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I only remember the first three or four hours of that day before I was transported to that white-fogged world somewhere between death and dreaming. Coming out of surgery, I was told the first words out of my mouth were, "Well... that wasn't so bad, was it?" Well, it turns out it wasn't. And...

One third is all about the skill of surgical team; one third depends on the condition and attitude of patient; one third is old fashioned luck and God's good Grace.

I had a couple of marathon runners as techs at my cardio rehab so they were great in understanding how much, how soon was possible. Irregular heartbeat was the chief concern; after nothing irregular showed up on the recordings, they turned my loose to do the old man shuffle as hard as I could...

My bpm was in the mid-high 80s for about two months; at seven months it is mid 60's; only slightly higher than resting heart rate when I was running 15 miles/wk. It will come down... don't worry.

If you feel good enough to begin running, then you need to go to a cardio rehab. The issue is not the possibility of damaging the new valve; but rather developing a irregular heartbeat by exercising too hard too soon. One of the outcomes of heart surgery is that you heart reacts to being...

For an relatively younger person, IMO the biggest reason to use Cardio Rehab is to insure that when you to return to an active lifestyle, like fast walking or jogging, that you do NOT develop an irregular heart beat. The data loggers used while you are exercising allow the PT to observe your...

@Scott: Thx for the Kudos. I think sometimes our readers are exposed to a skewed view of their surgical futures by seeing so many people post about problems and complications. While that is one of the objectives of this forum, it can also have the unintended effect of increasing one's...

Hopefully my experience will offer some degree of encouragement to those who are worried about their upcoming surgery. These pics were taken at ten weeks after my aortic valve replacement.. At the time I was still in Cardio Rehab at the hospital; and during the off days, I'd come down to the...

Sawadi Kap. They are worried about your sternum and the attaching muscles. My doctors said six months and I could go back to anything involving impacts... in my case skiing... or rather falling and crashing.

Age 66; 5'9" 168lbs. Before AVR: Resting 65; Jogging 140/150 Right after surgery: Resting 89-95; Jogging NA 10wks Cardio Rehab: Resting 70's; Jogging limited to 140-145 I was also was very worried that my HR had increased after AVR. However, now ten (10)...

It has been a little over five weeks, and I have noticed: Shortness of breath has been almost eliminated. Even while exercising. The persistent fatigue is gone. I need fewer afternoon naps to regenerate. The natural color of my skin has returned. I had a grey pallor, especially in the...

Glad to hear of your progress. People waiting for their surgeries need to hear the stories of those, like yourself, who have had successful procedures and productive recoveries. Thanks for sharing.

The insurance company cannot simply deny coverage based on an arbitrary advisement. Some doctors advise don't drive for two months, some say three, some say six weeks. It varies. At my five week office visit, I asked if I could drive home, and he said, "Sure, just be careful." I am not...

Yes it is encouraging to see post valve players getting back into the game. My home care nurses must have been malpractice lawyers in their previous lives. They didn't want me to do anything more than spit into a cup. I started cardio rehab today at five weeks post op. The therapists are...

It'll be worth the wait. Reaction times improve with better blood circulation.

There are a couple of FDA trials involving anticoagulants like Pradaxa ongoing concurrently. IMO all anticoagulants are going to incur some level of bleeding risks... that is what makes them work against clotting.

I think part of not being able to get a full lung of air is related to the fact the chest muscles are still tight from surgery. Like you, I am just short of five weeks. When I began my cardio walks I could feel what seems like a tight band around the chest preventing the thoracic cavity from...

Good point about being able to 'control' a car vs. pointing it down the road. My upper body strength felt fine two weeks after the operation. The chest area was sore but not debilitating. Nonetheless, you make a good point in regard to considering the safety of others in addition to...

My recovery has been quick and w/o complications. I drove a couple of miles to attend a birthday party at two weeks w/o any discomfort. It has been four weeks now; and I have been driving around town in short trips almost normally. The shoulder strap is annoying, but that is about all. It is...

This is so very true. Stay in the Now. How many other medical procedures can give you back your life... plus add another ten years? Maybe twenty, or more? What we are going through is a gift. Thank you for expressing it in this way. gordo