Vicki's Journal

It's been 3 weeks since surgery and I've been home 2 weeks today. Every day gets a little easier but my vision is still bothering me when I try to read or write. They can't get my INR where they want it. It's still at a 1 after doubling my meds so they doubled it again. Hopefully that will fix it. I've started physical and occupational therapy for my stroke. It's going good. By the time spring gets here a should be pretty good and hopefully I'll get use to my vision problem so it doesn't bother me.

It turned out to be a not so good week. Surgery went well and they repaired my valve. I was all set to come home on Wednesday and they were taking my central line out when I got dizzy and light headed. I thought I was just hyper ventallating. Next thing I remember is them saying where's her spouse. We need to put a breathing tube in. I was telling them I didn't want one. And then our 4 kids and other family members were there.
Come to find out, when they pulled the line an air bubble went to my heart and caused me to have a couple of small strokes. Nothing major and I should come out of 90% of it. The small vision loss will remain but my brain will compensate for that.
If you ask me today if I'm glad I went ahead with surgery instead of waiting honestly I'd say no. I had some symptoms but nothing sever. A ways down the road when I'm feeling better my balance and strength are back and my brain has adjusted I might have a different answer.

I want say I'm sorry i haven't posted about my surgery yet. It's been a rough road. They had thought when I came in that I'd be going home this morning. No such luck. Hopefully tomorrow. I got my pacer wires out today and my
Pick line. They thought I was going to have to a breathing tube put back in not I finally came out of it again. Luck that didn't. happen! I'm can't focus very well do I'll ytry to post more tomorrow. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support.

It's 7:00a.m. Going to be leaving for the hospital in a few minutes. Surgery is scheduled for 11:30. I want to thank everyone for the kind words, prayers, love and support. My husband of 33 years will be there with me as well as our 4 children, my mom and sister. With all of them , my very larger extended family and all of you pulling for me I'm sure I'll be just fine.

Went and had all my pre-op testing done today. I guess this is really going to happen tomorrow unless I chicken out before morning!

As my surgery day is getting closer and closer, I find myself have strange dreams. I don't usually remember my dreams but these are very vivid and fresh in my mind when I wake up. Sometimes they are scary other times not so much but I always wake up and it feels like my heart is going to jump out of my chest!

I'm having a really hard time doing this!

Christmas present from my awesome son-in-law / tattoo artist. It's says survivor.

I saw the surgeon today and am scheduled for mitral valve repair surgery on January 9, 2015! I could of had it done between Christmas and New Years but chose to wait until after the holiday. I'm actually less stressed now than I was before I went today.

I'm going to see a surgeon on Thursday December 18. I know some if the questions to ask like, how long have you been doing this, what's your success rate how long will it take? those sorts of things. I was wondering what else I should ask. Is there anything anyone didn't ask but wished afterwards that they had?

Christmas lights at our house.

My family.