Elaine's Posts

If someone had told me I would feel this good and be already doing this much, I would have felt a lot better about open heart surgery. You who are barely out OR those who haven't started the process....you can do this! Don't worry too much and just take each day as it comes. Started back to work (I do work out of my house which makes it much easier). My husband and I picked up Grayson, our 2 year old grandson after his nap at daycare and he spent the night. Our routine had been having him at our house all day each Friday, but I am not ready for that yet. It was not easy since I can't lift him, but we had so much fun. We dropped him off at home Sat. We then met friends for brunch and it was the first time I have gone out to eat since surgery. Felt good to dress up and had a great time. Started to snow a bit which made it extra nice to come back for a nap.....so needed after playing with a two year old for almost a day. Today going with my daughter to the Broadway Series here. Kinky Boots is playing and I told her before surgery to find a friend to take. She told me she never doubted I would be up for going, so here we go. We enjoy these shows so much. My husband's gift is NOT to go. Tomorrow I go to the surgeon's to get the 2 or 3 stitches out where the chest tube was. Most of the large cut has healed, though still tender to the touch. It's still hard to sleep on my side, but getting easier. Cardiac Rehab is great and feeling more confident as I work out. I am contemplating trying to go on a plant based diet for awhile. As much as I love my sweets, it won't be easy, but I am thinking best to help my heart heal and take good care of this valve. I'll let you know how that goes! It will take me a couple of weeks to plan and shop and eat the "good stuff" we have in the freezer and fridge.

They are pushing me at rehab and I am glad. I walked 5 miles and was on the recumbent bike for 15 minutes. I even lifted 3 pound weights----far cry from before, but it's a start. Heart reacted as expected--just like new! I am monitored every minute I am there and as I watch all the patients with such damaged hearts from heart attacks, I feel grateful I just had to replace a valve. I had my rental recliner picked up last night. It was a great comfort those first few nights at home when Sleeping in the bed was not happening! One thing that has been my most used item is the back massager we got a few years ago at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It has two settings...rolling and Shiatsu. The heating mechanism in there is priceless! I had no idea how much my back and shoulders would be hurting. Don't know if I am overcompensating for not using arms and chest or if having to sleep on my back only without moving. Either way, I am an old woman when I get out of bed and this massager does the trick. Highly recommend you get it and keep it handy. I wake up almost every night around 2:30 to get the kinks out before I get back in bed. All in all I am feeling pretty darn well. I plan to start back to work on the 6th. Looking forward to the routine, but will definitely schedule for my 3 day a week rehab and daily walks.

Two weeks to the day after my first surgery, I arrived at cardiac rehab. This place was bustling with smiling faces of patients, nurses, and support team. After check-in, I had my weigh in (wait a minute---without the water pills, those three pounds plus a day I was losing are slowly coming back! Oh well, fun while it lasted.) I was hooked up to monitors similar to the box I had in the hospital. They took my history, measurements, and overall evaluation of well being. I have had no feelings of depression yet, but it sure is nice to know help is there if I need it. They assessed my fall risk and then I did a 6 minute walk around the track. One nurse was with me and another was monitoring every heartbeat and my blood pressure. I don't know about the rest of you, but i was a little nervous to put this valve to the test the first time. I also was wondering if that large blood clot I had before the second surgery had done any damage to my heart. Everything went great. They said my heart had responded perfectly and no damage. Valve doing what it was supposed to do.