Tyler's Guestbook

Your story and your positivity about life move me. I am sending healing and love and know what an important part music plays, whether making it or listening to it, in healing. Wishsing you a steady and good recovery.

Tyler my own surgery is this week, too. I’m thinking of you and praying for you this very moment. I honor your resilient spirit and all of your wisdom and creativity. Rooting for you from Kansas City💗

Hi Tyler,

Thinking of you and said a prayer for your successful and LAST OHS surgery. You have been through so much and now is the time to heal physically and emotionally. Godspeed.❤️

Hey Tyler 

Uncle Roy here.  We are so glad to hear that you are doing OK after your surgery yesterday.  We were praying for you a lot yesterday, and it you had a really rough go of it, but you are one tough dude. And the Lord is an awesome God. Keep rocking it Tyler!

Hello Tyler

Noah sent this link to me. I'm sorry about not getting on here sooner, but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  I'm so impressed that you ran this marathon, simply amazed.  Wednesday morning , I walked 3 miles home after dropping off my Jeep at the shop & in the afternoon I walked 3 miles back to pick it up. so running 2-3 times that much in one go is awesome!  My have 2 artificial valves upper & lower chambers & on Warafin for life.  Getting the amount stablelized has been a huge challenge for me as I love to grow & eat vitamin K loaded greens. Cabbage, collards, turnip, mustard, spinach, Kale. I simply cannot eat as many as before my surgery because of the crazy shifts they cause in my INR (blood thickness in simple terms).  But praise be to Jesus Christ I am still here and working part time at 64.  I 'm doing OK, but I feel like this surgery has aged me 10 years.  The only alternative was ultimate death so not an option.  I feel woefully ignorant compared to most on this site.  But I know what I went through and am still going through.  It radically changed my life.  The 6 to 8 week recovery estimates from open heart  were pure horsecrap.  As for noisy valves, they are my nightly lullaby.  I do know that every breath, every day is a precious gift of God, so don't waste it!

We Love You,
Uncle Roy & Aunt Julie

Your GaGa was a great bird watcher. Mom could identify most any bird commonly and the uncommon birds found in Delaware and even knew their songs and would repeat them in whistle!

I will sit for hours in my deer stand and just watch the many birds found in the deep woods and marshlands  But I am no where near the educated bird lover like GaGa!!

Next time you are home I’d love for you to have mom’s bird books and treasure them.

Keep on keeping on Tyler.
Love and respect.

Dad

Hey Tyler, I wondered how you were getting along, and was glad to see you'd posted. Sorry, though, to learn that you've been on something of a roller-coaster since surgery. You're doing a great job by persevering and doing a lot to understand the unforeseen side effects of your surgery. Thanks for sharing both the successes and the setbacks of your treatment so far. Here's wishing you well and a smoother recovery. These bumps, upsetting and frightening as they are will, in time, smoothen out. BTW, are you feeling well enough to play music yet? I remember reading that music is a big part of what you do.

Hi Tyler, glad to hear you’re on the mend. I had bicuspid aortic condition and had it replaced at age 63 in May 2020 with a biovalve. I too suffered from insomnia for many months after the surgery. My solution was to not worry about it; read, watch movies etc and then take naps during the day. Eventually it sorted itself out. Due to COVID there was no cardiac rehab offered. Instead I took 3 walks a day. Slowly increasing length and elevation gain. 30-60 days after surgery I was able to walk 5 + miles a day gaining climbing 500+ feet in aggregate. I had all sorts of pains in the chest area including back pain and sleeping on my back was a pain. After 2-3 months I was able to sleep on my side and that made a huge difference. Given your age and healthy profile I am confident this will all work out for you. I found it useful to set a goal (backpacking trip 4 months post surgery) and that was very motivating during my low moments. BTW, I didn’t have the sweats you have but now I sweat excessively during exertion probably a side effect of the daily metoprolol I take. Hang in there - big improvement is just around the corner!

Tyler, open heart surgery is a massive trauma to the body. Each day/week will get easier. It will take a bit for all your systems to get back in line. Sleep will improve over time. Sleeping flat for me was definitely not an option after surgery. Recliner or adjustable base bed is the way.

Hey Tyler- I was 44 when I had the BAV sternotomy surgery done. Replaced root, ascending aorta, and valve at same time. Started cardiac rehab 3 weeks after. As young as you are, I would see if your doctor should get you stated ASAP if you have not already!!!

Hi Tyler, glad to hear you’re doing well postoperatively. I too have had open heart surgery a year ago and my surgery replace the aortic valve but I also had a aortic root aneurysm rupture and my biggest thing was the clicking of the valve . I can say that after a few weeks or so the sounds did ease up. Keep up the good work. ❤️