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Saturday June 25, 2011:
I have been pushing to see where my physical boundaries are with the new valve. Yesterday I found my limitations. Whoa, did I find my limitations!!
Yesterday morning I decided to cut out a set of scrubs for Cassie. A simple top and pants.
The cutting went well so I decided I felt well enough to weed / thin out a flower bed. It is an unruly mixture of day lilies, tansy, bishop's weed, wild sunflowers and Japanese lanterns. Last Fall I added half a dozen chrysanthemums to the front of the bed for end of season color. My goal was to give the chrysanthemums some breathing room.
Out came the tarp and nitral gloves and kitchen knife. I sat on the tarp as I pulled and cut out the plants growing out of place for over an hour. The discards were tossed onto the lawn where this week's mowing will turn them into mulch for the lawn.
The photo above of the weeds and flower bed was taken this morning from the top porch.
I drove to the store to buy a blade for the rotary cutter. Cassie came along because she wanted a piece of fabric to coordinate with a scrub top she is making. She suggested the JoAnn fabric store as we had been to the Hancock fabric store for the scrub top fabric.
This was an opportunity to remind me why I do not normally shop at this company's stores. They are designed as a maze with bottle necks wherever someone decided to give you an opportunity to see one more item the store is hawking. I always feel clostrophobic in their stores.
A trip to the bank ended my excursions for the day.
Dishes were done.
The VNA showed up and I was released from their care. She was amazed as my remarkable progress.
I was looking forward to sitting in the bleachers at the church league softball game at 6:15. (after a short nap)
I woke up from the nap in what can only be described as a 3 year old who needed another nap. Tearful, fatiqued to the point of ending up on the kitchen floor with my legs elevated against the kitchen sink. This is a yoga inversion that takes the stress off the heart. I stayed that way for a quite a while until I was rested enough to sit up, drink some water and eat some soup. Then I made my way on hands and knees to the living room where I rested sitting on the floor and finally onto the sofa.
Larry was a deer in the headlights during this. He came home from a 10 hour work day expecting to play softball. Neither of us made it to the game.
I forget I am still healing. My heart reminded me in no uncertain terms that I need to slow down a bit. Cardiac rehab begins on Monday. I will have to be intentional about slowing down.
This morning I slept in and then went to the Beliot road weight watchers weigh in to keep me up to date. It is the last time because the plan is to return to the site at work after the 4th of July shutdown.
Thursday June 23, 2011:
Yesterday was the first follow up appointment with my cardiologist. It included an echo cardiogram to establish a baseline post surgery. He orchestrated the test in person and examined the results from in the room and a distant location.
I like to check out what is happening on the monitor off and on during the testing. One of the views of the echo cardiogram shows color coded blood going through the valve. Past views were red on both sides of the valve. The view of yesterday showed red on one side of the valve.
My heart no longer sounds like me. It was sureal when I listened during the echo cardiogram in process. No whoosh, whoosh, swish. I cannot describe it because it did not sound right.
I was surprised by my nervousness during this. It seems the never ending medical issues of the past year are catching up with me when I least expect it. I was bracing myself for something along the line of, "Where did that come from?" There were no surprises.
My heart and lungs and stomach were listened to the old fashioned way. Ankles were checked for swelling The incision site was pressed to determine any tenderness or swelling. He found one spot.
I described the sensation of the incision as that of shoe laces holding together a shoe.
The job of a PA (Physician's Assistant) needs to be clarified to establish the importance of her participation in my medical care. You may think nurse with Rx writing privileges. The reality is so much more. She makes sure all the details are taken care of so the doctor can focus on his expertise. She understands everything the doctor does and has the ability to relate this to me (the patient). She also has skills to set up the details of a solution to the medical challenge when a direction of treatment has been determined.
Think Ginger Rogers to Fred Astair. He led and she did it backwards in high heels. My strongest advocate going through this medical process was/is the PA.
That said: Guess what the PA gave to me at yesterday's appointment? Something I did not think I would see. I was given photos of the original valve in various forms of deconstruction. This was very exciting. The PA explained what each photo was and I tried to remember as much as possible what she said. I took a digital photo of the photos and posted them below.
The top photo is the valve in it's entirety. I am not sure if it was still attached to my heart at that point.
The next photo is the valve laid out. The tiny dark nubs are the flaps that could not hold back the blood. I was taken by the cleaness of the valve.
The last photo is the valve in pieces. Note the scale is metric. For a conversion consider 2.54 CM is equal to 1". 5.08 CM is equal to 2". 7.62 CM is equal to 3".
So, you got through the visuals.
There were other things determined and changed at this appointment. I have lost 16# since my February appointment. This pleased all. Weight watchers does work.
I asked about reduction of dose of the Rx with the nastiest side effects. That dose will be reduced from twice daily to once a day July 1.
Two OTC meds were added bringing my morning total to 8. It seems like a lot until it is broken down for the purpose of training my heart to function 'normally' over time.
1- controls atrial fibulation: this will be reduced to once a day. My goal is to be free of this by 4 months out from the surgery.
2- establishes a strong heart beat. This is to help the right atrium shrink after decades of working harder than it needed to causing it to expand to the point that lead to the surgery. This should go away in about a year.
3- beta blocker was something I began in 2007 to reduce extra beats. I am not sure why it is still part of the mix, but when I was not taking it in the hospital my heart noticed. I will push to have this go away after the first two are gone.
4- Anti-cancer drug. This will go away in 4 1/2 years.
5- two baby aspirin. SOP for anyone with cardiac problems. It is better than Warfarin.
6- multivitamin. My gynecologist recommended I take a multivitamin prior to surgery 2 1/2 years ago. He said it would help healing. He was right. I have been told I heal well.
7- New introduction today 'triple strength fish oil'. There are jelly beans smaller than this pill. It is promoted by cardiologists... I think because it is an anti-oxidant.
8- New introduction today CoEnzyme Q10 400 mg . Think horehound throat loszenge in size. I forgot why this was added to the list. I do know that a buy one / get one free promotion for #7 and #8 was $60 for two months. The insurance nurse suggested usin Needymed.org as a resource for less expensive OTC drugs.
My first time driving since May 31 was to the craft class at church last night. I stopped at a Target to buy the OTC drugs recommended. Target did not have what I needed so I drove to Walgreens. This was in addition to the stop at the local fabric store on the way back from the doctor's appointment earlier in the day. This was a lot more activity than the day before, yet no fallout from it. I am not more tired due to the extra activity.
Maybe today I will do the farmers' market with a luggage tote to collect my purchases.
How am I to keep track of my 'exercise' when I am not doing a formal program on the days I am active? Did I walk 15 minutes yesterday. Yes, I did in Target and at least 30 minutes in the fabric store. Did I do light calestetics? Yes, when I hand washed and put away dishes, folded laundry, straighten out the sofa and picked bolts of fabric off the floor I knocked off the table at the fabric store.
I do not do organized exercise well. Yoga works because it is social. I do not understand why walking for the sake of walking is such a desired thing to do. Yep, and I live with two distance runners. I love them. I do not understand them.
Tuesday June 21, 2011:
I was up just one time during the night.
The weight has not budged since yesterday.
The surgery was on June 1. It is the 3 week mark.
I walked 2 Xs yesterday for 10 - 12 minutes. This morning I've already walked 15 minutes. It was harder to walk the 10 minutes on Sunday than the 15 minutes this morning. Normal is happening.
The vein rawness in my right arm is slowly going away.
I put the TEDs back on because I saw a slight swelling in my right leg. My best guess is the swelling is a reaction to the walking program in progress. I will try to go without in a few days and see what happens.
Tomorrow is the first follow up appointment with my cardiologist. I look forward to new information and direction. 'When can I start weaning off the nasty heart meds?', is top of my list.
Monday June 20, 2011:
Yesterday I actually wanted to sing. It was not something to perform. It has been such a long time since I've had the breath control to sing a phrase.
I am making progress on the Spiro--- ometer. It is not as spectacular as the first few days.
I decided to apply the exercise program as recommended. The calisthenics were a breeze.
The 10 - 12 minute walks --- 3-4 times a day were a roadblock. I discovered it took me 11 minutes to walk around the block. Every time during the rest of the day when I thought, " maybe I should take another walk", my body said, "nope".
I did calisthenics, inversion, steps, laundry, dishes, basic straightening of the house and one walk.
Today is a new day. The 8:15 walk was rained out before I had walked past 4 houses. That was a total walk time of 3 minutes. Then I walked up the stairs and claimed computer time. It is an hour later and it is still raining (with thunder).
My weight went up 2 1/2 pounds since yesterday morning. The call came in from VNA a few minutes ago to check in with me. I am not seeing swollen ankles, but I did eat everything in sight yesterday. This should pass.
Sleeping is still a challenge. My 'normal' sleep position is on either side. Sleeping on my back is not comfortable for me. That is changing because sleeping on either side puts pressure on my collar bone and it lets me know.
The sensation in my chest is that of a girdle [and the ever present 'itching']. Unlike prior to surgery, it is not causing me heart difficulty or breathing difficulty. It is just the tugs of what on a girdle would be the lacings. On occasion there is a dull deep pain that anyone would recognize as a bruise. OTC Tylenol@ takes the edge off and all is right with my world.
Sunday June 19, 2011:
Slept well yesterday. Slept well last night. VNA vitals look consistent with prior readings.
My right arm is sore in the veins. Nothing changed. It looks like it will take a while for these veins to heal from all the use from the surgery.
It is an overcast day with thunder and the occasional drop of rain. I should go down to the porch and close the windows before the rain comes.
Saturday June 18, 2011:
Larry and Cassie left for Michigan this morning. Phil drove me to the Weight Watchers weigh in his morning. There was a weight loss last week, despite my corruption of my meals. Now my play time is over and I need to become intentional about the program. Maybe after I eat some more orange sherbert.
Yesterday I sat through the church league double header. Today I am tired. It was worth it. I am ready for my 2nd nap.
It is also the first warm day since my internal thermostat reset. That may have something to do with my tired.
The incision is still itchy, but it has not been sufficiently annoying to take a Tylenol@.
The new scale did arrive yesterday. It comes with batteries. They were not good batteries, so I replaced them and the scale works as described.
Friday, June 17, 2011:
Wednesday June 15th was a day to sleep, and sleep, and sleep. I tried an excursion to the department store across the street. Cassie drove. The parking lot was busy and I realized there was no way I was going to be able to complete the trip. She turned around and took me home. I took another nap.
Thursday June 16th was an entirely different day from the one before. Almost no nap time. There were a number of excursions.
The store across the street was less busy and a parking space next to the handicap parking space was found. Purchases were made for father's day.
On to the bank.
Then a side trip to a Wendy's for a #1. Cassie ate the fries and I enjoyed the burger and root beer. This is not something I can afford the Weight Watchers points from. This week is a 'free' week where I am listening to what my body is screaming for, and it wanted a 1/4# burger with lettuce, tomato and condiments along with a full sugar soda. AND: the number on the morning weigh in is still going down. It must be the result of the hospital food and water loss catching up to normal.
The cardiologist's office called adding an echo-cardiogram to next week's visit. I mentioned not hearing from the surgeon's office for followup. That scheduling phone call came shortly. It is stunning the amount of cardiac surgery being done by one doctor.
I would not mind if there were no surgeon's follow up appointment because based on the other cardiologists; either it worked, or it didn't. However, I believe the surgeon is the guy to release me back to work. That makes his follow up important.
Had my scrubby brows waxed. She is also my yoga instructor. She does not want to see me in class until July, at the soonest. I told her the reason why I was healing so well was all the crocodile and plank poses of her class. They developed my upper chest and shoulders. Those will be off limits until mid-September.
Home in time for the VNA visit. She encouraged me to set up cardiac rehab time. I checked my files and could not come up with a contact number. I will implement the exercises provided in the hospital and bring up the topic at my cardiologist's follow up next week. The package provided while I was in the hospital came with a 10 - 12 week program to follow. Maybe there will be no need for me to do cardiac rehab once they contact me. Independent soul that I am, that would not be a bad thing.
Cassie drove me to the softball game yesterday afternoon. It was a stretch, but not overwhelming. Ta Da !!! Our team got trounced. I got slimed by my friends new dogs. We convinced a young child that the older you got, the more dogs you were allowed. A good time was had by all.
I need to come better prepared for the question, "How are you feeling?" My in-your-face self is responding, "As well as can be expected for someone who just had her heart sliced open and stitched back together." Definately, I need a kinder response.
June 17, 2011: Today Amazon sent me an email anouncing the scale should arrive today. Yippee!!
Tonight is a double header co-ed softball. Cassie has promised to take me home if it is overwhelming.
Today is the 18th day in a row Larry has worked 10 -12 hour days. He is going North for the weekend. He need to decompress now that I am on the mend.
Saturday June 25, 2011:
