Ross F - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

Update posted on...

August 25, 2021

Good day Heart Warriors! It is now week 2 after my MV Repair surgery / mini sternotomy (Post OP- Day #10), and here is my current progress

a) I am now able to clock 2km walk in average daily, based on my Apple watch. I try to walk 0.75m twice a day, and climb 3 floors of staircase - very slowly but surely.
b) Daily activities - can prepare simple breakfast (or cook sunny side up eggs), wash dishes (just very light, i cant do long yet), take a bath (i still ask my partner to scrub my back) otherwise i can do it but this is very tiring, change clothes, etc
c) I still have a high resting heart rate - around 78-80bpm vs 50-55 bpm preOP. I will have to ask my cardiologist about this - is this normal?
d) Sleep wise - getting better but still not same as pre-OP, i still cannot sleep by my side. I tried but it is not comfortable, although i find it not painful
e) Pain Meds - i stop taking pain killers like codeine, but once in a while, i pop on Paracetamol for mild pain
f) Once in a while I am getting back pain, maybe because of my sleep - preOP i used to sleep by my side. I would like to request my surgeon to refer me to Cardiac Rehab for basic muscle exercises...

I am really happy that I can notice my recovery day by day. I still remember coming on this group last month VERY afraid and anxious to undergo OHS surgery - thankful to many of you who assured me that the waiting time is really the worst!! In addition, it was rough 1-2 days post-OP, and 1-2 days after getting discharged - but once you get through of this - it will already be smooth sailing.

Like | Rose Madura and 1 other likes this

Mike Tirrell Hi Ross, I am 3 weeks since surgery and my resting heart rate is higher than pre-op as well. I have noticed that it has come down a bit since I was in the ... Read more

Mike Tirrell Hi Ross, I am 3 weeks since surgery and my resting heart rate is higher than pre-op as well. I have noticed that it has come down a bit since I was in the hospital. I asked about it when I was in the hospital and they said it was normal. I was (and still am) on some cardio-protective (at least I think that's what they called it) medication to regulate heart rate and stave off A-Fib and they said it may raise my heart rate. That said, even still on the same dose, I'd say it's come down ~10-15 bpm at rest since being in the hospital.

Deena Elani Ross, you are doing really, really well!!! —-Partially because you are young and also because you were in great shape going-in. Your pre-op resting HR in ... Read more

Deena Elani Ross, you are doing really, really well!!! —-Partially because you are young and also because you were in great shape going-in. Your pre-op resting HR in the 50s was fantastic; you will get back there. Will take some time— give yourself 4 more weeks plus of tracking it. Also, your hemoglobin is probably pretty low, which adds to your fatigue. Try to obtain you’re bloodwork scores, before discharge. If you are not a vegetarian, then it is te recommended to eat red meat once or twice per week to pump up your hemoglobin.
Lastly, EVERYONE has back and shoulder aches for a host of reasons— you’re stuck on your back in one position for weeks, your muscles and skin were stretched for the mini-sternum cut, etc. Takes time. For most it is months, but it probably will be faster for you.
Cardiac rehab will accelerate your healing, strengthen your heart muscle, improve your aerobic capability.
Go for it!

E Taub Back pain gets better. I was a side sleeper too before surgery and finally got back to it but not until week 6. Make sure have pillow under your knees when ... Read more

E Taub Back pain gets better. I was a side sleeper too before surgery and finally got back to it but not until week 6. Make sure have pillow under your knees when laying or sitting in bed - will help back pain. Also heating pad was a savior for me. It will get better!

Ross F Thanks Deena! You are right - my hemoglobin dropped to 9.0 PostOps, I just got the blood tests now. According to cardio, i may need to eat lots of red meat to increase my hemoglobin

Ross F Hi Mike - perhaps I would wait for a few more weeks, hopefully my heart rate goes down as well like yours

Ross F E Taub: crossed fingers for me as well!

Deena Elani Ross- It was so delightful to eat hamburgers and steak😎. You will feel the difference in your energy too.

Joseph Heinzmann Sounds like you're doing great, Ross.

Ross F Deena - absolutely. Menu this coming weekend 😋 🥩 🍔

Ross F Joseph - I read your journal. Your recovery seems amazing 🤩

Update posted on...

August 17, 2021

Hello heart warriors. I just had my surgery yesterday and it is MV repair- mini sternotomy. Happy it was successful. I walked already with the help of my PT along the hallway of the ICU unit, was able to sit down as well. Bit groggy this morning but getting better. Food still tastes bland but managed to eat bits of it. Hopefully can get better day by day.

Like | Amy K, Shannon Gray, Ted Niedziela and 9 others like this

Susan Lynn Great news, Ross! Welcome to recovery! It sounds like you're making great progress for your first day. Wishing you continued success! ❤

Lisa Coombe It’s strange, I was expecting food to be different but it wasn’t and I could eat everything that I was served

Rose Madura Great! It's amazing that you posted from ICU! Wishing you an uneventful recovery!

Deena Elani Fantastic Ross that you had the repair and not the replacement.
You sound strong and that the pain is under control, which was one of your major concerns.
It’s OVER. Yay!

Jay Heagerty Great news Ross! Wishes for a complete and speedy recovery!

Ana Brusso Good to hear Ross. Be well and God bless you

Ross F Thank you everyone. Sleeping can be a bit rough but i hope it gets better.

Lisa Coombe I’m almost 3 months post op and I still can’t sleep on my side

Rita Savelis Took me a long time to get an appetite back. Nothing interested me. Eat what you can and know that recovery will happen at a pace that is singular and normal ... Read more

Rita Savelis Took me a long time to get an appetite back. Nothing interested me. Eat what you can and know that recovery will happen at a pace that is singular and normal for you. Every experience is different. Take care.

Deena Elani Hey Ross, as you can tell from the comments, everyone recovers at a different pace. The inability to find a comfortable sleeping position is hard to describe ... Read more

Deena Elani Hey Ross, as you can tell from the comments, everyone recovers at a different pace. The inability to find a comfortable sleeping position is hard to describe to anyone that has not been through the surgery, particularly a sternum cut, but there is good news.... You are young and that means your body should heal quicker than most, so just keep that in mind.

Paul Lechiaro Great to hear Ross. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Update posted on...

August 5, 2021

My MV repair surgery is confirmed - 16 Aug. My surgeon told me there's 80-90% chance of repair, if not would be a replacement. So I chose a mechanical valve due to my age (41). My last day at work before the ops is today, so I have 10 more days to prepare for surgery, to be stronger mentally, emotionally and physically. The closer the date gets, the more anxious that I become. I am thinking to do meditation every day, alternate days of walking and swimming, and eat "healthier" food - doctor recommended less saltier food. However, sometimes I am getting anxious during sleep, so sometimes the quality of my sleep is not that good. Are there any tips you could share to me prior and for the first 5 days post-ops? Thanks so much in advance.

Like | Wes Edens likes this

Wes Edens I'm scheduled 8 days after you. Same kind of deal on repair vs. replace, but I have not made the choice of replacement type if that's needed. I'm 59. I'm interested ... Read more

Wes Edens I'm scheduled 8 days after you. Same kind of deal on repair vs. replace, but I have not made the choice of replacement type if that's needed. I'm 59. I'm interested in what people have to say in response to your question.

Deena Elani Hi Ross, to calm your nerves try to do whatever you normally do to relax. I walked every day during twilight, listened to and podcasts and had a volunteer ... Read more

Deena Elani Hi Ross, to calm your nerves try to do whatever you normally do to relax. I walked every day during twilight, listened to and podcasts and had a volunteer project.
Others mediate, write a journal, exercise, write poetry, sail in a boat.. we all pray- just about! You best know what relaxes you.
The first five days post op, you will be in the hospital, if you have a sternum cut. Less days if you have minimally invasive. Dont hesitate to ask for whatever you need/want in the hospital; ask for pain meds BEFORE any pain gets too much, drink protein drinks if you have little appetite and know that being extremely tired/weak is perfectly normal. You will regain your strength quickly, given you are young! I would make a list of what to bring to the hospital and also what you will need at home. Pillows are important to relax your back and shoulders. You will literally be on your back, that is in one position, for days, so the pillows help change your position a bit. (You will not be able to use your arms much to move your body around.) And… the ICU nurse will get you out of bed into a chair the day after your surgery, and every day you will be walking.
Other warriors will chime in. You will definitely get through this and be okay.
Just think it will soon be over and on to a healthier life!!!!

Alex Hunt I'm 6 days post op so feel qualified to answer!

Pre op, I wish I had done more sit ups. It would have really helped getting out of bed. I did loads of squats ... Read more

Alex Hunt I'm 6 days post op so feel qualified to answer!

Pre op, I wish I had done more sit ups. It would have really helped getting out of bed. I did loads of squats (which I also recommend) but thought my abs were strong enough.

Post-op - stay as calm as you can when you come around. If you're conscious of the breathing tube it is unpleasant but remind yourself It's helping you. You may well gag a few times on the tube but it's ok. I found the first 24 hours ruinously hard. I counted 10 different wires, tubes and lines going in and out, some of which are uncomfortable.

Leave your modesty at the door. If you have to be given a bed bath by a huge man called Babu, let him do it! He won't be phased by it.

Finally, recovery is sadly not linear. There will be days where you feel you are going backwards. Stay positive.

Best of luck for your surgery and I wish you a speedy and uncomplicated recovery.

Ross F Thank you Deena!! That’s the plan. I would do things that i love the week before the surgery. I will also take your tip to buy protein drinks and bring them ... Read more

Ross F Thank you Deena!! That’s the plan. I would do things that i love the week before the surgery. I will also take your tip to buy protein drinks and bring them to hospital. Also can bring my favourite pillow. My tolerance to pain is quite low so would ensure I will inform the nurses right away!! Appreciate the well wishes!

Ross F Hi Alex! Hope you are doing well with your post ops. Your tip to strengthen quads and core muscles are helpful- will start doing tomorrow :) not sure though ... Read more

Ross F Hi Alex! Hope you are doing well with your post ops. Your tip to strengthen quads and core muscles are helpful- will start doing tomorrow :) not sure though if 10 days are enough.
I can imagine all those tubes! Didn’t you panicked? I heard about it too. I hope I won’t especially if it makes me very uncomfortable. I guess I just had to bear it and think about that I would get better by doing it. Thanks again for your well wishes!! Speedy recovery to you. Cheers!

Ross F Hi Wes. People choose biological valve since they don’t want to take long term warfarin. Although I heard you will get used to it and should not be too bad. ... Read more

Ross F Hi Wes. People choose biological valve since they don’t want to take long term warfarin. Although I heard you will get used to it and should not be too bad. For mechanical valve, it lasts longer maybe more than 20 years but have to take warfarin. As per my doctor, he recommended mechanical valve due to my age and so as to avoid surgery in the future. But I am still crossing my fingers that the Op is repair as he gave a 80-90% chance

Alex Hunt I panicked more when they took the breathing tube out to be honest. There's a moment where you can't breathe at all, and once it's gone you appreciate how much ... Read more

Alex Hunt I panicked more when they took the breathing tube out to be honest. There's a moment where you can't breathe at all, and once it's gone you appreciate how much work the machine was doing for you. Breathing is tough!

Don't let this worry you though, it's only temporary. Force yourself to stay calm. Most people barely notice it when they come around.

I know it's easy to say, but you will get through this. I'll be thinking of you.

Ross F Thank you Alex! Take care

Deena Elani Alex, wow. You were really awake after your surgery. Thanks for the candid feedback. It's interesting, because most of us are totally out of it. --Meaning ... Read more

Deena Elani Alex, wow. You were really awake after your surgery. Thanks for the candid feedback. It's interesting, because most of us are totally out of it. --Meaning I have barely any memory of the tube and having it taken out. I have a small memory of my mouth feeling full with some wide object. I wasn't fully conscious until over eight hours after my surgery.
My procedure was almost six hours long, so I was on anesthesia for a long time and I am in my 60's, so I don't rebound as well as you and Ross will.
As for the tubes, I just ignored them. I knew they would be there prior to the surgery, so it wasn't a surprise. I found that if I didn't focus on the tubes, they didn't bother me, except sometimes when I moved around. It was the least of my concerns. Guess we are all different. Most importantly, you had and Ross will have a successful operation. Focus on the prize:)

Thomas Brusstar I was awake with the breathing tube still in. I didn't panic, it was just uncomfortable. I had to spell letters in the air to communicate. If you start to ... Read more

Thomas Brusstar I was awake with the breathing tube still in. I didn't panic, it was just uncomfortable. I had to spell letters in the air to communicate. If you start to gag on saliva, they can suction it out. Every tube they take out is progress! I was glad when they took the breathing tube out after a little while. They just needed to be sure my breathing was fine. The drainage tubes they insert in your chest are the worst for pain. Like that was the source of maybe 90% of my bad pain post-surgery. Once those came out on day 2, things got better fast.

Update posted on...

July 27, 2021

I just got cleared by the dentist and my angiogram also has no blockage. I am now going for consultation with my cardio surgeon regarding the repair and mini sternotomy. I am all for surgery but still quite anxious on the post-ops pain that I may be experiencing!

I just had 7 laps of swim today, did 10km hike over the weekend - I am afraid it would take time before I could do this again after the ops... not to mention the pain as my tolerance to pain is quite low....

Like | Wes Edens, Shannon Gray, Patsy Stewart and 1 other likes this

Deena Elani Hey Ross, that’s some great exercise you had. It’s really helpful to go into the surgery in good shape! As for pain, most heart warriors will tell you ... Read more

Deena Elani Hey Ross, that’s some great exercise you had. It’s really helpful to go into the surgery in good shape! As for pain, most heart warriors will tell you that the physical pain was well controlled by pain pills and was not as great as they thought. I know this is hard to believe given the magnitude of the procedure, but I also found this to be the case. I had a full sternum cut. You’re also young which means statistically you ought to heal faster than most of us over 60. The hardest part is uncomfortable sleep because you are on your back 100 percent of the time, your shoulders and back may ache, limited, mobility for the first two weeks or so and fatigue. You will get through this better than you imagined and heal faster than you think. Focus on the prize: a much healthier you. That 10k hike will be even easier in one year post recovery! You are getting stronger and going to live longer!! Godspeed.

Marie Myers I was also worried about post-op pain, but the whole experience was easier than I thought it would be. Like Deena said, it is more being uncomfortable, and ... Read more

Marie Myers I was also worried about post-op pain, but the whole experience was easier than I thought it would be. Like Deena said, it is more being uncomfortable, and not sleeping well. My upper back and shoulders hurt more than my full sternotomy. Would have paid anything for a massage... It is great that you are physically active; you will do well in recovering! Let us know how the consultation goes!

Peter Linn All, so why not get a massage? I understand the Cleveland Clinic actually arranges for them.

Ross F Thanks Deena and Marie!! I will totally rely on pain pills then :)

Ross F Peter - i would love also getting massages, but definitely it super recovered and fully healed!

Marie Myers You could get a chair massage while in the hospital. I did not plan for that in advance, and was too tired while in the hospital to arrange that. There were ... Read more

Marie Myers You could get a chair massage while in the hospital. I did not plan for that in advance, and was too tired while in the hospital to arrange that. There were no such services at the hospital where I had surgery.

Richard Munson Wow, a chair massage, did i miss something in the hospital ? I might still be there.

Ana Brusso Richard, I missed that too.

Richard Munson Ana, i may call mass general and see if i can go back and get it. Blue cross might say no. Can i choose who gives it?

Deena Elani (really laughing loud, Richard)

Richard Munson It sounds like a seinfeld episode.

Peter Linn Definitely a Seinfeld episode there

Update posted on...

July 21, 2021

Hi, i am a new member. Feeling anxious as my heart valve surgery is coming in the next few weeks. Hope this group can give me more insights about the surgery.

Like | Dylan Kempers likes this

Susan Lynn Welcome, Ross! You've come to the right place. Everyone here is just waiting to help our current and future heart warriors. You may get more specific information ... Read more

Susan Lynn Welcome, Ross! You've come to the right place. Everyone here is just waiting to help our current and future heart warriors. You may get more specific information if you tell us a bit more, i.e,, the type of entry (sternotomy, mini-sternotomy, minimally-invasive, robotic), and the valve(s) that is/are being repaired or replaced. I can tell you very broadly, most people will tell you that surgery wasn't as bad as they expected and waiting was the worst part. Medical treatment has come a long way. even in the last decade There are streamlined approaches to these procedures and the surgical teams and nurses have minimized discomfort with the entire process.

Trust your team - they'll do the work while you'll enjoy a quick, restful nap! When you wake up, it will all be behind you! This may not be something you're looking forward to, but it's the best investment you can make in your future. You're going to be just fine!

Ross F Thanks so much Susan for your warm welcome! i will be having mitral valve repair, mini-sternotomy (6-8cm). I am 41, actually living with severe mitral regurgitation ... Read more

Ross F Thanks so much Susan for your warm welcome! i will be having mitral valve repair, mini-sternotomy (6-8cm). I am 41, actually living with severe mitral regurgitation for 6 years and kept on delaying my surgery, until my doctor told me to do it since my measurements are increasing. I don't have any symptoms though, but yeah - quite anxious about it. But seeing this message, made me feel very happy. I am still doing some chest xray and ct corononary scan in the next few days, and will be scheduled for the mitral valve operation in the next few weeks i would guess :)

GREGG KENT Hey Ross, the anxiety waiting period is almost the worse part of the whole situation. I think one almost looks forward to having the procedure. I know I did. ... Read more

GREGG KENT Hey Ross, the anxiety waiting period is almost the worse part of the whole situation. I think one almost looks forward to having the procedure. I know I did. A couple of challenging days post op. Then, on the heal. I'm one week post op. I'm listening to caregivers instructions, listening to my body. Taking it easy (mix of energy and tiredness different times of the day). The pain is virtually gone. Healing has begun!
Hang in there - you'll do great!

Ross F Thanks Gregg! Yeah, i just got told to do surgery 2 days ago hence i am still in the 'processing' stage :) yeah, hope would come a time that I would look forward ... Read more

Ross F Thanks Gregg! Yeah, i just got told to do surgery 2 days ago hence i am still in the 'processing' stage :) yeah, hope would come a time that I would look forward to it. Happy to hear that yours went very well. Cheers!

Susan Lynn Ross - You're going to be fine. You're young and will bounce back quickly. I had a little soreness, but no pain with my mitral valve surgery. I felt ... Read more

Susan Lynn Ross - You're going to be fine. You're young and will bounce back quickly. I had a little soreness, but no pain with my mitral valve surgery. I felt tired for awhile afterward. Afternoon naps were my friend. Take your time - don't overdue it and you'll be surprised how great you'll feel after a couple of weeks. Walk. Rest. Repeat. Add an extra couple minutes to your waking each day. They're the keys to recovery. Slow and steady wins this race. All the best! ❤

Jay Heagerty Welcome Ross. I am a new member as well and also have surgery in a few weeks. I am also a bit anxious, but confident in a positive outcome. Stay positive, research and prepare!

Paul Lechiaro Hi Ross, The waiting is the tough part. I have surgery coming up in a few weeks too.

Ross F Thank you everyone. I really appreciate all your thoughts.