G
Guest
I know this should have been sent sooner, but strength & endurance levels since I got home from having the open heart surgery (to replace the pig's valve with another pig's valve & install a pacemaker) on January 6 have not been exactly condusive to long stints at the computer. I hope that, if you see me online or have sent me an Email, you do not think I am ignoring you....
Thank you to my wonderful sister, Joy, for the updates she sent to my friends & family for whom I had given her Emails. I apologize to those of you on other lists & message boards that did not get updated regularly...that, unfortunately, was an oversight on my part....
Also, thank you for the outpouring of caring & support. I had no idea how many people do care...& that is a refreshing feeling. I have appreciated all of the Emails, calls while I was in the hospital, visits while I was in the hospital & visits while I've been at home...perhaps more than any of you will ever know. As those of you who know me already know, I value family & friendships to a high degree. I am going to try my best to send out personal responses to those of you who sent Emails, etc., but, unfortunately, I cannot make that a guarantee or promise, so please do not feel "slighted" if I don't respond to you...or answer every post....
I'd prefer not to single anyone else out for thank yous because I don't want to snub anyone, but I would remiss if I didn't say anything about how wonderful it was to have my best friend, Heather, here (from VA) for the weekend before the surgery & the week of the surgery. During the time I was in the hospital, she was "accused" of being my sister (not too bad of an idea), gf (not sure how...you can't miss her gorgeous wedding ring), & (gasp) wife! Guess some people just don't understand how friendships work
.
I won't bother you with all of "hospital" details, but some highlights:
* waking up Tuesday nite...quite a weird feeling...seeing people....hearing people...& yet feeling like it was all a dream....
* having the breathing tube removed on Wednesday....aye...an experience I'd rather forget than remember....the first few times they administered a test to see if I'd be able to breathe on my own, I failed....I could feel the mucus building at the bottom of my throat...& for quite a while thought I was breathing my last breaths....but, then, I finally, barely, passed the test...and the breathing tube came out...what a relief! I could breathe!
* having visitors...Wednesday, Thursday & Friday....perhaps the best part of being there was having people stop by to keep me busy & talking & smiling.
* medication change Thursday morning...disastrous...they apparently thought that they would help the pain by switching medications, but unfortunately, the new meds only made me drowsy...& did not take away the pain. Thus, a day that Heather stayed extra just to be with me was spent sleeping & not talking, for the most part. They switched the medication back about 2pm on Thursday...thank goodness!...but too late to take away the pain of an echocardiogram that was performed right after I was moved into the regular room...& too late to keep me on track for a Friday release.
* having the chest tubes & catheter removed...this was not as "painful" as I thought, but, unpleasant experiences when compared to other things I could be doing.
* wild dreams...oh yes, I had them...some of them were good, some not so good...some felt like they were from the twilight zone...some like something you would see on a TV soap opera....others were just weird
* 4 cute nurses....oh, yes....unfortunately, tho, one is married, while 2 have bfs. The other one....the one I actually talked to the most...I don't know...yet....but, I do know where she works .
Coming home this past Saturday was a milestone & step in the right direction on the road to recovery...but, I am not out of the woods yet. I have about a 1-2 week period of "home boundness" where I need to remain as healthy as possible to ensure no sickness or viruses (etc.) take hold on any of the incision areas or pose threat to the new valve, etc. After that, it will be an additional 3-4 week period of being able to "get out" & do some things...while still recovering...& absolutely no driving [which is driving me crazy already...luckily, none of my older 4 "baby girls" need exercise during the winter months]. Right now, I still have quite a bit of pain (especially when I cough) & I feel helpless, wandering aimlessly through life...but, I'm told that once I have recovered & can get back to driving & other routine activities, I will feel much better than I did a few weeks ago.
On tap for me this week is calling in for the pacemaker today & a follow-up doctor appointment at Children's Memorial in Chicago on Friday, which will include the removal of the staples covering the incision. Both are routine.... The pacemaker call will be the first of weekly calls that I will have to make for the doctors to gather information from the pacemaker...such as how much I use it, how long it will last, etc.
The pacemaker is a Medtronic Kappa DR 900 Series dual-chamber model, with leads that go to the atrium & ventricle. I'm told it is the "Rolls Royce of pacemakers", but that means nothing to me...I prefer, thus, to think of it as the "Monte Carlo of pacemakers". The sensor detects changes in my activity level & then adjusts my heart rate accordingly. I am not "life dependent" on the pacemaker...it was put in as a precautionary measure to keep small changes in beats from making things worse for me or the new valve, etc. As the pacemaker is run by a battery, it will need to be replaced sometime down the road...4-8 years...with minor outpatient surgery.
Someone made the comment to me that, without a gf, I'm missing out on a lot of quality "cuddling time". While the comment was in jest, it bothered me just a little...partly because I started tearing up the first time I saw my scar...but Heather squeezed my hand & said something like, "She won't care".... It's nice to have people (like Heather & another guy friend of mine near here) that know me enough to know what I'm thinking without me saying a word. Yes, frustrating at times, but good nonetheless.
Hmm...believe this is getting long enough...& perhaps more than you wanted to know...he he he...guess that means I'm back. Somebody else recently reminded me of the saying "no pain, no gain". Well, if that's the case, I have a lot of gaining coming my way in the days, weeks, months & years ahead!
My Yahoo & AOL Instant Messenger IDs are in my signature below...buzz me if you see me online...I'm always ready to chat. If you haven't yet, take a peak at my MC story, etc.
And, visitors are always welcome.
"Waiting to be mended like a potter would mend a broken vase"; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers...'Broken Lady'...~1975
"Every hands a winner & every hands a loser"; Kenny Rogers...'The Gambler'...~1978
"Someday tomorrow will smile"; Oak Ridge Boys...'Dream On'...~1979
"The only thing changing is my way of thinking"; Dottie West...'A Lesson in Leaving'...~1980
"How could I be so blind?"; Charly McClain...'Who's Cheating Who'...~1980
"There's a place for memories, a time for moving on"; Gary Morris...'Don't Look Back'...~1982
"I know I told you that I could survive"; Deborah Allen...'Baby I Lied'...~1983
"I never meant to leave you alone"; Michael Martin Murphy...'Don't Count The Rainy Days'...~1983
"Some people work just to survive, but up here in this cab, that's when I'm most alive"; Ronnie Milsap...'Prisoner of the Highway'...~1984
"I don't need anyone"; Crystal Gayle...'Nobody Wants To Be Alone"...~1985
"I've always seen myself as a hopeless romantic"; Gary Morris & Crystal Gayle...'Another World'...~1987
"That's the price that we all pay, our valued destiny comes to nothing"; New Order...'True Faith'...~1987
"It hurts to feel like such a fool"; Dan Seals...'Addicted'...~1988
"Wherever you go, I'll be with you"; Cheap Trick...'The Flame'...~1988
"Something's wrong in the world today"; Aerosmith...'Living On The Edge'...~1993
"I got a funny feeling we missed a page or 2 somehow"; Suzy Boggus...'Cinderella'...~1993
"I must be lonely"; Matchbox 20...'3 am'...~1997
"I?m not afraid things won?t get better, but it feels like this has gone on forever"; Toad The Wet Sprocket...'Good Intentions'...~1997
"I'm gonna do all the things that I've never done...all this & more"; FFH...'One Of These Days'...~1998
"I?m only pretty sure that I can?t take anymore"; 3rd Eye Blind...'How's It Going To Be'...~1998
"But I'm thinking it over anyway"; Duncan Sheik...'Barely Breathing'...~1998
"Everybody's got a theory about the bitter one"; Savage Garden...'To The Moon & Back'...~1998
"I need to get away from this place"; Smashmouth...'All Star'...~1999
"Got a lead foot down on my accelerator"; Jodee Messina...'Bye Bye Bye'...~2000
"The wheel of possibilities, however it may roll"; Barenaked Ladies...'Out Of My Head'...~2000
"Don't let your life pass you by"; Sarah McLachlan...'I Will Remember You'...~2000
"And in the rush I hear a voice, it's telling me it's time to take a leap of faith"; Steven Curtis Chapman...'Dive'...~2001
"My arms are wide open & will always be"; Emerson Drive...'Fall Into Me'...~2002
"Promise me you'll stop in to see an old friend"; Rascal Flats...'These Days'...~2002
"Who's gonna hold me tonite?"; Trace Adkins...'Help Me Understand'...~2002
"There's no such thing as what might've been"; Tim McGraw..."Red Ragtop"...~2002
"Why can't that be me?"; 3 Doors Down...'If I Could Be Like That'...~2002
"Dreams are so related tho they're often underestimated"; Jack Johnson...'Bubbly Toes'...~2002
"I want a moment to be real, want to touch things I don't feel, want to hold on & feel I belong"; John Resnick...'I'm Still Here'...~2002
"These 5 words in my head scream, are we having fun yet"; Nickelback...'This Is How You Remind Me'...~2002
"There's no better time than today"; 9 Days...'Good Friend'...~2002
"I kept everything inside"; Linkin Park...'In The End'...~2002
"Do you remember me, too?"; Stereo Fuse...'Everything'...~2002
"I'm doing better than I thought I would"; Wallflowers...'When You're On Top'...~2002
"Done, done & I'm onto the next one"; Foo Fighers...'All My LIfe'...~2002
"Something is wrong here, I don't belong here"; Uncle Cracker...'In A Little While'...~2002
"I should've drove all nite"; BonJovi..."Misunderstood"...~2002
"...and all the places I have yet to go; I'm looking forward to tomorrow"; Luce..."Good Day"...~2002
Peace...Always,
Cort Stevens...Elgin IL...29/pig's-valve & pacemaker-enhanced swm
Instant Messengers...AOL="fc72mc"...Yahoo="knightfan2691"
member, Faith COB, Batavia IL http://www.faithcob.org
My Chevy MC Family & Story = http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/cort
G1=1970-1972...72
G2=1973-1977...76
G3=1978-1980...79
G4=1981-1988...81
Ga=1995-1999...uh, no
Gb=2000-2004...00 ****FOR SALE**** [87 MC LS *WANTED*]
G5=2005-200?...05...SS, wanted w/V8 & RWD
RIP: 1976=Parents' [my] car ... 1988=Silver Bullet
http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/mcspotter/
Thank you to my wonderful sister, Joy, for the updates she sent to my friends & family for whom I had given her Emails. I apologize to those of you on other lists & message boards that did not get updated regularly...that, unfortunately, was an oversight on my part....
Also, thank you for the outpouring of caring & support. I had no idea how many people do care...& that is a refreshing feeling. I have appreciated all of the Emails, calls while I was in the hospital, visits while I was in the hospital & visits while I've been at home...perhaps more than any of you will ever know. As those of you who know me already know, I value family & friendships to a high degree. I am going to try my best to send out personal responses to those of you who sent Emails, etc., but, unfortunately, I cannot make that a guarantee or promise, so please do not feel "slighted" if I don't respond to you...or answer every post....
I'd prefer not to single anyone else out for thank yous because I don't want to snub anyone, but I would remiss if I didn't say anything about how wonderful it was to have my best friend, Heather, here (from VA) for the weekend before the surgery & the week of the surgery. During the time I was in the hospital, she was "accused" of being my sister (not too bad of an idea), gf (not sure how...you can't miss her gorgeous wedding ring), & (gasp) wife! Guess some people just don't understand how friendships work
.I won't bother you with all of "hospital" details, but some highlights:
* waking up Tuesday nite...quite a weird feeling...seeing people....hearing people...& yet feeling like it was all a dream....
* having the breathing tube removed on Wednesday....aye...an experience I'd rather forget than remember....the first few times they administered a test to see if I'd be able to breathe on my own, I failed....I could feel the mucus building at the bottom of my throat...& for quite a while thought I was breathing my last breaths....but, then, I finally, barely, passed the test...and the breathing tube came out...what a relief! I could breathe!
* having visitors...Wednesday, Thursday & Friday....perhaps the best part of being there was having people stop by to keep me busy & talking & smiling
.* medication change Thursday morning...disastrous...they apparently thought that they would help the pain by switching medications, but unfortunately, the new meds only made me drowsy...& did not take away the pain. Thus, a day that Heather stayed extra just to be with me was spent sleeping & not talking, for the most part. They switched the medication back about 2pm on Thursday...thank goodness!...but too late to take away the pain of an echocardiogram that was performed right after I was moved into the regular room...& too late to keep me on track for a Friday release.
* having the chest tubes & catheter removed...this was not as "painful" as I thought, but, unpleasant experiences when compared to other things I could be doing
.* wild dreams...oh yes, I had them...some of them were good, some not so good...some felt like they were from the twilight zone...some like something you would see on a TV soap opera....others were just weird
* 4 cute nurses
....oh, yes....unfortunately, tho, one is married, while 2 have bfs. The other one....the one I actually talked to the most...I don't know...yet....but, I do know where she works .Coming home this past Saturday was a milestone & step in the right direction on the road to recovery...but, I am not out of the woods yet. I have about a 1-2 week period of "home boundness" where I need to remain as healthy as possible to ensure no sickness or viruses (etc.) take hold on any of the incision areas or pose threat to the new valve, etc. After that, it will be an additional 3-4 week period of being able to "get out" & do some things...while still recovering...& absolutely no driving [which is driving me crazy already...luckily, none of my older 4 "baby girls" need exercise during the winter months]. Right now, I still have quite a bit of pain (especially when I cough) & I feel helpless, wandering aimlessly through life...but, I'm told that once I have recovered & can get back to driving & other routine activities, I will feel much better than I did a few weeks ago.
On tap for me this week is calling in for the pacemaker today & a follow-up doctor appointment at Children's Memorial in Chicago on Friday, which will include the removal of the staples covering the incision. Both are routine.... The pacemaker call will be the first of weekly calls that I will have to make for the doctors to gather information from the pacemaker...such as how much I use it, how long it will last, etc.
The pacemaker is a Medtronic Kappa DR 900 Series dual-chamber model, with leads that go to the atrium & ventricle. I'm told it is the "Rolls Royce of pacemakers", but that means nothing to me...I prefer, thus, to think of it as the "Monte Carlo of pacemakers"
. The sensor detects changes in my activity level & then adjusts my heart rate accordingly. I am not "life dependent" on the pacemaker...it was put in as a precautionary measure to keep small changes in beats from making things worse for me or the new valve, etc. As the pacemaker is run by a battery, it will need to be replaced sometime down the road...4-8 years...with minor outpatient surgery.Someone made the comment to me that, without a gf, I'm missing out on a lot of quality "cuddling time". While the comment was in jest, it bothered me just a little...partly because I started tearing up the first time I saw my scar...but Heather squeezed my hand & said something like, "She won't care".... It's nice to have people (like Heather & another guy friend of mine near here) that know me enough to know what I'm thinking without me saying a word. Yes, frustrating at times, but good nonetheless
.Hmm...believe this is getting long enough...& perhaps more than you wanted to know...he he he...guess that means I'm back
. Somebody else recently reminded me of the saying "no pain, no gain". Well, if that's the case, I have a lot of gaining coming my way in the days, weeks, months & years ahead!My Yahoo & AOL Instant Messenger IDs are in my signature below...buzz me if you see me online...I'm always ready to chat
. If you haven't yet, take a peak at my MC story, etc.And, visitors are always welcome
."Waiting to be mended like a potter would mend a broken vase"; Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers...'Broken Lady'...~1975
"Every hands a winner & every hands a loser"; Kenny Rogers...'The Gambler'...~1978
"Someday tomorrow will smile"; Oak Ridge Boys...'Dream On'...~1979
"The only thing changing is my way of thinking"; Dottie West...'A Lesson in Leaving'...~1980
"How could I be so blind?"; Charly McClain...'Who's Cheating Who'...~1980
"There's a place for memories, a time for moving on"; Gary Morris...'Don't Look Back'...~1982
"I know I told you that I could survive"; Deborah Allen...'Baby I Lied'...~1983
"I never meant to leave you alone"; Michael Martin Murphy...'Don't Count The Rainy Days'...~1983
"Some people work just to survive, but up here in this cab, that's when I'm most alive"; Ronnie Milsap...'Prisoner of the Highway'...~1984
"I don't need anyone"; Crystal Gayle...'Nobody Wants To Be Alone"...~1985
"I've always seen myself as a hopeless romantic"; Gary Morris & Crystal Gayle...'Another World'...~1987
"That's the price that we all pay, our valued destiny comes to nothing"; New Order...'True Faith'...~1987
"It hurts to feel like such a fool"; Dan Seals...'Addicted'...~1988
"Wherever you go, I'll be with you"; Cheap Trick...'The Flame'...~1988
"Something's wrong in the world today"; Aerosmith...'Living On The Edge'...~1993
"I got a funny feeling we missed a page or 2 somehow"; Suzy Boggus...'Cinderella'...~1993
"I must be lonely"; Matchbox 20...'3 am'...~1997
"I?m not afraid things won?t get better, but it feels like this has gone on forever"; Toad The Wet Sprocket...'Good Intentions'...~1997
"I'm gonna do all the things that I've never done...all this & more"; FFH...'One Of These Days'...~1998
"I?m only pretty sure that I can?t take anymore"; 3rd Eye Blind...'How's It Going To Be'...~1998
"But I'm thinking it over anyway"; Duncan Sheik...'Barely Breathing'...~1998
"Everybody's got a theory about the bitter one"; Savage Garden...'To The Moon & Back'...~1998
"I need to get away from this place"; Smashmouth...'All Star'...~1999
"Got a lead foot down on my accelerator"; Jodee Messina...'Bye Bye Bye'...~2000
"The wheel of possibilities, however it may roll"; Barenaked Ladies...'Out Of My Head'...~2000
"Don't let your life pass you by"; Sarah McLachlan...'I Will Remember You'...~2000
"And in the rush I hear a voice, it's telling me it's time to take a leap of faith"; Steven Curtis Chapman...'Dive'...~2001
"My arms are wide open & will always be"; Emerson Drive...'Fall Into Me'...~2002
"Promise me you'll stop in to see an old friend"; Rascal Flats...'These Days'...~2002
"Who's gonna hold me tonite?"; Trace Adkins...'Help Me Understand'...~2002
"There's no such thing as what might've been"; Tim McGraw..."Red Ragtop"...~2002
"Why can't that be me?"; 3 Doors Down...'If I Could Be Like That'...~2002
"Dreams are so related tho they're often underestimated"; Jack Johnson...'Bubbly Toes'...~2002
"I want a moment to be real, want to touch things I don't feel, want to hold on & feel I belong"; John Resnick...'I'm Still Here'...~2002
"These 5 words in my head scream, are we having fun yet"; Nickelback...'This Is How You Remind Me'...~2002
"There's no better time than today"; 9 Days...'Good Friend'...~2002
"I kept everything inside"; Linkin Park...'In The End'...~2002
"Do you remember me, too?"; Stereo Fuse...'Everything'...~2002
"I'm doing better than I thought I would"; Wallflowers...'When You're On Top'...~2002
"Done, done & I'm onto the next one"; Foo Fighers...'All My LIfe'...~2002
"Something is wrong here, I don't belong here"; Uncle Cracker...'In A Little While'...~2002
"I should've drove all nite"; BonJovi..."Misunderstood"...~2002
"...and all the places I have yet to go; I'm looking forward to tomorrow"; Luce..."Good Day"...~2002
Peace...Always,
Cort Stevens...Elgin IL...29/pig's-valve & pacemaker-enhanced swm
Instant Messengers...AOL="fc72mc"...Yahoo="knightfan2691"
member, Faith COB, Batavia IL http://www.faithcob.org
My Chevy MC Family & Story = http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/cort
G1=1970-1972...72
G2=1973-1977...76
G3=1978-1980...79
G4=1981-1988...81
Ga=1995-1999...uh, no
Gb=2000-2004...00 ****FOR SALE**** [87 MC LS *WANTED*]
G5=2005-200?...05...SS, wanted w/V8 & RWD
RIP: 1976=Parents' [my] car ... 1988=Silver Bullet
http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/mcspotter/
