Kathi's Photos

Kathi Mancuso  Friends and Family:

❤️❤️Celebration of a HAPPY HEART❤️❤️

A year ago today my mind was crazy with worry!
I was scared beyond belief.
I was trying to figure out how to escape the open heart surgery that was to take place the next day 10-17-17 to correct an unknown heart defect/ aortic valve replacement that I was born with.
It seemed that there was not enough Valium, Xanax, or anything else that my Doctors tried to give me that could prepare me for the actual day of my surgery.

I am a fairly optimistic person and I pride myself on being able to see the bright sides of most situations but on this day a year ago there didn’t seem to be a bright side, no silver lining, no sun, no new day........
I just seemed “zombie like “ going through the motions.
I was trapped in time for several hours where all I could hear were my own negative thoughts and where I could only relive my own worst fears over and over.

Not many knew, but I had lost my own father on the operating table 25 years earlier.

My surgery got bumped from 7am to 2 pm due to an infant emergency open heart surgery. I was thinking
“ that poor little baby so tiny”
At that point I knew I had to be brave and conquer my fears.
Dominick kissed me and said he’d see me in a few hours and away I went !

I came out of surgery and into ICU and did very very well immediately.
I was up sitting in a chair with in a few hours and walking within 12.
I made a promise that day NOT to focus on the surgery itself anymore but to REVEL in THAT DAY always !
10-17-17 would be my life changing day forever.

Fast forward :
I feel great and walk EVERY day!
I have had fabulous check ups.....my new bovine valve works wonderfully!
My Medical team was the best and I know God was along side them during the surgery 🙏

Now after the long story ........

I want to thank family and friends for all your thoughts, love, encouragement, prayers, and support. We truly couldn’t of made it here without each of you !

Thank you

Kathi

Kathi Mancuso  Three weeks ago today was my AVR- OHS surgery!
It is hard to believe that it is behind me and I am here on the recovery side !
I know several had surgery 10-17 but have lost touch. Hoping everyone is doing well .
I just wanted to post to keep in touch with oldies and give hope to any newbies.

I am doing well, walking 1/2 mile daily for exercise.
Headaches are gone now. No sternum pain except if I 🤧 sneeze. No pain pills. I left the recliner ten days ago and now back in bed on my comfy mattress.
Next week I go to the Surgeon for my 2 nd and last visit so am thinking he will release me and tell me I can drive soon . Not sure if I will stay on the metropolol but I seem to be tolerating it ok.
My first cardiology Dr appt since surgery is Dec 15.
I am just so happy 😊 it is all over !

Bob Gillespie  looks like you just had a little extra bleeding from the vein they used. The tenderness is from the blood working it's way through the tissue. Make sure your Doctor knows though.

Gerald Poulton  You can get a lot of bruising from the angiogram , a lot depends on how easily you bruise but also how hard it is for them to find the artery and how long it takes them to stop the bleeding. That is some heavy duty clamp they put on it but it is not easy to stop bleeding from an artery. I agree with Bob as well, good your doctor knows in case you tend to bleed easily or excessively.

Steve Farthing  I wish that was all I had! My whole forearm was black for at least a week. Woke me up at nights. They tried and failed to use the wrist artery and switched to the femoral artery instead.

Emily Rowley  I too had the same terrible bruising but from where the Surgeons placed in Bypass Machine+Drips. Hopefully your bruise clears soon, hard when you're on blood thinners. Take care xx