Recent content by dmeehan

Wow Steve! Two weeks before her wedding! Okay, now I feel silly for worrying. Thank you for sharing that, that will help keep me calm on the morning of surgery.

Thank you all very much! I really appreciate it. A small update: I saw my cardio yesterday for my yearly check up. She said my valve is settling in so well that when I go back for a check up next year I do not need to have an echo first. Wow, that means it will be two years from now before I...

Yes I got a tissue valve. No anti-coagulants for me, just the aspirin and low dose of atenelol.

Hi everyone, I had my AVR back in March of 2011 and now I found out I have to have my gallbladder removed. I am meeting with my cardiologist tomorrow for my annual echo and check up and to get clearance for gall bladdery surgery. I am extremely nervous. I was just wondering how many people...

Norm of the North said it best, the waiting is the worst part and then once you're going through it, you're there, you're "in it", and it's not as bad as your worst fears. it's funny how the human brain adapts to fit the environment. Prior to my surgery I used to get nervous before my echoes...

Hi Steve! Glad to hear you're doing well! I can't believe 6 months have gone by since we were in the waiting room.

Hi everyone, I just wanted to check in and say hello. I had my surgery back on March 1st. It went extremely well and life has been progressing to near normalcy ever since. This coming wednesday I have my 6 month follow up echo and the following tuesday I meet with my cardio to discuss the...

Hi Steve, Last Friday I had something similar but less serious than yours. Out of nowhere I started having severe back pain, stabbing pains, between my shoulder blades and at the top of my chest. Of course I googled it (stay away from google, I know, I know) and the first thing I saw was...

Hi Steve, Big sigh of relief for you (and a virtual *high five* to a fellow March 2011 graduate!). I've been reading all of your updates and am so glad to hear that you are on the upswing! Let's hope this keeps going!

Jeff, I'm starting to think we had the EXACT same experience with our surgeries. I had very little pain post-surgery and when I refused the pain meds and told the nurses that I didn't have any pain, they huffed. I told them all "in fact, the adhesives you're using cause me more discomfort than...

I have the same experience as Jeff. No problems like this to speak of (yet!) Like Jeff, I also started doing leg, foot, finger, and hand exercises right away to "get stuff moving" again.

I am 3 weeks post-op as of tomorrow (surgery was 3/1/11) and so far (knock on wood) no signs of pumphead.

I was surprised that the breathing tube didn't bother me at all. I was surprised that the chest tubes didn't bother me at all. I was surprised at how little pain I had. I was surprised that they really did get me up and out of bed and into a recliner on the evening after my surgery. I was...

I just spent 3 hours typing up my story and then discovered it had logged me out :( the whole thing is lost. I will have to re-type at some point. :(

Hi everyone! My fog has cleared enough for me to type a quick message. If all goes well I shouldbe going home tomorrow. Red tape has kept me here for 2 extra days! The surgeon said I was ready to go home yesterday! Once I have a proper keyboard I will write details, which will mostly be thank...