My Limousine Has a Flat!

[Kenny F]

OK guys - it's all your fault! You couldn't just let me get away with textbook, smooth sailing AVR, now could you?

I went to my cardio today for the strange rhythms. After an EKG he pronounced me Atrial Tachycardia/Atrial Fibrillation. Jeez.

Now for the supreme irony of a tissue valver - I just took my first Coumadin dose!!! It seems that the Cardizem will slow my heart down, hopefully bringing the rhythm under control. He said the danger, though, is blood clotting because of the out of synch beats. Sooo - coumadin!

We agreed (I think I made him swear a holy vow) that I would come off ASAP. He feels as soon as we prove my rhythm is good, we can ditch the coumadin a month later. Figures a minimum of 3 months.

The good news is that Chattanooga Heart Inst., where I go, has a real live Coumadin clinic. I got my finger stuck today to establish a baseline PT/INR of .9/11.6. They were very helpful and supportive and we are all on the same page. My doc says he knows plenty of cardios who would leave me on Coumadin for life.

I go back Thursday for an EKG & INR.

The really good news, actually, were his first words after listening to my heart "Sounds like you got a new heart". Then he told me I looked like I go out and sell real estate today! (actually, a walk thru Books A Million pretty much used me up).

I am doing great other than that mess. I can sleep on the couch now - one step towards bed. I am down to an occasional Vicodin for pain. My scar is looking good. Hey, I'm alive!

The moral of the story - sometimes the truck DOES NOT honk its horn. ANd limo's are not all they are cracked up to be

 

[Kevin M]

Kenny, sorry to hear you've had a hiccup. It sounds like you are doing pretty well otherwise.

I know what you mean about walking in public. I think part of it is the actual physical exercise and the other part is the fear of someone accidentally giving you an elbow to the ribs or something.

Good to hear that your sense of humour is still up there!
Kev

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Kenny,
Sorry to hear about your bump in the road. Sounds like you have a Cardiologist that is on top of things for you. As far as the coumadin goes it shouldn't a problem for you. It isn't as bad as some people say. I hope everything clears up for you.
Take Care

Dave
_____________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical

 

[Ross]

Neener, neener, neener. You thought you were going to escape the Coumadin factor. Didn't we tell you that this was the twilight zone?

 

[MarciaB]

Gee Kenny, I hope I didn't jinx you with the minivan comment (although I didn't go as far as a limo!). Sounds like you're doing pretty good, though, considering. Hope things continue to look up.

 

[bvdr]

Sorry about the atrial arrhythmias, Kenny. Hopefully your meds will keep them asleep. I've had quite a few rhythm problems and I know they can be unsettling. Try not to let it throw you.

I'd rather not be on coumadin either but since it may well prevent me from having a embolus, I find myself thinking of it as a very good thing. It sounds like your cardiologist will try to get you off of it as soon as it is safe.

I'm glad you are doing well in other areas. It seems like everyone has a glitch somewhere along the way. I'm wondering if anyone on this board had a totally problem free surgery and recovery period.....well, maybe Granbonny, but she had that magic shot . Bonnie, did you ever find out exactly what they gave you? I want one. .

 

[Heather Fisher]

See, it was good to at least find out what the rythm problem is..at least you are not facing the unknown and it can be managed. I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like there are enough of us that havehad those sorts of probs post-op I'm sure you will be off of the coumadin soon. I go to the doc tomorow for my 4 month post op and hope I can come off of most of the Toprol used to manage my v-tach. Good luck and keep feeling better!!!

Heather

 

[Karlynn]

Kenny,
You continue to show us what a good attitude will do for the spirit. Sorry to hear you are still dealing with the skid marks from the truck, but glad to see you handling it in your usual positive way. It's contagious.

(Childishness begins) And yes, I must admit some small, teeny tiny, eentsy weentsy bit of satisfaction that a "natural valver" gets to take Coumadin. (Childishness ends)

Hope your rhythm issue gets solved quickly.

Karlynn

 

[Kenny F]

No, Karlyn, not "childishness", just human nature.

Now, Ross, "neener,neener,neener"....

It's easy to stay positive considering the alternative!

6 hours after taking Cardizem my pulse is steady at 96. Does that mean I can ditch the Coumadin yet

 

[LDS4EVER]

hello kenny

hello kenny

Kenny ,Im glad your doing good .I remember one nite after I got home from the hospital with my AVR I was laying on the bed with many pillows so i could sleep in a sit up position anyway my heart began to beat so fast it was tachcarido type of i think i got very frighten i felt i couldnt breathe i woke my friend up she rushed me to the hospital and they it started to slow down a bit they took me off the meds that was casuing it anyway i would feel it start beating fast again and said dr here it comes agiain it was scarey it never happened again all i could think of is telling my best friend dont leave me alone dont leave me alone she stayed with me all the time well im so happy your doing goo kept your red pillow for remembering where we are in the skeam of things take care i still have mine chris

 

[Nancy]

Hi Kenny-

If there's anything that's true about this surgery it's that there are sometimes little surprises. It's very complicated surgery, and so hard to determine how your heart is going to react to being messed around with.

I think that most people with afib eventually revert to normal sinus rhythm after the heart has sufficiently healed.

My husband has had it for years. His is chronic. He's normal much of the time, but can easily slip into afib and flutter.

You saw my post about Coumadin. Just think of it as another pill, and you'll be OK with it.

Wishing you the best and that it's a temporary situation.

 

[fisher6476]

I SHOULD HAVE SENT THE MOTORHOME

I SHOULD HAVE SENT THE MOTORHOME

Kenny,
I should have sent the motor home to pick you up. It has lots of tires and you would have never noticed one flat. Sorry to hear you had a litlle bump in the road. Didn't everybody in this group tell that all these surgeries are really easy and there are never any complications???
OK, I'm just kidding! Glad to here for the most part that things are going well for you.
Steve

 

[Georgia]

I'm one of the lucky ones

I'm one of the lucky ones

Yes, Betty, I'm the recovery poster child. Out of the hospital in four days, no arrythmia or fib or pain. I even slept in bed from the first night. Off pain meds in 2 weeks, in rehab in 3 weeks. No wires, keloids, etc. I was extraordinarily fortunate. (at 10 months out I can finally say this and not feel like I'll hex it)

And Kenny, I'm sorry you hit a pothole. Hang in there, friend. You're doing well.

 

[MelissaM]

Hi Kenny,

Sorry about the flat. Sounds like they are working to pump you back up. Hope you are back to new in good time! Keep up the good attitude.

Melissa

 

[Ross]

Kenny just to put the Coumadin thing into perspective, I used to sit here and read about everyone having a hard time getting their dosages straightened around and said to myself, "Man I'm glad I'm not one of those Coumadin people." I went in for my Cath and they thought I had a blood clot in the apex of my heart. It turned out to be a cyst, but what happened you ask? They put me on Coumadin to keep the alleged clot from getting bigger. So much for my theory huh? Now I have the mechanical valve, so what can I say. Neener, neener, neener right in my face!

 

[Kenny F]

Well, Ross, I am sure you will take this right... you seem to be the antithesis of succesful treatment. I'm sorry it had to be you, but when I get whiny I look at you and other complicated cases and thank God. Our own problems only seem big when we look inward.

It must be tough to sit there and watch a, let's say Georgia (I know what you mean, Georgia, about being careful not to curse my recovery!), cruise through. But who knows the grand scheme of things. I am glad that you will share what you have seen and done and learned... it might make the going a little easier for the next guy. And for the ones that had it easy, it shows that it can and does work beautifully at times.

So feel free to "neener" all you want. You deserve it!

 

[Kathy]

It sounds like you are doing well, Kenny. I'm glad that you have a clinic. I had my blood drawn the first time and the GP's office screwed everything up. The next week I went to my new card. and he sent me to the Coumadin Clinic. The best part of the clinic is that yu can ask the nurse all sorts of silly questions.