Runner with new St. Jude Aortic valve

[stormrev]

Running again!

Running again!

Hi Guys - good to hear of some other runners in the system. I started back gentle jog/walk a week or so ago and a little swimming as well. Feels great, though I still haven't got much 'puff' yet (though I may be remembering a fitter past experience...) Still, managed 25 mins yesterday and no ill-effects afterwards PTL

Tom - I found out the 45 year old friend John in NZ who had the Ross procedure several years ago ran a 4:07 marathon in May (he and I used to duel in road races etc over the past 20 years, and I think he once broke 2:40).

I'm looking forward to the day when I can run and not notice the pounding heart or shortness of breath!

Kind regards

Grant

 

[tommy]

Grant,

Glad to here that you are progressing. Hang in there. As long as you are getting stronger over time, you are winning.

Thanks for the info about John. 4:07 sounds like the fastest "valvathoner" I've heard of. Also, the only "Ross" that I've heard of. Should I coin a new word - "rossathoner"? Do you know which race and when he had Ross? I'm assembling a roster.

 

[mjd414]

Respirator

Respirator

I'm in my office having lunch, which I almost threw up, after reading Dave's account of being on a respirator for 19 days.......I am having my AVR next Wednesday, and I am freaking out......someone please write back and tell this is very uncommon!

Mark
Ft. lauderdale

 

[tommy]

Mark,

19 days is not common, but also can have a good outcome I was in ICU overnight and breathing on my own about 26 hours after going under.

PS. It's natural to be freaked out. Hang in there.

 

[mjd414]

Tom,

Thanks so much for the quick reply......I almost needed a respirator myself after reading that story.....I hope I have the good fortune to follow your time line!.

Mark
Ft. Lauderdale

 

[stormrev]

Grant,

Thanks for the info about John. 4:07 sounds like the fastest "valvathoner" I've heard of. Also, the only "Ross" that I've heard of. Should I coin a new word - "rossathoner"? Do you know which race and when he had Ross? I'm assembling a roster.

Hi Tom

The race was on May 5 this year at Rotorua in New Zealand (one I have managed to get around about 15 times - used to be a tradition!) Not sure exactly when he had the Ross - I think it was in 2001.

Regards

Grant

 

[BillCobit]

Another Rossathoner

Another Rossathoner

Tom -

About 18 months ago, i encounterd a guy at a triathlon: age 60+ who had Ross several years earlier.

I don't know his times, but he has several marathons under his belt since the op, and completed Ironman Brasil and Ironman Florida. He told me his first post-op marathon was 6 months after his operation (he's been a runner since his youth, BTW)

At the time I met him, I was about 8 months post-op. I had all kinds of questions about recovery - he was just confused - recovery takes about a month - couldn't understand why a skinny young lad like me wasn't running < 7 minute pace in short course events.

THe whole encounter kinda bummed me out - like I was somehow not progressing as i should. But then I got a grip and concluded:

1) he's a freak (and I admire him!)
2) I was still doing pretty darn well
3) while not guaranteed, long-term health is a realistic possibility

 

[tommy]

Wow, Bill. Ironman. Very impressive. Sounds like valve surgery was just a bump in the road for him. That is very encouraging for all!

 

[stormrev]

Hi Bill et al

I used to train with obsessive-compulsives like this gentleman! They can't help themselves!!! Running marathons and especially Ironmans are a huge commitment and I've found become all consuming.

I also concluded that their collective memory was not quite as accurate as you might think - the pain and the frustration of the early months fades as the years pass...

This friend John Norton in NZ was very vague about when he started back running etc(3-4 months?), but several of his friends told me it was much longer than he remembered and that he had actually been re-operated on for a replacement of a defective donor valve several months after his original surgery (John couldn't remember this!). I'm grateful just to be able to jog quietly again and don't feel the need to prove I can run sub 7's any more!

Been there done that, got a new lease of life!

Regards

Grant (aka "Faster-Pastor")

 

[BillCobit]

They can't help themselves!!! Running marathons and especially Ironmans are a huge commitment and I've found become all consuming.

Don't I know it! My wife is registered for IM Wisconsin in September -- her life has revolved around training for the last year. No complaints from me, though -- I'm her biggest fan!