Debbie's Journal

It has been 5 weeks since my OHS. Everyone has said I am doing great, but yesterday I woke up with some pain in my chest. It is not intolerable pain but since I have not had much pain before just being uncomfortable, I am worried. Does anyone know if this is normal? I am so worried that I have pushed myself and opened the sternum, but people say if I have opened it up I would be in excruciating pain or I would see a bulge in my chest. I just need the community to reassure me that pain is normal in recovery.
Also, I cannot sleep at night in my bed. Since I have been home I have been sleeping in my recliner. I have tried to sleep in my bed with a pillow wedge and body pillows but I cannot fall asleep. I am a side sleeper and have a lot of trouble falling asleep on my back. I have tried to sleep on my side, but my chest is not ready for that. Some advise I have received is to take Tylenol PM or Melatonin at night before bed that does help, but I still cannot sleep on my back. Has anyone else had this problem? I am not a person that likes to admit defeat, but I am getting to the point where I am thinking I am never going to get better. Am I just expecting too much too soon after 5 weeks? People heal differently, I have heard over and over again. I just need to know if anyone else has experienced the same things that I am going through right now with the chest pain and not being able to sleep. Please help!

Wow, 4 wks since bicuspid valve replacement with OHS. Everyone says I am doing great! I feel good except some discomfort when I walk around the sternum and incision area. I have no pain but just a weird feeling when I get up from a chair and walk. I have some tightness in my chest yet, but they say it is normal. What does your sternum feel like when it is healing? Does/Have anyone feel the same kind of sensation when they walk or get up from a chair?

Nineteen days since OHS. Was in the hospital for 10 days and was released 9 days ago. I am getting stronger and stronger every day. Complications after surgery was my heart would not adapt to the mechanical valve. The surgeon thought I was going to need a pacemaker, but after 3 days my heart finally woke up and decided to start working with the valve! I really have no pain, just sore shoulder and back muscles but I think it is because I have been sleeping in my recliner. I do not sleep very well only about 4 to 5 hours each night. I ordered pillows, wedge and 2 body for my bed after I returned home but they have not come through the mail yet.

I am so thankful for being home, but I just need to remember that it takes time to heal. I forget no pushing, pulling or lifting. I want to push myself because my kids and the home health nurse say that I am progressing well, but then I get tired and need to rest. I go back to see the surgeon for the first appointment on Wed. Oct. 4th.

I have just a quick question, it has been 2 1/2 weeks since OHS I feel good, but the soreness and a little tightness in the chest (sternum area). The home health nurse says this is normal, but just wondering if anyone else felt like this?

Monday is the day for my OHS ... the past couple of days I have had this weird calmness. I just can't explain what is happening. I am very anxious but oddly calm.....

I haven't posted much lately but.....the time is coming for AVR (mechanical valve) surgery on the 11th of September.

I see my surgeon on August 30th and am trying to think of questions to ask him. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what kind of questions to ask, other than the obvious...am I going to make it???

I have some questions that recovering OHS people may be able to answer for me. I am facing OHS in a month. I am very concerned about pain... re: removal of breathing tube after surgery, removal of drain tubes, and the tubes they insert in your neck. If I understand what I am facing, I can handle situations better than not knowing. I am having trouble concentrating at work, my mind just keeps going to my surgery. My job involves things that I can only do, ie: reports, etc. I do not know how my work is going to get done when I am home recuperating. I am starting to freak out and can't seem to keep my mind on tasks that need to be done before.

I had a cardio cath done on Friday, August 4th. Good news....no blockages!!!! Now forward ho....next open heart surgery on September 11th. I will be glad when this journey will end and I can start living again!

I have read on this site most of you have had minimal or TAVR procedures. I am facing open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve with a mechanical valve. Can anyone inform me how your surgeries turned out and the weeks after?

Just had my stress echo yesterday. The test showed I have a bicuspid aortic valve that I was born with (which I never knew.) The cardiologist informed me that my opening in my aortic valve is only the size of a PENCIL ERASER and it should be the size of a quarter!!! He recommends that I have a AVR (mechanical valve) with open heart surgery within the next two months. After having a routine echo done in May, now it is open heart surgery! Two different cardiologists reviewed the stress echo and both said with my age (58) OHS with mechanical valve was my best option. Going forward...............August 4th heart cath!

I went to see my family doctor on Thursday before getting my stress echo done on Tuesday the 18th. I have questions that were not answered, but maybe some of you can answer them for me. My doctor said after I get the stress echo done, it might not show the cardiologist enough information, so I may have to have a catherization. I have to travel around 125 miles to get this test done because I live in rural community. I will be driving myself to the hospital. Does anyone know if I will be able to drive myself home after the catherization?

I have been reading everyone's posts on cardio rehab....I was wondering what kind of rehab can you do after AVR if you have bad knees that won't let you do a treadmill or bicycle?

Hello....my name is Debbie and I am 58 years old. I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis with regurgitation ten years ago. It had remained mild until I had an echocardiogram in May. Now my doctor is stating it is moderate/severe. My family doctor sent me to a cardiologist and he scheduled a stress echocardiogram on July 18th. Then we are going to discuss options the same day after the test. My family Dr. has told me for years that I would be looking at a valve replacement eventually....but I did not expect it this soon. I am really beginning to worry.