Best Case Scenario - Season of Thanks

[MelissaM]

This season makes me reflect on the miracles of modern life, and give thanks for second chances.

For those whom I haven't yet had the pleasure to meet, I was a feverish poster on these boards over four years ago, with all of the questions and concerns of a newbie. Concerns over surgery, recovery, and how it would all work out.

I feel so grateful that it all "worked out" wonderfully. Four years later, I can go for weeks w/out thinking of my heart. No meds, small scar, no complications. In fact, my doc hasn't done an echo in 2+ years. "From what I hear," he says, "there is no reason to do one. You barely have a murmur." He has cleared me for everything from hiking a "14-er" (14,000 ft high mountain), to scuba diving.

Fifty years ago, I would probably have died from the infection. And here I sit with a wonderfully working heart!

It is a season to give thanks - so thanks! Not only to the doctors who helped to save my life, but to all of the kind members of this board who guided me through those difficult times. And to all of the people waiting for surgery, may your outcomes be equally blessed.

Merry Holidays!

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Melissa - It was very nice to read your cheerful update. Take care and best wishes to you.

P.S. My brother climbed Longs last summer--what a climb! Be safe!

 

[South Sound Sailor]

Wonderful words!

Wonderful words!

What a beautiful story to read! Thank you Melissa. I'm in the "just coming to grips with reality" stage. No surgery date for my AVR but I'm guessing sometime in the early part of 2008. More than anything, I love reading success stories like yours' in this forum. And the success stories that involve active lifestyles are, for me, like double scoops of ice cream on a big slice of chocolate cake. Thank you for the wonderful gift of encouragement and hope.

SSS

 

[marie]

What a beautiful story to read! Thank you Melissa. I'm in the "just coming to grips with reality" stage. No surgery date for my AVR but I'm guessing sometime in the early part of 2008. More than anything, I love reading success stories like yours' in this forum. And the success stories that involve active lifestyles are, for me, like double scoops of ice cream on a big slice of chocolate cake. Thank you for the wonderful gift of encouragement and hope.

SSS

Ditto for me. Thank you so much

 

[Adrienne]

Ditto from another endocarditis and mitral-valve-repair survivor!! I also think often about how lucky I am live in an era of medical miracles!!

 

[Guest]

MELISSA!!!

Good to "see" you again! Thanks for the update .



Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker
WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Will I be merry or will I be blue?" ... Deborah Allen ... 'Rockin' Little Christmas'

 

[Bryan B]

What a beautiful story to read! Thank you Melissa. I'm in the "just coming to grips with reality" stage. No surgery date for my AVR but I'm guessing sometime in the early part of 2008. More than anything, I love reading success stories like yours' in this forum. And the success stories that involve active lifestyles are, for me, like double scoops of ice cream on a big slice of chocolate cake. Thank you for the wonderful gift of encouragement and hope.

SSS

Well I was just getting ready to log off for the night when I read about active lifestyles being like double scoops of ice cream on a big slice of chocolate cake. I had a Ross Procedure in March of 2004. Me and Melissa have some similarities because we both had endocarditis and we both had sternum problems and ended up getting our sternum wires removed. I'm not climbing mountains or running marathons, but my physical activity can't even be compared to what it was for the last 5+ years leading up to my surgery. I work at a job that requires heavy lifting, constant walking, climbing steep hills...basically intensive physical excertion throughout the day. And I love it. I'm in the best physical shape that I can remember in 15 years...and I'm 47 years old. Since I took this job I've gone from 150lbs to 165lbs with no change in waist size. I don't need as much sleep as I used to, I eat like a teenager... ,my energy level is up which makes me more outgoing, I work at a golf course and I'm playing on average 72 holes of golf a week during cold weather and well over 100 holes during the summer. When me and my best friend played in his member-guest tournament we played 126 holes over 3 days. The heat doesn't bother me like it used to. Shall I stop there or do you want more testimonals? I could go into my incredible sex life and how my IQ jumped 50 points after the surgery.

 

[Bryan B]

BTW it's good to hear from you Melissa and glad everything is going well. I haven't been around much either but have visited a little more frequently to keep things stirred up around here.

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays (covering all of the bases )

 

[MelissaM]

Cheers to double scoops of ice cream on chocolate cake! My doctor definitely cleared me for that!!

 

[WayneGM]

Thanks for the uplifting post. I'm sure it will encourage and inspire the newbies.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Hey there Melissa....

Hey there Melissa....

Has it really been that long?!?! Great to hear from you Melissa and that you're doing so well. Stay warm in all that gorgeous snow and enjoy the slopes during the holidays.

 

[njean]

Dear Melissa,

What an inspirational story! It gave me goose bumps when I read it! You are indeed a "walking testament" that life does not stop after OHS or multiple OHS as some of us have had, it ONLY GETS BETTER!

I wish many, many more years of a healthy, vibrant life for you! Merry Christmas to you & yours!

 

[Christina L]

Melissa -

Melissa -

Beautiful sentiments. So thrilled that you have done so well post surgery. You are still young and have so much life ahead of you - I know you will live life to the fullest because of having heart surgery at such a young age. Go out and do it all, I say!

It is all relative, though - all of us have taken different paths in this heart surgery "thing" and some have had more problems than others, but each of us still has many things to be thankful for, too. This week as I am mourning the death of a favorite music artist (Dan Fogelberg) whom I came to love in my college days and we here in Colorado kinda claimed him as our own, I realize that life is not a given for any of us - we need to live each day well and yes, be very, very thankful for the good things that are in each of our lives, as there is not a person on this planet who is not dealing with some sort of burden - especially as one gets older.

Life is quite interesting/challenging to say the least.

God bless us everyone and Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah!

P.S. Melissa - will leave the 14'ers to you. I have climbed one in my youth and that was enough. I just hope to have enough energy at this point in my life to chase a toddler around. lol

Hope to get to Boulder soon so we can gab and I can live vicariously through your fun, single life!

Christina L

 

[hensylee]

FOUR years? Surely not! Can't be that long. It's really good to see you and hear how well you are doing. You sound so well. Congratulations on life after valve replacement.

 

[bvdr]

Well this thread sure brings back memories and familiar faces. I remember some of the struggles conquered in those early post-op days. Here we are all this time later and it still feels so fresh. Most days I never even think about my heart. I take my meds and go on with the day. I hope that all the newbies now on the forum look back in the same way years from now.

Brian....I've often thought of your arm/shoulder pain....how is it doing?

Melissa, you will forever be my surgery sister! So glad to hear all is well!

 

[bbb]

Thank you, Melissa. As I am almost 3 weeks post surgery now and feeling better every day, I agree that gratitude is the best medicine. I am extremely thankful to all the wonderful people at Cleveland Clinic and all my friends and family that have been so supportive and full of love and prayers.

I think remembering our connections to the people on the planet whose lives we have crossed and who have helped us along our heart journeys is so impartant. Thanks for calling it to our attention.

Wishing you a warm and joyous holiday, Betsy

 

[MelissaM]

Thanks for all of the well wishes! It is so nice to see some of you again, and meet some new faces, too!

The last four years have whizzed by! I rebuilt my marketing business, started an MBA program, then stopped the MBA program to start another business, went to Hawaii & Napa over this past summer. Right now I am dating my career, but with any luck, a boy will come along and we can go have some more fun together! And I am hoping he will be more snuggly than my career!

Here are a couple of pics from this summer's travels. It was a rough time, but *someone* had to do it!!

 

[MelissaM]

Napa Valley. . .

 

[Dennis S]

Hey Melissa: I hope you are still following this thread. Do you remember---

Yá'át'ééh shicheii

Here is a picture from my last visit to Canyo DeChelly. We hired one of the local guides and got a chance to see part of the Canyon floor.

 

[Christina L]

Melissa -

Melissa -

I was going to ask you about your trip to N. California. Did you get a mud bath? Which resort did you stay at? It looks beautiful.

Where to next? What are your travel plans for 2008?

Again, so happy for you and your 100% recovery from open heart surgery - we live in a miraculous medical age! I am most certainly thankful for that!

Christina L

Thought these song lyrics were appropriate for this thread and a small example of the brilliance of Dan Fogelberg's lyricism - we all have been blessed here on VR.com to "join in the dance" a second time.

"And it's run for the roses as fast as you can
Your fate is delivered, your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined in the dance
It's high time you joined in the dance." - Dan Fogelberg "Run For The Roses"