What can I say? I am so sorry for completely abandoning my fellow throwdowners in the St. Patty’s day race and even worse, not checking in when I knew y’all were probably wondering how I was getting along. 
I feel so guilty! Believe it or not I thought about ya’ll every day. I don’t know what my problem was – I pretty much hid my laptop – it just seemed too much like work to login. Please accept my sincere apologies – especially if I caused anyone to worry.
Anyway, just to catch you up surgery wise. Once the surgeon (Dr. Dewan) got in to see the valve, turns out it was not a BAV as everyone was ‘certain’ it was. Here is what the report said ‘Tricuspid aortic valve leaflets that were all thickened, minimal calcification. The annulus is quite narrowed at approx 20 mm in diameter. For this reason , a total root replacement was performed to allow implantation of an adequate size bio prosthses. She was also note to have a fibrous subaortic ridge which was resected.’ I was told the valve just had all kinds of fibrous nodes all over it or something... weird:confused2: I wouldn't have even known about the root replacement if I hadn't read the notes. Who knows, maybe they told me and I forgot.
I am now the proud owner of a #27 Medtronic Freestyle total root porcine valve. As soon as it was implanted I began eating like a pig!!:eek2: I had no problem with appetite after getting out of the hospital.. Friends were bringing dinner over every evening for about 2 weeks and enough servings to freeze for later. I have just entitled myself to eat whatever I wanted. Girls of the throwdown, you should be glad I didn’t come back for the race!!
SuperBob, , I read about your fall – we’ve all had those embarrassing moments, I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself worse. I do have a story to beat yours though. I have a friend, Brenda, who came down from Arkansas about 2 weeks post-op and was going to allow my parents to go home (Lubbock) if they wanted and Mom deemed her capable of taking care of her baby daughter :angel: (I felt like a baby again believe me!) Anyway, a few days after her arrival, She left my room to go downstairs to bed and I hear this big crash, I go to see what is up and find Brenda at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious, with blood pooling around her head. Scared the crap out of me ! This was about midnight, so a call to 911 and a trip to the emergency room. Here I sat with my heart pillow and my parents until 3am when they decided to admit her. She had a concussion, slight bleeding into her brain and a broken collar bone.The next day she looked like she'd been in a bad bar fight and lost! She only had to stay overnight thank goodness, but then we were stuck beause my 76 year old Mom wasn’t capable of taking care of 2 patients,and neither one of us could drive, so they ended up staying and another friend came down to take Brenda to her house. What a mess!
I’m 8 weeks post-op now and as far as my recovery goes, it has been going well. Progress seemed fast the first 4 to 5 weeks but since then it seems to have slowed down and it's frustrating. 2 weeks ago I went to start Rehab and my heart rate was 44 and my Blood pressure was 90 over something. They called my cardiologist and sent me home. Cardio told me to cut my Metropolol from 25mg twice a day to 12.5 mg twice a day. Then over the last weekend I started having syncope events. Very slight but still very unnerving. I’d be walking and for a split second things would go black and my knees would buckle, but I never actually fainted. So called cardio and went in on Tues. and now he is weaning me off metropolol altogether. I already feel better. I think that is what has been making me feel so sluggish. Anyway, he wants to do an echo on 4/6 just to check things out.
I went to cardio rehab again today for my first actual workout. My blood pressure was high this time (I’ve never had BP problems before surgery) and she saw several PVC’s, including a run of three in a row. I still worked out though and will go again Friday. I asked her to check her Friday class to see if any single men I might find interesting! Turns out I don’t need to put my make-up on after all.
OK – this has been a very long post. I did skim through the weeks I missed and still not sure who won the St. Patty’s race. I think maybe the lassies once Mary reminded SB the girls had a 5 lb. spot and here he was trying to give us only one! Mary, I’m sorry your son was deployed again. My prayers for you, him and all of those serving.
I’m in for the next race – I’ve gotta get some of this weight off. I agree with going individual this time because I know I am going to be all over the place – but I’ll be starting with a high number so watch out!!
SB, I know how you were yearning to have the Texas hotties back. Check this picture out. Is that hot enough for you? :biggrin2:
P.S. I started doing a little bit of work from home this week. I'm on what they call 'light duty'.
I feel so guilty! Believe it or not I thought about ya’ll every day. I don’t know what my problem was – I pretty much hid my laptop – it just seemed too much like work to login. Please accept my sincere apologies – especially if I caused anyone to worry. Anyway, just to catch you up surgery wise. Once the surgeon (Dr. Dewan) got in to see the valve, turns out it was not a BAV as everyone was ‘certain’ it was. Here is what the report said ‘Tricuspid aortic valve leaflets that were all thickened, minimal calcification. The annulus is quite narrowed at approx 20 mm in diameter. For this reason , a total root replacement was performed to allow implantation of an adequate size bio prosthses. She was also note to have a fibrous subaortic ridge which was resected.’ I was told the valve just had all kinds of fibrous nodes all over it or something... weird:confused2: I wouldn't have even known about the root replacement if I hadn't read the notes. Who knows, maybe they told me and I forgot.
I am now the proud owner of a #27 Medtronic Freestyle total root porcine valve. As soon as it was implanted I began eating like a pig!!:eek2: I had no problem with appetite after getting out of the hospital.. Friends were bringing dinner over every evening for about 2 weeks and enough servings to freeze for later. I have just entitled myself to eat whatever I wanted. Girls of the throwdown, you should be glad I didn’t come back for the race!!
SuperBob, , I read about your fall – we’ve all had those embarrassing moments, I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself worse. I do have a story to beat yours though. I have a friend, Brenda, who came down from Arkansas about 2 weeks post-op and was going to allow my parents to go home (Lubbock) if they wanted and Mom deemed her capable of taking care of her baby daughter :angel: (I felt like a baby again believe me!) Anyway, a few days after her arrival, She left my room to go downstairs to bed and I hear this big crash, I go to see what is up and find Brenda at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious, with blood pooling around her head. Scared the crap out of me ! This was about midnight, so a call to 911 and a trip to the emergency room. Here I sat with my heart pillow and my parents until 3am when they decided to admit her. She had a concussion, slight bleeding into her brain and a broken collar bone.The next day she looked like she'd been in a bad bar fight and lost! She only had to stay overnight thank goodness, but then we were stuck beause my 76 year old Mom wasn’t capable of taking care of 2 patients,and neither one of us could drive, so they ended up staying and another friend came down to take Brenda to her house. What a mess!
I’m 8 weeks post-op now and as far as my recovery goes, it has been going well. Progress seemed fast the first 4 to 5 weeks but since then it seems to have slowed down and it's frustrating. 2 weeks ago I went to start Rehab and my heart rate was 44 and my Blood pressure was 90 over something. They called my cardiologist and sent me home. Cardio told me to cut my Metropolol from 25mg twice a day to 12.5 mg twice a day. Then over the last weekend I started having syncope events. Very slight but still very unnerving. I’d be walking and for a split second things would go black and my knees would buckle, but I never actually fainted. So called cardio and went in on Tues. and now he is weaning me off metropolol altogether. I already feel better. I think that is what has been making me feel so sluggish.
Anyway, he wants to do an echo on 4/6 just to check things out.I went to cardio rehab again today for my first actual workout. My blood pressure was high this time (I’ve never had BP problems before surgery) and she saw several PVC’s, including a run of three in a row. I still worked out though and will go again Friday. I asked her to check her Friday class to see if any single men I might find interesting!
Turns out I don’t need to put my make-up on after all. OK – this has been a very long post. I did skim through the weeks I missed and still not sure who won the St. Patty’s race. I think maybe the lassies once Mary reminded SB the girls had a 5 lb. spot and here he was trying to give us only one! Mary, I’m sorry your son was deployed again. My prayers for you, him and all of those serving.
I’m in for the next race – I’ve gotta get some of this weight off. I agree with going individual this time because I know I am going to be all over the place – but I’ll be starting with a high number so watch out!!
SB, I know how you were yearning to have the Texas hotties back. Check this picture out. Is that hot enough for you? :biggrin2:
P.S. I started doing a little bit of work from home this week. I'm on what they call 'light duty'.
