Robin's Journal

These kinds of days don't happen often here, and a double rainbow is rarely seen. So be encouraged my heart brothers and sisters. God sees each and every one of us, and knows exactly what we need and when we need it. And not just us, but also our family, friends, and those that surround and encourage us as well. To those of you facing heart surgery, know that all of your heart brothers and sisters are upholding you before the throne of grace. To those of you in all of the various stages of recovery, take courage in knowing that many of us have walked the path before you, and will share what we can to make your healing process one that you can comfortably share with us and know that we are here to help and encourage you. May our God in Heaven bless you and hide you in the shelter and comfort of His soft, feathery wings. Happy Sunday! Robin Szymanski

These kinds of days don't happen often here, and a double rainbow is rarely seen. So be encouraged my heart brothers and sisters. God sees each and every one of us, and knows exactly what we need and when we need it. And not just us, but also our family, friends, and those that surround and encourage us as well. To those of you facing heart surgery, know that all of your heart brothers and sisters are upholding you before the throne of grace. To those of you in all of the various stages of recovery, take courage in knowing that many of us have walked the path before you, and will share what we can to make your healing process one that you can comfortably share with us and know that we are here to help and encourage you. May our God in Heaven bless you and hide you in the shelter and comfort of His soft, feathery wings. Happy Sunday! Robin Szymanski

Great Day everyone! As I look out my window today here in Phoenix Arizona, I see a beautiful rare, cool, cloudy, rainy, day dawning. This day is special as it reminds me of a day exactly 2 years and one month ago. The day (a Sunday then too) that I was moved from CCU to "my room" for the duration of my stay in the hospital after my aortic valve replacement surgery, My daughters walked into my room beaming with tears on their faces and told me that they knew I would be alright. You see, as they arrived at the hospital that day, moving day, a double rainbow, both of them as full and as bright as could be had formed over the wing of the hospital where I was.

Great Day everyone! As I look out my window today here in Phoenix Arizona, I see a beautiful rare, cool, cloudy, rainy, day dawning. This day is special as it reminds me of a day exactly 2 years and one month ago. The day (a Sunday then too) that I was moved from CCU to "my room" for the duration of my stay in the hospital after my aortic valve replacement surgery, My daughters walked into my room beaming with tears on their faces and told me that they knew I would be alright. You see, as they arrived at the hospital that day, moving day, a double rainbow, both of them as full and as bright as could be had formed over the wing of the hospital where I was.

Mike and I went yesterday to follow up with my cardiologist. We actually saw the PA. The echo showed that the leak in the Mitral and Tricuspid valves is somewhat worse than it was before, but she could not find the numbers in the hospital report to give to me. It also showed that my aortic valve is showing mild stenosis. This is a calcification that forms on the leaflets of the valve that cause it to become stiff and unable to move blood as it should. Mine is only mild so no need to panic here. My blood pressure is elevated and my heart rate has times where it will speed up to over 140 to 184 beats a minute. We are going to work on controlling this with medication. If in a two week period it is not helping, I will wear a monitor to help them see what the rhythm is doing. We also went to the hematologists office. I will be getting iron infusions, two of then one week apart, to help boost the blood transfusions that I got in the hospital. So for now, that is the scoop. We love you all bunches and are so thankful for all of the love and support you all give. Robin

It has been a very long time since I have posted in my journal. This past weekend I had an event that I needed to share. This weekend is also the two year anniversary of my aortic valve heart replacement, (Jan. 25, 2013 ). It is also the weekend of my daughter's birthday, (Jan. 26). This past weekend I found myself being sent to the hospital with a critically low blood count, and in the beginning stages of congestive heart failure. Needless to say I was a bit apprehensive and, ok I will say it, scared. I have a fantastic group of Doctors and nurses. They ran blood tests, my hemoglobin was 6.3, and ran an echo. I was placed on a heart monitor and given two units of blood. My hemoglobin rose from 6.3 to 8.9. Still a bit low, but better than it was. The beginning stages of congestive heart failure was due to the fact that my heart was trying to get oxygenated blood to my body that I didn't have. My Doctor said that I only had half of the blood volumn that my body needed. The echo showed that I still have two leaky valves, the mitral and the tricuspid, and that they are slightly worse than they were before. For now, I will in the next two weeks, get iron infusions to help hold my hemoglobin up, and will meet with my cardiologist to see if we need to address my heart issues further. When I was sent to the hospital, I sent an email to our heart sister Terrie S. and asked her to get word out to the heart community to pray. She was amazing in getting word out to all of you and I am so grateful to her for that. All of the well wishes and encouragement helps in so many ways. My awesome husband never left my side, my best friend communicated to our church family, and my family was on call if we needed anything. To say thank you to all of you seems way to simple and not nearly enough. Again, I could not have done it without all of your love and support. The battle is not over yet, and it will take a few days until my body recovers enough that I start to feel better. For now, I am blessed to have so many of my heart brothers and sisters, Bible study friends and family to surround and support both my husband and I. Your heart sister, Robin

We are 40 days into the Wound Vac proceedure. Yes! It is working. The wound is slowly closing and making progress. We had a small setback this week because the medial (inside) corner of the wound is opening back up and my skin is starting to break down because of the adhisives. Over all, God is protective and we will see this thing through to it's very end! My PCP has sent me to see a Hemotologist. Although I think that I know the answer, they are trying to figure out why my red blood count keeps droping. They have also told me that my Immunity Factor is very low so I need to be very cafeful about infections and people who may be sick! (Hum, wonder if that means I have to be careful of myself?) Anyway, brcause I am symptomatic, (fatigued, lightheaded, dizzy, short of breath),I will be having blood transfusions tomorrow (Sunday), and will then follow up on the 25th and the 2nd with iron transfusions. The Hemotologist will keep testing my blood to see if the counts stay up this time or continues to drop. We have to remember to continue in the fight as the battle belongs to the Lord, and He already has the victory! I have the assurance that it will come. Mike continues to take care of and watch over me. Emillie and my parents remain faithful in carting me to the Doctor twice a week to have the wound vac dressings changed. I love them all so much, and could never do this without them, as well as all of the prayers from our family and friends. Keep them coming. They mean so very much! And, yes, even if we don't see the answers in the tnagible world, in the Spiritual Relm, things are very busy on our behalf. Stay the course! Things at work continue to be on shaky ground. They see that I can do my job, but are watching closely for signs that I may need to be out on disability. They do not know about the Hemotologist and the blood happenings, and I intend for it to stay that way. All they need to see is that I can do my job, no matter the struggle. I love you all so very much and am blessed to have all of you in my life. Thank you all for everything you do!

We are now 2 weeks post op. Twice a week I go to my Doctor's office where the dressings are very painfully changed by Dr. Riley's two very sweet MA's. The process takes about 30 minutes. I am having some problems with reactions to the adhesive on the dressing, but that is the least of the problems right now. The great news, wait for it, for now it seems to be working! Right now we are in the honeymoon stage. The one where I have been with all of the proceedures that they have thrown at this stubborn wound. Dr. Riley is treating it with guarded optimism. The real test will come when the wound vac is removed and the rest of the healing has to occur naturally. This is where we always run into trouble, and the wound opens back up again. The risk of infection will also be greater at this point as the wound will no longer be "sealed". Please keep this before the throne of grace. I am getting a lot of flack at work. They want me on disability. I can't really afford to do that. There are a lot of stairs and talking (behind my back) as they see me walking around campus carring a black "purse" with a hose connected to it and then to me, that sounds kind of like a coffee pot. They are afraid I could contiminate someone or possibly run the risk of a greater infection to myself. I have to keep my head up and keep going as I trust in my God to lead me. I am still fighting a low red blood cell count (7.9) and the side affects of that, as well as the RSD that is really rearing it's ugly head with my wound, but my God is greater that all of it, and the glory WILL be His! Thank you to all of my family and friends who have been my prayer worriors, and even more to my amazing husband who supports me, holds me, prays over me, and continues to just love me. I am so very blessed!

Well, I haven\'t written in a while, so I am adding this update. The wound care clinic was a bust. All they did was give me an expensive cream and said they would see me in two weeks. Fat Chance! I have continued to see Dr. Riley\'s nurse every Tuesday.She checks it for infection and healing. Well, my body just doesn\'t want to heal the wound, and it has continued to bleed,so Dr. Riley has decided to do another surgery to try and get this wound to close. This Friday, Oct. 4 at 1:00 he is going to go in and clean the wound out and create fresh margins. Then he will add a wound vac to the wound. The purpose of the vac is to drain away fluids, and to draw blood and oxygen to the wound to promote healing. I don\'t have to many detalis as this has happened rather quickly. He wanted me in the hospital Tuesday night, but, I said no. After much debate we agreed on Friday. If this doesn\'t work, he wants to put me in the hospital for a month, flat on my back,so tht there is no movement, and maybe the wound will heal. I hope it doesn\'t come to that. Keep both Mike and I in your prayres on Friday. We really want this to work, because I don\'t want to spend a month in the hospital. I will add updates as things progress. Thanks for your continued support and prayres. IT really works.

We saw Dr. Riley this morning for a check on the groin wound. Unfortunately it is still open and bleeding, so he is referring me to the wound care clinic. We will just have to wait and see where this next journey leads. We remain hopeful and prayrful and know that there is a greater picture in all of this than we can see.

Today we had the fifth round of sutures removed from the incision in my groin. The 4\" long incision is still a bit bloody, and somewhat open, but we pray that this time, it continues to close. The pattern has been that after the sutures are removed the incision opens back up. We pray that this time that doesn\'t happen. Say some prayres and keep your fingers crossed. We will see what happens next tuesday.

It has been 5 months since my surgery. It has been a road that I could never have planned, and my God has been with me all of the way as well as my husband, family and friends. From going into atril fib. only 4 days out, to having 5 procedurs to close the wound in my groin from the tube that went from my groin into my heart, it has been a battle. The wound still has not closed, and Dr. Riley continues to do what he can and work with me. I am still waiting for my appetite to return to normal , Dr. Rizik said that could take 6 months (that\'s not an entirely bad thing :)). God continues to stretch me to trust Him more and more, and to grow in Him. I don\'t know where this road will lead, but I know that I am not walking it alone.