Barbara's Posts

Hey Guys! Well, it's been over 6 months since my last Heart procedure and things are better. Yeah, I still need Oxygen 24/7 at altitude, but I've lost some weight. feeling a bit stronger and my pain is the only thing that keeps me from running out that door!! AWW, it's not too bad. My new diet is helping me reduce a BUNCH of medications, and that's a good thing! To all the folks heading into surgery Best Wishes and peace of mind, and to those on the other side---Welcome! May you all heal quickly and have healthy days ahead!

🌸💕Summer!! I’ve loved living in the mountains ⛰ mountains for so many years, but being at high altitude is taking it’s toll now😑. After my 51/2 hour Catheter surgery was done to close the hole in my heart all was going very well-at sea level! I was tooling around the floor as best as my bad feet could go, all without supplemental oxygen. The view from my window was of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay, I wanted to get out there, it was a gorgeous day. But they kept me there doing all sorts of tests until my discharge at 7:30PM. We got to our hotel and it felt so weird to go to sleep without my oxygen on for the second night. It was great giving Dave kisses though without this dumb plastic tubing for once AND not losing my breath!😄😄💕We packed up and drove back home and, being really tired I dozed, and then fell asleep at home while Dave unpacked us. I awoke gasping for air, my head pounding, my heart pounding. My O2 level was 87! Not good for an old gal with right heart failure! So, back on with the oxygen. I cried,a lot. 😢 I felt very,very 😳 stunned. And,knowing how long I was in surgery it seemed it was just a waste. I felt truly hopeless- not a place I like being. Even Dave was quieter than usual. I likened the feeling to when we had a miscarriage, oh guys..years ago! But the feeling was the same. We had been SO happy, and then it was gone. So, I had to readjust again my expectations of what I can and can’t do. But, in the mean time, I had to spend two sleepless nights with my groin incision bleeding, trying to stop it, calling the paramedics for help, going to the ER twice b4 FINALLY after a seriously ridiculous comedy of errors someone got the right idea and it was stopped. I spent two more days on rest then tried to bounce back but found myself exhausted! Dang it this extra weight on me! This being fat does not make for my quick recovery! Also, I guess I am just going to be more tired because of all that stuff, the pain, the drugs, the heart meds. So, going for a follow - up in two weeks.. when I am at sea level..NO oxygen. So, I’m going to get to the 🏖 beach! Just for some deep breaths of sea air and a walk. No, the Dr’s promise of being off Warfarin did not come to pass (I didn’t believe her anyway!😆) and they added Plavix and soon another drug for pulmonary hypertension (which I didn’t have AT ALL b4 my OHS, but have an increasing problem with the last two years) I will be back and forth to SF until Fall, but hope to have some less stressful days in between. James is an awesome little dog (this week was his two year adoption day!) 🐶 and he has become such a sweet little part of the family😉. He almost caught a squirrel today he’s so, darned fast! Dave is doing great and we are dealing with all this crazy. And we have hope. And Hope does not disappoint. 💕🌸💕 Thanks friends💕💕💕And to All who finished this post, 💕 healthy days ahead🍃🌸🎀

Barb’s Catheter went really well today! They were able to close the “PFO “ shunt in her heart and she needs little to no oxygen at sea level and at rest. It was still a long day of course but she is on the cardiac step down floor ( our home for 6 weeks a couple of years ago) with the anticipation of going home tomorrow! She will update you all later when she doesn’t have IV’s sticking out of both hands!