Back in the hospital :(

[Andrea]

Thanks everyone for such great replies! My doc started me on 100 mg of the tambacor but he cut the dose in half because I was very droswy and dizzy the first two days. He wasnt sure if it was the metroprolol or the tabacor so he cut both doses in half. I havent had any episodes of CHF on the meds. Although I have had a cough for 2 weeks and have been short of breath but no obvious signs of water retention. I have been on antibiotics and am still coughing and wheezing. Maybe I'll pop a lasix in the AM since I dont work tomorrow Its hard when I have to plan meds around work and my kids. I cant exactly take a lasix and go to work. I also cant take my girls to the park and such if I have to pee every 10 minutes. I will eventually find a good mesh between a active lifestyle and all of this.

I would like to think that with some time, maybe I could get off of these meds. I would love to think there may be a day when I only have to take the coumadin. As it is I only have to go in for PT once a month. I was really bad about taking my coumadin on and off. I would sometimes forget it for 2 or 3 days. I know that is an area I need to improve on and thats just my own damn fault.

I am also feeling a lot of itchiness on/around the incision which is weird because it didnt bother me at first. But I am very happy that I dont have the sternum ache that I had for awhile. Not that it was bad but nice to yawn or stretch or turn without it.

 

[Andrea]

OMG I am so sorry about the pic!!!

Had no idea it was that big! UGH. Ross, you're a moderator... can you take it off?

LOL I'm a doof

 

[Ross]

Heck no I won't take it off, I did resize it though.

 

[nadi]

They are adorable!!!

I'm glad you are feeling better. I hope your wish comes true about the meds.

Have a great day and no housework!

 

[Nancy]

Hi Andrea-

What adorable children.

Something in your post caught me and you have already said that you will be improving, but you mentioned forgetting your Coumadin, sometimes for 2-3 days!

This is something you absolutely cannot be lax on. In 2-3 days, you could bottom out and have no protection for yourself. Being a mommy and grandmommy, I have earned the right to give LBLs (long boring lectures). Andrea, never forget again. Your life is important and those cuties need you. You do not want to have a clot or stroke. Having a protime once a month doesn't mean that during that time, something cannot go wrong.

Please, please take care of yourself, no excuses! This is way too important.

 

[LeoLillac]

back in the hospital

back in the hospital

HI everyone,someone asked where i had the ablation
Mt Sinai hospital ( new yrok CITY )
THe doctor is Dr .MEhta a soft spoken very educated Indian doctor
who wen't to school in England . I have had great luck in that hospital with doctors . MY cardiologist DR Fuster is one of
the top 3 in the country.
It's nice to have a calm heart the meds made me dizzy and tired . Andrea what adorable children u have won't
be able to have any due to the big "C" causes birth defects.
Hope everyone stays out of the hospital
Dara
tricuspid valve replacement
Feb9th2001
Dr griepp ( surgeon )
Dr Fuster ( my angel)

 

[bvdr]

What great children Andrea. I have to second Nancy on this one. Don't ever ever forget your coumadin again please.

 

[Gisele]

Andrea,

Andrea,

Your daughters are georgous!

Now get yourself a weekly pillbox (I use two of them), and fill them in with your pills so that you don't forget! You want to see those precious children grow up don't you? Your coumadin is just too important................please..........you owe it to your girls.

Gisele

 

[Andrea]

'LBL' ... too funny

I'll run up to walmart today for a pill box thingie. Very good idea.

Gotta go take my Coumadin now!

 

[nadi]

Andrea,

Everyone is right Do not forget anymore. the pill box is a great idea, I have one myself. I also have a reminder alarm on my pedometer that is set for 6pm each nite BUT sometimes I didn't/don't hear it so I set up a reminder service(kinda like wake up service) with an answering service to get a 6pm phone call. It runs about $10 a month but is it money well spent.

have a great weekend!

 

[ccrawford]

Andrea - What a pair of sqeezable sweeties !! I keep my pill box at the table where I always eat so it's there to remind me at breakfast and supper. Works for me - usually. Chris

 

[Georgia]

itchy incision

itchy incision

My incision has healed so nicely that I think it's ridiculous that it gets so sore and itchy occasionally. Guess those nerves are still regenerating.

I use triple antibiotic ointment with topical anesthetic. Works great, isn't oily, goes on right over the Vit. E oil.

 

[Christina L]

take it easy

take it easy

Andrea,

After going through posts, I realize you were in the CCU for a week after you steam cleaned your carpets. You crazy girl!! I know that you are feeling so good post surgery that you think you are up to doing all of those things. One of my Mom's favorite lines used to be "Rome wasn't built in a day." Now I totally understand the depth of what this means after all these years - mainly to take life slower and to not be so stressed over dust on the table or dishes in the sink - it also means that "great" things just take time sometimes and the healing of our bodies after heart surgery is one thing that most certainly takes time.

Thank you again and again for the E-mail you sent to me explaining the details of presurgery, surgery and postsurgery for yourself. Your attitude is surely amazing - I am in awe that you are so young. Yet I feel you have a maturity that I, myself, am lacking.

I am inspired by most all on this board. I am wondering what the secret is to having a positive attitude when you are facing heart surgery or even after surgery. Any suggestions for me on how to think positive???

By the way, your two girls are so adorable. Take care of yourself for them.

Chris in Colorado

--Still in the waiting room, awaiting mitral valve surgery by Dr. Cosgrove.

 

[KathyH]

Glad you are feeling better Andrea. The weekly pill box is a good idea. I never took pills before last fall and was having a hard time to remember to take them. I got one of those weekly pill boxes and put it with my makeup. (Just be sure to keep it out of reach of kids) I haven't forgotten to take my pills since, and it saves me time in the morning not having to open all the bottles. Best Wishes.
Kathy H.

 

[Andrea]

LOL Chris ask these guys, I was a big baby full of questions before surgery! What should I wear? Should I buy a nicer recliner? How scary is surgery? --- you name it and I asked it over and over

I think you'll be suprised at how well things go. The thought of heart surgery before you have gone through it is terrifying (at least for me)! When I realised the surgery was over and I was alive and well I was shocked. For some reason I think it is human nature to anticipate the worst. I found that the more I talked about my fears and asked questions of the people here, the better I felt. Sure I was shaking in my boots but I felt better

I am not mature. I spent my share of time crying, pouting, blaming and resentful. The thought of not being able to have a third child as we had planned made me so mad I couldnt see straight. My circumstances are a bit strange as the reason my mytral valve was so damaged was actually caused by 'something' and 'someone' out there was to blame. I wont give details but to this day I am so mad that there would be a reason for my heart to be so bad. Trust me, I had my share of temper tantrums.

If you need anything we will always be here. There are so many awesome people here.

 

[MelissaM]

Chris,

Andrea is right - we all have our share of difficult moments prior to surgery. I felt overwhelmed, scared out of my wits, frustrated with waiting (or not waiting), and pretty much thought I was going to keel over at any minute. Those were the blah moments.

What kept me positive was a decent sense of humor and a genuine belief I was a superhero. (As is anyone who takes on heart surgery!) If you don't have one, get yourself a red cape and start thinking like the superhero you are. You are bigger, badder, and have more magic pixie dust than your mitral valve. Know that you not only have the support of this board, but you have the support of your family, the ones that have gone before you, and the power of creation on your side. With all of that, you are a SUPERHERO, not the victim. (Can you hear your theme music playing?? )

Hang in there - you'll turn the corner yet!

Melissa

 

[Ross]

(Can you hear your theme music playing?? )

Why yes. Yes I believe I do hear the Looney Tunes theme song playing. I am Stupor Duck!

 

[Christina L]

I'm trying!!

I'm trying!!

Melissa and Andrea:

Thank you so much for the posts of encouragement. I am printing out all of these posts, you know, reading them again and again.

I am trying to overcome my fear and will!! In fact as soon as I woke up this morning and as usual, my first thought was of my heart and surgery, I started to visualize and think positive thoughts as many have told me to do.

Melissa, is that you in the picture??? Too cute.

Chris

 

[Gisele]

Christina

Christina

If you can't change something, change the way you think of it. I can't change what has happened to me, however I certainly can control how I think of it.

I can either be mad that all of this has happened to me and how it will affect my lifestyle, or I can deal with it with a positive attitude and know that I am really lucky...........I am alive and walking on my own. (OK, so my balance is still off...but I am still walking by myself) It could be so much worse.

Try to think positive when you find yourself feeling sad. If you need someone to talk to, I am here.

And Melissa is right..............a sense of humor does help.

 

[Christina L]

you're all right

you're all right

Gisele,

I am just amazed at you people, especially you Gisele with what you have been struggling with the last few weeks. To have the positive attitude that you all do - and the sense of humor - I love the wittiness of the people on this site - so funny.

Just in respect for all of you, I need to get a grip - it IS all relative and there are always people worse off. I think instead of looking at the negative things, I definitely need to look at all the positives in my life, of which there are many.

Gisele, I am praying for you and hope that all turns out well with this latest ordeal you have been going through. With your attitude and all of our prayers, you will get through it and be even stronger mentally and physically than you already are.

Chris