Kevin's Journal

Sadly, I don't do well at updating this, so here I am. 

Yesterday, 12/18, was my 8 month "aortaversary". I'm doing very well. I've noticed that I'm a little more sensitive to cold weather now (thankfully I live in the mid-Atlantic region!) and I've tried doing push ups, but not quite comfortable with that yet. Otherwise, I'm exercising 6-7 times a week like I was prior to surgery and just enjoying life. 

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Coming up on two months post surgery. I'm continuing to progress well. If you're facing OHS, know that before you know it, you'll barely know it happened. My only symptom at this point is some tenderness in my upper right chest as I'm now doing upper body movements in cardiac rehab.

On another note, I had to miss yesterday's session for an apparent kidney stone. This is my second one although they are having a hard time finding it. I told someone at work that I'm ready for 2025 after all this!

I realized I let one month slip by and I'm a little over five weeks.  I'm doing well.  I walk about 1.7 miles per day.  I started cardiac rehab on Wednesday.  I'm a little sore, but it's a good sore!  The therapist has been impressed with my work and they are already talking about an early graduation.  

Post op appointment went well on 5/14 and I was released to do everything but heavy lifting.  I see my new GP on 5/30.  Overall, minus the scar and the occasional bit of soreness, I can barely tell I had OHS!  People keep telling me I look good, but I naturally have to wonder did I look ugly before? 

Post-op day 17 - They finally traced the horrible pain to a moderate case of pleurisy.  Treating with a short course of steroids and I felt better within a day.  I walked a mile and a half total yesterday and hope to work up to two miles total (one mile x2) by the end of this week.  Other than some soreness in the incision area, all is well.  Thank you for so many messages and good thoughts!

Ten days post-op.  All went well (so I thought) until a sharp pain started just below my left underarm last Thursday (one week post-op).  I dismissed this as a muscle strain until today, since it won't go away.  On call PA believes it is pericarditis and gave me Colchicine.  If it doesn't resolve by tomorrow morning (highly unlikely) I have to make arrangements to get to the surgeon's office/hospital.  

My luck never ends...

T-minus one day.  To add to my stress, my HVAC (which is in my attic) has a drain line that leaked onto my ceiling.  Fortunately, I have a friend coming today to at least stop additional damage, but I'll have to jump on getting someone out as soon as I get back home.