Doran's Journal

“To the confusion of our enemies.” ― J. Robert Oppenheimer Doran Herritt here. Working my third year anniversary of getting the Edwards’ Inspiris Resilia Valve installed due to a bicuspid variant, aortic valve (lost the lottery there!) as part of the Commence trial program. A big thank you to Dr. Bavaria and the entire U of Penn staff for bringing me in, fixing me up and sending me home. They are world class! Also thank you to my Cardiologist Dr. Jacob at Lancaster General (The Heart group). Just an awesome team! I feel great. In the gym almost every night. Still mountain biking without the worry of Coumadin risks. Need to lose some weight and eat better. The never ending battle. I'll have my annual echo here in the next few weeks and let everyone know how it goes. Still hoping and praying this thing lasts as long as they think it will. Time will tell. Thoughts and prayers going out to all of you starting, going through or recovering from the process. Hang in there. Better days are ahead! I'd say keep on ticking but tissue valves don't make noise. Take care, Doran

Had my 2 year check-up a couple of weeks back. The Edwards trial tissue valve is still working well. Trying to get a good ten years or more out of it before I need a tune-up. Things are pretty good but I continue to struggle with weight given the meds to control my heart rate and blood pressure. At the gym an hour a night. Need to eat better and less. But so it is. Hope all of you are well out there. Those of you coming up on surgery. Deep breaths. Everything will be fine. Prayers heading your way, Doran Take Care, Doran

Nathan, Lynne, mike, Christine, Good luck next week. Keep busy going into the surgery. Medicine today has come such a long way. You guys are gonna do great. Take care. Thoughts and prayers heading your way. Drn

Wow! One year later and still kicking! I didn't get to celebrate yet because I was on a business trip in Louisville. Maybe tonight. Feeling good. Life is back to normal and has been for a while. Looking forward to my one year checkup. Joined a gym recently to try and get in better shape long term. Hope you are all doing well. I know many are scared and anxious as I was. It will be ok. Medicine is great these days. You can do this. Good news is after this it will give you great perspective on what really matters. Family, friends, etc. As always, take care. God is great! Thoughts and prayers to you all Doran

Sandra, Gregg, After a busy 12/2, u 2 are the next up. Prayers for a skilled team to fix you up, a successful surgery and a quick uneventful recovery. Take care. Drn

Looks like a busy week, especially the second. Sam, Laura, Cheryl, Mindy and Angela. Prayers for peace this week as u prepare for surgery, a skilled team to fix you up and a quick and uneventful recovery. Take care, drn

Got my Xmas lights up yesterday. We went to a Elizabeth farms and cut our tree. Waiting for the branches to drop to light it. Almost 70 degrees here yesterday. Great day to work outside. Even if your only 5 weeks postop. Hoping for some snow before Xmas. Hope everyone is doing great out there. Have a great rest of the weekend! Take care. Drn

5 weeks post-op AVR. Started cardiac rehab this week. The rib cage feels like it's finally getting back to normal. I think my normal activities...work, driving, taking care of the house, have moved things along quicker. Am thankful for modern medicine, supportive folks going through the same thing, family and simply being alive. God is great. Life is good. Take care, Drn

Amazed at how many folks are getting out of the hospital after 5 days. Not sure I would have been ready, even though I was anxious to go. Seven ended up being right for me. Take care guys. Keep on healing. Drn

Soccer tourneys all day tomorrow, plus bikes v packers game tomorrow night so I thought I'd do this now. Mau, Suzy, Jean. Good luck this week! Prayers for peace leading to the surgery, a skilled team that will fix you up, and finally, a quick uneventful recovery. Take care. Drn

4 weeks Post-op: Feeling Pretty good. Worked a couple of days last week. Trying for three this week. I can't believe I almost ready to start counting this in months. Has been a pretty good recovery. The afib hasn't returned since the hospital. The pain in the chest continues to subside to occasional "moving the wrong way" incidents. I hope all of you are well. Take care, Drn

Mike, Eric,Sophia, Jim, Neil, Looks like you guys are closing out an already busy week. Praying for your peace leading up to the surgery. A skilled team to fix you up. And finally a quick, uneventful recovery. Take care, drn

Kelly, Anita, Natalie, Roberta, Praying for peace for you tonight, a skilled team for you tomorrow and a quick, uneventful recovery. Take care. This time next week you will be well on your way to recovery. Drn

Looks like we have a busy week next week. Steve, Kim, Jackie, Shell, billy, Praying for your peace this week as you get ready, also for skill for your surgical team and finally for a quick un eventful recovery. I am looking forward to hearing your progress. Best wishes. Take care, Drn

Two weeks post-op Just returned from an appointment with my general practioner. Vitals look great. Valve sounds great. No a fib since 9 days ago. My walks are getting longer as I am walking faster and lo longer need to recover on the one incline. Be pen working on my computer, going to movies and visiting with friends. Can't wait to start actual exercise. So glad my recovery has gone this fast. I never thought it would. I am blessed. Praying for all of you who are recovering or waiting. The best to each and every one of you Drn

A fib and coming home....... Day 8 post op. Came home yesterday. One week after AVR. I think I hit the average. But after waking up this morning understand why they want to get you out. Got about 10 hours of sleep last night. Wasn't too uncomfortable last night in bed. Don't have and didn't need a recliner. One less bill. Chest feels pretty good and back pain subsiding. I haven't taken any pain meds since leaving the hospital and only at night after the third day post op, so my opinion is pain is not to bad. I would describe it as aches more than pain. A fib update. So since I went into a fib Sunday and we'd they tripled my beta blocker and so far so good. Am crossing my fingers. It was also a relief to understand that a fib doesn't really hurt anything in short bouts so if you go in, try to relax, deep breath to see if you come out. If not call the doctor, then they will lead you on next actions. Alllllll part of the recovery. A fib happens to 3 in 5 of us who undergo AVR. It usually goes away as you heal.

For those of you about to go through this some other fun facts on my case My aortic valve was replaced after not being able to repair to100% (pre agreed to plan with surgeon) My valve had a leaflet that was perforated and torn at the base We replaced it with a clinical trial tissue valve from Edwards. Echo before my release was stopped showed no leaks and about a 50% expulsion rate. (I was hoping for higher as I think that was where we were off the surgery table but it has only been 5 days.) so it will take time for the architecture in my heart to go back to normal and hopefully expulsion rates will get up into the 60s. I am being told 60-70 is normal for an adult human with a good heart. That's it for me. Take care, Doran

Updating the group on my progress this am. I am 6 days post op. Looking back on it. I only remember bits of wed (surgery day), a little more of Thursday, big parts of Friday ( was grumpy because of all the noise). Sat - Monday were pretty much normal days. Not taking much for pain. A percoset at night to relax and sleep. I don't think my pain has been over a 3, except for clearing my lungs ( heart pillow you r a lifesaver. So with that I have been aggressive with my rehab. Walking the floor over a dozen times a day. Cleaning up. Not taking naps. The faster the better right? Not sure. Sunday I was washing my hair after shaving and went into a fib. Some iv lo pressa and I went back to sinus rhythm. Monday was getting ready to go home. Nurse leaves the room and I could tell something was wrong. I had a hollow feeling in my throat. Took my own pulse and noted the speed and irregularity of the pulse. A fib again. I sat for a while to see if I could do some deep breathing to get back to normal sinus. No luck. They pushed the lo pressa again and I was back to sinus again in 20 minutes. I realize this is normal for new valve patients, 3-5 experience it during recovery. They increased my oral lo pressa to a full tablet (sorry not sure of mg) after the second a fib So it's time to try something new. I am going to ease back to the 10 minutes of walking a day recommended. I am going to try to take a nap. I am going to try and stop bending over to get things from the floor. Anyone out there experience something similar? What did your doctor say/do? Did it work? Thx Drn Ps Maryanne, Lee, Rich, God luck this week. Thoughts and prayers heading your way.

Two days. Post op. Not so bad. Am walking and they pulled all the wires tube ivs. Yo don't remember much. Hardest part is probably drawing a deep breath. Serena Helen Patricia. I hope your procedures go as well as mine. Thoughts and prayers heading your way. Drn

Ruth and Christine. Thoughts and prayers heading your way. Peace to you tonight and tomorrow. Skilled surgeons who will fix you up tomorrow. Quick recovery so you can get on living. Take care, Doran

Ruth and Christine. I go wed so I don't know if I will get a chance to post tomorrow. Good luck Tuesday. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Hope to hear from you post op. Take care. Drn

Charles, Elizabeth, Lori, Thoughts and prayers heading your way for tomorrow as I head to mass this morning. Hoping for a peaceful day for you today. A successful surgery tomorrow and a quick and complete recovery in the coming weeks. . Take care, Drn

Just went through my heart cath. At hospital at 0630 In procedure room at about 0830 Procedure was maybe 40 minutes Need to st about an hour to make sure arteries clot. Home about1145 My dr was happier going through groin. Since otherwise they would have had to do wrist and groin I dint feel anything while having the procedure done. In fact the iv start was the worst part They did tell me I should rest 72 hours. Again because the want to make sure the alert is closed. That was a bit of a surprise. Anyway, I a m all clear. The big day is 3 weeks away. Can't wait to be done.

Just went through my heart cath. At hospital at 0630 In procedure room at about 0830 Procedure was maybe 40 minutes Need to st about an hour to make sure arteries clot. Home about1145 My dr was happier going through groin. Since otherwise they would have had to do wrist and groin I dint feel anything while having the procedure done. In fact the iv start was the worst part They did tell me I should rest 72 hours. Again because the want to make sure the alert is closed. That was a bit of a surprise. Anyway, aim all clear