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Hi everyone, It has now been 18 months since my AVR surgery. I started being active again at the 3-4 month point and have felt fully back-to-normal since about the 10-month point. Recently my life has been very busy, almost hectic. For that reason, I do not check in as often as I did earlier...

I crossed another bridge yesterday and met a milestone I had been wishing for. Finally, at last, my cardiologist has taken me off Amiodarone -- 8 ½ months after AVR. I am so happy!! I did well on the small dose of Amiodarone I was taking (one 200mg tablet daily) and have had no lung or eye...

I recently found this Web site -- "Life After Open Heart Surgery" -- and thought it would probably be good reading for those in the "waiting room." http://www.heartsurgeons.com/ed5.html

Hi everyone, I have been out of touch for awhile. My wife and I left on a wonderful 7-day Caribbean cruise on Sept 16, and then I returned to immediately do the AHA Heart Walk in Orlando and start a strenuous five days working 12-hours per day. The last two days have been devoted to R&R. The...

Hi everyone - I am back on line again. My wife and I have returned from a very pleasant vacation visiting with our daughter and son-in-law in San Antonio. We had a wonderful time, including the long drives to and from Orlando/San Antonio. I am happy to report that I am feeling great. I might...

During the course of a class at my cardiac rehab session today, we were talking about target heart rates for exercising. The THR calculation method is different if a person is taking a beta-blocker. Then during the course of this conversation, it was stated that once a person starts taking a...

My wife and I are home from a 10-day roundtrip driving vacation from Florida to Syracuse, NY to visit our son. We spent a lot of time on the road -- logged in excess of 3,200 miles and had a wonderful time. I had no heart-related problems or even any fatigue on the trip. For the benefit of those...

I have been out of touch for awhile on this site and thought I would tell you my current status. I am now over 12 weeks post-surgery (AVR). I feel great, with no major complications with the sternum, lungs, or new valve. In fact, since about week 9 I have been feeling close to normal. The...

I have had only wonderful things happen over the past week or so, and I thought I would catch everyone up on the news. 1. The culture from my chest wound came back negative, so it was [U]not infected. About ten days ago, a bright red area starting forming and spreading from the top of my...

Hi Everyone, I have now reached the 5-week point after AVR surgery (and 4 weeks since returning home from the hospital). Progress toward recovery has been remarkably good. I am feeling so much better than I did just 1-2 weeks ago. Even so, there are some days that are better and other days that...

Below is my initiation photo for The Order of the Tawdry Shirt. The photo was done on Day 26 after AVR surgery, and I was captured performing the obligatory disco dance. I know that my image will not inspire the awe accorded to ?The King? (Ross) during his session, but I am strong enough to live...

I received one of the Tawdry Shirts late today, which Ross had mailed about one week ago. I will quickly do a picture tomorrow, clean the shirt, and send it on its way as soon as possible (I do not want anything this tawdry for too long in my house). Actually, I am kidding - the photo album...

I'm willing to send you an official TOOTS photo, including my lovely 9-inch scar, if someone sends me the requisite shirt. Contact me via PM and I will reply with my home address.

Hi Everyone, My wife brought me home from the hospital yesterday. I now have a new CEPM aortic bovine pericardial tissue valve, with ThermaFix anti-calcification process, installed. I also have a long scar down my chest. Surgery was performed on Feb 8 at Florida Hospital in Orlando. The staff...

Hello everyone, I am a new member of the group, although I feel like I already know many of you, based on reading this forum. My heart problem has been a big shock to me and my wife, and I am grateful to all of you for so openly sharing your experiences without restraint. We are now much more...