Eleven days after.

[bocco]

Hi All,

So I discovered this forum the other day. I had AVR with ascending aorta on March 20th. I came home Monday afternoon and I can't believe the progress that I am making and how much better I feel.

I was first diagnosed about 18 months ago and the doctor sort of made it sound like it was mostly a blood pressure problem. Plus I was in denial that it was anything more serious.

I am 55 years old, in very good shape and in the gym every morning. I'm in way better shape than most guys I know that are 10 years younger than me.

In October my employer switched to Kaiser for medical coverage. I went to see my new primary guy for visit and a physical and I mentioned the anurism and he sent me right off for a sonogram. When he got the results from the sonogram I got a call from a cardiologist. She sent me for an Echo cardiogram and when she got the results she told me to stay out of the gym and no more weight lifting. And go see the surgeon. Next thing I know the surgeon is telling me I need a valve replacement with an aorta. And I need it on his next available appt. Which is March 20th.

So now I'm freaking scared. But the surgery goes well and takes less time than expected. I feels like a truck hit me but I'm OK. Then the next day something shows up in the Xray. There is a hematoma low and behind my left lung. Which starts to explain why I can't inhale very deep. The doc pow wows with the other surgeons. They all recomend another surgery. He says he wants to have another doc try to drain it first using a CT scan to see what he's doing. Great call. An hour later I'm breathing way better and I have one more drain tube (what's another tube at this point). It cost one more day at the hospital but that's it.

So I came home Monday after six days and it sure feels good to be home and enjoying my wifes good cooking. I'm feeling much better every day .

So It's great to find this forum with so much positive energy.

Thanks all.

Gary

 

[TheGymGuy]

Gary, good job on continual recovery. Are ya taking lots of stairs and taking mile walks yet?

 

[neil]

sorry about the hiccup gary but glad you doing well now, remember take it easy eleven days is still very very early, dont push it to hard as you have been through the mill,every body recovers at a different rate so dont be rushed into things ok,take care eat sleep walk then start again

 

[bocco]

Not walking a mile yet but I did just walk around the block for the first time. Funny I felt it more in my hip joints than any where else.

 

[bocco]

Got 2 good walks in today. No cardio issues or shortness of breath. The only issues seemed more related to eleven days on not moving around much.

 

[Mom2izzy]

Fabulous progress! You'll hit that mile before you know it.

 

[TheGymGuy]

Keep on getting those walks in.

 

[Greg a]

Hi All,

So I discovered this forum the other day. I had AVR with ascending aorta on March 20th. I came home Monday afternoon and I can't believe the progress that I am making and how much better I feel.

I was first diagnosed about 18 months ago and the doctor sort of made it sound like it was mostly a blood pressure problem. Plus I was in denial that it was anything more serious.

I am 55 years old, in very good shape and in the gym every morning. I'm in way better shape than most guys I know that are 10 years younger than me.

In October my employer switched to Kaiser for medical coverage. I went to see my new primary guy for visit and a physical and I mentioned the anurism and he sent me right off for a sonogram. When he got the results from the sonogram I got a call from a cardiologist. She sent me for an Echo cardiogram and when she got the results she told me to stay out of the gym and no more weight lifting. And go see the surgeon. Next thing I know the surgeon is telling me I need a valve replacement with an aorta. And I need it on his next available appt. Which is March 20th.

So now I'm freaking scared. But the surgery goes well and takes less time than expected. I feels like a truck hit me but I'm OK. Then the next day something shows up in the Xray. There is a hematoma low and behind my left lung. Which starts to explain why I can't inhale very deep. The doc pow wows with the other surgeons. They all recomend another surgery. He says he wants to have another doc try to drain it first using a CT scan to see what he's doing. Great call. An hour later I'm breathing way better and I have one more drain tube (what's another tube at this point). It cost one more day at the hospital but that's it.

So I came home Monday after six days and it sure feels good to be home and enjoying my wifes good cooking. I'm feeling much better every day .

So It's great to find this forum with so much positive energy.

Thanks all.

Gary

Be sure to stck around and inspire others as WAITING IS THE WORST PART

 

[bocco]

Be sure to stck around and inspire others as WAITING IS THE WORST PART

Good point Greg. We need a note or something to encourage the people that were just diagnosed to go ahead and post in the per op section.

 

[Bean Counter]

Glad to hear things are going well.

 

[Bina]

Gary, hope your recovery stays smooth, but sometimes a blip will remind you to rest. Yes, the hips and back tend to be sore for
a while.

 

[BDMc]

Gary, How nice to hear your story! Keep up the good work!

 

[bocco]

Today is my 3 week aniversary and things seem to be going well.

Thanks all.

Gary

 

[TheGymGuy]

Happy 3rd week man. Going to be a year before soon.