Michael's Journal

its been a troublesome 3 months since I last posted. I am continuing to have A-fib and the occurrences are happening more often. My Cardiologist had me wear a monitor for a couple of weeks. I had at least 2 episodes during that time. I continue to have memory issues, anger problems, cant walk up stairs or inclines without becoming short of breath. This humidity this year is killer, I wonder who else is having issues with it. I finished cardiac rehab but I am still going , they offer a great deal. I can continue to go for $25 per month. I really enjoyed the time there, the nurses were great and hearing the stories of others that have had heart issues. Although, no one had the experiences that I had(lucky them). Most of them had blockages in one way or another.

I am now into my 3rd month after AVR/OHS. I have had virtually no pain and have been told several times from my Doctors that I am doing great, heart is functioning perfect. I dont feel that I am doing as well as i have been told, I am short of breath going up a flight of stairs, inclines lying on my back or on my stomach and I have leg swelling, Memory loss. My list can go on and on but I have been checked out and Im supposed to accept their prognoses and be ok with it. My wife tells me that I seem different, angrier. Im told that I blow up and yell a lot easier. I guess that I have some depression. I wonder if anyone else has problems like mine.

I had my 6 week checkup (cant believe that its been that long already). My Cardiologist says that she can see a huge improvement from the last time we spoke. I am still having some shortness of breath, and some anemia. Other than that I have some soreness at the point of the incision and on my left pectoral muscle, Dr says that my rib cage is forward of my sternum at the point where it connects with the cartilage. He tells me that it isnt a huge issue and can be easily fixed by pressing on it. I try to walk every day but with the snow and cold its hard. Oh, this was a downer for me, I was told that ill probably have to stay on the Warfrin indefinitely. that isnt what i wanted to hear. but good news is that I get to start my cardiac rehab. on the 15th so i am excited about that. I just wanted to let you all know that if you are going in to have any heart surgery, it isnt as bad as you expect so be brave and god speed.

Well, I just got back from Cleveland Clinic. I went there on Thursday for my F/U appointment and all looked good at the time, I felt great wasnt winded at all after walking all morning. Went home and Friday morning my Home health nurse came to check on me and took my vitals. My pulse was running in the 140's so I went to my local ER (big mistake) after 4 hours of them not really doing anything I came home and called Cleveland, told them my symptoms, and let them know that I was heading that way. 3 hours later we arrived at their ER. They took me right in, assessed me, told me that I was in A-Fib. They tried several meds to get me out of it and finally they got a cocktail that did it. at about 2am I was put into a room. so now I have an additional bunch of meds to add to my list for the short term they tell me. One of the new meds is Warfrin. it is npw under control and Im home again. Good news is that ALL of the endocarditis is dead. The did several tests that confirmed it. I am more likely to have it again so i have to watch.

I have been home for 2 days. I dont remember but my wife has been filling in the blanks. I guess I had a rough go of it. 4 days under anesthesia , they couldnt get the breathing tube out. Once the breathing tube was out I had a lot of stomach acid that they used an NG tube to expel the acid, that was in for a day. I didnt sleep for about 48 hours and that was causing delirium. My body must have given up at that point because I finally fell asleep.i got up a few hours later and the nurses got me into a chair to sit upright (that was nice). That was the turning point for me. I started recovering faster and faster each day. overall it wasnt a bad experience but I have to say I still cant believe that I had OHS. THe road to complete recovery is a long one but it is worth the travel. I guess I too am now an expert in a club that i never asked to be in. Thanks again for all of your prayers and kind words you gave my Wife, she needed strengthen and you all gave it to her

Sorry guys, I forgot to update this page for Mike until today! (This is Amanda) Mikes surgery went very well, mitral valve had some tissue leftover from the infection that was removed. Mike's aortic valve was severely damaged by his endocarditis infection. The cusps of the valve (parts that open and close) where no longer there. The infection caused them to scar and shrink back. Luckily the infection only affected the cusps the walls/root of the aortic are healthy. Dr Navia replaced Mikes aortic valve with a bovine tissue valve. Recovery is taking a little longer than expected. Mike started breathing on his own on 1/26, stayed on the vent (which means he still had the breathing tube in his mouth) the machine was no longer breathing for him. His body was to agitated for it to be removed quite yet. He was on a med that will help with the agitation it just takes time. His heart started beating on a it's own Thursday! Friday, he has a but of afib and sinus tachycardia (fast heart rate) with some med he was able to come out of it. But his heart was beating to slow so the pacemaker is on to help it beat a little faster. Saturday morning at 930am Mike was able to be extubated finally (breathing tube removed). Had some nausea and vomiting last night, has some air in his stomach. Nasal Gastric tube placed, (goes up nose into stomach) to suction his stomach so he doesn't throw up. Nausea is better today. Having some delusions from lack of sleep, hopefully get some sleep tonight! On the road of recovery! Mike is doing wonderful! On the road to recovery!

Well here we are , back in Cleveland. Saw the Surgeon today, Aortic valve will be replaced, it is shot. The question is did the endocarditis cause damage to the Mitral valve. It may also may have left lesions that would need to be removed. If either is the case then work will need to be done to the valve, the extent is unknown at this time. The good news is that I dont have blockage in my arteries. If their are no problems with the Mitral valve then I will only have a 3 inch scar, if both valves need to be fixed then I get the full Zipper.

I will be heading off to bed soon, 4:30 will come quick. We have a 3 hour drive in the morning to meet with the Surgeon and do some pre op. Not sure what to expect but i am glad to finally get to meet the Dr. I have my brother and my wife that will be there for me on Tuesday. My wife is going to stay the entire time, I couldn't do this without her.

Today is Saturday, I spent Thursday and Friday in Cleveland having all sorts of tests including a heart cath. The good news is that they didn't find any blockage during the heart cath. The bad news is that my Aortic Regurgitation is sever and I will need replacement and the Mitral Valve will need repairs and may need replaced also. I will be on my way back on Monday for pre-surgery and I will meet with the Surgeon then Tuesday is the big day. I have impressed with everyone there, everyone had a good attitude and were upbeat. The Cardiologist and the Cardio thoracic surgeon and his fellow answered every question and listened to my concerns. I could tell that on occasion I could tell that they wanted to get going but my wife or I asked something else and they stopped and answered without complaint. I am still really scared but I am definitely more at ease. What made me feel the most at ease was when they told me that they were going to do that cath in my wrist instead of my groin. I had read some horror stories and didn't want that for me.

On 27 October 2017 I went to the Hospital for what I thought was a going for just a bad Migraine. It turned out that I had a bad case of Sepsis. I was given 3 strong doses of antibiotics to stop it, for the most part it worked. My Dr was concerned that I wasn't improving so he ordered a TEE to see if I had any heart infection. It came back positive for Epicondylitis so they gave me more antibiotics to kill that. I stayed in for 11 days and when I went home I had to self administer antibiotics for 6 weeks from the last clear blood culture. I was put on 11 different types because I had adverse reactions to them. I had to go back to the Hospital for a total of 20 days in the Months of October and November (we crushed the deductible). I returned for headaches, fever, kidney failure, and chest pain. On one of the returns I had a second TEE that showed that the infection had changed in size and shape but seemed to be the same size. The Cardiologist and the Transthoracic Surgeon consulted a third Cardiologist and they said that they were leaning toward valve replacement and or repair but they wanted a Cath done before any decision could be made for sure. I had an appointment with my Cardiologist assuming that he would have another TEE done or he would order the cath. He did neither, the only thing he did do was listen to my heart in different positions, with me holding my breath, me expelling my breath, me leaning forward and back. Then he said that he could hear my Murmur into my carotid artery (before this he could only hear it in my chest). When he finished listening he said that he couldn't hear anything and I was fine. I asked if he was going to order another TEE because the Infectious Disease doctors at UPMC Pittsburgh had told us that when the last of the antibiotics were given they wanted another one done within 10 days He said "No it isn't necessary, he couldn't hear anything". I asked him why my heart was racing at between 100 and 120 BPM he said "I don't know" I asked him why I was so short of breath, he said "I dont know", I asked why I was getting dizzy, he said "I dont know". I asked when I could return to work he said at least until my next visit with him in Feb. My Wife asked him what restrictions I had, he said "None". When we left his office I told my Wife "We are going to Cleveland!" We had toyed with the idea before this but this was the last straw. I wasn't going to sit here and slowly die and not do something, anything. The next day my wife called Cleveland Clinic, they had her get everything that they needed and she did. On Thursday, January 11, 2018 I got the call. The Nurse I spoke with told me that they wanted me there on Thursday, January 18, 2018 to the 19th for testing and I was to return on the 22nd to meet the surgeon and then on Tuesday January 23, 2018 I am scheduled for Surgery. That was the worst phone call ever, because when I asked why so quick on this she said that the surgeon wanted me there sooner rather than later.