One Amazing step at a time

[breakingwave]

I had my surgery on June 28th at John Hopkins with Dr. Conte. I couldn't be more satisfied with how professional, caring and skilled the team of doctors, nurses and staff were. I'm almost 6 weeks and they still call everyday to check and make sure everything is okay. I got a carbonmedics mechanical valve and I can't hear it at all, my family says if they put their head to my chest it sounds like a ticking clock. I'm a short but chubby so I had 28 staples and just had them removed this past Monday. The bras they gave me help a lot.
Recovery as gone well, every doc has said how good I look and my cardiologist said yesterday I don't need to see him for 6 months. They have an echo planned for me and I wondered how uncomfortable that is with the incision, it was uncomfortable before with the tech pushing the probe so hard wondered if its very uncomfortable as I might take a pain med beforehand.
I feel so fortunate to be at this place, it seems like time has flown since the surgery and I am looking for the time for when the incision is healed.
My family has been amazing and I am so thankful to all involved.
For those still waiting I was so scared and so sure I was not going to make it but the doctor said I did so well he was ready to release me after 4 days but I had to get the INR going. We came home the 4th of July and it truly was an independence day for me!

 

[Duffey]

Thanks for reporting a great replacement experience. I had no pain with my post-op 6month echo, and hopefully you won't either.

 

[neil]

sounds like you are doing gggrreeeaaattttttttttttttttttttt, nah no pain on 6 month echo you will be just fine

 

[jhc1]

I had a baseline echo 6 weeks post op-no big deal...congrats on the recovery!

 

[jmstallard]

I had an echo 4 days after surgery, with no more pain than I was already feeling.

 

[Rachel]

GREAT post - good for you!!!!

Don't worry too much about any pain with your next echo, after six months things should be lots better!

 

[kimcdougc]

Thanks for posting. Sounds like everything is going great. I am having my first post op echo 3 months out from my surgery. Hope it doesn't hurt!

 

[Debbrn]

Congratulations on how well you are doing.

I had surgery on a thursday and had an echo on the following monday. The tech was a little more careful than normal. My echo at 6 months was no big deal. No different than any other echo I have had.