11 week update....

[buffhughes]

It's been a while since I posted...meant to do it at 6 wk and then at 10 wks and now here I am at 11 wks.

It's the new normal now....

Visited surgeon at 6 weeks and told to have CT/US done every year to follow aorta and valve for issues post surgery. He gave the ok to go back to work 1/2 time and so I have been back to work for nearly a month.

He also gave the ok for cardiac rehab, and I have been going three times/week for CV training and "cardiac education".

No issues with a-fib since about week 3, although I was on a month long regimen of amiodarone (takes as long as 5mo to leave body?) so time will tell. Incisions are healed but red and ropy and my hand is still a bit tingly at the base.

I hear my valve when things are very quiet and can feel it when I am submerged (as in the hot tub!)

INR control has finally been established - greatly affected at first by antibiotics, amio etc. Last three readings have been in range and they have now moved me out to 3 weeks between readings; I am going to ask for home INR at my next PCP visit.

Things continue to progress and the further I get from surgery, the less I seem to remember, a good thing I guess....on and upward in the new normal.


to quote Steve : GO CLASS of 2011

 

[Greg a]

Larry, so good to hear that you are doing well and that everything is now in check.......continue the good work and drop in a little more often new members need to know that there are smoother roads out there

 

[epstns]

Larry - Great job! I'm now doing the 3-day per week rehab, and I kind of like it. Takes the place of my usual trip to the gym. . .

 

[crawal]

Larry...
Glad to hear things are going well now!

Amy

 

[ottagal]

Thanks for the update, Larry. Glad you are on the 'mend'.

 

[Bean Counter]

Glad to hear things are progressing well.

 

[jake]

Great news Larry!

Just a question though, did they tell you you had to get a CT every year? That seems like a lot of radiation particularly when an MRI involves no radiation at all.

 

[normofthenorth]

. . . my hand is still a bit tingly at the base.

. . .

Things continue to progress and the further I get from surgery, the less I seem to remember, a good thing I guess....

I think this is the first I've heard about a tingly hand or wrist post-op. Anybody else, or anybody know what causes it? From the surgery itself, or from an arterial line or an IV nicking a nerve or something?

The lack of total recall does seem to be common, and may be mostly due to the anti-anxiety (and anti-recall) drugs that most of us got. (My recall is PERFECT, but I'm @#$%&ed if I can remember the NAME of that class of drugs right now! :tongue2: Probably as soon as I hit "Submit Reply". . . NOPE, had to look it up: diazapines.)