New to VR, AVR March 14, 2011

[Moo La La]

Hello fellow scar buddies!

Although I have been using this forum for answers to my pre-op post-op questions, I am a new member and 5 months post op. I want to thank all of you for the support you have given me in the stressful worrysome time pre-op and the frustrating times post-op. I really wouldn't be in such a great place mentally if it wasn't for all of you. Don't get me wrong, my family and friends have been more than wonderful in supporting me through this journey, but there is something comforting about hearing things from people with similar experiences. Makes you feel less alone.

I have joined VR in the hopes of helping others that will be going through similar experiences, just as you all have helped me. The great thing I have gotten from my CHD and open heart surgery experiences is the gift to be able to relate to others that will be fearfully experiencing similar things.

I also hope to meet others like me. I am female and have grown up with Congenital Heart Disease, more specifically a bicuspid aortic valve that started off as mild stenosis at birth and became severe stenosis last year. This resulted in an aortic valve replacement at age 27. It has been a crazy ride as I have gotten married, purchased a home and had open heart surgery within the last year. But my marriage, my faith and I, myself have become a lot stronger because of it and for that, as tough as it's been, I am thankful.

Looking forward to supporting and being supported by all of you through our journey as open heart surgery survivors!

 

[Superbob]

Welcome to the Forum -- you have been through a lot in the past year and at a young age, but sounds like you are doing great.

I love your screen name, Moo La La! I gather you are now of the bovine ilk (to borrow from Ogden Nash -- or was that Bennett Cerf, I forget).

Edit and P.S.: Yeah it was Ogden Nash: "The cow is of the bovine ilk/One end is moo, the other milk." And besides it makes a great heart valve, though personally I prefer to "oink." : )

 

[Moo La La]

Thank you for the friendly welcome, Superbob!

And yes, my valve is the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Aortic valve made of bovine pericardial tissue. When I was stressed out and worried about surgery and my new scar my husband and I made a lot of cow jokes to cope and referring to the sight of my future scar as "moo la la" was one of them and it stuck.

I'm in a good place mentally at this point in my recovery, but I've had my lows, and people that love me have been worried. It's hard to keep your chin up for so long, at first recovery was going better than I could have imagined, and then I hit a plateau and got very frustrated. It was also hard to let my body get so out of shape, I was in pretty good shape pre-surgery and being tied down post-op is not doing the body good. I just got cleared to work out to my heart's content, no pun intended, so that is definitely going to help me start feeling normal again physically and mentally.

I was also in denial most of my life that I had a heart problem, always doing what I wanted, probably freaking out my cardiologist in the meantime. So I had to face reality, I am a cardiac patient, I have a 6 inch scar, I have a med alert tag, I take asprin (like an old man) for the rest of my life. Sort of a lot to grasp at one time. You would think I had my life to prepare, but I always pushed it to the back of my mind. I'm accepting of it at this point, and as I mentioned finding the good out of it all.

I will also be starting nursing school in January and I know that my experiences will help me be an even better nurse. I'm looking forward to being the nurse I loved during my experience.

 

[Julian]

Hey Moo la la I'm 28 years old and had surgery 13 days ago. Recovery is going well for me. I can understand the mental and physical bumps that come along the way. Sometimes you wish you could be normal and not have to go through this, but then you stop and remember how far you've come and what you've learned. You find that this has made you a stronger person. You love more, you cry more, you laugh more. You truly LIVE more. Thanks for sharing your story, it gives me strength and focus. Thank you.

 

[Moo La La]

Hi Julian. Thank you for letting me know that my story gives you strength and focus. That is exactly why I want to share my story. You couldn't have said it better, "you love more, you cry more, you laugh more. You truly LIVE more" this is exactly the way I felt and still feel. And it is truly amazing. It can be rather surprising when I get happy tears, or sad tears so easily now, but it just means I'm passionate, not weak, and I have to remind myself of that. We were truly given this journey as a gift, and we have to utilize it in that way. Good luck to you through recovery, it is not fun, but it is worth it! I had no idea I could feel better, I thought I was just getting old and out of shape (which is NOT the case at 28, but I didn't know any better..hahahaha) and now I feel a lot better 5 months post op and looking forward to feeling 15 again a year post op. Please reach out to me if you ever need advice or an ear