Holly's Guestbook

Holly Pomeroy  Thanks, Connie! It's great to keep in touch and hear how others are doing after a year. I enjoyed following you also and hope things are going well for you. Stay in touch!

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Paul, my ocular migraines have really dropped off too, although I did have one the other day, and thought "wow, I haven't had one of these for a while"!! It had been several months since my last one. My opthamologist said he was starting to have some and he is in his late 30s!!!! He told me not to worry and he's not worrying, so I guess we're good!!
Holly

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Lynn, I'm glad you contacted me and hope you start your journal soon! I'll try to respond to your questions.... I know there are so many unknowns and anything I can do to ease your mind, I'm glad to help. Was there anything that surprise me? As far as surgery and recovery, the answer would be not really...Actually I was surprised that I didn't have more pain. I was expecting it to be excruciating and it wasn't. I was also prepared for lots of pain with the removal of the chest tube, and it didn't hurt at all. What I wasn't prepared for was the numbness and "heaviness" that I felt on my right side and right groin for so long after surgery. It's hard to explain, it's not really pain, but you definitely are aware of it. The nerves take quite a while to repair themselves, from 9 months to a year. I have minimal numbness now, right at the scar, which is normal. Mayo clinic recommended the cardiac rehab and my local Dr. actually prescribed it for me. I would definitely recommend it! The medications I was on after surgery were coumadin, a baby aspirin, and hydrochlorithiazide, which is a diuretic. None of those are really heart meds, and I was able to stop all of them after 2 months!!! My memory is getting better, and I'm able to concentrate , but for quite a while and up to this year anniversary it has been a small issue. I'm a nurse and know how important it is! Looking forward to reading your journal. Dr. Burkhart and Dr. Suri will take good care of you. My experience at Mayo was a good one, and I don't regret going there. They do many of these surgeries and repairs so you are in good hands. Take pajamas that button up the front, nothing that you have to pull over your head. Take a small neck pillow for traveling, I used it all the time! Are you flying or driving? Chapstick, an ipod or ipad, or something to play the relaxation file they send you, music to help you relax was very helpful for me. Buy or order the Aaah Bra, or the Genie Bra, it was a godsend with the incisions being where they are. I didn't start wearing a regular bra again until about 9 months post-op!!
Where do you live?

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Scott, thanks for your note. I hope you're doing well and the memory of your surgery is fading a little. It is nice to come back to the journal to re-read about your experience after a year, and it brings back Sooooo many memories. How is the numbness around your incisions? It took about 10 months for my numbness to go away. I am thankful that I was able to have the Robotic Repair, and hope to encourage those that are hesitant about it, as you have done with your journal! Glad your insurance covered everything, what a pain!
God is good.

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Nancy! Chickens!!!! Wow, that's quite an endeavor. Are you still working at the hospital? Feeling okay? I'm so glad that this year is behind me and looking forward to hopefully many more ahead. Thanks for all your support. I'll be looking for your update!

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Paul, I just realized that I missed your yearly update, and feel really bad. I'm sorry. You were such a support and encouragement to me last year, and I feel I have a special "bond" with you!! You still are, and I appreciate your positive comments and wonderful sense of humor. How are you doing/feeling? You haven't said much about the regurgitation... Do you have another follow up echo planned soon?
It is good to be loved, and healthy, and alive, and know that God is in control of our future. Keep in touch.... I plan to.

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Gina, the company I was with won't cover me or my spouse, but I was grand-fathered in on an old account.... I was just wanting to increase the amount but each time you apply they ask you several questions.... with treatment for heart or surgery being one of them.
From what I've heard and read about the ocular migraines, they aren't sure what causes them, and there really isn't a cure for them, they are just a nuisance! I think they occur more frequently when I'm tired or at the end of a long day.
How are you feeling? Hope all is well, thanks for the note!

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Paul, good to hear from you. You're right, of course, it doesn't make sense, but like Nancy said, I won't be around anyway so it shouldn't matter. I'm not much for lottery tickets, so that's out... and gold...??? hmmm I'd rather spend it now!
How are you feeling? and what's new with you? I'll be watching for your update. Keeping you in my prayers!
Thanks for the note.

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Nancy, good to hear from you! I've been wondering about you because you haven't updated your journal in a while, have you? Maybe I missed it.....
and Shame on you! not seeking medical attention for that jaw pain. You know that heart disease is the silent killer in women and will present with symptoms that are different than in men. I also wonder if we are more prone to heart attacks, you should ask Adam and maybe he'll post the question on his blog! How is work? You take care and keep in touch too!

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Jeff! Glad to hear you are doing so well! Any after-affects that you deal with at all? Thanks for the advice about the migraines, I'll look into it and appreciate it. Do you know anyone in the Abilene, Kansas area!!!??? Wish I lived closer to you, but I have a feeling you're pretty busy! Will you be having a yearly echo done soon?
Take care, and thanks again!
Holly

Holly Pomeroy  Hi Rach,
I never had any ocular migraines before I had surgery, and didn't know what they were either. I experienced my first ones in the hospital the day after surgery, it was like a bright light filled the center of my vision, then it turned into an outline kind of shaped like a star. One site describes it as a flickering/shimmering light that fills the center of your vision, or wavy, zig-zag lines that fill your blind spot. When I mentioned it to the nurse at the time, she just said it wasn't anything to worry about, and never explained what it was. Maybe she didn't know. I found out about them from reading others journals on this site. They are harmless, and don't cause any type of headache, just the visual disturbances!! They pop up at random times and have done so since my surgery. Not every day or every week, just once in a while!!! When is your surgery and what type of surgery are you having?