Joseph's Posts

Update on progress, in the last few weeks I had my final post surgeon followup, handoff to cardiologist for monitoring, and just started rehab. Surgeon reviewed my x-rays and was very happy with progress. Overall both valves sounded good. I hadn't realized that the mitral valve repair, also used a sewn in ring, but difference from the aortic valve, is the heart grows over the ring as it heals. I also had my staples removed (slight 35 stings) and have an official zipper scar! Interesting change from last time (glued incision), the overall scar was much less thick and bumpy (keloids), so although the staples leave a "zipper track", the incision is much smoother. (Right after surgery the staple incision is much worse looking, with blood clots and inflammation). One other item of note, once home, I broke out in a severe rash and hives everywhere that had skin broken (incision, chest tubes, IV punctures etc). Nurses think it was either reaction to Dove soap or some residual detergent in my clothes. Hydrocortisone cream, Aleve oatmeal baby soap and Benadryl were recommend to help clear things up. Cardiologist did some adjustments of meds and kept me on blood pressure medicine for an additional 90 days. Sleep is still an issue, with waking up and having trouble falling back to sleep. 1-2 Short naps throughout the day are still the norm (at least until I am back to work). For new patients, a couple of things that I went through, that doctor said were normal. I continued to lose weight the first few weeks then started to put it back on. I also experienced low grade fever (1-1.5 deg on and off for several weeks). Overall, energy is coming back, and very happy with results. (And mostly sticking to the recommended diet!)

Hospital Stay Part 2: I was in a brand new hospital, which was designed to be much quieter for patients (definitely something I noticed over last stay). I still recommend ear plugs and eye masks for anyone staying overnight, once you do fall asleep, noise and lights jar you awake too often. I brought ebooks with me versus physical books as well as earbuds to listen to music on phone. I found that I read and listened to music more than watched the TV in the room. That is personal preference, but you want to have some choices to distract you post surgery. Have a blanket handy. I did notice both in and after leaving the hospital, that I would have cold and hot temp swings (most likely due to various meds), having the warm blanket during the cold periods helped a lot. I cant say enough positives about the Penn Hospital staff. I had a tag team of nurses, PTs, dietitians, as well as the covering physician and my surgeon (Dr. Lawrence) checking in and monitoring me. All were not only knowledgable and professional but very friendly and would go out of their way to make the stay less clinical. Dr. Lawrence did an incredible job on the double valve operation. Not only replacing the aortic valve and setting me up for a future TAVR replacement, she was able to repair the mitral valve rather then replacing it. (PS The catering team was especially accommodating with extra deserts when asked!)