Susan's Journal

I’m now 8 weeks post OHS, feeling a lot better, pretty much back to my normal routine, but I am still very tired. I had rehab yesterday (just finished week 2). Later that night we went out to dinner with friends and the. to a brewery (I didn’t drink). And I was exhausted. We had to walk up some stairs and I felt like I did BEFORE surgery! It was very disappointing. We got home about 10:30 and I went straight to bed. Is it normal to still struggle with fatigue like this at 2 months?

Seven weeks post op and started rehab this week. So far, so good! I had an appointment yesterday with the “electrician cardiologist” about the atrial flutter I had in the hospital. He took me off of the dreaded Amiodarone and the Pradaxa. I’m SO GLAD!! At 7 weeks I’m still tired a lot and still have the annoying, aching, prickly, burning, sternum and incision but all in all, looking back over the last seven weeks, things have improved dramatically. It’s a slow and steady marathon, not a short sprint. Best wishes, thoughts, and prayers to all of you in the waiting room and post op. If I can do it, you definitely can!

Tomorrow is the 6 week mark post op for me. Six weeks ago I thought this day would never come because I assumed at 6 weeks I would be “healed” and back to my normal self. And looking back I have come a long way and made a ton of progress. However, my idea of what 6 weeks would look like was a little optimistic. I’m doing a lot better but certainly not back to normal. I’m still tired a lot, still can’t sleep comfortably on my side. My sternum pain has improved quite a bit, but my incision has been bothering me more for some reason. I’m walking more, driving, and going out more, plus back to work full time (I work from home). As far as my mental health is concerned, I still don’t feel like I’m back to myself yet. I’m still more anxious than normal and can cry very easily, even if it’s really not something sad. (For example, my little 5 month old grandson wore jeans and actual shoes for the first time. The waterworks started. Another example, I was actually afraid to go back to church at week 4 because I was worried I'd cry when people talked to me about the surgery.). I also seem to get my feelings hurt very easily. All in all, I’m moving forward at 6 weeks and realize it’s a slow and steady progression. I start Cardio rehab in a week and I’m counting on that moving my recovery along even more.

So, I’m 2 days away from 5 weeks post op and I’ve noticed slight redness and extra soreness around the top of my incision scar. Is this something I should contact my dr about or could it just be irritation from normal activity? Not sure if I’m just being paranoid. I’ve kind of lost perspective regarding these things. I’ll follow up with a photo.

Just wondering how long everyone has used their incentive spirometer post surgery. Also, how high of a number should I be reaching? I didn’t get a lot of info on this at the hospital.

Well, today I'm exactly three weeks post op. I had a follow up appointment with my cardiologist yesterday and he cut my Amiodarone in half. They had prescribed that to me in the hospital for atrial flutter following my surgery. I was very happy to reduce that and can't wait until I don't have to take it at all. He also put me back on the Metoprolol I had been taking for years, which they had taken me off of at the hospital. My heart rate has been high since my surgery, over 100 resting, so the Metoprolol has helped bring that down about 20 points already. Last night was the first night I really felt like I had turned a corner in my recovery. I found myself feeling "almost normal". The pain in my chest seemed less. I felt like I could take deeper breaths and I didn't have quite as big of a rock sitting on my chest. I realized I was thinking about normal things and not about my surgery or how I felt, or worrying about if this or that was normal. I felt really good when I went to bed last night because I thought, "tomorrow is going to be a really good day!" And it has been a pretty good day so far, considering I haven't cried even once yet! I have developed a little tickly cough. Could be the air or maybe some leftover inflammation. The doctor said my lungs sounded fine and none of my medicines should be causing it. But if any of you have coughed yet, and I'm sure you have, it is not a pleasant experience! Even at the three week mark. I've taken to wearing my "heart hugger" around again so I can be ready when one crops up and stepped up the use of my incentive spirometer, which seems to help loosen things up. I'm realizing now that it IS going to get better (I knew that but didn't FEEL it). This isn't going to be my new existence. The doctor gave me an order to go ahead and schedule cardiac rehab in a couple of weeks. I've never liked exercising but I am so looking foward to this! So anyway, just wanted share my current status. Hope everyone else is doing well!

My surgery was yesterday at 7:15 am, and took 4 hours. I just got out of ICU this afternoon and moved to a step down room and was able to walk the length of the hallway and back. The surgeon said I should be home by this weekend! My advice: stay up on the pain meds. My family was here today and I didn’t want to be groggy for them so I passed on a dose. I paid for that later and shed a couple of tears. 😩 I have an Inspiris valve, size 23, which will be able to handle a TAVR procedure in the future. Lots of positives! Just wish the nurses would let me sleep! But that’s the nature of the beast I guess. Thanks you all for your thoughts and prayers!

Oh how I wish! On my way to the hospital now. Ran around like a crazy woman all day getting work stuff organized., paying bills, answering emails, cleaning up the house. Tonight, they will me all settled in, give me a sleeping pill and then bright and early tomorrow morning is showtime! Many thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support. I’m so glad I found this place.

I had all my pre-admission testing and cardiac education yesterday. This took close to 4 hours. I left there feeling really confident and ready. Today, however, I'm back to feeling anxious and a little depressed about it again. I'll be ready to put this behind me so I can get off this emotional roller coaster. I'm still going back and forth about whether I need a recliner to sleep in the first week or so. A lot of people have said they had to do that, but the RN yesterday said she didn't think it was necessary. I don't have one so I'd need to get one in place before next Wednesday. Also, the ladies will understand this...what kind of bra should I wear when I leave the hospital and at home? I really don't think my normal ones will work. They're hard enough to get into on a good day. Plus, the RN said not to drive for a MONTH! That knocked me for a loop, I really didn't expect it to be that long. I'm very independent and the thought of relying on someone for that long really makes me want to cry. I'm also worried about catching a cold and having to postpone the surgery so I'm a little bit paranoid about being around people who are coughing and sniffling (which seems like everyone all of a sudden). Sorry for the craziness! Just had to vent a bit! One week to go... .

It's now 10 days until my surgery. I just got back last night from a wonderful beach vacation with my family. The long drive home from North Carolina to Ohio had my mind focusing on what was coming up. Tomorrow, I have a scheduled phone call with a nurse from the heart center to go over about 15 minutes worth of info. Then Tuesday, I'm getting an ultrasound on my carotid arteries. Next Monday is a pre-surgical appointment with my surgeon, Tuesday night I check into the hospital at 8:00 pm. (gulp), and Wednesday morning at 7:15 is the main event. I now have a constant lump in my throat and knot in my stomach. I'm sure it will be fine. My surgeon is one of the best around, I am otherwise healthy except for my bicuspid valve, so I'm trying to stay positive. I'm just being torn between wishing the surgery wasn't so soon, and wanting to put it behind me. Thanks for reading.