LaDonna's Journal

Nancy D  Praying for her that she stays in Normal Sinus from here on out! A-fib is a common post op rhythm from the heart being inflamed and irritated. Hope hers settles down!

Tim Goff  that is great news. the heart does indeed do some odd things during this recovery and flipping back to sinus is a great sign for her.

Susan Bach  Yeah! We all have our bumps, but they all seem to work themselves out. The human body is amazing !

Adam Pick  Thoughts and prayers are with La Donna. Fyi, it is not uncommon for Afib to occur after surgery. Here's a video about that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L73AQaCS3do

Nancy D  She is well on her way through operation day! Keep up the steady progress, celebrate each step along the way...they add up quicker!! ;-)

Mary Myers  Thinking of you Ladonna, Before you know it you will be on the rode to.a life filled with a healthy heart, with many joys!

Nancy D  Praying for a successful surgery, and a complete recovery, and peace for all who care for her! Thank you for the updates

Nancy D  that is good news LaDonna! Yes it is scary and very real about now for you. But making the decisions, gathering support and a great team, you will be surprised at how calm you will be on surgery day. Just take it one task at a time, and once you meet anesthesia the meds take away any anxiety left over......you CAN do this!

Bob M  Great news about the cath. I pray that your surgery will be text book and your recovery will be uneventful. Monday will be a new day for you with a fixed heart. God bless and rise up!

Jim Hernandez  Great news! I just had all my pre-op testing and heart cath today....what a full day! Our stage is set for Next week!

Jennifer Bramlett  Wonderful news for you. You will be fine, just fine. Don't forget that the thoughts of many here and of other family/friends will surround you.

LaDonna Mangile  Thank you all for your post of support. I don't know how I would of survived this wait without all of you sharing your stories! Thank you Adam for this wonderful site!

LaDonna Mangile  I will be having a mechanical valve and I found out yesterday my surgery will be the last one Dr Suri does at Mayo as he is moving to a new hospital base.

Wiliam Height  Surrender and embrace it, one of the greatest moments in my life was the night before surgery. Breathe, you will be perfect.

Jennifer Miller  I'll be thinking of you & sending prayers your way for a successful, complication-free surgery on Monday, LaDonna. I love what William said above about surrendering & embracing it, this day that will change your life for the better. Take care!

John Fichera  I wish you the best LaDonna. I'm in Chicago and Dr Suri was recommended to me. I opted to use a local surgeon but even he said Dr. Suri is excellent surgeon. You are in GREAT hands.

Greg Johnson  Sounds like you are well prepared. You will be fine. I would get a pill minder for the array of medicine you will have the first weeks after surgery

Tammy Pilcher  Hi LaDonna, I wore comfortable button up PJ top and easy to pull up PJ pants home with a front closure bra the hospital provided. I also had a long ride home and had to stop once every hour to walk around a few minutes. A normally 7 hour drive took 8 hours. Prayers and best wishes!

Karen Sievers  Hi LaDonna, good luck with your upcoming surgery. You seem to be well prepared. I had an open in front bra and the hospital provided two surgical bras. After surgery, I really didn't feel like reading or concentrating on anything but everyone is different. For home you may want to get a grabber for things you may want that you cannot reach as you can't reach over your head. I also had a long handled shoe horn to make it easy to get my shoes on. I would place anything you may need after you are home within your reach.
You will do great.
I am almost 6 months out and know it gets better each day. The worst is the waiting for the surgery.
Prayers and good wishes!

Pat Bluemel  Earplugs for you and if someone is sleeping in your room with you and an sleeping eye mask to block out light, also some of your favorite comfort/snack food. Jeans may be uncomfortable especially if you carry water weight home with you, I'd suggest sweat pants or comfy pants for the ride home. If you have a device for music or pod casts they are easier than books. I couldn't concentrate enough to read. Take your own toiletries, they have them at the hospital but take the ones you like. Safe travels!

LaDonna Mangile  Thank you everyone for the posts....I dont have any sweat pants but I think I will buy a pair for the trip home. Have a pill organizer will have to get it out. Did not think of the long handled shoe horn or a grabber...both good suggestions. My husband has a snake catcher...I wonder if it would work. Lol! Thanks again my Heart Valve Friends truly!

Ericka Carlson  I was thinking the same about jeans. Also, what about one of those pillows that sits around your neck in case you get tired and want to doze on the ride home?

Greg Johnson  Yes. I would get one. I basically had five different pillows that I swapped around during the night and day for different positions. Plus one or two will get soaked with sweat during the first weeks. I had one memory foam one neck pillow. One 'my pillow'. Which I really liked. A cubed memory foam pillow from Costco. And a regular heavy old feather pillow that worked great as the heart hugger pillow.

Meredith Bray  I second the neck pillow! The muscles that hold your head up extend nearly 12 inches down your back, and after surgery you're going to need to rest those muscles A LOT! Even though my car ride home was only 45 minutes, I remember wishing I had a neck pillow. The pillow would have been very useful at home for several weeks, as well.

LaDonna Mangile  Yes I'm trying to stay busy....I've been to casinos with friend from StLouis for two days.....and I don't even gamble. Then off to pick up a new weanling Jack down in the mountains of Arkansas yesterday. Watched two of my eight grandkids over Spring break 10 and 14....and since they were horse back riding and I had to worry about them....kept my mind off me! Today house cleaning...Tomorrow last minute shopping and packing. Tues miscellaneous errands and getting my Living Will and medical directives notorized....Wed 10 hour drive to Mayo! Whoa...and panic feelings still makes visits, but much less!

LaDonna Mangile  Mine will be Dr R Suri. He was recommended by my cardiologist. I liked him when I met him very professional and I felt comfortable with him. Not necessarily what he had say....but I knew it was the facts. How was your experience?

David Brunkhorst  As good as can be expected. Surgery on Monday-- on my way back to Sioux City on Friday. A few hiccups in the healing process, but I think every body has a twist to their 'event'. You will be surprised/pleased how professional the Mayo and its people are. After you visit a facility like The Mayo Clinic, you will realize where all the excellent care-givers are working. You'll never want to go anywhere else.

Janine Peterson  Sounds like we are in the same boat. I have surgery scheduled for April 6th. This anxiety is debilitating for sure. I sure hope people are right when they say the waiting is the worst part. Hang in there! I'm right here with you.

Nancy D  LaDonna- I am 6 months post Mitral valve replacement, and for me the testing and decision making was the most nerve wracking. My wait after meeting my surgeon thankfully was short, so I understand where you are coming from. I kept myself as busy as I could-- pre cooking meals and freezing for easy thawing post op, so hubby could have some days off from the kitchen; I packed a week ahead so no last minute packing panic- don't pack too much, you won't need it! And just general working ahead for groceries, bill paying and moved some furniture around to ease my path around the house to get the first few days of inside walking between resting in. I also walked a bit around the neighborhood, but had the ok from the doctors to do some strolling pre-op. I hope your and Janine Peterson and all those waiting find peace and calming during the waiting phase. Take good care!

LaDonna Mangile  Thank you for the suggestions....they are so helpful....I have 30 head of horses, ponies and donkeys...besides my dogs, cats and salt water tanks...so I have been trying to line their care out....with 2 foals coming while I'm hospitalized possibly....sigh! I hope you are recovering with minimal or no set-backs!

Nancy D  you certainly do have enough to keep you occupied for the remaining wait time!!! Goodness! I have recovered well, with the minimal what I call speed bumps along the way. I found out while progress is made every day, it isn't a super highway, but not a parking lot either. ;-) I had the luxury of taking more time than most, as I wasn't working when all this started and I don't have a small herd to care for either- it's just me and my retired husband here! But I am now looking for work and doing well. Stamina is returning slowly, but I am certainly 80-90% and so thankful. Looking forward to counting the time in years instead of months! ;-) Take good care !!

Linda Whitney  LaDonna, we are going to be OK. It will be such a relief to have this in our rear view mirrors instead of on the windshield! I'm keeping us both in my prayers. Here's a mantra worth memorizing "May I be free from suffering and the root of suffering." I'm chanting this for the entire community until they roll me in there!

LaDonna Mangile  So nice to know how well you are doing. Thank you for the insights. I have 4 great kids....and 8 grandchildren....I have a lot to feel better for!

Ronald Gatan  LaDonna - thank you very much for the words of encouragement you gave me last week. My thoughts and prayers to you.