AVR with Aorta Replace Tomorrow (Monday 10/22)

[dpalz]

Home Sweet Home today! Feels great. Have plenty of progress to make, but I feel my health isn't hopeless as it was before. I can actually tell my body has the potential now to improve in some weird way (and actually is). Not too many meds, but keeping up with all the pills will certainly keep me busy early on. Also, a bit "spacey?" feeling, (perhaps pumphead?), but not in a bad way. Nothing like anything I have every really felt before. Very Interesting. Hope to get some good sleep tonight. Terrible & painful white rash in mouth and throat. Told it was "Thrush" which can be common. Prescription started 4 hrs ago and already feeling/looking better. No light-headness, palpitations! Very Hopeful!!!

 

[RTZdad]

Glad to hear that you're home. Get plenty of rest and take some time to catch your breath. Load up on fluids and fiber. Trust me.

 

[Greg~]

Dion,
I'm really happy for you and I'm so glad you're doing well. Keep walking, keep your pillow close for coughs and sneezes, and keep up the positive attitude.
Here's to a speedy and full recovery.

 

[dpalz]

I'm not letting it get me down, but I hit a bump in the road. Wednesday (10/31) a follow-up echo revealed pericardial effusion. I really didn't have symptoms, although this seems to be common with me - never realizing how bad I actually feel. And after they removed 650ml of fluid from my pericardial cavity, I feel much better. I'm still in hospital with drain (Tube should come out today) and likely will be in hospital until Sunday building INR back up. I feel much better and still making progress. I just have to pace myself, and remember this is a long journey.

 

[RTZdad]

Sorry to hear about the setback. I hope you're out of the hospital as soon possible.

Tom

 

[TheGymGuy]

Dion, how are ya doing? Effusions happen, just fluids accumulating at a higher rate than your body get rid of them. This is a fairly minor thing no matter how much it sucks. How is walking working out for ya?

 

[dpalz]

Sorry for the delay in response. Walking is getting better every day. I have been increasing the distance little by little and now I am at 3 walks a day at .25 -.5 mile each walk. I am getting in over a mile per day. Speed is getting better as well. I just got the order from Cardo Dr. for rehab/exercise, so I plan to be stepping up the activity over the next few weeks.

 

[dpalz]

Update at three weeks

Update at three weeks

Unfortunately, I have been having a little bit of "the blues", but I keep trying to tell myself I'm only 3 weeks post surgery and shouldn't expect to be 100% for quite sometime. I also think reality is starting to settle in on the whole thing. I didn't know I was even going to have this until a month before surgery. I still get shocked waking up in the am and realizing it wasn't a dream. Or when I see my scar in the bathroom. I still can't believe it all has happened. I think I better come to terms with this and accept it (what other choice is available?) and count my blessings. The valve and aneurysm was caught in time to save my life. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and saying why me, I need to focus on this gift and make the most of things. I'm talking/writing this out to help in my conviction. Crazy, but I hope it helps. I also seem to be anxious about more things lately. Concerned over crazy things that I have no control over (more complications, back to work concerns, family, even the economy!!, ect...). I hope to get back to my old care-free laid back self sometime soon. I don't need too much stress.

 

[RTZdad]

Hey Dion,
The feelings that you're having are all normal. The stress of life doesn't seem affected by having surgery unfortunately. I constantly try to remind myself to be thankful of where I am, rather than what might have happened. It's a struggle. I don't know that things will ever be the same, at least for me. How can they be? Guess we'll have to keep plugging along every day and create a new "normal". It's been eight months for me and I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out. The good thing about this site, is being able to share your experience with others who are/have dealt with what you are going through. The best thing to do is just focus on healing first. The other stuff will eventually sort itself out.