Welcome to my day to day journal of having open heart surgery.

When I started this blog I was not sure if I would need surgery but after many tests and doctors visits I had valve replacement surgery on June 23, 2010. I was born with a congenital heart defect, a bicuspid aortic valve. My blog reads backwards (like all blogs)....not like a story in chronological order...so go all the way to the beginning (here) to read about my history and how this all got started.

Let me know you stopped by......leave me a comment :)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

3 weeks since surgery

Today, July 14th, has been 3 weeks from surgery.  I have to admit I have good days and bad days.  I am able to do almost everything for myself now such as showers, washing hair, getting in and out of chairs and bed.  I can walk up and down stairs easily now....although up I still get out of breath.  I can ride in the front seat with my pillow across my chest under seat belt. Laughing, the more I list the more I sound like I am 3 years old......I guess when they cut you open like this everything is something I had to learn how to do again.   I am only taking vicodin at night.  I still have pain and discomfort during the day....but if I try not to do to much it is tolerable.  My incision is all but healed.  It is looking pretty good.  My drain holes (something I was not really that aware I would have or talked about on this blog) are not doing to great.  Kinda 2 open wounds right below my incision that were not stitched up.  I was told they would heal from the inside out......well they are gross and it is taking quite a long time to heal.  I have to admit I am getting tired of not feeling like myself.  Maybe one more week. 

I have a cardiologist appt on monday.  I want them to explain my fast heart beat.  My rate is close to 100 all the time.  Before surgery it was 60-70.  I hope this is a normal thing and not a problem.  The surgeon's office did not seem concerned.  I will post how the appt goes.

So thats where I am right now.  All and all I am doing well and each day things get a little better :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have had a bentall operation to(10-06-2010).My heartrate was alot higher(88 beats in rest )and they gave me sotacor (betablokker)now it is not so high .
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