6 months. I am CC also, had it 10 weeks ago! Thanks for ... Read more

J Alexander Lassally Rocking chest. I hope mine looks that good at 6 months. I am CC also, had it 10 weeks ago! Thanks for sharing !

Dan S-otts Hi Sue, I decided early on that I was going to own my scar. I’ve had so many people tell me how muc ... Read more

Dan S-otts Hi Sue, I decided early on that I was going to own my scar. I’ve had so many people tell me how much better they feel about exposing their scars after seeing me be out front with mine. Take good care!

Sue Maize I agree 100% Dan. Just to give you some context… My post was derived from an earlier post on anothe ... Read more

Sue Maize I agree 100% Dan. Just to give you some context… My post was derived from an earlier post on another person’s journal where 3 different people posted their scar pics and it was truly a celebration! We joked that we should do a calendar, and in that context it was funny but should have remained there. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful this time, I just dragged the joke out beyond its expiration and felt badly immediately afterward. I have nothing but respect and admiration for you and everyone else who makes this choice, and I only hope I’ll be as brave when my turn comes (a bit more discreetly perhaps 😅)
I appreciate your response….I was feeling pretty schmucky about it. ☹️

Dan S-otts I am planning to reach out to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation about producing a calendar of their OHS ... Read more

Dan S-otts I am planning to reach out to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation about producing a calendar of their OHS patients who would volunteer to share their chest scar pictures in a calendar as a fund raiser. We will see what happens. I know I postponed my surgery for over a year when I was told the minimally Invasive robotic surgery was not an option for me. 😢 I finally came to grips with my vanity, and the result has been mind blowing for me so far 1 year out. 🙂

Sue Maize Absolutely, why not? And good for you Dan—it’s quite a journey of acceptance I’m sure. But what ... Read more

Sue Maize Absolutely, why not? And good for you Dan—it’s quite a journey of acceptance I’m sure. But what a perfect and constant reminder of the gift of life we were all given again! 🙌🏻 And considering what the chest goes through to perform the necessary surgery, the scars heal incredibly well. The human body is incredibly resilient, these surgeons are rock stars and God’s creativity in designing us as he has is truly awe-inspiring. Very happy for you and greatly encouraged. Thank you.