Ray's Journal

Marie Myers  Sounds like everything is going well. If the cardiologist was happy with your cath and EKG, I would say you are in the clear. Did they give you any idea on the cause of the left chest discomfort?
My aortic valve replacement was 2 years ago, and I am seeing my cardiologist once a year. I think if you are not having any symptoms once a year is adequate.

Lise Bowles  Great job! The picture in my mind of the ranch sounds beautiful! I hope it's cooler than it is here. You are inspiring to me who only is only 11 days out!

Steve Wykstra  Just read your whole journal, Ray. What a great story and inspiration, and on this Sunday morning it just makes me praise God! Also it makes me want to come work on your ranch for a while after surgery! Maybe you'll need to open a bunkhouse for recovering heart-valve-surgery patients so more of us can come work as ranch-hands and recover like you did! PTL! (I can cook the chili for us!)

Lynn Jorgeson  I am 4 days until my surgery, and your positive experience is very encouraging. Thank you for sharing.

Lise Bowles  Amazing!!! I hope I loose a few belt notches and get back my energy! I thought my lack of energy was due to aging, I am 61, but clearly you have popped that bubble of an excuse!

Kate Watson  That's great to hear! My hubby and I want to plan some type of adventure when I'm recovered enough to enjoy it and challenge myself a bit.

Eddie Patton  Doing great. No better medicine than being active and resuming life. Just listen to you body. Congrats.

Christine Oliva  Wow, you are superman. Keep on doing whatever you are doing because its working for you. Congratulations and upward and onward!

Jan McClain  I read all your posts Mister Stereotypical Americana Macho Rancher Cowboy Rodeo Guy. You are adorable! But remember to be sensitive on this site, it's not a competition, and not everyone (or maybe anyone) has had such a smooth course, and you don't want to make people feel bad. Having said that I understand your exhilaration at feeling so much better than pre-surgery, keep up the good work, losing weight is hell for most of us, glad to hear you're so motivated!

Barbara Laurie  Ray, thanks for the update, I admire your progress! Your post reminds me not to worry about something I won't know until I get there! It's also great to hear that there are people who have a really good outcome, what a blessing, especially if you have to get out there and keep working! Have a great day🍀💕🍀

Artie Rubin  Hi Ray, Congrats on your solid recovering. As for your "how long till?" questions, it's essential that you ask your surgeon those questions. You'll want to explain to him exactly what ranch duties you want to return to, and he can then advise you how long till, for each specific duty.

My own sternum seemed to have healed by the end of the second month post-op. My surgeon told me I could technically (though I might not feel up to it) do any AEROBIC exercise I wanted right after my op. What I COULDN'T do for several weeks was any exercise which involved pulling, pushing or lifting.

So, again: ASK a professional. BTW, I'd heard that, with a bypass, the leg incision carries more discomfort than the chest incision. So what you're feeling sounds perfectly normal. All the best, Artie

Sophia Ridley  You must discuss with your surgeon with regards to your sternum and leg wound. Many here (and I) have attended cardiac rehab which will help you considerably in your recovery. I would wholeheartedly(!) recommend it.

  Not sure how much, "full ranch duties" entail but I am almost 9 weeks out from minimally invasive AVR and I can lift 20-30 pounds without effort, but I have lots of sensitivity on my right breast area after doing a lot of physical activity. I had a 10 lb lifting restriction up till 6 weeks and after that the doctor just told me to pay attention to my body and not overdo it. I think it depends on the person. My friend had AVR full sternotomy and at 8 weeks was lifting 50 lb bags of sugar (she is a bakery owner). Congrats on your recovery and looks like you are well on your way to returning to ranch duties!

Ray Miller  Thanks for your answers. I think I would like rehab, but that is not a real consideration unless I do it here at the ranch. I am 45 minutes down our very rought ranch road to the highway gate. Then an hour to Amarillo to the BSA Heart Rehab Center. I may get some direction from the center and see what I can get done on the ranch. Just a note the first night home I fell and took EMS two hours to get to me to get me up, no damage. The leg just went to sleep and did not support me. A soft tuck and roll that I learned from rodeoing and in the service. So any thing I do I have to be sure of my footing. Just completed a little more then a 1/4 mile walk this afternoon. Again thanks for you answers. This is really my first experience of not being able to do what I want to do for more then two weeks in my life.

Debra Gann  Sounds like you are doing great! I'm a rancher too. Use to being able to ride my horses. Haven't had surgery yet but I'm sure I will be wondering and impatient about being able to take care of the ranch. Somehow it will all work.

Robert Frederick  Ray: Slow and steady might be a faster recovery. You should consider going to rehab for one week and let them sort of test the limits for you. Maybe you could stay in town and do some walking.

Emily Rowley  Wow, you're doing better than me! About 9 weeks but fully by 6 months or more, everybody heals at a different pace.

Ray Miller  Post op 30 days now vale replacement and double bypass. walking 2 miles a day includes up and down grades, once or twice a day. Leg wound just about healed, chest wound 99.9% healed, tube wounds healed. Really feeling great, more energy than I have had in two years. No huffing and puffing on my walk/hikes. Once in a while some sort of short pain on the left side of chest, it appears then gone in a minute or two. Happens just once in a while, not every day. Vitals staying with in norms, been removed off blood pressure meds. No blood thinners. First appointment with surgeon post op on March 1st. Cardiologist appointment 17th March. Heart & Vascular Case Management Nurse Practitioner says I am doing excellent a week ago today. Any thing I should be watching out for??

Ray Miller  Five weeks now and walking some days up to 3 miles in one go up and down hills. Weather turned cold yesterday with snow and rain. So I missed a day. Planning on getting out today and restarting going to be in the 60's.

Feeling great, leg wound and chest wound is doing great as far as I can tell. Not napping as much during the day. Sleep in three to four hours straight at night. Going to send my hospital bed back on Friday, feel I don't need it any longer.

Have had only one check up with the Heart & Vascular Case Management Services and that was a couple of weeks ago. Next follow is with the surgeon March 1st. Still dropping weight have dropped two sizes in jeans in the five weeks. All vitals are being checked twice a day and are holding steady.

Really chopping at the bit to get back into the harness and out and about on the ranch. Cows are just about done caving, sure hated to miss those babies, getting ready for a 9000 acre controlled burn in one of our pastures. Lots of work to get done, sort of tired of burning daylight.

Have read five books, done three on line Ag Extension Courses from Texas A & M on Wild Hog History and Management, Wild Quail Management and Pond Weed Management. Run out of anything good on Satellite to watch. time to get to work now.