Paula's Posts

Today is my two year anniversary of my open heart surgery!! i had planned on going to New York and returning to the hospital to visit the gift shop on the heart floor. When I had the operation and I was trying to walk after, I was using that big walker and tried to make it to the shop. I got within sight of it and I stopped. I panicked and returned to my room. I will go sometime and do that but a family party came up. I feel great and can do everything. I joined line dancing class, use a two mile exercise tape( had not exercised for 30 years) and can now go on trips with my family and not be afraid to walk up steps etc. That is the good part. However I feel different about my health since the operation. If I get any symptoms, I think I have something awful. These symptoms are not about my heart but something else. I get so scared but can get myself to calm down. Maybe it is my age -67- or just the fact that I actually did have a major operation. I feel so thankful for having a second chance that I love every day so much. So I just keep busy and if I panic about a symptom I have a talk with myself. I thank God and the Doctors and nurses for helping me to be here.

How I feel one and a half years after surgery Well I feel so thankful but that is not why I'm writing. If I did not have the experience of reading Adam's book, Heart Valve Surgery, the whole process would have been so much harder. He wrote so honestly that I said to myself several times during the operation, "Well if Adam could do it so could I." My main problem was worrying after the operation that I was going to get pneumonia. I felt like I was never breathing enough, ten times an hour was daunting to me. I convinced myself that I would get it. I was consumed with this! Even after I went home I still thought I would get it and then at a checkup it was found that I had some fluid around my lungs. Well that was all I needed. I felt like a failure and that I didn't try hard enough to breathe. But actually it wasn't pneumonia at all but a common thing after open heart surgery. I had weekly x-rays for two weeks and it went away on its own. So that is why I am writing to maybe help one person if they think this too. Actually if I knew ahead of time I'd just make sure I got the pneumonia shot before. Medically I am not that informed but just know that that was my experience! I wasted so much energy on this when I should have been so happy. But I am amazed at how easy recovery was if I wasn't so terrified. The pain was minimal. I took pain pills for only a few days. Walking was slow at first but as soon as I got my confidence back it was easy then. And if anybody reads this who is waiting for surgery, I want you to know that I was so jealous of everyone that was writing saying how well they did. I was almost mad because it was them and not me. But now I know the only way to get there is to go through it and try and stay positive. It is a wonderful thing these doctors are able to do for us. My best result is I can walk up hills in my neighborhood. Dr. David Adams and his team were so efficient and kind it was enjoyable actually. I never doubted from the first moment I met Dr. Adams at Mt. Sinai that I was in good hands. I thank God every day.