Andy's Journal

Hey friends!

Here is a little life update. 

I'm a little over 10 weeks post-op. I have been staying active, eating pretty well. I am close to pain free with some occasional minor aches and pains in my right ribs near where my mini-avr site was.

To help others in my similar situation here is what I have been doing in recovery:

I have been doing slow-flow 30 min yoga with Apple Fitness (paid membership) 3 times a week. I highly recommend to anyone in the Apple ecosystem who owns an Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad and wears Apple Watch.

I have been running/jogging/walking 3 times a week with the Nike Run Club App (Free Membership) which I highly recommend because there are Nike Guided Runs with audio coaching as well and all totally free. This app works great with Apple or Android users who also have connected smart watches.

Lastly, I have been doing light weights and functional fitness at my local YMCA and I am getting ready to "dive into LapSwimming" (dad joke).

Im not 100% back to my old fitness levels and I understand that could take a while. I am being careful not to push myself way too hard but I am pushing a little. I am being intentional about enjoying my exercise with a focus on having fun and feeling great first and then looking at my fitness goals as a secondary focus.

To sum up - I feel energized - almost like I didn't really understand how the bad valve and RF were affecting me before the surgery. I really feel 10 years younger if that makes sense.

I hope this serves as encouragement to whomever reads it.

Grace & Peace Friends!

Friends I have a question!

Because my surgery was mini and my fitness level before was not bad I was given the option by my team to not do Cardio Rehab... In my case this was financially best because of how my insurance bills it and because the expense of the actual surgery came with a hefty out-of-pocket after insurance. Also, my hospitals fitness center was an hour+ into the Dallas metroplex and traffic and time would interfere with my work schedule.

I have done some research and I am adhering to the Heart Association Diet - for the most part. We eat pretty healthy in my house anyway.

My question is what did the fitness side of Cardiac Rehab look like for any of my mini-AVR friends?

Thanks & Appreciation

First post-op short run... followed by 2 miles of brisk walking.

I felt like a noob the whole way but it was good to test it out.

I felt like it was harder to manage my breathing today than before the surgery but I'm only 5 weeks post-op. I know I need to pace myself. I didn't really spend time stretching out before which I know was part of my sluggishness but I was too excited to be released to push myself a little harder than the brisk walks.

Anyway, just putting this out there...

Grace & Peace 

Friends, it has been a minute since I updated My Journal. I'm over a month post op.

I had my post op appointment this am with my surgeon and his NP. They are very satisfied with my outcome. I have the second largest valve, guessing bigger is better? They did an echo the day I was discharged and they said it looked excellent.

I have been released to start working back into a comfortable fitness routine doing what feels right and what my body agrees with. I am so excited to get started SLOWLY working back into my distance runs.

I still have some rib pain but it seems to get a little better with every passing day. I am feeling strong and anxious but in a good way.

If you are looking for a great care provider and surgical team and you are in the Dallas Ft Worth Metroplex give Dr. Doolabh a call!

Grace & Peace

https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/surgeons/dr-Neelan-Doolabh-Dallas-Texas.php

Today marks my 3 weeks post OP... I had the mini-AVR on May 9th. I am on limited use of my right arm and no lifting over 10lbs with my left. I am doing my very best to honor this.

Here is what I am experiencing. I am having some pretty consistent rib/sternum pain just below my collarbone and constant pain around my shoulder blade/thoracic spine. The front pain is related to my left pectoral because it is aggravated by certain movement when I activate it. The back pain is just always there. When I take a deep inhale it all hurts intermittently.

Lastly, I notice at night when I lay down my heart is beating inconsistently, it's strong but at irregular patterns. Like ........................... I don't feel weird it's just not at regular intervals.

This is really a mind dump post but curious to hear others pain and rhythm experiences at around 3 weeks post.

Thanks Friends! 

Hey friends here is another little update... I am 18 days now past my AVR surgery. I decided since I was off the pain meds that I would try half-days back to work this week. I am the Director of Operations for a charitable non-profit in the DFW metroplex.

Let me just say wow, my emotions are all over the place! I am a very diplomatic, reasonable, level-headed guy. I think my colleagues would all agree. For some reason however, I was so easily agitated, offended, and all around over with my career this past week. It was pretty unusual behavior for me.

I guess your heart (the organ) must be directly connected to your heart of hearts (soul/emotions)...

Anyway, I assume this is all part of the process. I you are like me I guess hang in there and this will pass?

Grace & Peace

Hello friends, here is a little update.

I’m now almost 3 weeks post op. I’m still experiencing some deep soreness behind my incision and some rib and shoulder pain and stiffness. That is to be expected I imagine because of how much the minimal opening is stretched during the procedure. 

I went into the city with my wife yesterday and while she was seeing her cardiologist (yep we both have congenital heart defects) I took a little brisk 2 mile walk around the medical complex. Man! That little walk in the Texas afternoon really kicked me in the butt…

I’m not a nap taker but I came home and laid down the rest of the evening.

I have super high recovery expectations but I am learning my body is going to need some time to adjust.

Grace & Peace

Hey, there friends. So I am now a week past my heart surgery last Tuesday. Here are a few milestones for my recovery journey.

• I am off all major pain medication.
• I walked a moderate 1 mile yesterday around the neighborhood.
• I’m breathing to the top of the spirometer, so I have conquered the 21st-century torture device.

I am starting to feel normal again. I can feel that things have changed and I don’t feel “better or worse” I feel normal with a little tightness in my ribs and lungs but I’m out of the pain management phase I believe.

I know it only gets better from here!

Grace & Peace

Day 4 back home:

Any of you reading this preop, make sure you have your medical staff help you build a schedule for your meds after returning home. Usually when it’s time for discharge in my scenario, it was like a circus of people coming in asking questions telling me information and wishing me well.

My head was spinning…

I am blessed to have a wife, who is very administrative, and a neighbor who is a RN, because my discharge instructions were a little bit confusing.

Staying ahead of the pain is the way to win recovery in my case. There is pain, and the pain changes… we are all different and we all register pain different. Any type of surgical situation comes with pain typically.

When my chest tube came out I still had some fluid in my lower lungs. They give you a spirometer to increase your lung capacity. I just set a 10 minute timer on my phone and during my waking hours I do it. This has helped immensely even though I’m convinced the spirometer is a 21st century torture technique lol.

I’m a bit better each day, still sore, still a little uncomfortable, but exceedingly glad and hopeful. I hope any of this information is encouraging and useful to somebody in this community.

Grace and Peace!

Hey friends I’m on my second day back home. A couple of things for people, considering minimally invasive.

It’s definitely worth it. I’ll start there. I can say that confidently because my wife has had three open-heart surgeries full crack.

I’m definitely home faster. There’s definitely less damage to bone and tissue.

Here’s another thing to know from my perspective. After a couple of days, you can definitely feel where they pulled your ribs apart. Not just at the site, but some radiating pain all the way around the upper ribs, in the scapula, and down my right arm.

It’s not unbearable but you have to stay ahead of the pain. I was silly and tried to be Superman and avoid some of the medication.

I learned my lesson… 

Grace & Peace

It was a tough 36 hours but the staff here took really good care of me. Life gets exponentially better after the chest tube comes out. Every thing was a success and looks like I may be going home today! Thank you all for the kind support. Now time to fully recover.

Friends, I am curious... post Aortic valve replacement is it standard to ween you off of beta blockers and BP meds that were used to slowdown the issues pre-surgery?

Having a super difficult time deciding in Mech or Tissue... I am 44 active, runner, weights, etc... I hate the idea of re-operation but wonder if valve clicking and anti-coagulation is going to really change me quality of life... Any advice?