Juli's Journal

Susan Lynn  Happy 8-week Anniversary and Happy Birthday! 🥳🎂The stamina part improves with time, but it took longer than I thought. Wishing you continued success with your recovery!

Larry Peterson  Well done, Juli!  I am at 16 weeks or so now, and I found that for me the stamina and energy took about 12 weeks to start feeling reasonably normal.  

Suelynn Hanegraaf  You look fantastic - especially love your smile!  You'll get there.  Takes time.  Keep moving though!

Sue Maize  You’ve been in my thoughts and prayers Juli—so happy to get this update! One day at a time, may you be blessed with a strong recovery! 🙏🏻❤️‍🩹🙌🏻

Valerie Allen  Juli, you did it! I was thinking of you today and wondering about you. This is fantastic news! I guess I can do it too! ❤️

Laurent G  Congratulations and all the best for your recovery ! Sue and Valerie, I'm sure you'll have an easy surgery too

Deena Z  Great pic! You sound pretty darn good, given how intense it all is. Keep that positive mindset. Take naps and be patient with the little successes that you will have each day. I will never forget how proud I was when I got home after surgery, got out of the car and walked up-and-down our driveway. Here's to normalizing!

Grace Mason   Congratulations Juli! Well done girl! You are looking great 👍🏼
Now give your body and heart time to heal with rest, as you need it, and by walking as much as you can, to help in the healing process.
Don't forget to fuel your body with the extra protein it will need now. One week at a time

Ana Brusso  Juli, you look fantastic. Congratulations on your successful surgery. Now, to recovery ❤️‍🩹. Continued good health and God bless you 🙏❤️👍

Barbara deLoache  Yea Juli!! You did it girl.. and sound in good spirits! Here’s to a smooth recovery. Please keep us updated💕

Thomas Sperounis  Way to go Juli! I will be rounding the corner in of which you and others have driven on Feb 21st.Soon enough! Awesome that your surgery went well, please continue to keep us updated

Kristine Schroeder  Excellent! It’s such a relief to finally get home. I remember waking up the first morning and making my own scrambled eggs. They tasted so much better than what I had in the hospital and I was excited that I did it myself. One day at a time!

Suelynn Hanegraaf  You look so happy relaxing at home in your cute jammies!  Your recovery sounds like it is off to a good start!

Lisa Moore  Wow you look good. My surgeon is also Dr Yun. I'm finishing up my dental work so I can schedule date. Blessings to you 🙏.  Keep getting better 

Richard Munson  We were all scared before heart surgery. I would be shocked if you were not. But, if you don’t have it, your life will be in a steady decline. Its the only way you can look at it. 

Kimberly Eisenhut  Juli, I cannot comment on this too much, I am still in wait and watch mode. I can say though that you have to keep telling yourself this is necessary and it is so much safer than it was years ago. You will do great! Just like so many others here. My echo tech told me last week that I am lucky to have this now because there are so many more skilled surgeons and advances. He told me in the next few years we will see so much more TAVR progress also. Keep your mind busy on other things as much as you can, take time to pamper yourself, and talk to your DR if you feel the need for a little something to calm your nerves.
Best wishes for a peaceful mind and good thoughts

Ana Kelton-Brand  Hi Juli, I can totally empathize with the fear (sometimes terror) that you're feeling.  I had a lot of anxiety and worry before my surgery.  I had minimally invasive surgery to repair a mitral valve with severe regurgitation, replacement of aortic valve (due to aortic stenosis) and replacement of the ascending aorta due to aneurysm.  My surgery was 17 days ago and I'm feeling stronger and healing well.  My recovery has been complicated  by Afib episodes, but I'm on medication for it now and it finally seems to be working.
My physician brother-in-law told me that there have been the most advances in Cardiothoracic surgery.  This is totally routine for our surgeons.
I did a lot of mindfulness meditation to cope with my fear before surgery, kept busy with family and did Paint by Sticker books to think about anything else besides my surgery.  You can also pass the time doing adult coloring books, jigsaw puzzles, needlework, etc.  These are all mindful activities which help you practice focusing on the present moment.  I also did my share of crying and catastrophizing.  I had a lot of trouble sleeping, and my Dr. gave me something to help with that.
I hope this helps.

Richard Munson  In some ways i was lucky i had my mitral valve done right in the middle of covid. My wife dumped me off by the hospital front door and before i could get back in the car, she drove off. When they called my name in the waiting room i thought about not getting up. But i was the only guy in the room. Failed again. I asked the nurse shaving my chest if i could leave. She said no. Yikes. Then it was go to sleep and feel better a couple of days later. I found that no matter what i did to clutter my mind before the big day, it was always the elephant in the room as they say. I also never joined this group of wonderful people till after i got home. Now they are my blog family. 

Melinda Donahue  It is great to hear all of your stories! I am also in a wait state and am so very scared. I have mitral prolapse with severe reguritation. As of August 30, I did not have all indications for surgery and am in an 'every 6 month pattern. I go on 2/15/2024 and I feel like I am holding my breath each day. I have barlowe's syndrome and my cardio recommends Dr. David Adams. I await my visit on 2/15. Reading your success stories helps so much! Reading how nervous you all were also helps. Thank you all for posting.

Richard Munson  One thing i learned early on because i had no symptoms and that is waiting until you have symptoms is not always the best course of action. If you have them then so be it, but having surgery sooner rather than later can be a good thing as far as replace versus repair. At one point during a doctors visit i asked a simple question. Will my valve get better on its own. The answer of course was no. I think i said, then why are we waiting? Mine turned out to be repairable. And i attribute some of it because i pushed a little bit. You have to be your own advocate and not just nod your head ok. It pays to ask the tough questions to the doctor. 

Rose Madura  Your feelings are totally understandable.  Try to think on the positive.  They do this every day and the odds are in your favor.  If it helps, I got a tissue valve at age 59. I did have complications but I trusted the doctors and they knew what to do. Over six years later, I'm doing great.  God bless you!

Kimberly Eisenhut  Richard, I have been tough with my Drs and because it is Tricuspid they just always say that it has to be severe regurgitation or very symptomatic. I sometimes wonder if it is the insurance company and how they go by certain guidlelines. I even asked point blank once if it had to do with my insurance and she replied NO. Guess I just need to trust them at this point. I have had 3 cardioligists and a surgeon say the same thing. I do keep records of everything and plan on asking more questions Jan 30th when I go downtown to see Dr. Rigolin. She did message me that my echo results are stable and there is no change in past 6 months. This community is such a blessing

Deena Z  Kimberly,  my surgeons at Mt Sinai in NYC did talk to me a bit about tricuspid surgery, and I think they would have agreed with your physicians.  Did they tell you if they could repair it, if it went to severe?  This also makes a difference in the timing....  

Allen Carkner  Fear is normal. It feels like a huge scary thing going in but as the time passes after, it feels less and less like it was even that big a deal. No question, it is a hard concept to wrap your mind around, open heart surgery, but all you can do is be open minded and let the good doctors do their work. you’ve got this Juli!

Sue Maize  I know that feeling exactly Juli—the mind is on overdrive with ALL the thoughts that come with the news of OHS, and sleep can be very disrupted. You are surrounded by lots of support—keep posting whenever you need to, and we’ll keep cheering you on! 💕

Pamela Gregory  Juli, this time is very scary no question. I was scared out of my mind and actually thought I might lose it completely. Did get some sleep aid help from my Dr. I am the worst patient in the universe and the biggest scared-e-cat too. Once they were smart enough to knock me out in the pre-op area, I woke up in recovery. Nothing was as bad as I thought it would be. Not what I would choose to do but I have to admit that if I need another open procedure I would not be near as fearful. Recovery is a slow and steady process but if I can do it I assure you that you can too

Kimberly Eisenhut  Deena, I will ask at my next appointment. Thank you for your response. I have never been able to talk to anyone else with Tricuspid as the main problem valve. Feels very isolating at times. I am so grateful for you all

Greg Lewis  Hi Juli! ( and all the scare D cats. Lol ) I was so scared before surgery!! But I think there is nothing that anyone could have said to take that feeling away. Some advice, though, is to keep that mind occupied with other things until the day you go in. That will help with the nerves a lot!  Having said that, I really want you to remember that...IT WILL be alright. You will go in to this surgery, and the doctors and nurses will do what they do, and you will wake up, and begin to get better every day. This is how we gain what we need to comfort others. By going through it too. And.. You will be such a stronger person afterwards! I know that God has been walking through this whole thing with me! And he will be with you too. This is the greatest comfort, and the only comfort we need. This will all be behind you soon. It will be OK.

Karen Hommel  It is so hard to wait, but we all made it through and so will you. I will say a prayer and be cheering you on tomorrow 💕

Sherri Waineo  I also have severe aortic valve stenosis. I am scheduled for replacement surgery on August 30. I have no symptoms of the stenosis of which I am thankful! 

Rose Madura  Juli, be encouraged. You are at one of the best heart hospitals in the world.  The worry prior is much worse than the actual surgery. The odds are in your favor.  Let us know if you have any questions.

Juli Gorence Fernandez  Cathleen          Dr Yun the surgeon at Kaiser in Los Angeles suggested the biological tissue valve replacement but because the valve is bicuspid I can't have the TAVR procedure so I am pretty bummed.  My symptoms are mild. 

Cathleen Weed  Hi Juli - I"m sorry to hear you can't get TAVR. The good news is that you'll likely qualify next time if you get a tissue valve now. The bioprosthetic bovine valves are amazing. 
I wonder if I know your sister!! 

Rich Butela  I got home from the hospital today after getting a new biological valve.  It was no picnic, but it was not as bad as I had feared.   The pain has been manageable ( less than some gall bladder attacks I had a few years ago.  The good thing is, if you are healthy otherwise, you can prepare for this by getting in as good a shape as your body can tolerate.  It will make your time in the hospital so much easier.  Keep in mind also the the surgeons are incredibly well versed in these surgeries. Everything my Doctor told me would happen, happened exactly how  and when he predicted it would.  This is not the end of the world, just a bump in the road.  If you have specific questions let me know. I'll answer what I can.