Bradley's Journal

I had my 5-year checkup last week, and time really does fly. The doctor assured me that he thought I was in good health and everything looked and sounded fine.
I don't remember the details of my previous update or when it took place. However, back in March, I underwent a colonoscopy, and thankfully, the results were all clear. Transitioning off coumadin and bridging with lovenox was a bit nerve-wracking, and I was hesitant about it. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly, even though I realized I had done it incorrectly. Fortunately, I was clean, avoiding any potential complications. Upon waking up, my wife mentioned that I attempted to hug the doctor when he shared the good news about no cancer or polyps.
For over 15 months, I struggled with plantar fasciitis, which limited my ability to run, walk, or jog. Everyday activities around the house became painful, and as someone who dislikes sitting around, it was challenging. Thankfully, my wife gifted me something for Christmas that significantly alleviated the condition, and I believe it's now about 90% gone.
I recently resumed running, jogging, and walking on a treadmill a couple of weeks ago. Today marks the third consecutive day of getting cardio, and while I'm not breaking any speed records, I'm gradually getting faster. My current pace is around 14 minutes per mile. My goal is to jog continuously for 15 minutes.
In addition to cardio, I also incorporate weight lifting into my fitness routine. Although my doctor was initially against it, this year he acknowledged that weightlifting and being more active were better than being sedentary.
On the family front, my son is actively involved in high school baseball, playing on the JV team as a sophomore. Meanwhile, my daughter is participating in soccer and currently running track. Their games and events are set to start in a couple of weeks, and I'm eagerly looking forward to watching them compete. Additionally, my daughter plays softball for her school (fall sport in Georgia).
Watching my kids compete is truly my favorite thing to do.
Be well everyone!

Hi Everyone,


It has been a year so it is time for me to check-in. Yesterday (Aug 28) was my 5 year mark for getting that zipper installed on my chest. My scar is still red and inflamed. It also itches. I have tried a few things there and none work. I think it will be that way forever. 

Things are going well for the most part. I am lifting weights but I still need more cardio. However, cardio is somewhat hard as I can't job / run due to having plantar-fasciitis. Hopefully that will go away soon.

I did have a bout of PVCs recently. I am guessing I had too much caffeine. I am still drinking my normal coffee dose and they have not returned. 

I had my first ever colonoscopy in the spring. Talk about FUN! It was all clear (no cancer and no polyps). That was a solid addition to the peace of mind.

Keep working and fighting everyone. 

Hello all, Lots of new faces around these parts. I had my 3 year checkup Dec 23rd. Of course the best thing you can hear is "see you in a year... " which is what I heard! I need to do more cardio, eat better and sometimes less!

Aug 28th was my 3 year valviversary. I made my last post 17 days before that. Boy, has a lot changed since then. About a week after that post, I was in quarantine due to my daughter 10 (well, she is 11 today) getting COVID. I might of gotten COVID, I am not sure. I def didn't feel great. However, what I do know is I got a kidney stone! I tell people, that is worse than heart surgery. It was AWFUL! The PAIN!! I felt bad for two+ weeks. I didn't hardly want to eat... I am sure it is in my journal somewhere but when I left Cleveland Clinic, I refused all narcotic prescriptions. After my second bout in a few days with a kidney stone moving, I was begging for them. I ended up getting some but I have only taken one to date (I can see how they are addictive). My stone was small too (1mm). So, for those wondering, at least in my experience, the pain from a kidney stone is MUCH worse than any physical pain I experienced after surgery.

It has been almost 10 months since my last update and it is only 17 days from my 3rd valviversary. It seems like another life (I am sure I have said that before). Reading the recent messages here, I see our condition is static as far as many people are still going through what I went through..... what we go through. It sucks - but it gets better! I don't recognize many people still posting here. I hope my old friends are doing well. I just wanted to give an update for those whose surgery or recovery is imminent. These surgeries are often successful and there is a good life on the other side. I often forget I had surgery except for the loud clicking. One thing that is certain is you often start referring to things as before surgery and after surgery. It is like the birth of Christ and BC / AD. Friends at times do get annoyed as conversation always drift towards surgery... I started lifting weights again about 5 weeks ago. My doc told me a while back to not lift or don't lift anything over 50lbs. I got depressed over that and quit for a long time. Now, my son is 13 and he lifts with me about 5 days a week. I do my best to stick to the 50lb limit and just do high reps. On many things my son lifts more weights than me. Yesterday, we lifted, then played some basketball together. We often do baseball. However, one thing I noticed a few weeks back is my son can now throw the ball further than me by at least 20-30 feet. I just don't know how long he was holding out on me. I weigh more now than I ever have in my life. However, most of it is b/c added muscle. After my surgery I was down to 180lbs. I couldn't eat and felt as if I was starving! Yesterday I weighed my self and I found myself at 216. I am, 6'2 and still look skinny. I do need to do more cardio. I hated the rowing machine during rehab. It sucked... which means, that is what I should start doing again. I still get winded easily which I should work on. Maybe this post will motivate me to start doing that. Good luck everyone and hope this post is a spiritual boost to the good things that can come after surgery and recovery! If anyone has questions I will try to check back in a day or so to answer.

2 year checkup was yesterday.. it was more like 25 months or so. But everything was good. No leaks and things sounded fine. I told him I have some strange feelings from time to time but that is likely normal for any of us. Still no weights over 50lbs.. and no swinging a baseball bat hard. "See you in a year.... "

What is this??? So, I received some "Remember This Day" notification on my phone yesterday. I looked at the images and had no clue initially what they were from. After thinking for a few seconds, I realized they were from the top of Cleveland Clinic. Uh yeah.. that place.. Not a fun week. I had never been to Cleveland before so I tried to look at a few things while there.. Well, 8-28-2020 will be two years since my surgery. I think am due back to go see my Cardiologist in Oct which will be a year. After surgery, you are wanting life to speed up so you can get through your rehab. How, I am wanting it to slow back down..... I am doing baseball a few days a week still, coaching a team now and have been since my rehab was over. My son is on another team travel team too - so he is on two teams. My daughter, I help coach her rec team with my wife.. .and my daughter plays travel soccer as well. You don't realize how much travel sports help a kid get better until you watch them play against normal recreation kids... Well - more on the heart front. Things are not always perfect.. I feel strange things from time to time.. but nothing I would consider major. No matter what you are doing.... "Get a little bit better everyday...."

Hi everyone - 19 months + 2 days... Life is pretty good.. nothing too different for me right now as I work from home all the time anyways. I do miss baseball but May baseball is better than no baseball!

So, I am on a work trip to Orlando... and this is not the first time I have heard this. Yesterday, while in a meeting with one of my employees, "Are you wearing a watch?"

Surgery is such a distant memory. I finally chose a new cardiologist and had a checkup. This is my 4th one in the past few years. My first one I had for over 20 years but he changed units and is not in the heart failure unit ( I never want to see that guy now!!!!). I had one in Cleveland for a couple of days. I had one in Augusta, GA where I live for a bit. However, he has left and moved to Alaska. So, now I just chose another one that is young and has ties to the area. So hopefully I have him for another 20 years. I saw him a couple of weeks ago. He lowered my INR a little but but really didn't want to touch it. I think he wants my surgeon to do it for some reason. I believe my goal is 2.0 now. I told him I had some strange sensations in the chest, back, shoulder area. I told him it wasn't pain but I felt something there. I also believe I could feel my last aneurysm. He didn't seem concerned at all. He told me I could get a scan and check things out closer if it made me feel better but I declined. Who the heck wants to go through that again? I asked him about lifting weights - he didn't like the idea even though they had me doing them in rehab and rehab wanted me to keep doing them. I persisted and he responded, "do you want to have another surgery?" Of course, he said I could lift up to 50lbs. I have only lifted once since then. That day I tried to bench 50 lbs and I almost fell asleep. I will continue to lift some, I just will make sure I don't max out or try to over do it! On the sports front, fall baseball is over for my son. He pitched okay this fall and hit okay. He is taking private hitting lessons now and improving GREATLY. My daughter made the Soccer All Stars and will be attending a state tournament in Dalton, GA the first weekend of Dec! Go Dawgs - Beat AUBURN!

Well, tomorrow (8-28) is my 1 year mark. Shocked how fast the year has gone. Recovery has been great. Wife commented yesterday that she forgets I even had surgery I am so healthy now (good thing!!!) . I coached baseball in the spring and I am once again coaching in the fall. I am also helping my wife coach our daughter's soccer team. So, I will be active all fall (which is normal). On the health front things are pretty good. My arm does always hurt from throwing a baseball too much. I go to bed pretty early now for me (10-11) due to being exhausted from all the activities. One day last week, we did baseball for about an hour, then we played basketball for a bit.. then I lifted weights.. When I got home, I had time before dark so I cut the grass (almost an acre with self propel). Yes.. I was tired when I was done. I do need to do more cardio type stuff. I see everyone here walking a lot and such. I hate just flat out walking but I can't sit around doing nothing either. Keep fighting everyone.. the road to recover was reached by taking baby steps. I didn't walk a mile the first day and I surely didn't swing a bat or throw a ball the first week!!!!

HANG IN THERE! I still keep up with this forum even though I post less and less. I know there are a few out there posting that are struggling. I think some of my post made things seem easy. They were NOT. However, each struggle is different. I struggled with aFib and hallucinations but didn't have any real pain. I recall being in my hospital room, in aFib, getting an injection of metoprolol.. based on my reaction, you would have though I was a heroin addict getting a fix. It felt amazing. I only wanted to eat grapes and watermelon. I can't explain it.. I got little of both. The only watermelon I got was from a fruit cup from downstairs at the CC. I did order grapes every meal, but they weren't enough but that was all they would give me. The baked fish and chicken breasts were always dry. I struggled mentally for a few days due to aFib and having hallucinations . A few days later I escaped but hung around Cleveland a few days longer against my plans in order to go to a follow up appointment. Finally I left Cleveland, one day before my AB&B expired. The drive home was long. We stopped every so often to take a break, walk and get gas. I sat in the back seat to do my best to avoid the sun light so I wouldn't sneeze. I believe we ended up leaving around 3:00AM and arrived home early that evening (Evans, GA). Each step of the way, the recovery gets better and easier. Tonight, I have what appears to be the final game of my son's baseball season (if we lose.. and we play an undefeated team, our season is over..) A couple of dads know what I have been through and told me Friday night at our practice... they would have no clue what I had been through if they didn't know me. There were healthy fathers sitting on their butts watching.. After practice, I hit a few balls and launched a couple close to 400ft... after I was done, I looked over a t the parents and said, "anyone else want to hit?" I didn't get any takers! KEEP WORKING... KEEP FIGHTING... Whatever your BASEBALL is, is on the other side of recovery!!!!

Today I lost a game of 1:1 (basketball) to an 11 year old. I randomly saw him at the gym as I was there with my family to lift weights. He also is on my rec ball team and is a really good baseball player. He lost his father a couple years ago and is being raised by his grandmother. When I found this out a few weeks back I told her, "I don't know what you are doing, but keep doing it." He is really a great kid and super respectful. His brother who has cerebral palsy is also similar. Sorry but had to share. Let's focus on the fact I was competitive against a 11 year old and was playing 1:1 and not the fact I lost. Not all heart related but I had to share.

My cardiologist is leaving the state. I have to pick a new one (ugh). This will be my 4th in 5 years now. My first one I had for over 20 years, then I picked the one I have now (he started at CC). I had a temporary one in Cleveland. Now I am about to get my 4th. Had a few palpitations the past few days carrying a bunch of equipment to the baseball field. Other than that, things are well.

My updates are getting further and further apart. I guess that is a good thing. I do check in here from time to time and try to keep up with the people that had surgeries near mine and provided support for me. Thank you all! Mentally, I think I am back to normal. I see my temper flare at times but I try to keep it under control. I get unhappy when we are leaving the house and I am the first one ready and I have to wait on everyone else or when my kids don't give 100% effort in whatever they are doing. To whom much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:48). Somethings I haven't wanted to talk about publicly or privately I am now coming to grips with. The ticking sound has been a topic I have not shared. For the longest time I have just tried to ignore it and not mention it. It is loud. When I am doing things, I don't hear it. If I am concentrating on something at work, I don't hear it. If I am lifting weights, playing basketball or with my kids on the baseball field, I don't hear it. In other words, I try to stay busy. My incision area itches. I love showering and washing the area. When I do this, my leg shakes like a dog getting his belly rubbed. Luckily I shower twice a day due to my activity level. I likely have had too much stress at work lately. Had a few pains from that in the chest area. I try to take breaks and walk away for a bit when that happens ( I work from home full time). I am also eating fish a couple times of a week (Tuna / Salmon). On another bright side, I am coaching two baseball teams this spring. I am the head coach for my son's team and an assistant coach for my daughter's team. I am also going to spend a few days at The Masters come April. I will be taking my son to his first trip to Augusta National. That will be a lot of walking. Good luck to all out there form whom will be having surgery soon or are still recovering.

I wanted the time to speed up, now I want it to slow back down. Here is what my last 5 days have looked like. Friday - Baseball practice for 90 minutes. Saturday - Baseball practice for 90 minutes. Sunday - Baseball practice for 150 minutes. Monday Baseball practice for 60 minutes. My kids are doing the practicing but it is just as much work on me as it is on them. Tuesday - Shot around on the court for 30 minutes + 30 minutes of weights. Wednesday - Want to go to gym but not sure I can find the time. Thursday - ??? My son has private pitching lessons so we won't do baseball together. Likewise, we took the past few days off from that due to the weather. Friday - Weather should be good so we should be on the baseball field. Mentally I am fine - physically I feel good too. I need to try to ride my bike and compare to before surgery to see where I am at there. Just pointing out what can be on the other side of recovery!

Did anyone hope they would wake up from surgery with a new immaculate skill or ability? I was hoping I would wake up and be able to sing and maybe be a better guitar player. No such luck to both.

It has been 15 weeks for me. Where has the time gone? I went to Orlando last week. It was the first time I was separated from my wife for more than a few hours since surgery. I went to Top Golf Thursday for a fun work outing and I swung a golf club. There was no pain and little fear. It did quickly make me recall why I don't play golf. Today I threw a baseball again with my boy. It was wet so we didn't get much work in. However, once again no pain and this time I let loose. I pretty much threw as hard as I wanted. Of course most of my arm strength is gone but I know it will come back. I'm looking forward to dryer warmer days! I ordered my son a really nice new bat for Christmas to go along with his glove. I'm really looking forward to seeing him with both! Back on the heart front (who wants to talk about that). I have been having a few PVCs.. more than right after surgery but not as many as before. Typing from phone.. Please excuse poor English and broken sentences.

The worst part about graduating from Cardiac Rehab is watching friends leave and never to return as they are on a different schedule than you. No, I haven't graduated yet. I have that date set for Christmas Eve if they have a class that day. If they cancel, then I will have it the Thursday before.

I threw a baseball today for the first since surgery. I didn't throw hard due to some fear. There was no pain. The weather is beautiful here today. I have lost track of weeks. I think I'm two days short of 10 weeks. My goal was to start throwing after 12 weeks... So I guess I'm a little ahead of schedule. Tomorrow is my 18th rehab day. I'm doing some jogging there for short periods... I think they have me scheduled for 24 total.

My heart story of the day: Going to rehab this morning, I was stopped by security in the parking lot and asked, "do you have business here.... " I just lifted up my shirt and showed off my scar.

I threw a Nerf football twice over the weekend with my kids. I was stiff and didn't throw it like I did a few months back. Fear was holding me back, no pain... but really stiff and tight. I need to stretch more. Lifting weights now twice a week in rehab. I really enjoy the weight lifting more than the cardio. I think I have 6 total sessions left. Baby steps..... wanting to throw a baseball badly..

Today was the final day of my third week of rehab. I try to push myself pretty hard when I am there. I have been getting faster every visit while on that treadmill. I joke with the people working there, "If I survive this thing, I haven't been pushing myself hard enough." Today, I managed to jog the last couple of minutes (15 total) on the treadmill. I was at around 4.5MPH. This isn't rocket speed but it was a jog for me. The lady next to me told me I should slow down. The people that work there told me they aren't use to hearing thumps of someone running. IT FELT GREAT. So, then I go to the bike, I keep pushing myself. Then, they check my blood pressure. It was 170 / 80. YIKES. I got a little scared.. they told me I might should slow down a bit.. so I just "slept" on the bike for the final 10 minutes. When I left, my pressure was back to normal. I also finished my session with my first real weights in 20+ years. I am going to be hurting tomorrow. BUT JOGGING FELT GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!