What have you been doing lately?

Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
While rebuilding a carburetor is so tempting, I’ve been having fun with other things. My daughter and I have been to a Dodger game in full Oakland A’s regalia yelling “sell the team”, and “stay in Oakland” with other true blue Oakland fans. We’ve been to a fabulous production of Les Miserables, and gone to 2 USC games!
 
@Protimenow we had a kitchen leak a few years ago. It's tough! I feel your frustration! You'll get through it!

We've been camping off grid the last 2 weeks, in the white mountains AZ. No cell service within about 2 miles! Lots of walking, hiking off roading in my jeep!
The project manager ambushed me on Friday - he told me that his crew were going to clear out the bathrooms so the asbestos abatement team would be able to do their work. Because of my broken ribs, he picked me up.
I figured that it would take maybe 15-20 minutes to clear the two bathrooms, and I'd be back at my hotel in 60-90 minutes. I skipped making breakfast for me and my wife. I figured I would take my heart and seizure meds when I got back, and figured that all would be well.

THEN he told me that his crew would be working on the entire house - I would miss my blood pressure and medication for CHF. We missed a meal, my wife didn't get the breakfast and other things she needs in the morning. I took Uber back at around 11 AM and HOPE that these guys didn't do things (like going into a room that I asked them not to go into) while I was gone.

I really HATE being lied to.
 
The project manager ambushed me on Friday - he told me that his crew were going to clear out the bathrooms so the asbestos abatement team would be able to do their work. Because of my broken ribs, he picked me up.
I figured that it would take maybe 15-20 minutes to clear the two bathrooms, and I'd be back at my hotel in 60-90 minutes. I skipped making breakfast for me and my wife. I figured I would take my heart and seizure meds when I got back, and figured that all would be well.

THEN he told me that his crew would be working on the entire house - I would miss my blood pressure and medication for CHF. We missed a meal, my wife didn't get the breakfast and other things she needs in the morning. I took Uber back at around 11 AM and HOPE that these guys didn't do things (like going into a room that I asked them not to go into) while I was gone.

I really HATE being lied to.
Whew.

I thought you were angry at me...
 
Whew.

I thought you were angry at me...
Inner monologue?
IMG_20231012_050410.jpg
 
Just prior to my surgery my husband and I planned a trip to cruise around the British Isles, which we did this July 2023. We also went out West in September. We visited Jackson, The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Deadwood, the Medicine Wheel, Devils Tower, Crazy Horse Monument, Mt Rushmore, the Dinosaur National Park and toured Salt Lake City. When we got home, we discovered we had walked 76.5 miles in two weeks!! This is a trip I never could have made without having had my surgery. Even now, at some of the elevations of 8,000+ feet I got out of breath. Living at 25 feet above sea level, this was normal for both of us to stop and catch our breath, plus as much as we hate to it admit it, we are old!! I'm 74 and he's 75!! I am so grateful to have had my surgery!!!! BTW I love this thread and seeing things that people are doing!! Thanks for posting and sharing!!!
 
My oldest, closest Sister came to visit from Sarasota, Fl with her daughter who just got her masters in astrophysics.
We went to Queen with Adam Lambert and it was fabulous! My dear niece got 5th row seats, so when Adam and Brian May came to the front of the stage to do a song, it was like we were in our own living room with them. Such great songs and talented singer and instrumentalists.
It was a joy to be there with such an appreciative audience!
We also went to Beetle House and Barber of Seville, and finished the week eating a great meal at Duke’s in Malibu on a gorgeous day with lovely sunset, Mai tai’s and ocean right outside our table.
I had a rehearsal last night and I left them and cried on the way to playing music.
They left early this AM. I miss them already.
 
Just prior to my surgery my husband and I planned a trip to Oahu boat trips on sunset, which we did this July 2023. We also went out West in September. We visited Jackson, The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Deadwood, the Medicine Wheel, Devils Tower, Crazy Horse Monument, Mt Rushmore, the Dinosaur National Park and toured Salt Lake City. When we got home, we discovered we had walked 76.5 miles in two weeks!! This is a trip I never could have made without having had my surgery. Even now, at some of the elevations of 8,000+ feet I got out of breath. Living at 25 feet above sea level, this was normal for both of us to stop and catch our breath, plus as much as we hate to it admit it, we are old!! I'm 74 and he's 75!! I am so grateful to have had my surgery!!!! BTW I love this thread and seeing things that people are doing!! Thanks for posting and sharing!!!
sounds like an incredible adventure,, Cruising the British Isles and exploring the West, hitting major landmarks and covering 76.5 miles in two weeks is impressive! Your resilience is inspiring...
 
Last edited:
In just under two months, God willing, I'll be celebrating my 70th birthday. As a retired doctor specializing in internal medicine, I occasionally engage in part-time work. Back in 2001, I underwent a mitral valve replacement surgery in Amman, Jordan, using the St. Jude type. Currently, my daily medication regimen includes 7.5 mg of warfarin and 75 mg of aspirin (due to a coronary artery stent), along with candesartan 16 mg, amlodipine 10 mg, atorvastatin 40 mg, and nebivolol 2.5 mg.

I have an upcoming inguinal hernia operation scheduled in three weeks, during which I'll need to temporarily halt my warfarin intake for about 4-5 days and switch to LMWH injections for bridging. I'm hopeful that the procedure will proceed smoothly.

Although I haven't actively participated in discussions on this platform due to my limited English proficiency, I've been avidly reading and engaging with most of the posts I receive via email. I do not face any challenges in comprehending the content.

I'd like to share a note and pose a question to fellow warfarin users: I've noticed a delay in the healing process of my wounds, whether surgical or accidental, since starting warfarin. They seem to take longer to heal compared to before. Has anyone else experienced similar effects while on warfarin?

I ask for your understanding if my language in this post is not perfect. I relied on Google Translation and Chat GPT for assistance.
 
I'd like to share a note and pose a question to fellow warfarin users: I've noticed a delay in the healing process of my wounds, whether surgical or accidental, since starting warfarin. They seem to take longer to heal compared to before. Has anyone else experienced similar effects while on warfarin?
I have also noticed this. Cuts do seem to take longer to heal for me since being on warfarin.
I ask for your understanding if my language in this post is not perfect. I relied on Google Translation and Chat GPT for assistance.
Well, it worked. Your message was very clear and easy to understand.
 
I ask for your understanding if my language in this post is not perfect. I relied on Google Translation and Chat GPT for assistance.
sounds pretty good to me

I'd like to share a note and pose a question to fellow warfarin users: I've noticed a delay in the healing process of my wounds, whether surgical or accidental, since starting warfarin. They seem to take longer to heal compared to before. Has anyone else experienced similar effects while on warfarin?

I suggest you read this (and also the associated article) about what you do and why.

https://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2017/12/perioperative-management-of-inr.html

(associated article here)

As I say in my blog post that article points out:

The authors argue that for every 10 000 patients with mechanical heart valves who are given perioperative intravenous heparin, three thromboembolic events are prevented at the cost of 300 major postoperative bleeding episodes

Read that carefully and then discuss carefully with your medical team and work out what to do that best suits you.

Bridging therapy is where you roll in one anti-coagulant to allow you to roll out another. In this case we roll out warfarin and bridge with heparin.
1713839232807.png

The reason is because heparin is fast to act while warfarin is more slow and durable. Many medical people find this easier to work with (and it saves doing more INR tests, and apparently that's difficult in hospital). Heparin allows them to switch off anticoagulation (to allow coagulation) for an Event (usually a medical procedure) and then re-establish it when they have determined its safe (meaning your wound has sufficiently healed).

Coagulation is needed (which is why we have it) and we tread a fine line between ongoing bleeds (contributed to by too aggressively restarting "Bridging Therapy") and the possibility of clots, determined by how long you remain "un-anti-coagulated" and your clotting risk.

Best wishes and long life to you
 
Last edited:
In just under two months, God willing, I'll be celebrating my 70th birthday. As a retired doctor specializing in internal medicine, I occasionally engage in part-time work. Back in 2001, I underwent a mitral valve replacement surgery in Amman, Jordan, using the St. Jude type. Currently, my daily medication regimen includes 7.5 mg of warfarin and 75 mg of aspirin (due to a coronary artery stent), along with candesartan 16 mg, amlodipine 10 mg, atorvastatin 40 mg, and nebivolol 2.5 mg.

I have an upcoming inguinal hernia operation scheduled in three weeks, during which I'll need to temporarily halt my warfarin intake for about 4-5 days and switch to LMWH injections for bridging. I'm hopeful that the procedure will proceed smoothly.

Although I haven't actively participated in discussions on this platform due to my limited English proficiency, I've been avidly reading and engaging with most of the posts I receive via email. I do not face any challenges in comprehending the content.

I'd like to share a note and pose a question to fellow warfarin users: I've noticed a delay in the healing process of my wounds, whether surgical or accidental, since starting warfarin. They seem to take longer to heal compared to before. Has anyone else experienced similar effects while on warfarin?

I ask for your understanding if my language in this post is not perfect. I relied on Google Translation and Chat GPT for assistance.
I have experienced the same with skin cuts and bruises. Takes longer to scab and to heal. However, this also comes with age too :)

For surgery, when I had prostate surgery, a TURP, my urologist said that scabs form internally on the prostate and they can break open and bleed a little during healing. Due to anticoagulation, it takes longer for the scab to reform. This results in a little blood in the urine for longer than one who is not on warfarin. For me, I had no blood in my urine, until my INR rose back to its normal range. It only lasted a couple of days.
 
I ask for your understanding if my language in this post is not perfect. I relied on Google Translation and Chat GPT for assistance.
I can't speak to the Warfarin part of your post, but just wanted to say that your language was better than some of my English speaking friends. :giggle:

So I played volleyball on Sunday for the first time in well over a year, used to be nearly every weekend. It's how my wife and I met.

Acting like it was 20 years ago, surfed in the morning then volleyball in the afternoon. My timing was a little off hitting (that's the first thing to go when you don't play for awhile) but the rest of my game didn't stink up the joint nearly as bad as I expected.
Passing, setting was pretty good, hit the ground a few times diving for balls and my sternum didn't come apart, so that's cool.

Other than that, we took our newest pack member Sadie for her first camping trip ever! We adopted her in February. She was picked up as a very pregnant stray in Baja, and had 11 puppies a week later while with the foster.
She's acclimating to her new forever home very well.
IMG_5593.jpeg


20240224_113931.jpg


20240412_143615.jpg


20240412_145851.jpg


20240413_103449.jpg


20240413_135923.jpg


20240413_172924.jpg


20240413_190815.jpg



Considering they stopped my heart on November 27th, life is pretty good!
 
Back
Top