Lora Lee's Journal

Hello everyone! It's almost been 2 months since I had my AVR surgery in Billings, MT. The first couple of weeks were a little miserable , but nothing compared to what happened in my life 10 days after I came home from Billings. At 4:30 am, I received a call that my 23 year old son passed away tragically. My heart is broken. For those of you going through this surgery, you will make it through. If I could survive the surgery and bury my son , without coming completely apart, God will give you strength too. There were at least 500 people at the funeral, and I was hugged by so many of them. I didn't break, but I was exhausted and sore. The only reason I can come up with for not collapsing is God's grace in the form of family and friend support. I've always had faith, but I have seen first hand that God is with us. One might ask where he was for my son, but I believe his healing for Erik came in God's way, not my way. I have to hold on to the fact that a God knows best. So for those of you recovering, you can do it!!! For those of you facing it, I'll pray for you to have as easy of a time with it as I did. I'll also pray for all of you that all of you won't have to add any extra turmoil onto your recovery. God bless you all!

I am the recipient of a bovine valve. Yesterday, the valve or whatever was thumping quieted down, and I could sleep better. Like I said, the first three and a half days I was on oxycodone, so when I got home, my plumbing started working really well. I think I gained about 30 pounds of water weight in the hospital ,but it's gone now, so I am running to the bathroom less for that. Actually, I'm quite sure I wasn't running. There's no running in my future for awhile. I found out that the health care providers all want you to get well (usually), but the all have different ways of conveying it, so sometimes I thought they were being a little hard on me, considering that I just had heart surgery. One of the cockiest surgeons, not mine, actually helped me get moving the most, or I probably would still be In the hospital. He told me to walk every hour and do my spirometer every hour, and when I started that, combined with getting off oxycodone, I started doing much better. I can't say that I was really loving him at that moment. Mine was just a valve replacement, thankfully no blockages. The reason I had to be on the ventilator so long after was because my ph was high. Then my blood pressure cratered after they took me off, and that was another issue, so I spent 3 days in ICU. I could've tried to go home Monday, but I knew I wasn't ready, so Tuesday morning, we hit the interstate down the middle of Montana, stopping every hour, so I could walk around (mostly use the bathroom). I was really wore out the next day, but I also had come down with some frequent loose bowels. I think my body was flushing out a bunch of stuff. I'm good now. My husband tells me I seem less tired that I did prior to the surgery, even thought I get tired out from healing. I actually have been able to stay up past 9 pm without falling asleep. Good Luck to all of you future valves! God will take care of you!

I am happy to be reporting in after 10 days of ignoring the computer. I am happy to report that I really didn't have much pain, and still don't. The worst part was being awake for the extubation, and being awake for 8 hours of that, although, I'm sure I must've been sedated for part of it, or I would've been pretty antsy. It's unfortunate that I remember it all, but I do. That being said, I used oxycodone for the first 3-1/2 days, and than extra strength Tylenol as needed, so al in all, it wasn't too bad of an experience. I think I had more pain with my knee surgeries 5 years ago, but everything about this surgery was way more scary to me. My daughter is a nurse, and has worked on the cardiac floor after ICU, so she was and still is a huge, huge factor in my speedy recovery. It helps to have someone come home with you that knows what you're suppose to be doing and how to do it, and she is very compassionate and patient and encouraging. God has blessed me way more than I deserve, and I thank HIM!! In addition to my daughter and my husband, my son and his wife, and a sister-in-law and daughter-in-law made the 6 hour trek to Billings, MT to support me and each other, so that was wonderful! To everyone else who has kept me in their prayers, God bless you all!

I went to BIllings last week for another echo and CT, and everything looks the same, but the cardiologist said I might as well schedule the surgery anytime now. I'm looking at early August.

This is a question for people with symptoms. Lately, I've been having mild chest pain and shortness of breath at different times, and I really don't believe it's anxiety, like the ER doctor told me. However, another thing that's been happening is severe night sweats, and I'm wondering if anyone else experienced that prior to surgery? I don't have a fever, so I wouldn't think it's an infection.