AVR Surgery Scheduled for Nov 28/12

[JiFaire]

I'm glad to hear you're doing better, Doug! I go in next week, so you'll probably be home by then. Keep posting, buddy; It helps to see the progress you're making!

Jim

 

[Oilman]

Well this morning I had a visit from my surgeon saying I'm 24 or so hrs of going home. I just had a ECG done today for the surgeon and will get my orders and results of testing in the morning. Today I have been walking SLOW but free hand around the ward, and just enough not to overdue it. I haven't needed much of any pain killers the last couple days, no chest pain. It's a little weird moving a little flem in the lungs. This is really like learning to walk all over again, as I look out my Edmonton room window at the 10" of snow that wasn't here when I arrived. This place becomes a safe haven for a heart patient, as you are under 24-7 watch. Well I'm so ready to go see my two sons and dog, as we didn't bring them up to be part of this, school first. I know this is going to be a long hard road of recovery, but I so grateful that I was given this second chance. Baby steps from here on.

Jim, your going to walk right thru to the other next week. You will be in so good care, these people deal with heart patients 24-7. Good luck with your journey Jim.

To all the other with comment of love and caring, wisdom and experience, keep it coming. This is a life journey now.

Thanks
Doug

 

[escargome]

Hi Doug,
You are right, heart surgery is the start of a life journey. You will have days when you will feel 10 feet tall and bullet proof and days when you will feel ready to just pull the covers over your head and go back to sleep. Like life it's a roller coaster. But you took a leap of faith into a new life and darn it will all come to you in time. Like you say baby steps at first. Good Luck:biggrin2:

 

[gerrychuck]

So glad to hear you're coming along, Doug! I was also quite anemic after surgery (hemoglobin count was 76, got a unit of blood, then it stayed at 85 for quite a while). Just finished 4 weeks of tid iron supplements. I don't know what my hemoglobin is now, but I can tell you that I'm feeling better every day and can now start to actually think about returning to normal activities. Getting kind of restless actually! You're only a few weeks behind me, and you're already ahead of where I was at the same point, so I know you are going to do great. As Chris said above, there's good days and bad days; just accepting the bad ones and knowing it will be better tomorrow really makes a big difference. Take care; it's all downhill sledding now

 

[Heart Of The Sunrise]

Glad to hear you are making progress. I am still pre-surgery and I have good days and bad days. Yesterday was a good one with prelim TEE and cath report.
I believe my surgeon favors the ON-X as his choice for mechanical valve choice. Can you describe the sound of it. Is it comforting, annoying or just there as part of the aural atmosphere that surrounds you. Or is it becoming acoustically invisible to you? Best of luck as you continue to recover and get ready for a better life post-surgery. How are you dealing with Warfarin (Coumadin) necessity?

 

[JiFaire]

I want mine to click loudly on command... just so I can sit in meetings and watch people try to figure out 'Where is that coming from?', and then go quiet again, so they wonder 'Where did it go? Am I imagining things?', while I sit there like the Cheshire Cat and say 'What noise?'

 

[gerrychuck]

My mitral valve is a little quieter than the aortic version as I understand. I didn't hear it at all while I was in the hospital, but after I got home I was sitting in the bathroom and thought I heard a tap dripping. Couldn't figure it out, as I could see both taps and they were dry as a bone. Took me two trips that night with the same experience before I figured out that the noise was coming from me! Gave me a good laugh.

 

[Oilman]

I believe my surgeon favors the ON-X as his choice for mechanical valve choice. Can you describe the sound of it. Is it comforting, annoying or just there as part of the aural atmosphere that surrounds you. Or is it becoming acoustically invisible to you? Best of luck as you continue to recover and get ready for a better life post-surgery. How are you dealing with Warfarin (Coumadin) necessity?

Heart of a Sunshine, I choose to use the sound example you made, Aural Atmosphere, it is a real faint chime, doesn't bother me at all, only notice it at at rest and things a quit.

Well I made it home last night threw a unsuspected snow storm, the sit in the back seat of a SUV for 2 hrs, was not enjoyable, but as an Albertan, we are use to these events dropping in with no notice. I can't say enough about the love for my wife. I had a better sleep last night in my own bed.

Today started rough as we had to get to the lab for blood work, it was - 18 deg C outside. bundling up was not enjoyable,but now I can stay inside till Monday lab. Everything is going good so far, the lung moving thing is a little annoying, but part of the process.

Chris, well said, and I true believe we make life a personal journey with up & down's, it how we react. Thanks for well wishes.
Gerrychuck , the hemoglobin thing beat me up for 24 hrs, my surgeon waited to see if a increase and said his number before getting units of blood was 70, we fell to 67 and then got two units. During that time my body produced 25 lbs of water, today i has 20 of those lbs off, its getting better. That felt like the fight of a lifetime. I am glad to be past that now.

I now know the how tough and strong the people on this blog are, everyone has a unique experience to share with benefits.

Thanks again everyone for sharing your experience ,strength, and hope
Doug

 

[Oilman]

Heart of Sunshine,

As far as the warfarin experience, I had 30 months of use before this surgery. I don't even think about it, I just do it. I am using the lab once again at the beginning of this valve install. My target for now will be 2.5 to 3.5 INR. I has a self tester unit and have always ran a 3 week test once in range and stable. Hopefully I get the same stability I've experienced in the past, so it's do able, the alternative can be rough. I just have excepted what I have today.With any luck when the Proact testing is complete with On-X valve the range will be quit low. My surgeon is thinking positive things come, probably like they did 40 years ago, things have came true. There is always hope for now.

Thanks
Doug.

 

[gerrychuck]

I hear you on the water weight gain; I went from 190 to 220, then started shedding water (gotta love that lasix) and ended up at 169 (your basic 6'4" bone rack). It took me several weeks to get rid of the excess fluid, as my heart was still technically in failure even when I was discharged. Still had swollen ankles for a few days after I got home. All good now, though; no swelling, off lasix, and no signs of failure when I saw my internist this week