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heartman77

heartman77

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
May 30, 2010
Messages
196
Location
buffalo ny
Hello all my heart friends...i posted from an itouch in the hospital but was so loopy not sure i did it right....I had surgery on the 9th....and by the 11th my heart hadnt woke back up fully so the surgeon implanted a pacemaker.....he also had to do a fairly long sternotomy as opposed to the minimally invasive surgery he was thinking he could do. He showed me a picture he took of my old valve and told me it was a mess...the worst he had seen in a long long time..It didn't even look like a heart valve to me it was so calcified...I can hear my new St Jude's when i am in certain positions but it is a nice reassuring sound....it was cool when the medtronic corp rep came to my room yesterday and " interrogate" my new pacemaker......she ran it through a series of tests and sped up my heart then slowed it down and told me it was all working perfectly.....a side note....before i left cardiac surgery ICU the man in the room next to me coded...but they brought him back.....also put a pacemaker in him on Friday and he ended up in the bed next to me in Cardiac ICU. He was a lot older and felt bad he wasn't up and around walking and progressing as fast as i was, so i talked to him and reassured him that being 22 years older made a little difference and he would catch up to me in no time and for him to be very optimistic...he smiled and thanked me and seemed to be a little more at ease. I also ..yesterday ...had some of the visual disturbances but they were short lived and haven't recurred. Im just laying very low and letting my wife help me a lot and letting my body heal. And I am also using the little bear they gave me whenever i cough. Ill keep reading and posting but wanted to thank all the wonderful people here. I love you all and want you all happy and healthy for a long time. Love Mike
 
Glad you've made it home! Now you're on your way! Praying for a speedy and smooth recovery for you!
 
Awsome Mike! Sorry about the little road bump w/ the pacemaker, still hoping that'll be temporary, but if not, I'm sure it won't be a huge barrier or anything. As you'll probably remember a lot of us talking about, there is usually some type of road bump(s) along the way - hopefully that was your one and only one! That's funny what your surgeon said about your old valve - almost word for word what mine said. That must be their standard line, lol. I know it helped "validate" for me that I really DID need the surgery, so felt a little better (not that I had serious doubts, but it validated the need for me). Get your rest, keep using that breathing exercise thing (assuming they gave you one like they did me) and get up and walking as soon as you can, if you're not already. Looking forward to future updates!
 
I am walking buddy. I walked laps around the floor I was on and everyone was surprised to see me spending so much time walking. It was great to be out of bed. It is so great to hear from you all. I am glad you are all well. I will continue to mix and balance rest with walking and i really do....do my breathing device each hour on the hour. Its not as hard now and i know its important. Ready for a little nap now so ill give myself a little rest but be back later....You are all the best........stay well...Mike
 
I'm glad to hear you are home and doing so well. And how wonderful you were able to give your roommmate some advice that made him feel better. Justin got a pacemaker during his 3rd OHS, (His was in his chest/abdomen under his lowest ribs, so didn't have the arm lifting resrictiction, you probably have.) He went into Complete Heart Block the day before his surgery during his interventional cath and still wasn't beating right, IF it is any consolation, Justin was 100% paced in the beginning after a couple months his heart kicked in and started beating right and his pacemaker didn't have do anything, (until another cath put him in CHB for a month or so) so the battery would last even longer. It is great they can do so much of the testing from your home, and he hasn't had his for 5 years so I know the technology is even better now.
Eat breath walk and rest , it sounds like you are doing everything right to have the best/quickest recovery possible.
 
Mike, sounds like you are doing everything right. In no time, you'll be up for Duffs wings, or beef on wick or a Ted' hot dog.
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks for posting your status and good on you for encouraging other patients around you.

As you probably have realized, the sooner you get mobile and stable, the sooner you get released to the comfort of home.

Wishing you a speedy and bump free recovery from hereon...all the best
 
well it's so great to hear you are home! i hope you continue to take it easy for awhile! it was so sweet of you to befriend the older man having troubles. i noticed in my recovery hall that there were a few people (older) who had NO visitors the whole time I was there. I felt terrible for them and wanted to go in and visit, but I didn't want to impose. Sounds like they put you in the right place at the right time to be able to encourage someone needing it!

take care :)
 
So good to hear you are home and doing well, Mike.
Hope your recovery goes bump free from here on.........

Happy you gave us an update. I was thinking about you.
 
Hi Mike

So good to see a message posted from you. Sorry to hear about your packemaker, but hopefully all will work out fine. Glad you were able to post. I will be following your progress. Keep up the walking, take it easy and good luck.

Pat
 
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