Kirk 's Journal

How time fly's, today is year 3 since my surgery.. Keeping it short and sweet, I'm am doing well and will be having my yearly Echo in mid-May. But pretty much at this point just back to my old self, sometimes I even forget about it since I went to a new dermatologist for the yearly skin scan (needed here in the South West) and was asked "Bypass", I thought what? Oh wait, that's right I have that scar on my chest.....

Again for all the new users on this site looking for information and help from others that have been down this road, this is a great resource. I also recommend Adam's book on what you might expect from surgery, it's also interesting to see how much medical procedures have advanced since my surgery.

Hope everyone is in good health and good luck and fast recovery for those with upcoming procedures...

Just wanted to update on what the cardiologists meant when they said I had "low normal", it was ejection fraction rate. The doctor said that before surgery when they do rate readings most the time it's a false reading since you have issues with your heart, now that it's repaired it shows a lower reading for ejection fraction rate and I'm in the normal range but it was lower then before surgery. So all is good and thank you from everyone that commented on when I post the "What are taking about?" question, everyone guessed it right...

Hope this finds everyone in good health and hope everyone is staying safe during these surreal times...

Completed my 2 year echo and got the call from the cardiologists office, was told everything looks good and I have a low normal that the doctor would talk me about in my August appointment. Did not seem to be anything urgent, but what the heck does that mean? Low normal? Anyone else heard this statement?

It is that time again, 2 years to the date and time I was being wheeled out of surgery. Doing great and just being back to normal, if you can call these surreal times normal! Was hoping to have my 2 year Echo completed but it was scheduled early this month and with COVID-19, it was no go for now. All my cardiologist visits have been great, my cardiologist did tell me once you have your surgery we will in the future be looking back and and be laughing and he was right. It was hard road at first but now it's good, most days now I do think about "Hey I have had OHS, OMG!". I do have a reminder when I look in the mirror without a shirt on, but sometimes I don't even think about then. What's the moral of the story? Everyone out there about to go down this road, you will get through it and will be stronger..

This site was and is a total blessing, it got me through some of the questions I had and the decisions I made about if I needed to have my mitral valve replaced. And lucky me (sarcastic here) it did need to be replaced, and from the research links here and reading up I ended up going with a tissue valve.

At this point I'm getting into the best shape and health I get into, the Doctor said I could go for it so I am so no holding back.. Just focused on what's ahead in the future..

I think I blabbed enough for now :-)

I wish everyone the best of health, and a reminder this is really just a bump in the road that you will get through.. And thank you Adam for putting this site together..

Here we it's time for check in, I did not even realized that today is the 1 year 🥳 mark and about this time last year was just starting the journey to recovery. It's been an interesting ride down that road from hitting bumps along the way to smooth riding and getting back to the normal routines. As I said in a past update there are times I forget all about having the surgery, when I take off my shirt there is a reminder but there are times I even look past that as the battle scar is a mark that I made it pass surgery and moved on.
Anyone coming up on their surgery's just know you can and will get through it and make it down the road to recovery, this support/blog/information site was and is the best thing I found to help me figure out what the he** was in store for me.. Thank you everyone that gave me strength to know "I can do this"!

I do still check in to see how everyone is doing and see all the new people getting great advice and making their steps to recovery, I also do read the updates from Adam and am amazed at just how medical procedures have advanced just in the past year..

Well don't want to bore everyone too much, will always be checking in and hopefully giving others some good advice and prospective on their journey just like I received on here. Thanks
😀

Hey everyone it's been awhile since I have checked in, have just been getting mixed into normal day to day life again. Doing well and pretty much back to about 95%, the one year mark is fast approaching, had the monthly follow up with my Cardiologist and everything looks good and I think we are at the point where I need to see you every 6 months now! Also off most of the meds, just Metroprolol and Atorvastation with .81 aspirin as my blood thinner now, I have to say when I came off the Warfarin the dizziness stopped.

I'm starting to get to the point where I sometimes forget about the surgery, but do have the reminder when I look in the mirror. But the scar is fading pretty well where some of the areas are a thin faint white line, and getting more comfortable with it so pool parties this summer are on! :-)

I do have to admit I kind of fell off my exercise routine, bad on my part. But had a some bumps in the road the other had a second surgery on the foot and was playing nurse again (though again it was my turn, I was easy person to be a nurse for!). And my sister-in-law was not feeling good before Christmas, she went in to get a check up they detected AFib sent her to the hospital and found she needed a triple bypass ASAP. So I was able to be the Q&A for her and what to kind of expect, she did good and is now in her 6 week recovery stage. Now we can compare eachothers zippers.. :-)

Now I'm rambling on, from seeing everyone's post it looks like everyone is doing so well and that is great and congratulations to all! Keep up the great work and healing everyone!! And everyone coming up for surgery in the future will also do great just read the progress of the other folks on here! I hope everyone had a great holiday and that 2019 is a great year!

It's been awhile since I have checked in and checked out the site to see how everyone is doing, I see there are new faces on here. Looks also like many of the older faces are doing great and that is great news!!!! Now I just passed 5 months 1 week, and feeling much better.. Back at work full time and back to traveling for work, it feels good to be getting back into some of the normal routines.. I have stopped going to Cardo-Rehab (I know bad, but I'm finding I have no time and with traveling now it's impossible), I cannot wait for the time when I can start getting back into the full gym routine but I have to be patience just treadmill for now and soon walking the campus at work now it's starting to cool down here.

Still have the zingers now and again on the top of my chest, but the doctor said since that area moves when you breath it will take longer to fully heal. Again patience.... See a pattern here? The next doctor visit I should be able to get off the blood thinners "Yeah" and back on just baby aspirin, then will be down to just 2 prescriptions..... :-)

I hope this also finds everyone doing well and looking forward to the Holidays (That came fast, but then again this is a fast and crazy year!)....

I keep counting wrong and thinking I'm at 5 months post but it's only been 4 months, good thing I asked Alexia... Still on the up days and then some down days and having some dizzy moments return here and there, get's me kind of frustrated!

At this point not sure if I want to return to Cardio Rehab, they they my BP hand me a clip board and since they are renovating I have a treadmill and a bike to use only and change my insurance $300 for the pleasure.

I do want to say that I totally respect everyone out there (Spouses, family Friends) that are the caregivers and help after surgery, it's a hard job... Now the shoes on the other foot, my other half just had to have foot surgery and is stubborn. It's a hard job, wish I was more to 100% right now but I pull thought it and get the job done... So with that I wanted to say Thank you to all of you that helped me and help others recover!!!

I forgot to say yesterday that I have been using the Scar Away and Vitamin E, they both seem to be working but Scar Away has the little roller ball and was fine until I started to get my hair back on my chest.. That little roller ball pulls the hair. Ouch 🤨! But I do recommend them both...

Just coming up to 2 weeks of the one medication, need to give it another 3 to 4 weeks and it should be out of my system. Hopefully AFib stays away....

Still working reduced hours (6) at work, I know I'm getting the rest I need but 6hrs goes by so fast and there is so much to do though my management has cut back my projects to ensure I stay rested right now... But I'm starting to get bored, and I'm wanting to travel again but until I'm fully released no travel for business :-( Grrrr......

What I'm still finding out is that this is club, someone that I work with now and then in the building had heard about my surgery and what was done. He called to say that "Hey we are kind of like brothers, I had the same thing but my valve was repaired. We belong to the same club, he said he was also on a online info blog? Will need to look him up and see if he's on here as well, this is such a great place to come from information. It helped me before the surgery!

Just a FYI I know Adam talks about the billing frustrations, my insurance and payments have been pretty easy. But I received a from a provider, when I looked it up they were trying to charge me the difference of their billing rate and the negotiated discount rate that insurance pays. That's a no, no! So when I called the provider and asked about that, their statement was "Opp's that one did not update on our system, you can discard that bill". I call straight BS, some people would just pay it. Always, always go over your bills and what your insurance paid for those services on that day.

Guess that is enough for my soap box today, hope everyone is doing well!

Saw my cardiologist this past Wednesday and was already down to 1/2 a pill of the Amiodarone and hoping to be able to stay off it, he said that it takes about a month to clear your system so that's when we will be able to tell if AFib sneaks it way back in (Crossing fingers)...

Something that is now bothering me is that in Cardio Rehab yesterday, when they took my BP it was high before I started my exercising. It was considered Ok during my exercising, but still high after cool down. I took it again last night and this morning still high, has anyone else experienced their BP spiking all of a sudden? Could it have been coming off the Amiodarone? But would it react that fast?

Ten steps ahead and 2 steps back.... I know I'm only in my 3rd month but come on....

Just past 3 months since surgery on Monday, feeling better but have been knocked a peg. I have over done and thought I could do everything I was doing before surgery, boy was I wrong. Woke up on Friday and was exhausted and my chest was tight and sore, had pain in my shoulders and down my arms. So of course I was panicked and called the Cardiologist office, was told that your pushing trying to get back to normal to soon that it can take up a year to completely heal! OMG, a possible year to heal! Guess I am to much of a Type A personality...

I can at least report I am feeling better and taking Extra Strength Tylenol for the soreness! But again I just want to be able to everything I was doing before, so frustrating...

So not sure if others out there are having the same issues with insomnia, I have had a couple of bouts with it one being this past week. Here's the kicker I take 2 pills at night a second Metoprolol and 1 Atorvastatin. Since I take an ambien there should be no issue? Wrong was still finding it hard to sleep, so I decided to not take the pills at night execpt the ambien and I slept like a baby..

Ended up looking up these two drugs, they come up as the Top 10 drugs to give you insomnia and strange dreams (that I was having). Question here is why they tell me to take these at night if it's going to impact my sleep???? Don't get it, has anyone run in this type of issue?

Today was the first day back, was not as weird as I thought it was going to be. Just kind of back into the flow and of course the well wishers saying to be see me back, the 6hrs did seem to go real fast.. I can do 6hrs for the next month, no complaints here! :-)

Also had my first GP appointment last Thursday and the doctor ran all the test on me and they are in, everything and I mean everything was good! This included the good and bad cholesterol, that is a first! The good has always been off, either I'm eating way better or now that my heart is pumping as it should could be the reason.. I will take it! :-)

Today I picked up my release papers to return to work, I'm kind of excited to go back to work and I even stopped by the office and chatted with my co-workers. The one thing that I was kind of surprised was my doctor put me on 6hrs a day to start until I have the next appointment 8/8/18, I have to say I am kind of a workaholic as I love what I do... But returning to 1000 + emails, Oh boy!

Going into week 10 and I feel pretty good, going to Cardio-rehab and it's helping with the tightness in the chest. Still have some zingers now and again that catch me off guard, but then again just means I'm healing.. :-)

I have my Echo cardiogram and then sit down with my cardiologist on when I can return to work, this coming Monday will mark 9 weeks since the surgery seems like a long time and it also seems like yesterday.

Kind of apprehensive to have something pushed against my chest, I'm still the the stage where I don't want it touched (Is that strange?). I would like to know however when I can start stretching again, my neck and shoulders are so tight and hurt! I have my list of questions for the doctor and lets see what he says about returning to work...

Been awhile since I have posted, going into week 8 since the surgery still not 100% and have tightness in my chest and chest pain but I can sleep on my side.... I just returned from an Alaskan cruise that was booked over a year ago, was encouraged by the doctors to go and relax. Did exactly that, was a relaxing trip and was needed. Still tired from time to time but know it will pass as time goes by, just would like to be 100% again my only frustration...

I see the cardiologist next week for my Echo and seeing when I can return to work, kind of looking forward to going back and kind of don't... Just a part of the process I guess...

Yesterday was first day for Cardio Rehab, it was nice get out of the house (I can drive now) and it was a really good session. They want to get a feel of where you are at and how much you can do, but looking forward to the next session on Monday (5th week Post Op). I would recommend Cardio Rehab to everyone.

Now that I have been able to jump some of the hurdles that were placed in front of me, I am now starting to feel much better. Still need about a 45 min nap in the afternoons, it helps. Went for my Post Op visit to the Surgeon, wound is healing very (almost healed) and everything else checked out and I can drive again next week :-) The surgeon does not need to see me again at this point.

I have now been officially turned back over to the Cardiologist, I will see him in the next two weeks. Now the goal is to be able to do some light house work and maybe some light gardening, have been getting on the treadmill and doing 1/2 mile each time..

Just back from a 3 1/2 day hospital stay again, when I went in for my INR level check on Monday afternoon and mentioned to the nurse that I felt dizzy she ran a EKG on me and that I looked like I was going into AFib so off to emergency I went. I was told it can be very common to get AFib after surgery within a couple days, mine showed up 2 weeks after (Though some of the tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness could have been the start of AFib. I thought it was just part of the healing process, so you just need to pay attention to what your feeling)

The first treatment was to use the medication to flip me out of AFib, that sadly did not work and I ended up with the shock treatment that re-kicked the beat and now need to take meds to keep it from coming back. Has anyone else experienced this?

Now just waiting for a day to wake up and feel somewhat normal again, it has only been 2 1/2 since my surgery and being an "A" type personality I might be expecting too much to soon..

Here wee are 11 days post surgery and 5 days home from the hospital, so far learning what I can and cannot do. Shows you how much we can take things for granted, who knew my bed was that "High" and the owning a multi-level home could be such a inconvenience and that the refrigerator doors are so heavy.... Just another hurdle to jump..

It's been slow going so far with the kidney's taken a hit and me putting on 20lbs of fluid, at least I down 15lbs of that fluid now but just making it hard to get in walks and that fact the Summer decided to start this past week so no going out in the day in 103 heat :-( Hopefully I can kick start my exercise, though they are starting me next week on cardo rehab (Early?) and a Echo Friday net week has anyone been setup with appt's that fast?

Today was a so so day, my body was just telling me to sleep today, I must have slept 80% of the day today not a full sleep but at least 2 + hrs is that unusual? After all that and since it's cooler outside I will make the walk the block tonight!

Still have not been released from the hospital, kidneys are starting to see some improvement but the BH is up now and still full of fluid and puffed up. At this point I feel so frustrated with lack of food, sleep and being tethered to a device with a 6ft radius can be really eat at a person, the thought of having to sleep here another night and it’s zero level of confort has got me Extremely anxious and wound up.

Looks look like I’m I’m the hospital for another extra day, kidneys are actinting up again.. now feel I’m worn out again and no appetite... puffed up like The Pillsbuerry dough boy!

Ended up with a replacement as my mitro valve was large, surgeon said this was the second time in his career he has seen this, have already done a couple of walks and some of the tubes are getting remove. The pain is not bad and keeping a good control on pain management. The first big step is behind me now it’s the next step towards healing!

Have packed by bag and getting ready for bed, have to check in at 7AM tomorrow. Feeling somewhat calm and wanting to now get this behind me, thanks again everyone for the well wishes.

Did the Pre-Op yesterday and went pretty well, now it's down to 1 more day before surgery, that time seems to have flown by and arrived. Was calm this past week now just getting anxious again from all the reading materials and video's the medical center has sent me, the what to expect during your surgery and stay... Tomorrow it's going to feel real as I pack my bag for my stay....

Not a big poster on here but reading through everyone's experiences is very helpful, give me an idea what to expect on the upcoming surgery on Monday. Tomorrow is the Pre-Op and writing down the questions I want to ask, reading through peoples journeys are also reminding me of things to ask (Funny how your mind goes blank all of a sudden). Feeling like this week is flying by, but also finding myself more calm (at the moment) and that seems kind of odd to me as a month ago I was having the OMG they are going to to what to fix this? So now it's off to Pre-Op and really get the feel on what's in store...

Somewhat confused, have done all the test and know what needs to be done either a replacement or repair of my Mitral valve the surgeon will not know until surgery. My rate is 49%/51% on the regurgitation, what confuses me is my cardiologist is pushing for me to get this done ASAP. My surgeon asked me why I seem to be rushing to get into surgery, scheduled for April 30th, 2018 now but I would prefer to schedule in mid-June to get all my ducks in a row.