Jimene's Journal

2 years ago today I was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm 6.3cm and growing!!! was a whirlwind of tests and not knowing what was going to happen was sent to heart and vascular center in Madisonville Ky and had a heart cath done, and that night had 2 strokes, that delayed any possible surgery for several weeks but I had my first open heart surgery Dec 27,2013 and then was diagnosed with aortic valve prolapse about a year later and had to have another open heart surgery in Feb 2015. Now, 9 months later, I have my diabetes under control through diet and exercise and medicines A1C is 5.9 my blood pressure stays about 110/66 and my INR stays close to the 3.0 mark we are shooting for I now can walk for almost 6 miles before getting too tired and am trying to go back to work finally so it can be done just stay with it and don't ever give up :)

hey guys, it has been almost 9 months since my second OHS (Feb 4,2015) and am doing very well now, just wanted to check in and update everyone and see if maybe anyone else is having issues with kidney problems?? I had been diagnosed CKD secondary to diabetes before my aneurysm was discovered in2013. I was already a stage 2 when it was first diagnosed in Nov 2011, it stayed that until after my second OHS in Feb this year, when it went to a 67% (still considered a stage 2) but in Sept it was found that my function had dropped to 55%. wondering if anyone else is having issues with kidney function lowering after surgery??? or if I may have something else going on. I go for a colonoscopy in Nov, but am trying to figure out if there are others out there going through the same thing. Thanks ya'll :)

well here it is day 30 and while feel ok, this time around I am feeling very tired a lot and shaky while walking, unlike the first OHS in which I felt great, had bounds of energy and by day 30 was walking 30 - 40 minutes on the treadmill (yes I was pushing it) this time has had a lot of pain , yes last time I had pain, but I could tolerate it better the surgeries were only 13 months apart so I don't really think age plays much of a role in this dr says my body is struggling to adjust to healing since there was so much scar tissue to go through and struggling to regulate the blood levels will also "wear down a person" Just wondering if anyone else has encountered the same issues

today is day 17 since surgery, I have been feeling a little tired over last few days been walking on treadmill in 5 minute increments 4 or 5 times a day This surgery has brought a lot more pain with it than the first one did and am frustrated at that, but I am so glad to have it done and ready to move on also wanted to give kudos to the home health team serving here in Muhlenberg county Kentucky We have been snowed in for last few days and on this past Wednesday, my home health nurse Scott, and his boss Darla not only got out in this horrible weather, but he WALKED over a 1/10th of a mile in temps below zero and a wind chill of MINUS 11!!!! just to get a blood draw for me I am just hoping they don't get sick from having to be out in this My INR's have been bouncing around between 2.2 and 2.93 with the last one being a 2.59 as I recall my aunt had the same issues leveling her Coumadin out, but even that hassle is worth it for having this valve

well as I sit here (at home) 13 days after surgery today is quiet Yesterday was my 45th birthday, some of my friends made me a cake :) we are snowed in here so home health has not been able to get here for my INR testing but hopefully all is well with my blood and maybe they can get out tomorrow wishing everyone on the upcoming surgery listing well wishes and quick recovery :)

thank you all for the support wishes, and prayers. My surgery was feb 4, I was released yesterday(wed) to go home and start the regimen to new hearth health (again) my surgery went well, but did take a little longer than expected as the scar tissue from the OHS in Dec 2013 was apparently very "tough" to get through. I had to stay only 6 days in hospital this time and that was mainly to regulate my inr I only had one night/day that was really bad with vomiting and pain, but it was not any thing particular with the heart surgery itself, more my diabetes than anything :) this surgery is not fun but it is very manageable, my best advice for everyone.....no one else can make this happen for you BUT there is help and support out there, ACCEPT IT. one of my biggest problems in life is that I wouldn't ask anyone for help. and I struggled now I see there is no reason to not ask for help when you need it or accept it when offered I will be turning 45 years old on Feb 16th (Monday) and this is not my second chance its actually my second chance of that second chance This time I have been completely different, following advice, asking for help and especially opening up my emotions to my new heart family the outpouring of support has been amazing and helpful beyond words still moving slow but I feel so much better already thanks so much and wishing continued success for those through surgery and best wishes and prayers for all about to take on this endeavor

Will be leaving late tonight heading to Louisville for the fun-filled day of pre-op on Tues. surgery at 5:00 Wed Wanted to say thanks again to all my heart brothers and sisters on here for the wishes and support. I will update as soon as I am able :)

a couple of days ago, I posted about how lonely this journey will be/feel. So many of you from this heart community have jumped right in, been answering my questions, and offering an ear if needed, this has meant so much to me and I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you. The surgery isn't a major worry to me (of course I worry, but not as much as the first time around) the thing I had most dreaded was simply the loneliness and depression that will follow. Knowing my heart family is here for me and can help by sharing their own experiences has helped me to realize, the first surgery was so lonely and depressing since it has been only in the last month that I have found someone else who actually has had ohs, and understood exactly what I was describing. I am proud of myself for following through with continuing to ask the dr's about the results until finally they did the TEE and discovered "why" I was still feeling so bad and that it wasn't just in my head Especially since I have never been the type to go to dr. THANKS AGAIN Y'ALL 4 days from now I will leave to go up for pre-op vaunting down :)

well one week from tomorrow I will be having my 2nd OHS in just over 13 months, and it occurred to me how lonely this journey will be. I have a twin sister who lives less than 4 miles away and is on facebook, has my address and phone, yet never bothered to call me or even send me a card, much less visit :( during or after the first surgery. I don't have much family left (a brother whom doesn't speak to me, my twin who is a busy nurse, a few nephews and an aunt and cousins) no one really close. My friend took care of me the first time around and has helped me through this year, weathered all the depression and the diagnosis' that have came my way. I had an outpouring of support from high school friends that I haven't seen in 20 years....... but not much from blood relatives :( This time around it will be just me. I spend my time not preparing for the surgery, as I have full faith in my surgeon, but instead preparing myself for the loneliness of the hospital stay and the idea that all this is happening right before my birthday Just feeling overwhelmed today. Thankful to read all the success stories on the site

Ok found out on the 20th that we will be proceeding with the second OHS on February 4th. The first one was to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm of 6.7cm, which the surgeon said had began to leak. During that surgery he repaired what appeared to be a "healthy" aortic valve. At the beginning of recovery, I felt GREAT, then about 6 weeks post op , the symptoms began, feeling tired ,hard to breath, heaviness in legs, etc..... after several echoes and a T.E.E it was discovered my aortic valve had prolapsed and was considered to be severe. This OHS will come to fruition just 12 short days before my 45th birthday but I am so ready to get this done and hope this AVR will be the last OHS I will ever need.

two weeks from today, I will be in Louisville to see my surgeon and he will let me know if he wants to do the aortic valve replacement or if we wait. my surgery for ascending aortic aneurysm repair with aortic valve repair was done dec 27, 2013 and went very well. Recovery went well, and then about 4 weeks after surgery , I began feeling tired and out of breath when I tried walking. on dec 17, 2014, I had a T.E.E done and was found to have aortic prolapse, and being told surgery will be needed again. Am hoping he will decide to do the surgery soon as I am ready to get back into the full swing of things again :) The best advice I can give.....FOLLOW your doctors orders, push but don't overdo it, and above all, DO NOT IGNORE the symptoms your body is showing you, it could save your life :)

hello all, my name is Jimene , at 43years old it was discovered that I had a 6.3cm ascending aortic aneurysm in November, then after my heart cath, I had 2 strokes which postponed my surgery for a few weeks.December (2013) I had my surgeryand everything went great. I got out of the hospital on the 4th day and was doing ok I thought. wound healed fine, I started walking some on treadmill, then after about a month, I always seemed to have a weighted feeling in my legs, shortness of breath and felt dizzy a lot again. I have had countless echo's and ct's done over this last year, and it was discovered that my aortic valve is prolapsed and now is considered severe. I am told it will require surgery again "soon". When I had my aneurysm repaired, the surgeon did a valve sparing procedure, which worked for awhile, but now seems to be stretching out again or something. Wondering if anyone else has ever been through anything similar?