Leave it to Ross, LOL!
Leave it to Ross, LOL!
I tried to post this a few hours ago and lost the whole thing when the connection went, so had to just take a break. Now, I'll try again!
Imagine my surprise when I came into this forum thinking, well, lah te dah, I get to post my first post-surgery update only to find that Ross had already been on top of it for me since the day after my surgery. This brought quite a smile to my face and very warm feelings in my heart for our pal, Ross, who has done so much for many of us in a short time here. How typical that he just took it upon himself to post from the updates my friends managed on my website. I believe Ross's good karma will come back and help him heal steadily and thoroughly through this trying time.
I won't go into huge details here (more available on the website at
www.caringbridge.com/mn/jymme). Somehow it doesn't feel quite right to "brag" about how "easy" this process has been for me when Ross is having the hard fight right now. But suffice it to say I'm doing extremely well. One of my surgeons said it was the fastest recovery he had ever seen from an Aortic Root Replacement including his pediatric cases. (No, I don't feel recovered, of course.) Another of the surgeons told me on Monday that I was so far ahead of the curve that I could just go home because there was nothing they were doing for me at the hospital right now. Yikes. I stayed another night and went home Tuesday morning. Basically my heart is functioning completely normally and the L. ventricle has already returned to normal size. I have my normal (healthy) low blood pressure and an increased pulse that is gradually calming down. I had no loss of appetite and am being having pretty normally within the weight restrictions of course, I never would have believed this possible. I?m only on baby aspirin and an occasional Tylenol.
For those who want all the gory details I?ll post them later but nothing could have gone better for me in this process than it did. (If we ignore the insurance debacle.)
Thanks to all of you who offered me so much in this journey. This sight has been invaluable and I?m sure will continue to be for me. Many times, including with that ventilator tube down my throat, I thought of what you all had shared with me of your experiences and thought, this is just like what they said. I can get through this. So thank you so much from the bottom of my newly mended heart!
Specifics thanks must go to my co-horts in the Synergraft Club.
Brooks, I told you that you were going to be my mentor in this journey with your smooth sailing through your own surgery and recovery. I thought of you often in the hospital and remembered your admonitions to walk and use the spirometer. I was never able to go to the courtyard because it was so hot and humid over the weekend they didn?t want us going out and then I left! I did imagine following you and Jennie?s footsteps around the same halls as I did my walks from sunroom to atrium and back again. Thanks for all your support and inspiration.
Jennie, you gave me so much helpful information in this process. I may not have found my way to the Synergraft without you. The card you sent me at the hospital was just a real treat to get and again thinking of you there not long before me was comforting and inspiring. Thanks for your continued support via email, my website and here.
John, I will call you sometime soon to say a proper hello. Your supportive voicemail the day before surgery was very heart warming and much appreciated. Your professional and personal help with the insurance debacle was above and beyond anything I?d have imagined. I?ve enjoyed and appreciated your emails and the web postings. Thanks and congratulations on being back on that motorcycle!!
I?m glad to be a full fledged club member now!
Let us here from you soon. We are on pins and needles worring about Ross right now. Hope he does as well as you
