Fourth Year Anniversary for Mitral Valve Repair 12/12/07-11

[PairoDocs]

Hello All,

Sorry for being absent so much lately. The heart repair has done well. While depression has been a problem since then, I'm otherwise healthy. Kids are now 10 (KC), and 8 (Jane), and Laura and I are moving toward our 16th anniversary in April. Still have the flock of chickens, but no more turkeys. Andromeda, our now 15 year old black lab-malamute cross, is still on her feet and, aside from being deaf, she's quite healthy. Thanks for your prayers over the past several years for her. My father, 79, is struggling with recovering from two back surgeries only 3 months apart, and wants to be home by Christmas.
The scar is still flatter and a lot less itchy from the injections given to me by a local dermatologist. My endurance is reasonable, and my posture and balance much improved from before the surgery. I'm at Low Red belt (Hwa-Rang--2nd Gup) in Tae Kwon Do, and will likely examine for High Red in January or February, and recommended black in April or May (red-black). Then perhaps black belt by next October. I'll be 50 January 17th, the same day the actor Jim Carrey also turns 50 (that would explain why I act zany once in a while--born under the same phase of the moon as he was--hence a similar degree of 'lunacy'). Hope to get back to being involved with the VR group again more often--I miss you guys.
It's been a surprisingly ordinary four years, as I'm about the same now as I was before the surgery, except some shifts in hobbies and priorities (and regrettably more depression, hence less accomplished overall). Hope that the future will bring more excitement and positive progress toward figuring out why I was allowed to survive 'counting-coup on the Pearly Gates.'

Chris

 

[Cooker]

Happy 4th ... many, many more!!

 

[hensylee]

Hello All,

Sorry for being absent so much lately. The heart repair has done well. While depression has been a problem since then, I'm otherwise healthy. Kids are now 10 (KC), and 8 (Jane), and Laura and I are moving toward our 16th anniversary in April. Still have the flock of chickens, but no more turkeys. Andromeda, our now 15 year old black lab-malamute cross, is still on her feet and, aside from being deaf, she's quite healthy. Thanks for your prayers over the past several years for her. My father, 79, is struggling with recovering from two back surgeries only 3 months apart, and wants to be home by Christmas.
The scar is still flatter and a lot less itchy from the injections given to me by a local dermatologist. My endurance is reasonable, and my posture and balance much improved from before the surgery. I'm at Low Red belt (Hwa-Rang--2nd Gup) in Tae Kwon Do, and will likely examine for High Red in January or February, and recommended black in April or May (red-black). Then perhaps black belt by next October. I'll be 50 January 17th, the same day the actor Jim Carrey also turns 50 (that would explain why I act zany once in a while--born under the same phase of the moon as he was--hence a similar degree of 'lunacy'). Hope to get back to being involved with the VR group again more often--I miss you guys.
It's been a surprisingly ordinary four years, as I'm about the same now as I was before the surgery, except some shifts in hobbies and priorities (and regrettably more depression, hence less accomplished overall). Hope that the future will bring more excitement and positive progress toward figuring out why I was allowed to survive 'counting-coup on the Pearly Gates.'

Chris

good to see you. as you can see, you are not the only absent (but not forgotten) member. Our lives change and along with it, our habits must also cange. You sound good, but sorry about the continuing depression; you've had that for a long time now and it's rough, we know. keep on keepin on and drop in from time to time - like I do. blessins..............

 

[Duffey]

Chris, I'm very glad to read your update. Sometime over the past month, I thought of you and Laura and wondered how you were faring. It's remarkable that Andromeda is doing so well. I will confess I was dubious concerning her return to good health, but it seems all has turned out well.
Congratulations on the 4th anniversary of your repair and best wishes for your birthday. The 17th of January was my dad's birthday, and I consider it a special day of the year.:smile2:
Mary

 

[escargome]

Good to see you dropped by again Chris. I am happy to see Andromeda is still a happy pup even though age has caught up with her a little. Congratulations on your 4th. I too will see that valversary come May. Seems like time just flys by. I hope you will in time be able to overcome your depression. I too have days when I am in the pit of despair but I always try to keep a shovel near by so I can dig my way out. God has plans for you and Laura so keep up the good you are doing and know that wish you the very best.

 

[PairoDocs]

Thanks Cooker, hensylee, Duffey, and escargome. I appreciate the nice welcome back. I know that sometimes we forget where our most understanding friends are. It takes someone who's been there to truly understand what we all have gone through. Only by the grace of God were we born in a time where surgery was advanced enough to repair and/or replace stuff that in any prior time to the mid-late 20th century would have killed us. Where all of these posts are today, would be headstones, ashes, or people with very poor qualities of life had medical technology not advanced to where it is today. It's a sobering, yet cheering thought, that we are alive to have these conversations because of modern advances in OHS.

Chris

 

[Bina]

Congrats on your 4th anniversary of new life !!
I've found that it is our closest family members who we keep in our hearts while we endure the OHS challenges,
but it is all worth it. My daughter just got her Bachelors of Science in Nursing and I'm thrilled to be around to
see that happen.... Life is good. Some days can be crappy, but life in general, is good.
(hopefully you still have a goat or two)