Newbie

[marywoody]

Boy, I sure wish I would have found this site a couple of months ago. I've just spent all afternoon reading as many of messages as I could. I'm thrilled to discover that I'm not weird after all! (Altho my hubby disagrees! LOL) and that everything I've experienced has been experienced by others.

I found out two days before Thanksgiving that my life-long benign heart murmur was no longer benign. On December 6th I had an angiogram that confirmed that a) the situation was critical b) my arteries were just fine (rather a surprise considering my eating habits! ) December 18th I got a new valve for Christmas. So, I'm now 7 weeks post surgery and doing pretty well. Better than I thought I was before reading this forum! Until then, I thought I was not doing well at all.

That's it in a nutshell. Thanks to everybody for all the help I've found here already!

 

[pegne]

Mary

Mary

Welcome to this wonderful site. As you can see this is a good place to have questions answered, vent, contribute and at times get a laugh or two. I wish I would have found it when it started. Just jump in, I did and I found out I wasn't as "special" as I thought I was. Maybe I should say I found out there are a lot of people out there that are as "special" as me Nice to meet you Peggy

 

[Nancy]

Hi Mary-

Glad you found this site. The more you come here, the better you'll like it. It's a nice group of folks. So you're now a veteran, having gotten the nicest Christmas present imaginable, a shiny new heart valve. Good for you, now get to work and help some of the newbies and the anxiety that comes from having to look surgery in the face.

I hope to see you here often, welcome.

 

[ccrawford]

Mary - a big welcome. I'm very new too, but assure you these guys are great and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help I'v gotten so far. Don't be bashful about asking questions - I can assure you there are a lot of answers here. Chris

 

[hensylee]

Hey, Mary - come on in and stay awhile. I didn't discover the site either until a month or so after my heart surgery when I was trying to figure out what in the heck had happened to me. Mine was bypass so I really don't belong, but it's been nearly 3 yrs now and nobody kicked me out yet, even tho I don't have a repaired/replaced valve. Welcome.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Welcome aboard Mary...glad you found us. As the others have mentioned, you will find this a wonderful place to get a sense check on your experiences with recovery and returning to normal life. A truly supportive bunch of folks they are. Welcome!

Hensy: Now you stop it with the "I don't belong" stuff. You're as much a part of the fabric of this place as anyone, and I thank my lucky stars to have known you.

 

[Nancy]

That's right Hensylee. You are our backbone and you've helped every one of us. What a wonderful, warm, caring person, you are.

 

[hensylee]

Johnny, Nancy - thank y'all - you just made my day. Billy once said he and I were the *******s of the bunch. Remember? Back then he and I were the ONLY two on the board who did not have valve surgery. This site has been wonderful for and to me. I didn't have any idea about hearts til I got here to VR and one other site. Didn't even know how to use my computer very much, except to play games and through this site I sure learned, even more than heart stuff. Found a really great bunch of cyber friends. We've come a long, long way, haven't we?

 

[JimL]

Welcome Mary! What you describe of your experience is identical to mine, except I had my surgery 13 months earlier, and I didn't find out about this site until about three months after surgery.

 

[marywoody]

Newbie

Thanks for the welcome! And Hensylee - I agree with the others - from what I read yesterday, you are an integral part of the forum and it wouldn't be the same without you!

 

[Creed3]

Welcome Mary!

Welcome Mary!

You have definately come to the right place for information and support. I don't know what I would have done without everyone here. We are one big family. We truely care about one another. Well, welcome aboard.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[terry40]

Marywoody

Marywoody

I felt the same way about my progression, but everyone heals at a different rate, mine just seems to be turtle mode.

Welcome to a great site.

Hensylee
I didn't find this spot till after my surgery also, but, it was a person who went through by-pass (4) who kindly answered all my questions, fears, and anxieties, pre-surgery, we are connected in a special way now!

Terry40

 

[hensylee]

Thanks, Mary - I love your picture. Some of my favorite things are cats and I have two. One by accident (a foundling) and the other one found me at the pound.

 

[marywoody]

Thank you, Terry - turtle mode describes it well!

Hensylee - I have two cats, too - the latest being a foundling with half a tail - not sure if he's part Manx or lost it before he found us. The one in the photo is my very spoiled half Siamese. I figured I'd use his picture since I can't find any of me that are half decent.