Mitral valve repair, struggle to become active again

[BertTheRunner]

I thought I'd share my story here and would like to know if there are others struggling to return to an active lifestyle post-op.

I had my procedure in November of 2013. The valve was successfully repaired using a robotic technique at Cleveland Clinic. But almost immediately I began to suffer from some after affects that have still not subsided.

A few days after surgery I developed a pericardial effusion (pericarditis) along with an accompanying lung version (pleural effusion). I also had lots of AFIB (about 24 hours of it) until I got on some amiodarone (which may or may not have ended it). At the time I believe they felt these things would soon pass and it was nothing to worry about. But a few weeks later I had several new rounds of AFIB each lasting 8-9 hours and then a very bad pain in my left shoulder which got me admitted to the hospital (different one, a local place).

I don't want to bore you with too many details (there are a lot) but suffice it to say I've had major ups and downs with tightness in my chest, constricted breathing and smothering sensations, a recurrence of AFIB as recently as a month ago, and occasional pains resurfacing in my left shoulder (although not nearly as strong as in November). I've been through about 8 weeks of cardiac rehab, but symptoms such as a throbbing pain in my upper chest/neck area persisted throughout and didn't get much better (if at all) during that time. The rehab staff didn't seem to know what to make of it and there were no on-site cardiologists to talk to.

I've seen a new cardiologist in an attempt to get someone to address the ongoing situation but all that's really changed is I'm now on lots of ibuprofen to combat inflammation, since they saw my blood levels were off the chart.

Before all of this, I was a very active person, and I've had to learn to be essentially sedentary. I had a huge health transformation about 3 years back where I'd lost over 100 lbs, took up cycling and running and became a decent runner, really loving it. Now it's all gone. I'm struggling to get it back but I can't do much without risking symptom relapse (pains, AFIB and the rest of it).

Does this sound familiar to anyone else on this forum? Care to share your experiences? I feel alone with this. I joined another forum but other than one person (who seemed rather condescending) I haven't found a single soul willing to compare notes. In rehab the people were there after bypass or stint procedures and not valve. It just feels like I'm kind of on my own with these symptoms. The doctors can only give vague guidance and no forecast. My most recent cardiologist has said he thinks it's fine for me to run as much as I want as long as symptoms don't worsen during the run and I don't get into an anaerobic state (breathing too hard to carry on a conversation). But I'm finding it's hard to know my limits. The rest of my body wants to go and run 10 miles but the injuries in my chest say no.

Again, anyone out there? Thanks.

 

[pellicle]

Hi and welcome aboard

sorry to hear about your bum ride.

... but suffice it to say I've had major ups and downs with tightness in my chest, constricted breathing and smothering sensations, a recurrence of AFIB as recently as a month ago, and occasional pains resurfacing in my left shoulder...
The rehab staff didn't seem to know what to make of it and there were no on-site cardiologists to talk to.

ok

Before all of this, I was a very active person, and I've had to learn to be essentially sedentary.

ok ...

I had a huge health transformation about 3 years back where I'd lost over 100 lbs, took up cycling and running and became a decent runner, really loving it. Now it's all gone. I'm struggling to get it back but I can't do much without risking symptom relapse (pains, AFIB and the rest of it).

so if I may ask what about before 3 years back? What was your fitness history. Also, may I ask, how old are you, I didn't spot that in the post or in your bio

Does this sound familiar to anyone else on this forum?

while not specifically I do have some similar experiences in raising my fitness. But before getting into that I'll wait for more information.

Care to share your experiences? I feel alone with this.
...
It just feels like I'm kind of on my own with these symptoms.
...
The doctors can only give vague guidance and no forecast.

I can relate to all of the above, and yes I do believe we are all ultimately on our own. The Drs and the specialists can indeed only guide without total certainty, as frequently each situation is not exactly like another. There can be complications which exceed their experience, and perhaps move into an area of experience of a different specialty.

But I'm finding it's hard to know my limits. The rest of my body wants to go and run 10 miles but the injuries in my chest say no.

well you have to listen to your entire body, remember your had surgery on chest not your knee or other body system.

I've had some issues with my surgery too and my road back has been slow and not without difficulty too.

I kinda feel that you didn't have a specific question, so I'll leave it there for now.

Best Wishes

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Bert,

I haven't had the same problems that you've had but I can certainly relate to some of how you are feeling. Before I had AVR for replacement of my bicuspid aortic valve which I was born with, I was very fit and strong. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with osteoporosis and atypical Type 2 diabetes. I have always believed that most of how we respond to conditions is in our own hands and not out of a bottle and so these diagnoses actually meant that I became very fit and healthy. I used to do serious weight lifting - never mind that I'm a woman of 60 (no, 61 two days ago), I was ifting seriously heavy weights as I had got so fit (doing superslow high intensity lifting). When my cardiologist said it was time for surgery I was at my fittest and strongest, I didn't feel any effects of the bicuspid aortic valve, and, in fact, my echocardiogram showed how strong my heart was: the technician asked me if I did weightlifting, I was so proud that he could tell from how my heart muscle was ! And it was coping with the stenosis. Never mind, I did what the cardiothoracic surgeon advised and had AVR in early January. I had problems afterwards, not as bad as your problems, but not a smooth recovery. The result is that I am now not nearly so fit and strong. And I've recently had ankle problems due to an old injury (torn ligament) playing up due to all this and meaning that I can't even walk now - one of my most favourite pastimes was walking.

One of my consultants asked me a couple of weeks ago if I was pleased that I'd had my surgery - NO I WASN'T ! I'm grateful that I have a good cardiac rehab nurse who is looking out for me and adjusting my rehab to take into account my problems, but I'm not as I was before surgery and I resent that. Maybe with time things will be better for us…but I'm not going to suppress my feelings about this. Yes I know that without surgery there would have been certain death, but maybe the time wasn't right yet for surgery, but anyway it would have been better to have had a better experience. I hope you get better experiences soon !

 

[BertTheRunner]

Anne, thanks for your nice reply. You hit the nail on the head for me as well. No, I'm not pleased with the outcome of my surgery to be honest. Like you I recognize that it was a necessity and that a slow decline to an early death was in store. And yes I am grateful that the technology exists to help us. But I surely didn't expect this result. I'm told that maybe in the next 6 months things will clear away, but I'm not sure. On the other web forum I was trying to get feedback from, a lady on there seems to have been fighting with post-op symptoms similar to mine for over 2 years now. I have to wonder if some of this is permanent. I'm not sure if better care post-op would have helped me or not, earlier on at least. And who knows if something happened during the procedure that led to this. Right now I think I'm doing all that I can do for the symptoms.

I just wish I'd gone into the procedure with a more solid concept that I might have longterm or possibly lifelong breathing problems. All indications were I'd be better than new in just a month or two. There are always risks with surgery but I was so healthy going into it that it seemed as though I would just fly through the recovery. I think those skewed expectations set me up for feeling really confused and worried later on.

Each day I wake up hoping I'll breathe unencumbered and each day it's more of the same. Some days slightly better than others but not a lot of difference. I guess I'm looking for others who have gone through this and maybe come out the other side. Like a year later after having breathing trouble they're now out running/biking again. All I seem to see online are people bragging about how they're 110% just 8 weeks post-op. And then there are people worried about their upcoming procedure. A few post about some terrible complications but not many. Maybe this site is different though, I'm mainly speaking of what I've read elsewhere.

Good luck to you. I hope you can get back to where you want to be soon.

 

[Midpack]

I want to thank Anne and Bert for their very sincere and valuable testimonies. Sometimes, i see people on this forum talking about OHS as if it were almost a "walk in the park" (an exaggeration, of course, but you get the idea). Of course, i discount they have very noble intentions, trying to encourage (and calm down) people facing an upcoming heart surgery. But, in my opinion, OHS is a VERY MAJOR surgery, with a myriad of possible complications and an usually slow recovery. For those in the "waiting room", i beleive it is a big mistake to press your cardiologist to have surgery. If he suggests to wait, follow his advice. If you look enough, you will allways find some cardio/surgeon willing to operate you inmediately. But that is not the way to go. Trust your cardiologist (a good one!), and let him manage surgery timing.

On the other hand, you are both (Anne and Bert) only some months away from surgery, so i am sure you will improve a LOT.

 

[epstns]

Hi, Bert. I'm another "survivor." I used to feel that I could be the "Poster Boy" for post-op complications. Like Anne, I knew for years that I would need my aortic valve replaced. I waited and watched it via echo's, all the while staying as fit and strong as I could. I ran, rode a bike, lifted weights (moderate weight, high reps), followed a careful diet regimen. . . you get it - I thought I did my best. I was out jogging a few days prior to my surgery.

Fast forward a bit. My surgery didn't go "badly" from a medical/surgical standpoint. My valve was definitely trashed, but was nothing that my surgeon hadn't seen and replaced before. Except that I didn't "behave" well after the surgery. I had extreme heart rate and rhythm problems. As the EP described it, "Your heart tried all the possible rhythms - afib, bradycardia, tachycardia, everything else, then it just got mad and stopped for a while." I experienced numerous pauses of up to 20 seconds or more. Believe me, watching your own cardiac monitor go "flat-line" isn't cool! For this behavior, my punishment is a pacemaker. It has been over 3 years now, and the settings on it are still a work-in-progress.

Add to that the fact that even with the pacemaker I had numerous bouts of afib for the first month post-op, so they prescribed amioderone. Google that one for its side-effects. I was terrified that I would need it long-term. Fortunately, after about a month, the afib resolved and I was weaned off the amioderone.

In addition to that, although I had no cardiac effusion, I did have pleural effusion. I was given ibuprofen for that, and fortunately that resolved it. I did not want to think of what else they may have had to do to drain it otherwise. I was actually kept in the hospital an extra day because I was terrified to try to sleep without an oxygen cannula. Maybe I was technically able, but I had to work just to breathe. For the first couple of weeks I was home from the hospital I remember walking about a block to the mail box and thinking "Gee, I hope I can make it back home before I collapse."

At about the same time, I had far too much general fluid retention (edema). Normal diuretics weren't strong enough, so I had to take oral Lasix. . . which then required that I take potassium pills. Calling them pills is being nice. They were damn golf balls, and I couldn't tolerate them. Had to finally find a capsule variety that I could tolerate. I was so swollen that I couldn't wear shoes. Not good.

But wait. . . there's more. Due to all the sedatives and pain meds given in surgery and after, my digestive system came to a near halt. One month after heart surgery, I had to be readmitted to the hospital to get my digestive system "re-organized." I was in so much digestive pain and distress that I had to sit on pillows in the car to ride to the hospital. They tested for endocarditis, as some of the symptoms were the same, but in the end a major dose of an industrial-strength laxative was what "got things going." Unfortunately, all the pressure that built up in my abdomen resulted in the formation of a small abdominal hernia which had to be repaired about a year after surgery.

Yes, it was rough. No, it wasn't anywhere near what I was expecting. But I'm still here. No, I can't run as I used to. Partly because my knees just refuse to tolerate the impact, and partly due to lost conditioning. Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know how old you are. I was 63 at surgery, 66 now. I thought I should be able to just pick up where I was, but it isn't happening that way. Am I disappointed? A bit. Would I have chosen not to have the surgery? No way! Look at it this way. . . a bad day now, 3 years after surgery, is probably better than a good day would have been today had I not had the surgery. Aortic stenosis stops for no man. I did what I had to do, and I am glad I did so.

You are having issues now. Unfortunately that is not uncommon after heart valve surgery. What I think is most important for you now is that you have a cardio whom you trust completely and with whom you can communicate easily. Make an appointment for a consultation to have a complete discussion of all the complications you are experiencing, and make sure that you understand what they are, what they mean and what the plan is for treatment. If possible, take someone else with you to listen and take notes. Often we are so focused on one point of information that we miss the next two. Be sure that there is a treatment plan in place, and don't worry about offending the doctor. As long as you are business-like and polite, you are the customer. You pay his fees, so he should be willing to discuss and explain it all to your satisfaction. If not, don't be afraid to fire the doc, or at least to get a second opinion. It is your body, and you want it repaired as well as it can be.

That all said, healing does take time, and we all heal differently. As I said, I am not back to where I was, and may never be - BUT I am still here and life is good! I can do more now than I would have thought I could a year ago, and I'm not getting any younger. As long as your doctors can explain to you what is happening, what will be done and what to expect, you can plan to get back to your life on your own terms.

Sorry this is so long-winded, but I wanted to let you know that you are not alone in having so much seem to go wrong when it wasn't supposed to. Unless something really bad happens, though, you will be able to get back to some form of normal life - but it may be a "new" normal.

 

[BertTheRunner]

Thanks Steve for the note. Sorry to hear about all the troubles you had after your procedure. I can relate to some of that but it sounds like yours went a little beyond mine (although let's hope mine don't get worse).

I too was put on amiodarone and it caused me terrible breathing trouble. In fact one cardiologist thought that ALL my breathing issues might be attributed to the side effects of that drug (and it takes months to clear your system as you probably know). I changed cardiologists because the first one demanded I stay on it for months and months, without good explanation. I got a second opinion and the guy immediately yanked me off of it. Within about a week my symptoms already improved a lot. So I know it was poisoning me (and yes I have read a lot about the drug).

I'm definitely not a shrinking violet when it comes to seeking answers and getting help. I question and pester the doctors a lot and as I said I get second opinions. Years ago (about 7) I was told that I needed immediate valve surgery. It hit me like a ton of bricks. An appointment with a surgeon was made and he seemed very cavalier about the procedure, but also indicated I could die soon if I didn't sign up right away. Something didn't smell right to me so I got two more opinions. Both said the same thing -- surgery was not yet needed. My valve had been getting worse, but it was only "moderate" regurgitation and not "severe". One can even live with the severe category for awhile especially if there are little or no symptoms.

I've found that it is a constant battle to make sure I'm getting sound and reasonable advice on just about anything with this. It's hard to build a solid relationship with any of these guys. The best doctor I have is my GP, who actually has listened to me and was the one who put me on ibuprofen to take care of MY pleural effusions (and possibly a pericardial one, although that hasn't been spotted of late). My current cardiologist is mostly reasonable but tends to kind of downplay some of my symptoms. I feel he is trying to calm or reassure me but I worry that he's going too far in that direction. If I run into real roadblocks with him I'll have to change again but so far I haven't.

To answer your question, I'm 42. I am "young" compared to almost everyone going through heart work.

I found the part about fluid retention interesting as well. I have felt swollen ever since surgery, for about 4 months at least. It didn't show up in my ankles but it was in my abdomen. Suddenly I couldn't button my pants and yet the scale didn't show a huge weight gain. I was on lasix for only a short time post-op, maybe 2 weeks. But it wasn't able to bring it down much. Then about 2-3 weeks ago I noticed my pants were starting to fit normally again, and sure enough my waist had returned to pre-op size! Nobody bothered to ask about my measurements, and to be honest I just assumed that maybe I had gained fat from being less active. But now I'm thinking I was retaining fluid, especially with all the (confirmed by blood word) inflammation that has been going on with me post-op.

On the bright side, all of my "stats" have returned to pre-op norms now: waist, blood pressure, resting heart rate, weight. I see very tiny incremental improvements in my ability to jog at the park. Basically I can just barely see a change in about a month's time now. For me the changes are being able to breathe slightly more easily and the pulsating pain in my upper chest lessening (today for instance the pain was gone). I hope that I continue to see this trend and from what people like yourself have passed along, I probably will. But in the back of my mind I always wonder if some of this stuff will persist. I guess there's no way of knowing. The rehab people said that a typical recovery time is 6 months to a year. That seems to be bearing out for me (and for I'm guessing you and others). Why it is that some surgeons and others tout their rapid 4 week recoveries is beyond me, unless it's to in some way show encouragement. For me, I'd rather hear what the normal trajectory is for this and not the fantastical outlier that is out skiing a few weeks after the knife!

All the best to you.

 

[Trixie]

Runner,

I feel your pain--I did not have much luck with the repair surgery either. I was also fairly young and in good shape,-to say the least I felt like I had been hit by a truck, run over by a bus and drug down a VERY bumpy road. It took about 10 months for me to feel "better". I hope its quicker for you. I know I will never run again--being so short of breath after this surgery I have no desire to gasp for air while running! I could not even walk and talk for 6 weeks following surgery-not fun! You are not alone and eventually you will feel better.

Trixie

 

[BertTheRunner]

Hi Trixie. Thanks so much for your note. Even though what you went through was hell, it helps me to see someone else who managed to get beyond it. I've had to try to accept that I may not feel normal till the end of the year or so. Do you feel as good as you used to now, or is your "new normal" somewhat less than the old one? I'm crazy enough to keep on being a runner, but I agree with you, the chest constriction is a tremendous downer. I can see how that could destroy anyone's interest.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

..., I'm 42. I am "young" compared to almost everyone going through heart work.

well I had my first at 9 or so and my 2nd at 28 ... so I guess I was young then too. I didn't document the times but I do recall it took me about 2 years to be up to equal for my point in health (picked as some years before my 2nd surgery as the stenosis was progressing).

When I was a lad I often heard the words "tightness in the chest" and wondered what it meant (never having experienced it). Even at 25 I could play squash and only loose because I was loosing my periphery vision (going dark) and couldn't see the ball properly (due to driving myself hard).

Why it is that some surgeons and others tout their rapid 4 week recoveries is beyond me,

My view is sales pitch ... quote your best results imply thats normal. Good for sales

After my 2011 surgery (I was 48, so don't know if that's old bugger to a 42 year old) and it took me a long hard slog until this winter to get stronger. I had some setbacks (you can read about them here if you wish) and this winter got my 15Km cross country ski time done in a good 10% better than I've ever done it (ever). I put that down to consistent work.

I train with a Heart Rate monitor and set training zones and stick by them like the word of God.

When I was out of the op and at home I was 120 just sitting around (man I hated that). I live in a hilly area and I felt very dissenchanted shuffling up my hill (naturally I live on the top of the hill) like a decript old man. Actually my neighbor (Electrical Engineer works from home contracting) glanced out the window one day (his words) seeing some "poor old ******* doing it hard up the hill" and realised it was me. He came out to have a chat and told me (hesitantly) after he'd asked how my progress was going.

As to tightness I now get it, and yet it depends. I still (have for decades) use my HR monitor and know that my time in 150 is pre-burn out and I can do hills at 150 but if I go to 158 I've only got a few minutes before its ramping up and I'm a gonner. This is lower than when I was 32 (after recovering from my last operation) when my hill burnout rate was 165, but then I'm nearly 50 now and so I appreciate that we don't get better as we get older.

my theory
My tightness in the chest seems to not be the classical heart tightness that is so poorly described with "tightness in the chest" ... I suspect it has to do with restrictions in operating the muscles and moving the bones around when breathing. There are now many more adhesions between muscles, organs and internal thoracic cavity , tightness in the intra rib muscles than before your surgery. Some of these will "strech out" and some won't

On my first longer cycle (a 40 Km day ride) here in Finland I ended up getting some bleeding internally from my last debridement (noted here) but that has not reoccurred. I suspect that is due to the extra chest movement and stirring things up.

This winter I have gone out and skiied on the lake and through the forrest (none of this nancy track skis, I train on actuall cross country skiing) because my friends and I enjoy skiing in this manner:

Stick with it, be patient and remember that at 40 your recovery to health will be slower than it was (or would have been) at 30. I has been hard work and with many emotional and mental challenges but I have been consistently happy with my (HR) recovery rate improvement and my endurance development.

Now my Resting rate is down to 68 and my HR drops from 150 to 120 in a couple of minutes of 'reduced load' cycling (not stopping mind you).

Its a slog but consider it fighting for your life, but its perhaps the most worthy goal I've ever trained for. I must say that I am happy to be able to be out here and doing it again

PS
I view the doctors and specialists are being just that ... specialists in a field. They know heaps about that but know nothing about me specifically. I have learned over the years to use them in the same way as I use any consultants in my IT projects. I listen to what they say and try to understand it, asking questions till I do. I then ask what they think of my plans and we agree on what has to be done. I have had to fight for even identification of the bug in my chest and if it is not dead yet will be advocating for alterations in their treatment plans.

There is a large emerging role in medicine for "advocates" for patients. The patients often just don't know what is happening and do not know how to be active participants in what is essentially a complex project. All too often they remain passive and then just get stubborn or angry. Not everyone has the capacity to be an advocate for themselves.

 

[MtBiker]

Just another voice to add credence to the feeling that surgery, while necessary for severe stenosis and other conditions, is not an easy road and the recovery is difficult. My surgery for AVR and hemiarch replacement was last June (2013) and I'm back to riding, skiing and playing squash but my endurance is nowhere near what it was. I'm hoping my heart is still reverse remodeling and that it will improve over the next couple of years. On the other hand I remind myself daily that I'm fortunate to be alive and to be able to be active at all.

 

[BertTheRunner]

I thought I'd share a brief update.

I made it to my 6 month post-op anniversary on May 7. In the last month I've noticed some quantifiable improvements in my running abilities. It's not dramatic but it's enough that I know things are getting better. I did the exact same workout that I did a month ago, and this time had no ill-effects (last time there was some referred pain in my shoulder and increased HR and other signs of inflammation). Basically I can now run at about a 9:30 pace in short intervals, anywhere from maybe .1 to a quarter mile.

I still am not symptom-free by any means. I still have tightness during these runs, occasional throbbing pains in my neck, and random feelings of shortness of breath throughout the day, but all these things are more subdued. My guess is I will be able to string together a mile of continuous running at this pace in a month or so based on how things are going. And my other guess is I won't feel normal yet till maybe this fall or winter. We'll see.

Stress test is in about 2 weeks. I'll be curious to see how that goes and maybe I'll post again afterwards.

 

[Paleowoman]

I did the exact same workout that I did a month ago, and this time had no ill-effects (last time there was some referred pain in my shoulder and increased HR and other signs of inflammation).

When you say you had other signs of inflammation can you explain ? When I do my work out the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is much worse than it ever used to be…hardly ever had it prior to surgery four months ago. Also, old injuries (tennis elbow and trigger finger) are making themselves heard…as well as my ankle taking ages to heal. So when I read your message I wondered if your experience of inflammation was muscular or tendons or what ?

I'm glad things are slowly improving for you ! Hope you keep us posted.

 

[BertTheRunner]

My inflammation is not to do with muscles/tendons from my exercise (unless you refer to the heart as the muscle). It seems to come from my heart/lung area and happens whenever I get my heart rate too elevated. It's measured by an increase in blood "CRP" levels and I can tell when it is happening by symptoms. The main symptoms right after the exercise are a feeling of stimulation, like too much caffeine. Then hours later I get referred pain in my left shoulder (not actual pain in shoulder muscles but phantom pain that's actually originating in my heart/lung somewhere). If it's really bad I can get low grade fevers and so much pain that I can't sleep at night, and then a day or two later AFIB pops up. But I haven't had a round like that often, only twice post-op.

The main things that have helped me are ibuprofen and just watching my heart rate. Over time I've been able to slowly exert more and drive up my heart rate without these symptoms, but it has been very slow going.

 

[Paleowoman]

Thanks for explaining more Bert. I was thinking of asking my GP to do a CRP test when he next does my regular blood tests.

Post surgical recovery is much slower for some of us than we were led to believe isn't it......

 

[BertTheRunner]

Post surgical recovery is much slower for some of us than we were led to believe isn't it......

Yep. I'm at the stage now where I've thrown away all the projections given to me initially and am just trying to plot my own course. I've decided that as long as I keep improving, even though it's terribly slow, I won't worry too much about it any more. If it stalls out and I still feel horrible after this next 6 months I'll check myself into another clinic for a thorough re-evaluation. But hopefully it won't get to that point.

What's really helping me cope now are detailed notes I've been keeping on my workouts. I can page back and see how much better I'm doing now than 1-2 months back, even if it feels the same sometimes. I'd highly recommend doing this if you're not already. It has been the one light for me during this time.

 

[Heart2.0]

Bert ,thank you so much and pellicle and paleo! So much information in your recovery stories . The heart soreness!
The annoying old injury sites activated ( hello nerve endings!) and recovery time plus frustrations and attitude adjustment time. Thank you thank you. I am posting in bed and my stupid heat is just hurty and sore from what? Scrubbing my giant
Stove hood on and off with rests yesterday? Oh how can I accommodate you heart? You are so fussy. I don't want to
Be afraid. I want to follow my prescribed heart rate target and be well. But ow. And I checked it out at our urgent care
Last Monday ow doesn't mean much, my EKG was fine. But if it is elevated CRP levels, this could be checked? Or like pellicle
Theorizes , adhesions? My heart certainly does not enjoy "Zumba" dance classes yet. A lot of ow. I keep rubbing my
Chest as though I could rub the pain away? I am a fearful person so I will stick to the hospital cardiac rehabilitation
Programs I start a level 3 in June. And I will still go to my gym for low level yoga ( not the fun power yoga) Pilates
And 15 minutes of dance class then go walk on the treadmill with my heart monitor.
I plan to get back to race walking,lap swimming and someday some snow sports. ( hip surgery first though)
I will be more accepting of a year recovery thanks to reading here. Only one medical person has dared say that.
And maybe it is two years with a hip repair too.
I just thank you for your detailed stories. And I really like the information gathering attitudes of pellicle.
You are all very tough and persevering. I will try to follow this. Ow and all.