Well, today is the autumnal equinox and the 2nd anniversary of my own AVR. Tempus fugit, indeed. I met my Doctor this morning for a review and things are pretty good. The valve is working well, the diastolic dysfunction is improving as my left ventricle continues to change and my pressures are all normal. The only down note at all is that the costochondritis along the right side of my sternum continues to flair up as it is doing this week. I mentioned to my Doctor that some people here in VR have reported positive results from steroid injections so we may try that.
For those of you who think two years is a long time, I have to say that it doesn't seem long to me. At this point, however, my chest scar has lost all its color and is much less noticeable than the four little dimples where the tubes and wires were inserted. Surgery left its little marks but the important one is listening to my heart beat. It is still nice to hear a regular beat than that whooshing noise I used to hear. So life is normal again. With the cooler temperatures we are now experiencing here in eastern Oklahoma, I've even been riding again so health wise things are good. For those who are now in the work up to surgery, I can only say, as others have before me, that it does get better and your life can find its new and better normal.
Finally, I must say yet once again that the VR community did more than anything else to make preparing for and getting through surgery and, then, recovery a better experience than I would have imagined. I can only hope our new members continue to find such guidance and comfort. All of you take care.
Larry
Cool in Tulsa
For those of you who think two years is a long time, I have to say that it doesn't seem long to me. At this point, however, my chest scar has lost all its color and is much less noticeable than the four little dimples where the tubes and wires were inserted. Surgery left its little marks but the important one is listening to my heart beat. It is still nice to hear a regular beat than that whooshing noise I used to hear. So life is normal again. With the cooler temperatures we are now experiencing here in eastern Oklahoma, I've even been riding again so health wise things are good. For those who are now in the work up to surgery, I can only say, as others have before me, that it does get better and your life can find its new and better normal.
Finally, I must say yet once again that the VR community did more than anything else to make preparing for and getting through surgery and, then, recovery a better experience than I would have imagined. I can only hope our new members continue to find such guidance and comfort. All of you take care.
Larry
Cool in Tulsa
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