Three Months Post-Surgery

I'm feeling physically pretty well. This week I plan to start the ball rolling on joining a cardiac rehab program. It may help me to improve my conditioning. I want to try anyway. The results of my 24 hour Holter heart monitor were excellent with no arrhythmia or other abnormalities. My cardiologist took me off Amiodarone, of one of the remaining two heavier medications I'm taking. In three weeks I can stop the other (Warfarin) as long as I don't notice any palpitations or other irregularities. Then I will be completely off medications save for a daily aspirin and multivitamin. For the most part, I have made an amazing recovery from a very traumatic operation. I'm still working through mental and emotional thoughts and feelings that come with surviving such a trauma, compounded by the loss of my beloved dog, Bradley, while I was in the hospital. As I wrote at the time of my surgery, the whole experience has a surreal quality for me, and I often don't feel like I fully comprehend what happened and what the implications going forward are. This is not uncommon for heart surgery patients, The good news is that I am not debilitated or suffering from extreme depression. Hopefully things will straighten out for me with the passage of time and the loving support of my wonderful husband, who has always been there for me.

Eleven Weeks Post-Surgery

Photo: Spring on Fire Island: Beach Plum in Bloom

I am doing a lot of walking. Next week I wear a Holter for a day (three months post-surgery. Hopefully I can get off the warfarin and amiodarone if there are no abnormalities. We'll see. Feeling good with no medical issues. Battling delayed grief and depression over the loss of my dog companion. For two months I concentrated on getting myself better, but now that I'm feeling recovered, the pain of loosing him is overwhelming at times. He was put down while I was in the hospital so closure is difficult. If I had it to do over again I would have tried to find a way to keep him alive longer. He was old and failing, but I didn't realize how much delayed mental pain over him I would have later on. But what's done is done and I'll have to cope.

An Open Letter To Patients With Aortic Disease

An open letter to patients with Aortic Disease

Seven Weeks Post OP

I'm feeling recovered, walking five or six miles a day, incision is healed and I'm using scar cream on my scars to reduce their visibility. I'm still on coumadin and amiodarone for at least another month. Hopefully I'll be able to get off of these meds at that time.

Illustration: Surgeon Draws Diagram Showing Work Done

I asked my surgeon, Dr, Grayson Wheatley at Temple University hospital in Philadelphia, to indicate where my dacron ascending aorta hemiarch graft was placed, and where he put the two CABG grafts. While I have no coronary artery blockage, the CABG grafts were necessary because my native coronary artery buttons were small and elliptical and he felt that there was inadequate perfusion through them. So I ended up with a new valve and dacron conduit extending up into the arch, plus four Bentall buttons: two native and two grafts.

B4 And After Surgery

My sternal incision is nine inches long, and I have about a 2-1/2" scar where the four chest tubes exited from my belly. Then I have four incisions on my upper legs where the veins were harvested for my CABG grafts and a few puncture holes in my groin area and neck area. Quite a few cuts and holes but all healing well!

One Month Anniversary

My recovery is progressing. With the warmer weather the snow and ice has melted away. I am now able to walk outside. I can take a morning walk for about an hour and once again in the evening. I cannot cover as much distance yet, but it feels good to get the fresh air and sunshine. I am fine medically. I have no problems now related to my surgery. I still have to take too many pills and drugs, but I hope to be able to discontinue taking some of them very soon. This week I had appointments to see my surgeon and my cardiologist. These were the first follow-up appointments since I was released from the hospital. The sutures in my chest were removed and my incision is healing nicely. My cardiologist let me discontinue Metoprolol...and I immediately noticed more energy and pep and I felt better. Now it is all about regaining my strength and stamina. I am planning to attend the York TCA train meet in April. I usually go for a couple of days...Wednesday through Friday. I should be strong enough by then to enjoy the meet.