Post surgery report (long)

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Hi Betsy!

Hi Betsy!

I'm a newbie to VR.com but already I'm getting great advice. Your story is very inspiring. Thank you for sharing and congratulations for what appears to be an awesome recovery. I have just started my trek uphill... and all advice I'm receiving on VR.com is to act now and not take the cardio's advice to wait a couple of years. I have 4 kids and the thought of giving them a hug before I head to the hospital is tough to envision so I will focus on your description of how wonderful it is to hug your kids now that you're on the downhill trail. That's what I hope to be doing in the early part of 2008!!!

Best of luck with the recovery and happy holidays to you and your family!

SSS in Olympia, WA
 
bbb said:
It's a great road, eh! And all the signs that say SLOW along the way are serious, time to take it easy and let our bodies get stronger slowly.
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AMEN!

Now ... if everyone else on earth realized how important it is to "slow down" ... life would be a bit more pleasant ;).



Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Here today, forgot tomorrow" ... Duran Duran ... 'Ordinary World'
 
Betsy,
Congratulations on your successful surgery. I am glad to hear everything went so well for you.
 
Lorie, so glad you have found a great surgeon for you, that is the first step. And staying closer to home is really nice, if you can. The travel home was not bad at all for me. I definitely had anxiety before, but it was ok. Do you have a direct flight? I had to change planes and that was fine. I ordered a wheelchair and just took it easy in the wheelchair. I did do some walking and moving once I got to the gates, and walked to my seat, etc. I actually woke up that morning feeling barely human, but was able to eat and take the pain meds, etc. and feel better as the day wore on. I think if you have three days post op, you will be fine. I got out of the hospital on Tuesday aft. and left Cleveland on Thurs. morning, as it was the one day of sun in between alot of snow storms. Just keep a plan B, if you are not feeling up for it. The airlines can be helpful, esp. in January. I was ready to stay in Cleveland as long as it took, but was sooo happy to be on that plane home. Good luck and enjoy your holidays!
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Hi Betsy, thanks for taking the time to respond to my question about travel as I was concerned and you made me feel better! I am actually driving to California with my husband so he will have our car to drive while we're down there and I am flying back, non-stop. I am glad to hear that your recovery has been uneventful (other than the sore throat and migraines...hope they resolve soon) and that things went well for you! I also have two daughters at home and I am just eager to get on with things and get home to them! I have been doing a lot of research on bicuspid disease and aortic aneurysms and they can be very unpredictable, particularly with what often turns out to be a connective tissue disorder. One person can make it to 7 cm without dissection or rupture and another dissects at 4.5. I can't believe you made it 3 years knowing about your aneurysm. I have only known since mid October and I am ready to get this taken care of now!

Anyway, good to know that everything went well for you. Continue to post and share with us your experiences when you feel up to it...it really helps those of us in the waiting room to hear from you and to know that we are going to be okay too! Happy Holidays to you and your family as well!!
 
Hi Betsy! So happy to see you adding such informative posts to the big picture here. Mostly, so glad to hear that you are recovering so beautifully. It's a long road to normal....but every turn towards that re-energized state is like a little milestone, so honor each and every one.....and be patient! :)

I guess I hadn't realized that you had been corresponding with Cleveland Clinic for 3 years! I imagine you are completely relieved now that it is over and you can see that it wasn't the big bad wolf you imagined it to be. I, too, had to wait 3 years once my stenosis and aortic measure alerted my doctors that it would soon be time for AVR. The wait nearly drove me nuts!!! What I want to know is how did you manage to wait that long without going crazy??

AND, I see by your signature that you have joined our Moo-ing chorus! So here's to you!! and Moo!! :D :D

Best wishes. Keep us updated on your progress in recovery.

:) Marguerite
 
Update on recovery

Update on recovery

Hi,
Since people are asking for an update on my recovery, I am now 16 days past surgery and really feeling myself again. Every day I think more feeling comes back to me in so many ways. My throat is not swollen, my voice almost back, I am sleeping better every night. I am still on the ibuprofen three times a day, but feel I can stop that soon, too.

I am really working on excersize, following the Cleveland Clinic program. 5 min warm-up, 5 min. walking, 5 min. cool-down. I'm doing this about 5 times a day, and each day it is easier. You have to wait about 1 1/2 hours after meals to walk, so my days seem so full. Frankly, all the possible depression you hear about, I don't know when I would have the time for that!

Also, I am eating like a horse. They told us eat 1 1/2 times what you usually eat. I am also eating very slowly and chewing very well to get all the nutrition. I have been eating very healthy food and doing the low sodium, lo-fat part, too. Eating well feels like it is really giving me great energy to recover. Drinking tons of water, too, as I live in the high desert and I want to flush out all those nasty meds!

My incision is just about healed, amazing! I did have a slight problem with redness and dishcarge, went immediately to the ER and got put on antibiotics a week ago. I'm done with them and the scar is looking really good.

I am resting when I feel the least bit tired, but up and about, writing Christmas cards, playing with my kids, even putting them to bed now (as before I could not really move well enough or had the energy for that). I'm tempted to try a thing or two out and about, but am still really trying to stay away from the public and germs, so keeping myself pretty isolated. I will try for a Christmas Eve service if I feel up for it next week.

As to your question, Marguerite, on how I could wait 3 years, it actually was not hard at all. Firstly, I trusted my surgeon to tell me when it was time for surgery and secondly, I was in denial and really thought by the time I needed surgery it could be minimally invasive, possibly with a avalve grown from my own cells! So, I just really trusted I was going to be ok until I needed surgery at that point. In any case, so glad I have had the surgery and it is behind me now!

Happy holidays to everyone! Betsy
 
Betsy,

You don't know how great you're doing. I had my surgery ten days before yours and I still am taking Norco a couple times a day. The fact that you're only on ibuprofen, well, that speaks volumes. I am jealous. But congratulations for pulling through so famously. You go, girl.
 
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