Angela's Journal

Hello everyone! I've had my first anniversary of Mitral valve repair on the same day as my 35th wedding anniversary. I'm off all meds except aspirin. I was prescribed statins but had an allergic reaction to one and was given another. I have high cholesterol (250). What do you all do for high cholesterol after hv surgery? My heart is doing great and I am back to swimming, tennis, biking and teaching PE in primary school.

First day back on the courts since surgery last summer. Forehand and backhand are coming back to me, but serving and overhead smash will have to wait. Quick changes of direction will be a challenge, but I'm taking that slowly too. Back to work on Wednesday, March 1, teaching PE in a primary school!! I'm still in a bit of pain, still not able to do some things, but know this: I thank God for life and the level of health that I have now! Keep your heads up and your hearts light fellow heartvalve soldiers!!! 

Pain update, 8 months after minimally invasive mitral valve repair with mini thoracotomy, key hole, drainage opening, etc. So, I'm still very tender in the areas of incision and the right chest where implements were passed through to get to the valve. Painful when firmly touched. Painful after a day of general cleaning, cooking, etc. More intense pain during weather changes. Some clothing items still hurt (I wear a thin, fitted, soft jersey under a soft jog bra- so far that's what I've been able to tolerate). No bra is not an option-way too painful. Today I went to a pain clinic in my town. It's a new clinic in the local hospital, free, and I didn't have to wait months for an apointment. This is the first doctor I've talked to that actually had something to say about the pain. Her opinion: a) It will not completely go away. b)The first step is to give injections to the areas of pain (I don't remember what is actually in the injection, but it was hot and painful). If that doesn't work, c) she would try nerve block treatment, which is performed with local anesthesia in a surgical setting and is more painful. Well, after just one injection in her office, and once she saw me crying, she stopped and told me of the third option of oral medication, which takes more time. This oral med is pregabalin, lidocaine patches and tramadol hydrochloride (an opiate). My feeling about all of this is: 1) I see a difference since even two months ago and I will not be too quick to say that the pain will not completely go away, but it is taking an awfully long time. 2) I really wasn't prepared to get the painful injections today and she retreated after giving me one and seeing me in distress. 3) while I don't want any more pain, I am more reluctant to take all those meds as a "more favorable option" I am already taking a beta blocker, statins, T4 for thyroid, and low-dose aspirin. My first gut feeling is to wait. Any thoughts?

Amanda Gorman's poem for the new year. Enjoy!
New Day's LyricMay this be the dayWe come together.Mourning, we come to mend,Withered, we come to weather,Torn, we come to tend,Battered, we come to better.Tethered by this year of yearning,We are learningThat though we weren’t ready for this,We have been readied by it.We steadily vow that no matterHow we are weighed down,We must always pave a way forward.This hope is our door, our portal.Even if we never get back to normal,Someday we can venture beyond it,To leave the known and take the first steps.So let us not return to what was normal,But reach toward what is next.What was cursed, we will cure.What was plagued, we will prove pure.Where we tend to argue, we will try to agree,Those fortunes we forswore, now the future we foresee,Where we weren’t aware, we’re now awake;Those moments we missedAre now these moments we make,The moments we meet,And our hearts, once all together beaten,Now all together beat.Come, look up with kindness yet,For even solace can be sourced from sorrow.We remember, not just for the sake of yesterday,But to take on tomorrow.We heed this old spirit,In a new day’s lyric,In our hearts, we hear it:For auld lang syne, my dear,For auld lang syne.Be bold, sang Time this year,Be bold, sang Time,For when you honor yesterday,Tomorrow ye will find.Know what we’ve foughtNeed not be forgot nor for none.It defines us, binds us as one,Come over, join this day just begun.For wherever we come together,We will forever overcome.- Amanda Gorman

Ringing in the New Year from Greece and giving thanks for life and loved ones! May 2023 be a blessing to all of my new friends from HVS.com, with health and peace.

May this Christmas be more to you than just gifts and good food! May your time with loved ones be a display of love and meaning, and may the coming of the Savior signify to you the coming of hope and light! We are alive! We are healing! Rejoice! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

5 months post op mitral valve repair! A difficult but amazing journey. Pain at the thoracotomy nearly every night, but more and more energy each day. Thanks to God, family and friends, like those on heartvalvesurgery.com!!!

Hey, all you Barlow people. Check out the video on this site about Sophie, a Barlow's syndrom mitral valve patient. I love her quote, "With knowledge comes peace"

Mitral Valve Repair question: I was told that I'd be taking coumarol for about 6 months, then switch to asprin. What kind of tapering off procedures have any of you followed? (i'm four months postop and I'm looking forward to getting off the blood thinners and doing away with INR tests, not to mention the low vitamin K diet. I want my leafy greens!!!)

Sooo, I'm well over the three month point of my surgery and I still have excruciating pain in my right chest and armpit, especially every afternoon and evening. (My heart is fine and I'm improving on walking and stairs) After trying several over the counter painkillers, I made an appointment to visit a neurologist who specializes in acupuncture. My cardiologist recommended it. I hope it works because I'm at my wit's end. I don't like to complain or wine, but I feel I can be honest in this group, and that's how it is.

I'm at my three month anniversary of minimally invasive mitral valve repair. I had expected to be able to swim all of September (here in Greece) but I was afraid to go in over my head because I don't have full range of motion yet in my right arm, and I still have a substantial amount of pain. I did manage to go on a 20 minute hike up Mt Pelion in central Greece, near my house and I felt great! I am slowly getting my life back. I also ride my bike on quiet streets to do some errands. My right thigh is still numb (from the groin incision) but has more and more pins and needles feeling. I suppose this means the feeling is slowing coming back! Every small step toward normalcy in a giant leap for me!!! I hearby proclaim that "normal" is very underrated!