Paul's Posts

It's been a while since I posted, but I'm grateful for the posts of others and excited for those on to a better life. It's been a bit over 3 months since my surgery which went very well. It turned out to be an 8 1/2 hour procedure (AVR + 2 CABG) but quite a successful trip through hospitalization and the time I took off from work. I've been back at work for a bit over a week now and today I experienced the only real "setback" or worrisome point while on a walk after my lunch. I work on a very beautiful college campus (Michigan State University) and used to regularly walk along the Red Cedar River most every day. While I have been doing some longer walking with my cousin in one of our local cemeteries, this was the first walk I've done while at work and I became surprisingly very short of breath after about 10 minutes. Took a long time for me to get enough breath back to gain enough of a good gait to walk back to my office, but while sitting on a bench alongside the river, I was feeling pretty dejected and disappointed that I wasn't 100% back to "health," as I had been telling myself I was. I attribute this to a few things. 1.) Walking too soon after a lunch I gobbled down too fast, 2.) Not sufficiently hydrated, and 3.) Perhaps having too high expectations. 4.) Still needing to drop some weight. After hearing so many great stories, I think I expected to be doing cartwheels by now. Interestingly, by the time I got to my office, my Oxygen-Pulse finger monitor read 95/78 which is pretty good, especially since my resting pulse has been on the high-side since surgery. So I was pretty well oxygenated and with a pulse that wasn't bad. I had to delay the start of my out-patient cardiac rehab due to some logistic issues but I start that November 6. And my log of events will certainly help with the intake, there. But...I am wondering if anyone has had similar experiences or even advice. My inpatient recovery had gone amazingly well. I managed to get through PT quicker than most and probably thought I could walk on water, as result. :-) Thanks and best wishes to all. Paul

My AV replacement and double cabg went so well! July 19 Great surgeon, nurses, other team members. Had some "minor" complications with a partial right lung lobe collapse, but VERY LITTLE pain. Did several days inpatient rehab at another facility, following surgery, CICU, stepdown. Home as of yesterday with only "complaint" being very tired, but insomnia is a bit better and so grateful to have the big hurdle behind me, now. God bless all awaiting surgery! You will get through it and move on to a better life!

Going into the last 10 days before surgery, I've found myself occasionally feeling unexpectedly alone and a little depressed. Depression is a lifelong issue with me and I've got that under control for the most part, but lately, I've been feeling...well, overly "nostalgic" and disconnected, at the same time. My family of origin is gone (parents both dead, long-term estrangement from an older brother) but my closest friend is my distant cousin, Kristine and I think I have a lot of support in other friends, as well. By and large, I'm looking forward to having the surgery done with and moving forward. So, mostly in a good spot, with occasional gusts of negativity that I suppose are not all that unusual. Physically, while my symptoms have been generally lessened this summer (thanks to an increased dose of Lasix and other ways of taking care), I've lately had more bouts of short-exertion breathlessness that are, at times, unnerving, but my BP is under good control and I'm sleeping rather well, though usually semi-sitting. Friends who have had valve replacements and/or bypasses have all been saying how much better I'll be feeling. I sure hope so. I miss my long, vigorous walks and just doing work around the house, etc.