I'm back home!

[bvdr]

I am out of the hospital and safe at home. Thank-you all for your prayers and support. You are wonderful.

Tom, Jon, and Shirley have all posted and let you know some of what has been happening. My doctors have come to the conclusion that my new valve threw off a clot that traveled to my abdomen and cut off the blood supply temporarily to part of my colon (transient ischemia) causing it to malfunction and become infected (infectious colitis). I have been scoped and scanned and x-rayed and monitored and this is their conclusion.

We had just come home from exercising at the fitness center on New Years Eve when the pain began. I thought I might be getting the flu but it kept getting worse so I went to the ER early in the morning. They did an abdominal cat scan and blood work and admitted me.

I am still on Lovenox injections twice a day but my antibiotics are now by mouth instead of IV. I feel pretty good and am so glad to be home.

The bothersome part of this to the whole team has been that my INR was 4.0 on admission and this still happened. The goal now is to do whatever it takes to keep me out of a-fib episodes to try to prevent another clot.

I have some catching up here at home and then later I hope to spend some time on the boards catching up on everyone but I thought I would just take a minute and post. Thanks again for all your support!

 

[Marge]

Betty, thank goodness you're back. You get some rest now, and take care of yourself, you hear? (Was just out sending card off to you -- when saw your post.)

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Whew. Glad to see your own words on here, Betty. Welcome home. Keep us posted as this plays out - we're here.

 

[dwfreck]

Betty,

Sorry I didn't have time to post well-wishes while you were out, but I'm glad to hear you're back home. Good luck with the clotting issues. Considering all the other places your clot could have ended up, maybe (but just maybe), you've been lucky. Or maybe I should wait to say that until you've gotten over your infection!

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Thank goodness!

Thank goodness!

So glad to have you back Betty. We will continue to pray for a complete recovery.

You know...it's kind of coincidental that post op I had some sort of "infection" in that region that was not isolated. Never did find out what it was.

Happy you have some answers and can address it accordingly.
Take care of yourself and get some rest.

 

[catwoman]

Welcome back home, Betty! Good to see that you're doing better.

 

[Ross]

I'm very happy to see you home!

4.0 and still throw a clot???? Something doesn't sound quite right here, what's your blood made out of Gorilla Glue?

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Betty,
Glad to hear you are home and doing better. I hope everything turns out OK for you. You sure had us all worried. Tell Jon and Tom thanks for keeping us posted.
Take Care

 

[Les]

Betty,
Welcome back!

 

[ccrawford]

Betty = Good to hear from you and to know you are home. Chris

 

[Nancy]

Hi Betty-

Welcome home. I am so thrilled to see your post. When your son posted about the blood-clot in your intestines, I was very worried.
So I am very relieved to hear that resolved.

There's been a lot going on while you were away. We missed your posts!

 

[sylviayasgur]

oh my, betty!
i have been away for several weeks and haven't been on in quite some time...
i was so sorry to return and read your post first. although i'm thrilled to see you are feeling better and are home, i hope they are able to regulate all that is going on in your body... so glad you went to the er when you did.
thinking of you and wishing you all the best, sylvia

 

[Granbonny]

Betty.....So glad you are home from hospital..Take it easy....Bonnie

 

[KathyH]

Betty,
Sorry to hear of your ordeal, glad you are feeling better. Are you out of a-fib now? Take care.
KathyH

 

[bvdr]

Kathy,

I had a nasty bout of a-fib a couple of weeks ago and had my medications adjusted then. Since then I have been in sinus rhythm. I was on telemetry in the hospital and everything was just fine.

My cardiologist had spoken to me when I was last in atrial fib about considering giving up trying to fight it and just working on controlling the rate. Now the focus is staying in sinus rhythm! I know he is very frustrated right now because he has me on a high dose of flecainide which he is not comfortable about.

One of the first things he brought up is to go back in and have the left atrial appendage sewed down but I reminded him that I already had that done. I felt bad for him because I know he feels at a loss as to what else to do. I have another appointment with him on Tuesday.

 

[Jan]

Hi Betty

Good to see you back,

Take it easy

keep smiing

Jan

 

[Kathy]

Betty,

I'm sure that you are relieved to be at home again. Take it easy!

 

[Christina L]

Hi Betty!

You really had us in a tizzy here on the board the last several days!! Everyone was asking about you, praying for you, and wanting you home. So glad to hear that you are home now and feeling so good. I'm sorry about what happened to you, though.

I am on Rythmol to prevent another bout of a-fib and just today ran into an acquaintance (in her 60s) who has a-fib (from out of nowhere - she doesn't have any valve problems or blockage) and she goes to the same cardiologist as I do. She had tried many beta blockers, etc., but when she was put on Rythmol, the a-fib stopped and she has been on the Rythmol for three years and no bouts of a-fib. There are no side effects for her from the Rythmol. She loves it!!

I was wondering if you have tried this drug yet?? Also, this lady will NOT take Coumadin and takes an aspirin every day instead. I cannot believe my cardiologist lets her get away with that, but I guess he can't make her take the Coumadin. I know you need to be on the Coumadin and I am on it right now, also.

Do they have you on aspirin also or is that an option?

These are all just suggestions - hoping that I can help in some way.

Enjoy the comforts of home!! Have a very nice weekend!

Christina L.

 

[Karlynn]

I'm sure you are hearing all sort of sighs of relief as we read your post that you are home. We've all been worried about you and are glad you are back home and can come out and play with us again. And we are also glad you had your family posting for you while you were in the slammer.

Please don't scare us like this again - you've been warned young lady.

Will keep up with the prayers though.

Welcome back, we missed you!

Karlynn

 

[Heather Fisher]

Whew, I'm glad you are home and that everything is allright. That must not be fun to spend time in the hospital again. We missed you! Just take it easy now and no more of this!

Heather