One year

[Christina L]

Hi everyone,

I will have my one-year anniversary post mitral valve repair tomorrow. I cannot believe that a year has passed. I want to thank you all for your guidance and support over the past year - and a special thank-you to Ross. I will never forget your kindness.

I am having another yucky bout of PACs. They are very strong this time around - when a PAC hits, it is a doozy! I had a bout of them also a month ago but they slowly went away and now here they are again.

This time, however, I am having chest tightness and back tightness. I was up in the night searching for ibuprofen and wondered if I shouldn't go to the ER.

I did some arm circles a few days ago - more than the usual, but not a lot, and am wondering if this is muscle irritation - could I have such a thing this far out from surgery?

An interesting note - I had a massage a couple of weeks ago (my first massage in years!). I was talking with the massage therapist and telling her I would be one year post surgery soon - she told me to "not be surprised if I have a lot of symptoms similar to those immediately post surgery, as our bodies have memory." This chest tightness and discomfort really does feel like what I experienced in the hospital.

My question - do you think this discomfort could really be psychological or that my body does have a memory?? I wonder if I would have had this chest tightness if my massage therapist hadn't told me about body "memory."

Has anyone else ever experienced such a thing? Believe in such a thing?

What is the chest tightness from? I know I should probably be seen by a cardio, but I am so tired of doctors and hearing them tell me that everything is okay, not to worry.

Thanks!

Christina L.

 

[Ross]

Boy do I ever remember a scared little girl a year ago! I told her that Toby and I had coffee and Donuts together and discussed her case, that she was going to get a repair and be just fine. I don't think she believed me back then.

Congratulations! What say you now?

Your pains are most likely from the excercise. I still get alot of sternal pain when I do something to use my chest muscles a little too much. Natures way of reminding us I guess.

 

[Dee]

Congratulations Christina!!

This is crazy that you bring this up....I'm going through the same thing!! I just had my one year post op anniv. Oct. 25th. Had an echo and appt. with my cardio on Tues. He said everything looks great, but why am I having all of these chest pains that feel just like they did before my surgery??? He didn't really have an answer for that, because my echo was normal, said it was probably stress or anxiety, which I do have plenty of. He said if it keeps bothering me, they'll do a TEE just to make sure.

So, it's very interesting to me that your massage therapist mentioned to you about the bodies memory. Maybe that's what's going on with me too. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had this same thing. Anymore, I'm starting to believe more and more into these things. I'm hoping that's all this is, it would be a simple answer. It's had me pretty nervous lately!!

Again, congrats on your one year and here's to many many more!!!

 

[Christina L]

Melissa!

Melissa!

I forgot to mention Melissa when thanking ya all - she was another one who was calling me and making sure I was okay before and after my surgery. She still keeps tabs on me.

Even though Melissa is one of those outspoken liberal Boulderites, I still think she's a pretty great friend - and oh so smart and interesting!!

Thanks Ross for the kind words. I should have trusted you and Cosgrove. If it weren't for these darned PACs, I would say that I feel pretty good one year post surgery.

Dee, that is interesting about your pain. Makes ya wonder doesn't it??? Our body has a memory - who knew??

Christina L.

 

[JAMES W]

Congrats Christina

Congrats Christina

A Great Milestone Isn't It !!!

Many, Many More.....

 

[geebee]

Congratulations on reaching the one year milestone.
On the matter of pain from remembering, I think it is entirely possible. I truly believe in mind over matter and, if we can control pain with our mind, our mind could conceivably create pain if we head to that place in our brain.
Just like thinking of something sad causing tears, thinking of pain could cause pain. It's real pain but not coming from something physically out of whack right now but memories of the extreme trauma we have experienced.
That being said, I did not have any pain on my 24th anniversary on Halloween. Maybe it has been too long but it still seems quite real when I think about it.
Smiles,
Gina

 

[MelissaM]

Congrats on your one year anniversary (even if you are a GOP supporter ).

Take it easy. . .

Melissa

 

[bvdr]

Congratulations, Christina.

It was such a pleasure to meet you in Estes. I still don't know how you still manage walking around looking hardly older than a teenager!

I hope you get a handle on your PACs since I know they really bother you and maybe something can be done to make them a thing of the past as well.

 

[tommy]

Chistina,

Has it really been a year? That is outstanding. I was really concerned about your your long trip home from Cleveland. You did great.

As for that pain, I had sternum pains up to 2 years. They are gone now.

Be careful not to increment your workout very much. In the long run, the exercises will help strenthen the muscles and help those pains to go away. Small increments are best.

My travel plans may put me in Estes around Christmas. Let's chat when we get closer. Did you see that Pam Osse also hails from Estes?

Congratulations again.

 

[Sherry]

Congratulations, Christina. It's so nice to chalk off each year, isn't it? I do know what you mean about the chest and back pain, but mine seems to be related to a shoulder issue (perhaps from the surgery itself?) It's just scary when it reaches down into your chest. I'm trying the glucosamine Karlynn and other non-heart valve friends have recommended. I'll let you know how it works.

BTW, did you see the pic of you and your husband in the reunion section? I took it that morning of breakfast. Take care.

 

[Karlynn]

Hard to believe it's been a year! Wow! Time flies when you're having PAC's (Okay, just a sick joke from one arrhythmia sufferer to another.)

Keep hunting for the answers, but also continue to take time to enjoy your new lease on life.

Best wishes!

 

[Glenda]

Christine, congratulations on reaching a year. I hope you have many, many more. I just want you to know that since I have joined this forum you are one of my favorite people. I love reading your posts.

 

[Candy]

Dear Christine- Hooray for one year! I think it is fabulous. I hope you are feeling 100% soon so you can really celebrate!

 

[mamsram]

good for you

good for you

Hi, congrats and keep smilin. Now, are you better off now than you were a year ago? Did you go to the reunion?/ allready there?? Wish I had gone, but----Glad I dropped in to read the news. Adios my friend


RAM

 

[McCln]

Happy, Happy, Happy one year anniversary. You are the greatest. We are all so happy for you. Happy. Happy. Happy anniversary. Have a great time.

 

[Christina L]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and congratulations at my one-year anniversary! You are all just too sweet. I know now why I cannot possibly wean myself entirely from the board. Everyone should have friends such as this!!

Sherry, yes I saw the picture - it was a good picture of Wayne and I - even though I had just got done crying!

Tom, it would be great to see you around Christmas. We are not traveling anywhere at that time. Please send me a PM and I can give you a phone number where we can be reached.

Glenda, you made me cry.

Mark, can you believe it? We are both a year out from surgery - we have been through a lot, huh? But we made it!! Congratulations to you!!!

I wanted to update you all on the pain I have been having. It was quite an experience. Very bad pain - I kind of understated the situation before. Wayne made me call the cardio on-call two nights in a row - the cardio assured me the pain sounded musculoskeletal even though it was not going away with ibuprofen and Excedrin PM. I then decided to get out the "big guns" i.e. Vicodin that I have kept since my surgery - the pain immediately started to lessen. It is such a relief to have the pain going away. It was miserable - that on top of the PACs was just too much.

The doctors and a nurse in the last few days have told me that the pain is most likely from the massage - that a "massage is like a vigorous workout" and that it probably released a lot of toxins that were built up in my tissue from the surgery. Melissa also told me this. The nurse told me that a person can have a reaction from the massage right away or several days out - like me - it was about four days out from the massage. Of course she didn't have too much to say about the "memory" thing. Ha.

So, let my experience serve as a warning to others!!! If you are to get a massage after surgery, don't wait so long to get one and start out with light massages.

As for the PACs I have asked my cardio if I can try Inderal, which worked wonders for Gina. I hope it will do the same for me.

I REALLY appreciate you people!

Christina L.

 

[Christina L]

I realized that I forgot to say thanks to you, Ram, for your well wishes. It was so great to see you on the board. How are you??

I remember your posts SO well when I was going through my surgery. You have such "joie de vivre" and I love that!

I did go to the reunion and had a super time with all of my new friends.

I am better off than a year ago, I suppose. Lots of PACs and recently this weird pain after a simple massage. As I get further out, I am able to not think of my heart so much and am trying to get on with life and capture the joy of living that you know so well.

Again, how are you doing? It was great to hear from you!

P.S. And Betty - you're a keeper as a friend - anyone who tells me I look like a teenager!! Let's just say that I look like a very old teenager.

Christina L.

 

[tobagotwo]

Sounds like your One Candle anniversary is a happy one.

I wish you many more, all as happy.

Best anniversary wishes,

 

[mamsram]

YIKES! (sheepishly)

YIKES! (sheepishly)

I know, I know--2 weeks.

You hang in there girl, life can be beautiful, if you don't taste it, you can't savor it. I see you as a pretty woman with a radiant personality who has met evil in hand-to-hand combat, been batted around, knocked down, and got right back up to fight anew. I smile when I think of how well you handled yourself thru all that you had to go through.

As for myself, I am doing great. Had my 1 year check-up and all looks good.
I enjoy life, can't lay in bed when I wake because I want to meet and greet the day. Spent my summer in Maine and took in all that was offered by that area of "our" planet.

I have done a lot of reading of E. Hemingway books for my personal world entertainment. and now, am convincing myself to learn to play the piano. I smile---- my world is so full of things that can be explored. I wish I could live a thousand years.

I trust and hope this response is good for you and finds you well.
"I will remember you"---the song, Remember it?? RAM

 

[labguides]

Congrats on your one year anniversary. I know it has not been an easy year for you. Hope your pains disappear soon!