12 Weeks Post Cardiac Rehab Report

[StretchL]

Greetings, all.

The folks in cardiac rehab did a stress test on me today, exactly 12 weeks post-op, and the news was good.

My cardiopulmonary function was better than my first visit there, at 3 weeks post, by a whopping 81%. (I was on Lopressor during that first visit, which kept my BP down and lowered my CP function accordingly.)

What's really interesting is that my results today were 103% of predicted results for men in my age group. That's right- 12 weeks post-op and my cardiopulmonary function is actually *better* than the average man my age who has *never* been diagnosed with heart disease.

There's at least one study that makes similar observations about athletic Ross Procedure patients in comparison with healthy athletes. The authors attribute the results to the more normal hemodynamic function of the pulmonic valve (now in the aortic position) as compared to that of other prosthetic valves in the aortic position.

Here's a link to the abstract of that study: http://www.stretchphotography.com/avr/documents/AthletesAfterRoss.pdf

 

[WayneGM]

Excellent news! Congratulations.

 

[Superbob]

Good to hear, way to go! I'm a believer in cardiac rehab. I actually enjoyed my stint there when I lived in Northern Virginia and wish I had something like it ongoing out here in western Virginia.

 

[ruth]

Woooo Hooooo!! Congrats Stretch!

 

[Phyllis]

Great news, Stretch- has to make your day!

 

[Marguerite53]

Great news!! Now remember.....this is a good habit to form! You want to keep that beautiful new heart in shape, so be sure that this constant exercise isn't just during recovery, but is carving its way into your daily routine! You should always come first, now!!

Marguerite

 

[Lynlw]

YEAH Stretch. If I didn't have a stinky back i'd do a cartwheel for you

 

[Jkm7]

What good news, Stretch. Congratulations.

Doesn't seem possible it's been 12 weeks since your surgery. Seems it was just the 'other day'......probably doesn't seem that way to you.

 

[StretchL]

What good news, Stretch. Congratulations.

Doesn't seem possible it's been 12 weeks since your surgery. Seems it was just the 'other day'......probably doesn't seem that way to you.

Not just the other day, but not three months, either!

 

[kodi]

Great news. So are you still training for the 10K you mentioned earlier?

 

[StretchL]

You bet, Kodi, although I was set back by the cold-from-hell, which kept me from doing any exercise at all for two weeks.

I'm back into the swing now, but I know I'll not do as well as I would've had I not lost all that training time.

 

[MarkG]

Wouldn't "cold-from-hell" actually be kind of warm?

 

[Ross]

Commando Stretch, report to the front lines at once.

You've been extremely fortunate throughout this whole ordeal. Count your blessings. Many others do not have it like this after surgery.

One thing I don't get, why are they doing a stress test 12 weeks after when they aren't supposed to be good for much until one year has lapsed? I think your people like to see you run!

.....And no, I'm not picking on you. You really are really fortunate. I can count on one hand how many other people have been in the last 6 years.

 

[StretchL]

Commando Stretch, report to the front lines at once.

You've been extremely fortunate throughout this whole ordeal. Count your blessings. Many others do not have it like this after surgery.

One thing I don't get, why are they doing a stress test 12 weeks after when they aren't supposed to be good for much until one year has lapsed? I think your people like to see you run!

.....And no, I'm not picking on you. You really are really fortunate. I can count on one hand how many other people have been in the last 6 years.

Ross, Ross, Ross... why all the negativity, buddy? I know you're not picking on me (or doing so only with the best intentions), but are you saying there are no more than five people our of 1700+ members who've gone through OHS without serious complications? You know that's not true.

The stress test was part of the cardiac rehab process. They did one at the beginning to find out at what level to start my therapy, and one at the end, to find out how far I'd progressed.

I do count my blessings, amigo, nearly every day. I'm very, very thankful for the way things have worked out thus far.

 

[StretchL]

Wouldn't "cold-from-hell" actually be kind of warm?

Cold, as in upper respiratory virus. I knew when I typed that I should've said it a different way.

Can I get a copy editor over here, please!?

 

[Susan BAV]

Bravo on your recovery thus far, Stretch! What did your mom say? She must be so relieved and proud.

 

[pedimed]

Congratulations

Congratulations

Stretch,

You are fantastic! Congratulations on a great recovery.
-Lea

 

[StretchL]

What did your mom say? She must be so relieved and proud.

Hi, Susan.

Yah, she's pretty happy! She didn't like the looks of the scar, though.

I don't know if I mentioned here that I took Noni's iMac down there this past weekend with the surgery photos on it. The computer allowed me to show them to her really big, which she needs because she has macular degeneration.

She was fascinated with them! She just shook her head in amazement when she got to see her son's heart!

When the picture of that bad valve came up, I said, "Here it is... the thing that caused all this." She just kept saying how she'd been worried about it for the last 43 years.

 

[Susan BAV]

What a loving mom!

 

[Nan]

Way to go Stretch! Better than before! Next I expect to hear that you are jumping buildings in a single bound!

Seriously, really happy for you. Great news.