sick of being sick!

[Hank]

Thank You

Thank You

"Thank you" to all of you for making my efforts worthwhile. The kind of posts that I read in this place are what I need to feel like it is all worth it.

Mindy - You will be fine, You are a walking miracle.

Dick, Sylvia, Janie, Billy, Mara, Phil, Jean and Nancy have posted things to make others feel good about their own nightmares and challenges.

What a system,

What a family,

What a World..

 

[ticktock]

Billy
As for that Avatar thing, is that a picture?? I just had one done for advertising for work, am working on getting it on here. Have to use Dads scanner, and then try to get it here. Will work on that. I wish I could tell you I was tall and skinny with kn*ckers, however it just aint so. Im a shrimp at 4'11" and 110 lbs. Thanks for your comment. How very sweet of you!! An Oscar..... I want to thank my Directors, my Producers, and... blah blah blah...
hahahahaha thanks!

mindy

 

[mbalfour]

Re: Hey Mindy!

Re: Hey Mindy!

Boy, do I hear you. My cardio says my valve is the loudest he has ever heard and the strogest he has ever felt. I'm sure you and I would make some duo playing background for some group.

My frustration is the TIA symptoms that occur regularly for me. Feeling lightheaded, numbness in my face, occassional slurring of speach, fell down a few times in front of friends ( 3x on the golf course) tired all the time, waking up in the middle of the night (thumping), left leg pain and shoulder pain, etc.

Its worse than frustration for me. Before my surgery I was a runner.......cannot do that to any degree of satisfaction anymore. No basketball (but I'm sure I can take on Hank)

So where do I go now. tests mostly are all negative.......going back to Columbia to my pre-op / post-op cardio. Local cardio at a loss to determine what's wrong.

Quality of life??? Constant thoughts of stroke........

Bob Gleason:

I've been through the TIA trip and finally the Docs got a handle on it. What's happening is "micro clots" caused by platelett aggregation. Coumadin does NOT prevent platelett aggregation. The solution was ONE BABY ASPIRIN A DAY!! An 81 mg aspirin daily prevents the aggregation and does not affect the INR. It's magic. The problem totally disappeared. Up until then, I suffered from exactly the same symptoms. All gone now. Discuss it with your Docs.

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Your forgiven Mindy

Your forgiven Mindy

We all have these thought once in awhile, at least I know I do. There are days I can't stand to look into the mirror...days I can't stand the idea of what my family and and I have been through in the last year and a half.
But then..........
I realize that HEY, I am here..... with my loved ones. The opportunity to go to a party or just sit in a chair and watch children play. I guess I believe God has given each one of us a second chance to live. Just a few years ago, alot of us would not be here after what had happened to us. Others would have just slowly passed on. Here and now, I believe we must be thankfull for what has been given to us and live our lives to the fullest. And I personnaly will let everyone know that I do not believe I would be here if God hadn't guided me through each step I took and been there to grant me a peace about everything.

Vent all you want...we are here for that too.

God Bless,

Ben

You know I responded without even reading the dates or other posts, just the first of the thread. This is such a wonderfull group and I wish I wouldn't have missed this thread the first time around. God Bless each one of my Heart Friends.

 

[Jean]

Kindred Soul

Kindred Soul

Dick, I am glad you posted. I was really feeling dumb or out of place or something. I felt bad.

Here I have been posting all over the place of how great I feel. The only thing nagging me is that I have to work to keep my blood pressure in the 120's during the week when I am at school dealing with the darlin's. And I do feel good. But I do feel better than I ever have in decades and in some ways maybe ever...the whole "asthma" thing is gone, I can't believe it. And my surgery was right after getting off all drugs for the breast cancer in 92 and 93. Honey, if you think your chest is a mess try two mastectomies and heart surgery.

Anyway, to those of you who have not been so lucky in your health after surgery, I am sorry I probably gagged you out with my pollyanna posts. I feel very humble after better understanding your lives.

 

[DickV]

Jean, I have read many inspirational posts on this board and most people are completely unaware that expressing their feelings here can lift and inspire others. That is what makes this board special so you keep on keeping on because we all need each other. I can't explain it but to many there is a strange unexplainable bond that exists on this board.

Go figure.

 

[joy]

Thank you Ben!

Thank you Ben!

Ben, I feel the same way about us actually being here. I remember when my mom brought my son home from my sister in law's house. I slept in the same room as him, and I cried because I almost left him without his mother. Well, I no longer dwell on that and I am thankful that I got the chance to watch him grow up. I am glad I made it, and now I am going to live my life. I am sick of sitting here inside my house being depressed and feeling sorry for myself. There are people who don't have loved ones to help them out. They don't make it through their surgeries.

THe reason I love this forum is because i can actually get information here, but I can also vent, and I alxo get help- with my fears. A few years back, I wouldn't have been able to type this, because i wouldn't have made it through my crisis is January. Hang in there Mindy, you've been an inspiration to us all. You can lean on us at any time of the day.

 

[ticktock]

You guys is SO sweet! I come here now and then, and see if anyone else has vented. Then I dont feel so guilty. Have the flu now. Yuckie. Promise not to complain about that!
mindy

 

[McCln]

Mindy

Mindy

Sorry to hear about the flu and glad you are hanging in there. It is tough being sick all the time. I was till surgery and still a little bit. Recovery takes a long time. But I am back to work and am glad to have something to do. You have to keep your chin up and keep on going. Nothing is going to stop you. You are strong and inspirational. Thanks and you keep on going.

Caroline
Aortic valve replacement
09-13-01
St. Jude's valve

 

[Mary Ann]

Fessing up

Fessing up

This is a very honest thread. I guess I will own up to another reason for my very long absence from this board. I think everything from the past year and a half caught up with me in late summer/early fall and with some difficulty I admit to plain old depression, similar to what has probably hit a lot of people since Sept. 11. But I was in it before that, and there were a number of factors I am sure...the surgery, some other health issues which are still not completely resolved, the death of my mother, some other family things, starting a new job and trying to prove myself. I finally did get some help from a great friend who is a counselor. If you really, really get down, I certainly can vouch for the benefits of professional counseling. At least it is helping me. Probably I could have benefited from this group, but like a lot of other things I just let it slide. It is not like me to admit to something like this, and I do it with some trepidation. Guess I will find out if confession is good for the soul!--Mary Ann

 

[hensylee]

Hi Mary Ann. Wondered and now it comes along. We missed you, you know. There are so many times we just need to 'let it all out' and what better place than one like this. It might not help you, but on the other hand, it just might. I am so sorry you have had a rotten year. There's certainly so much upheaval from 9/11 and so many affected by it. My son-in-law worked at a job that took him out of the country every week and it was airline connected. 9/12 he was grounded, the company lost half its business on 9/11. Now he has been laid off and the company is nearly bankrupt and maybe will be soon. So many things have happened this year to so many people since then. I am glad to know you have a counselor who is helping. It can be so important. Get the help where you find it. And we are here to help, as well. Please continue to check in as we care about you. God bless

 

[mimmidoe]

Hi everyone. Been a while.

Had a trip to the Hotel Spohn, 9th floor, Telemetry. Brother, not AGAIN, you must be saying. hahahhha. The room service is as bad as I remembered. I did however rip off a bath blanket. My favorite. Those places will kill you if you dont watch out!! ! Didnt give me my meds for two days! Including COUMADIN! Can you believe. Wonder why my INR was 1.2 OUCH. What a fiasco. Seems my magnesium dropped to zilch, heart rhythm went out the window, and I passed out. Woke up and called 911. Duh, I felt so stoopid!! Anyway, here I am back again. Moaning and groaning. Actually, Im smiling pretty big, cause I am back again!

Cant say enough about how wonderful home testing is for INR! Would be running 38 miles round trip to have it done at the Clinic. Now, I want one of those Heart Cards. Anyone know about them? I remember several years ago, Patients could purchase them. Now, I cant seem to get an answer out of anyone. I need a long term arrythmia recorder, and think maybe this is the answer?

Missed talking to you guys. Looks like everyone is doing pretty well. And some doing GREAT! Keep smiling.