Howard's Posts

Hey Howard, No need to thank me! THANK YOU for sharing your story and picture with me. Your patient experience was so appropriate to share with our community as this is "Mitral Valve Awareness Week". 👍👍👍 If anybody would like to see Howard's post that went live today, please click https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2023/04/11/mitral-valve-stethoscope-patient/.

Howard, I really love your attitude. It speaks of patience and optimism. It's good for me to read all this because I had the same surgery just three days before you, in Thessaloniki. I've got my sights on the year mark for complete healing and if it happens any earlier, I'll be thrilled!Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Good for you, Howard!! As long as you are progressing, it doesnt matter how long it takes. It will be done, when its done. I worked with a guy once who loved saying " you do what you can do, and the rest, is overtime" 😂 ok, may not apply here...but i like it! Lol 😂😶‍🌫️

Hi Angela. I thought I was done healing, and I was disappointed, around 2 months post op, but then miraculously my heart rate began a most welcome decline from mid 90’s down to 76 now. Proves to me I am still healing at almost 5 months, post op!! It could well take a year. Yes, Angela! Patience is a virtue.🙂🙂🙂

So good to read this post Howard. Puts perspective on a lot of us. I’m constantly reminded by nurses etc how major my surgery was and how patient I have to be with my body. Is difficult for people who have been active to slow down but we have to do it. We need patience, perseverance and self control and just take it easy. The recovery will come in its own time.

Folks see “minimally invasive” and mistakenly think it has a much quicker recovery than the chest zipper. Both procedures are major surgery, a huge shock to the body, when the heart is stopped and we are placed on the heart lung machine. The one sign I am significantly improving is my heart rate is now high 80’s instead of high 90’s. Took me three hours to get over the exhausted feeling after using my machine. The cardiac rehab machines are a walk in the park-very easy in comparison-gave me a false sense of security! I read that Adam was really tired at week 10 after his procedure. Hope my 2 favorite people here, Kristine and Ana are doing well!! Patience is a virtue!🙂🙂🙂

Not me. I had the DaVinci in 2010 on a Wednesday and was released at noon on Saturday with no complications. Four weeks later I was back to work teaching. I guess everyone's body adapts differently. I hope to be as fortunate as I was for the first operation when I go for my re-op valve repair next month.

Thank you, Howard! I think my heart is healing well and I could easily feel the difference at 4 weeks post op when I climbed a flight of stairs without stopping! My problem is the pain from the thoracotomy and the incision in my left armpit. I am trying to be patient but it seems to be getting worse as the numbness goes away. I am closing 12 weeks in a few days.

There is a post by Adam here somewhere where he said he emoted to his wife after 10 weeks post-op, complaining he was still so tired. I feel the same. I’m sleeping 10 hours, when I used to easily get by on 7. I wish my body was like Terry’s, but one has to play the cards I got dealt. Wish I could sue the dealer! My wife says I’m around 65% of my former self. Thank you, Kristine, Ana, Terry, Andy, Rose, Angela, and last, but certainly NOT least, Susan, for your kind input to my post!🙂🙂🙂

Not going to reiterate my full story here. If your'e interested, you can click my profile and check it out. But here are the cliffs for my robotic mitral valve repair: 1. Pushed too hard too early and went backwards because of it. 2. Did the walking and hiking thing and it was pretty good. 3. Tried to run and got a high HR pretty quickly so gave up. 4. Asked cardiologist if I could try to run and he said to give it a try but really listen to your body. 5. Started couch to 5k around September 2021. Ran (slowly but continuously) a 5k Thanksgiving weekend 2021. It takes time, a lot of time, to get fully back. Add to this that many of us who had scheduled repairs waited a couple of months once we were sick enough to have surgery and that we didn't stay maximally fit in those months. So we were often starting from a much lower baseline. Couple that with a heart that was working one way pre surgery and another way after surgery and it's asking a lot to snap your fingers and just be back to normal.

I had DaVinci mitral valve repair in 2011. I went in on Tuesday morning and was released on Thursday at noon - I walked out of the hospital. I did about 3 months of cardiac rehab and felt so good, I continued working out. I now swim a mile about 2 or 3 times a week and teach water aerobics twice a week. Honestly, this surgery turned my life around.

Okay Erik. I circled week 14 on my calendar!🙂 I’m 11 weeks post-op. Doing the cardiac rehab. 13 visits in. Yes, Joseph. It can take a lot of time back to 100%. I am much better than a month ago, but still not 100% yet after 11 weeks. Frustrating, but that time will come! And then again there are the amazing folks like Terry and Donna, who recover quickly. Donna, this surgery turned my life around too. I do my daily one mile walk 4-5 minutes faster than pre-op, BUT I do need more sleep and energy-wise, I still need more pep at 11 weeks post op. Tremendous improvement over the last month and there will be more! Looking forward to it! God Bless!🙂

I am amazed at the diversity in this group with regard to post op recovery time. Could someone give me a small summary of what cardiac rehab involves? I live in Greece and I was told to walk, walk, walk, and that's it. I was VERY active pre-op: biking, swimming, hiking, tennis, skiing. Right now (12 weeks) I wouldn't dare try tennis because of the pain.

Of course, Klara! I notice many surgeons who do minimally invasive surgery play up 4-8 weeks recovery, as if that’s the norm. In reality, I believe that’s the exception. Some folks are lucky like Terry and Donna and recover quickly. For most folks, 3 months is the sweet spot, I believe, to feeling really good! I am 11 weeks post-op and while I have improved tremendously since my first week home, I’m not 100% yet. I do my daily one mile walk 4-5 minutes faster now than pre-op, which I find amazing, but I also don’t get out of bed as early as I used to. When that improves, I will celebrate! In closing, we belong to an exclusive club: those who had their surgery postponed by covid. Your day is finally almost here. So, best of luck and post us how you are doing when you can! Regards from steamy Tampa!!🙂🙂🙂

Hi Angela. Supposedly, 36 sessions using exercise machines like treadmills and some other aerobic exercise machines to exercise your “new” heart. Takes about an hour per session. I have 13 sessions done and I am much better at the machines than when I started. Each machine can have its resistance adjusted, as you get stronger. Your cardiologist should prescribe it for you. At 12 weeks you are definitely ready for cardiac rehab! Ask your cardiologist to write you a prescription for it with a list of approved rehabilitation centers. Good luck!!🙂

Klara, I've felt the same way. If this is minimal, what is invasive? I felt like a spaghetti strainer. Take heart, however. Everything closes up in due time and with proper incision care. Be strong! Rest from housework. No lifting. No shaking out laundry, bedding, etc (a Greek thing to get the wrinkles out) I hope you have help at home!!!

Klara, the advantage really of minimally invasive is cosmetic-an easily hidden small scar rather than an ugly zipper down your entire chest. That is all. After 12 weeks, still haven’t regained all my energy and strength. But much better than I was after a few weeks post-op. So it will take time. Incision pain left me after 3 weeks. Glad it’s over for you!!🙂

Yes, Joseph.The consensus among us is that full recovery takes quite a lot of time. Some lucky folks like Terry and Donna are the exceptions, and recovered quickly. Thank you Joseph for your clear articulations as to why a complete recovery takes so long for most of us. A HUGE shock to our body rhythms, stopping our hearts, hooking up to a heart-lung machine and then re-starting our hearts again, usually beating much faster than before. Thanks to everybody in our community who stopped by to improve this thread, much more than I could alone.😊

Dear Howard, just wanted to say I agree with everything you said. I am youngish, but my recovery is and will be a slow one, I can already see that, I fit in that majority, not the exceptions. My heart rate is between 90-100 which also wasn't a surprise thanks to this site... It will sloooowly come back to normal, I'm sure. I have help 24/7 for the first 4weeks after I come home because of the kids... and after that friends and family will chime in, but I suppose not every day...so It will be a challenge, but we will find a way to manage it :) Big hug to everyone from Austria!

Hi Klara! Great to “hear”(“see”?) from you! I will say, my heart rate was 99 when I was home after 2 weeks, and measured by my cardiologist, which came as a surprise, because after the surgery, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t hear my heartbeat. I just assumed it was beating normally. That was around 11 weeks ago. Now it’s around 82. So your heart rate in the 90’’s will gradually come down. My cardiologist said it would, and she was right. Before surgery my heartrate was usually 65, but I’m happy with 82! The only thing I’m still waiting to happen is restoration of my energy. Not complaining. Just waiting the 3-6 months to a year. Exercising at least 3 times a week helps. Do the cardiac rehab if it’s offered to you, Klara. It helps gets your heartbeat rate back down a bit. So glad you are back home recovering now!!🙂🙂🙂