Olga's Journal

6 years ago in October I had a palmore replacement. I am now experiencing shortness of breath . I got a cat scan done and there is something wrong with my lungs, I wonder if any one has experienced the same thing, I am getting scared wondering what wrong.

Hello I am feeling kind of scared right now. I had open heart surgery 4 years ago on Oct 8th. I had pulmonary valve replacement. I have been doing very well. The last few years. Now I am starting to feel short of breath and wheezing. I am going to see my cardiologist next month. Sept 20. I'm nervous in what he going to say. I am wondering if any one else has experience this.

Hello everyone. The news update. I went to see my Cardiologist yesterday. I told them how I was feeling tired, no energy, light headed, The nurse that saw me first before the cardiologist took my blood pressure, and asked a lot of question. She was surprise that I was still on all the meds I was on. She said I should of been off of them a few weeks ago. So I was over dosing on the meds. The doctor agree to drop all my meds except for the baby ASA. Let me tell you I feel a lot better today already. I change the bed, wash dishes. Tidy up around here. Then I rested. I was also told to take another month of work. If I didn't feel ready to go back to work. I have to go to the cardiologist in 3 month again. Feb 16 2015 I am feeling so much better, I started back to work a few weeks ago. my first shift was a 12 hour night shift. boy was a tired, it took me two days to get over that, It all is starting to feel like a memory, I just past the 4 month mark on Feb 8th. I notice I am having a lot more energy. I am going up and down the stairs pretty good. I worked 1 night shift and 2 day shift last week and I felt pretty good, the only thing is that the top of my scar feels like the a pin poking me sometimes and it is itchy and feels tight. I have notice since I stated off the meds I felt so much better, I spoke to my cardioligiest last month and he sad I don't have to go back tell next Dec.

I started Driving 2 weeks ago. That felt good being able to drive again. The other thing I wanted to share was that I felt very tired, no energy and I felt light headed. Also I felt like there was lead In My feet. I could not walk very far and couldn't do any thing. I took my BP and it was very low. Then about nearly 2 weeks ago I took Daniel for his hernia operation, and I forgot my pills that morning. During the day I notice I had a lot of energy. I was not tired I walk around the ward multiple times and all around the hospital no Promblems. The next day I took my pills again as well as the night before then a few days later I notice the feeling came back. I realize it was the pills so I called my Cardioligist and he told me to lower the doses. I am feeling so much better. I was starting to wonder what was wrong with me because I read other patients' posts and noticed how quickly they were recovering and walking a lot more than I. I still have discomfort in my chest. It reminds me still to be careful. I still get tired easily but not like before. I am going to see my cardiologist on Dec 11. I also did another mile stone today. I went to church. Oh I felt so good. It was nice seeing all my friends again.

Hello everyone, The big news for today is that I got my stiches removed. The doctor had a little bit a hard time because the stiches were in a little to long and started to grow into my skin. It was a little bit painful. It feels great having them out. Last week I started the Cardic rehab. It not what I excepted. I thought it was going to be excercise equipment but it was just light warm up and walking then arobic. There also an education class afterwards. I am slowly getting better one step at a time. I still get pretty tired by early afternoon and have to go for a nap. I have gone to the care home to visit the residents there. Take Care. Love Olga.

Hello heart friends. I have a question to ask you all. After surgery did anyone experience there hands going blue? It is a little bit chilly here. My Mum and I went for a walk outside. When I looked at my hands they were blue. Really blue and my nails too. But my hands weren't that cold. I don't now if my lips were blue my Mum never mention it. I have never experience that before even before my surgery. My Mum did say I went blue when I was a baby before my first open heart surgery. I am a bit nerves about this. Olga

Hello Everyone. 2 weeks ago yesterday since my surgery and a week ago today I came home from the hospital. The pain in my chest is pretty mild. I went to the care home where I work and saw the resident that was so nice to see all of them again. They where happy to see me as well today. I also went to the dr. My dr wasn't there so the doctor there was a very young doctor. He had no idea why I was there. I told him I just had open heart surgery. He responded I guess you where in hospital for a day or two. I pope up and said no more like a week. I am walking a little more. I also washed a little bit of dishes. I am so grateful for my Mum and Daniel help. They both have been great. I am also glad the weather has been so nice as well to be able to go for walks.

Hello Everyone.. It's me Olga. I was realesed from hospital yesterday evening. We are now with a friend right now. Are friend Gordon. We will continue the rest of the trip today. 3 more hours. I can't express my Thank You for all your Love and prayers. It's a journey I wouldn't want to repeat. The hospital Mazankowski. Heart . The Nurses and Doctors were Great. and the rest of the staff. Thank you for all your post it help this to go simpler. Adam Pick Thank You again for this wonderful website and advice you have share one of the advice was about the spirometer. It helped a lot I don't they teach you very well on that plus what your wife mention you just have to learn to hurry and be patiant. That gone through my head very often. Thank to all the rest of the patiants that have posted there experience. It help me also a lot to get through this time. Love from your heart sister. Olga

Since Olga feels she is not yet ready to type herself, I have chosen to come out of retirement and take command of the situation. Olga continues to amaze and astound the staff. She was able today to attempt climbing stairs in order to prepare her for our stairs to get to our apartment. When we went to the stairwell to begin, the physiotherapist turned to Mum and I to say something and, while he did this, Olga started to zip up the stairs (8 of them) and the physiotherapist had to chase her up the stairs. Olga is extremely strong willed when it comes to doing something that frightens her. She will simply conquer the fear and press on! Her determination to leave the hospital is surpassed only by her desire to be at home in her own bed. I have every confidence that Olga will be leaving the hospital tomorrow but I had to reassure her tonight that it is all in heavenly fathers' time. Only He knows what Olga is capable of and what she isn't at this point. I wish to give thanks to all those who have blessed our lives in their prayers and thoughts, you have been instrumental in Olga's recovery and belief in herself. Your prayers have been answered and Olga is whole, and getting well. Now if only she would TAKE the time to heal properly she would feel less stressed and more in tune with Heavenly Father. To all of you who have been in similar circumstances, I thank you for your words of counsel and willingness to share your experiences with us. It truly has eased our minds during this time. Olga is my candle burning bright, Her eyes are filled with heav'nly light Like a beacon in the night Gently guides my heart to hers And richest feeling in me stirs Then sudden though to me occurs: An Angel sent from God above Landed gently as a dove To teach me how to love She came to me in beauty fine As sweet as early morning wine Before it's rancour off the vine. I'll not forget the blessed part That stirs within her beating heart And pain be gone ne'er more impart The fading, flustered, fleeting thought Nor bring again what fear has wrought, Begone, and ne'er round here again be caught! Thy powers gone to blind our mind The faith and courage of her kind Its gentleness and meekness find In all who's life her steps have trod And as she holds the iron rod That leads again to God May we who follow be so bold To grasp her hand and tightly hold Til all the streets that paved with Gold We find beneath our surest step Because her faith and promise kept She for us knelt and fully wept That God might in his bosom hold Our hearts when we too should grow old And in eternal rest He'll fold As he did his sheep before So now he did her heart restore My dearest Olga, I love you more! Daniel

Hello Everyone! Today was truly a garden of blessings! Olga has graduated from the Third Floor to the Fourth! And the Fourth is truly with her. "Yes, this one's a Star Wars reference and no I have still never seen any of them!" Today we bid fare-thee-well CVICU we'll see you another day. Tomorrow is a brand new day and Olga has risen to the STEP-DOWN unit. What an exciting day for all of us as Olga now is running circles around the fourth floor. She continues to amaze the staff with her determination and cheerfulness and desire to drive herself out of the sickbed. Olga will now relearn how to climb stairs, and how to get along with her revitalized heart. The staff at the University of Alberta Hospital Mazankowski Heart Institute have been excellent (for the most part but who's counting). The care Olga has gotten, the instant friendships, and the acceptance into the community has been exhilarating. I would also like to point out that not just the staff but also the families of other patients has been uplifting during trying times. (I would hope that we too have provided the same). As Olga is now a self-propelled entity, full of energy and vitality, and endowed with her infectious smile and happy personality, (and access to the outside world), I believe that this may be my "Last Post" so-to-speak. I continue to appreciate all of the prayers and well wishes on our behalf. You all have contributed greatly to the pre during and post surgery healing and I thank you all for the love you have shown Olga, Mum(Jane), and myself. The fourth floor of the Mazenkowski unit houses not only the Step-down unit but it also is home to the Guru Nanek Dev Healing Garden. It is a wonderful place to just sit, relax, enjoy the sunshine, and listen to the soothing sound of the water features. And Olga's room is only steps away. It is part of the laps that she is going to have to do four times a day. What a marvellous way to recouperate. See you all on the other side when we all get there together. Bon soir mes ami! De mon coeur a le tien, Bon soir! And now I bid you a happy day and hand you back over to the Heart of my Heart. Olga! Daniel

So, tonight I went back to see Olga and see her I did! There are no more facial obstructions. Her oxygen tube is gone, the feed tube went bye-bye, much to Olga's joy and happiness. The only things left to go now are the heart monitor leads, the finger oxygen tester and the pick in her forearm that never got used from this afternoons move from Olga's Vena Cava. That's it. Olga is able to swallow her pills crushed in pudding and she had a shower today. Though she wasn't too happy with the shower. The toilet backed up into the shower, the door was left partially open to the hallway, and the nurse wasn't very "warm-hearted". Olga's room is starting to look empty now that there is only one pole stand left. Also the gentleman in the next room passed away today. He was only 61. My surgery, scheduled for Wednesday, will hopefully be rescheduled to a later date since, as of tonight, Olga is still in CVICU. if it's too late notice, I may have to leave Olga with her Mum here in Edmonton and travel to lloydminster tomorrow. Won't that be fun? The two of us in hospital in two separate cities, 3 hours apart. Olga's surgeon was in today to examine his handiwork and see how Olga is doing. Olga is astounding everyone with her progress. Olga is not the kind of person to take things lying down. She is simply Kind! And persistent. It appears that tomorrow or the next day Olga will be in the step-down unit. It's one floor up from where we are. Lol. There she and we will be taught valuable life preserving skills, like climbing stairs. Then either Thursday or Friday Olga will be coming home. We thank all of our support team for their prayers and well wishes on our behalf. Until tomorrow i bid you a Dieu! Que le sengieur vous Donne plusieur de paix puis confiance a fair tout ce que tu veux fair en liberte et puissance. Daniel.

Hi, Olga's doing amazing. She's had the catheter removed, the IV in her neck is gone and put into her right forearm, and the pacemaker's been disconnected. There is only the feed tube in her nose, the IV in her right arm, the temperature sensor on her right pointer finger, and the heart monitor leads left to come out. She's resting right now and they are going to get her into the shower soon. Olga should be in the step-down unit by tomorrow and I'm predicting home before the weekend but we'll see. Daniel

Olga's Mum has a great update for tonight that I want to share. The only thing I would add is that when I went back this evening, Olga had one less appendage invader, the IV on her left hand is gone and two less bags were hanging on the one pole (though I was told that these May have been added to another already in-place insertion point). Nevertheless, it is one step closer to looking like her regular self without Borg implants. Yes that is a Star Trek reference. Even still, Olga's beautiful smile shines through it all, and her amazing heart continues to beat within her loving, selfless body! Olga is my strength, my joy and my example of all that this world has to offer! She is my light, my hope, and my greatest advocate on Earth! Olga truly is "The Wind Beneath My Wings" and "I Am Right Here Waiting For Her". Daniel. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152809434119878&id=695684877

Doctor came to see us to confirm levels are good, blood tests are good, no blood around heart just in it! Monitoring overnight. Prescribed sleep for us too.

Olga's medication has been changed, the doctor's been in, blood pressure levels higher for now and being monitored closely. If no change, will ease off heart meds gradually. If levels drop again will be having camera scope and possible reopen of lower end of incision to see what's going on. Echo revealed that right ventrical was stiff and thus med change happened. Here's hoping all goes well. Thank you all for your loving support. We will press on in faith! Daniel

Olga's blood pressure wasn't bouncing back and some blood had escaped from her abdomen so they are doing an echo to see what's going on. Will keep everyone posted. Daniel.

have just been in to see Olga and she looks as beautiful as ever. She still has the breathing tube in but she is supposed to be awake in around a couple of hours. I will keep everyone updated. I'm going for lunch now. It's 3 o'clock here now and I'm hungry and so is Mum. Daniel.