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 21, 2010

4 Weeks Post Op

So, four weeks have gone by.  Pretty amazing really.  I feel almost like myself again.  There are a few things that are still hard to do and I can tell when I did to much and need to rest. I also think goin up stairs is hard. But really I am amazed that I just had open heart surgery 4 weeks ago and I feel like this  :)

My incision is looking good.  Healing very nicely.  My drain holes are getting better and seem to be closing somewhat.  I think I finally got all the adhesive off me....honestly there was sooo much tape put on me.....ridiculous.  I kept finding more and more. 

I am only taking my pain med at night now.  My breathing is much better and I feel like I can take full breaths without much discomfort.  

I had my cardiology appt on Monday.  Went very well.  I have lost 8 pounds since seeing them prior to surgery.  She thought everything looked good.  She does not think I need to start a beta blocker YEAH!  So just an Aspirin a day right now.  My heart rate was 89 but she said that is a normal response to heart surgery and it takes time for the heart to heal and return to normal.  If it is still high at my 6 month (JAN 2011) appt she will rethink the beta blocker.  I have to go for an Echo in 3 weeks to get a baseline reading of my new valve.  I read on someone else's blog that getting that first echo was really painful because they have to push so hard with the wand and they make you turn on both sides.  She warned to take pain meds prior to that visit.....so I am doing just that.  My doctor also thought it would be fine to start driving in 6 weeks.  

The worst thing that happened to me this week was SNEEZING.  It has now happened 5 times to me and OH MY GOSH....it is the worse pain ever!!!!   I do not even know what is making me sneeze.  But I can feel it almost an hour later. 

But really, all in all, I am doing good.  Dan is keeping me up and busy.  We are shopping. I went out to dinner twice.  We even went to Lake Anna and I sat in the sun for a few hours (admittedly there where some rough points....and the steps almost killed me to get back to the car) but I loved it....even had a little picnic lunch on the beach.  We are planning to walk the mall on Sat morning.  So I really am up and about and doing lots.   I think I would be doing even more if we were not in a never ending heat wave.  Really I think it is 95 to 100 each day here. 

9 comments:

Carol said...

Robin
So glad to hear your recovery is coming along so well. You have been through quite an ordeal.
God bless
Aunt Carol Marie

Valerie Vallo-Karim said...

Hi,
I just stumble upon your story, I myself had open heart surgery at the age of 48, due to a birth defect that went undetected..as I was reading your updates I swear you are telling my story..I am at 4 weeks today post op..and totally enjoying my time home with my family and friends..Thank You for your wonderful Blogs..
Valerie

Anonymous said...

The compliant dentaldentist randolph nj hygiene is display plaque. Counter is for bacteria go off at a tangent teeth, extra removed, coupled with disease.
Dental hygiene is be expeditious for flossing, brushing additional dental cleanings and checkups, approximately which make believe your gums addition teeth healthy.
Why is Dental Hygiene Important?
Brush your teeth validate fluoride toothpaste. Brush ready slightest or often time. Replace your clean randolph dentistmonths savage sick. Floss terminate teeth exceptional day. accounting flossing here. Make an involving Dr. Bagga dialect trig year, unless you dinky requires wait on exams. Eat straighten up balanced, low-sugar extra low-acid diet, as soon as possible. Do pule smoke. No extent bustling gets, affordable dentist our perfection believes stray you be keen on behove yourself. Plus, our healing, ambience gives you defend your suitable -- it's relaxing!
Good dental hygiene is be useful to those rove we everywhere is spick effective do, caf? is out or unattended correctly.

Anonymous said...

Hello! Ι just wantеd tо аsk іf yοu
еveг have any trouble with hacκerѕ?
My lаst blog (wordpresѕ) ωаs
hаckeԁ аnd I enԁed up lοѕіng
a few monthѕ of hard wοrk due
to nο data backuρ. Do уou have
any methοdѕ to proteсt agaіnѕt hackeгs?


Also vіsit my pagе; ACLS Course

Anonymous said...

Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the
internet the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to
you, I certainly get irked while people consider worries that they just do not know about.
You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without
having side effect , people could take a signal.

Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

Here is my weblog ... Bowling wrist support Size chart

Unknown said...

Thanks man really nice site and some great articles, keep up the great services.

Ways to lower blood pressure

Healthcare India said...

Thanks for talking about these & very well explain post. Something new to learn from this valuable post.

Heart Surgery

Unknown said...

Cardiac surgeons suggest for valve valve repair surgery to repair defected valves for heart patients. Find best hospitals and meet with top cardiac surgeons for successful valve repair operation in India.

Mymedtrip.com said...

aortic valve replacement cost in India - The cost of aortic valve replacement in India varies widely, ranging from approximately $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the hospital, the type of valve used (mechanical or biological), and the surgical approach (open-heart surgery or minimally invasive techniques). Prices are generally lower than in Western countries, offering high-quality care at affordable rates. Visit: Top Heart Hospital in India

TAVR cost in India

Bypass Surgery Cost in India

Best Medical Tourism Company