Alice's Journal

Darrell Malone  Congratulations on your journey so far. Cardiac Rehab is such a great help in my experience.  Keep it going. I did not have tricuspid valve. Take care 

Susan Dunne  Rehab will even make you feel better.  I just finished mine last week and it feels !one I never had a problem.  You go girl👍🙋

Susan Lynn  Alice - The only difference in minimally-invasive procedures is the entry. The surgery is the same - in fact, it often takes longer to complete these surgeries than those that are performed via sternotomy and mini-sternotomy. Plus, there's an additional incision, often in the femoral artery, to place the patient on bypass that also has to heal.

As far as fatigue, I was tired for months. The afternoon power nap was my friend. Heart surgery, and the resulting impact on our blood chemistry, the general healing, and the medications that many heart warriors are prescribed afterward can all contribute to the exhaustion. For me, it was the last symptom to go!

Hang in there - it gets better.

Rita Savelis  It's still very very early for you. Your heart has been through a lot (that you cannot see) and needs time to heal. Minimally invasive is not easier than standard heart surgery. Tiredness is so very very typical. Even exhaustion. Because you felt great before surgery, the recovery time is unexpected for you. Take care. 

Kathy Ozio  As my husband would tell me, there's the "invasive" part. 🙂 You are very early and it just takes time. I know they say it's to be so much faster healing, and there are advantages,  but Rita said- it's still the same heart surgery. I finally felt about 100% at a year (truly 100% most of the time). I still have numbness- no pain-on my side.  Walk as you can  and go to rehab. Take care

J Alexander Lassally  One month is nothing ! You will make continued strides... As has been a thread on there before, minimally invasive is sometimes a misleading label thrown around... 

Alice Petranek  Thank you all for the kind words. I really needed to hear all of this. I appreciate you all taking the time to share some wisdom with me!