I'm home,(and i've got i lovely new scar)

[phil d]

Hi all,
Just thougth i'd let you know that i made it home from hospital on Tuesday.
I was in hospital for exactly 1 week, and everything went to plan. I recieved an Edwards bovine valve 2900 ( made in the US ) and my new best pal seems to be working just great. I have been put on Warfarin for the first 3 month's and i go for my INR test tomorrow. I feel this wonderful website gave me the knowledge to make the right decisions, the courage to get through the operation and the support and well wishes. I want to thank everyone of you.THANKS.
I'm glad to hear all the other new post op's are doing well and i can't wait to check out the active lifestyle forum, Well, in time :D
Phil

[Ross]

Yeah, you might want to consider slowing down for a while yet. Lifestyles will be there, I promise! :D

Welcome home. So when you woke up did you MOO nice and loud?

Rest, breath, walk, repeat. Oh yeah, eat sometime too!

[Curtsmum]

Glad everything went well for you and you sound like you'th made a great recovery, always nice to hear, take care all the best Paula x

[rbl1999]

So glad that all went well for you... Take it REALLY slow, let your body be the judge!!!! I also have a bovine valve, am post op 10 weeks and am doing really well...Curious as to why you are on coumadin for three months???? Rose

[Georgia]

Congrats on getting out and being on the mend. I figure if you can post, you're really over the mountain! Glad to have you back.

[catwoman]

Yeah, you might want to consider slowing down for a while yet. Lifestyles will be there, I promise! :D

Welcome home. So when you woke up did you MOO nice and loud?

Rest, breath, walk, repeat. Oh yeah, eat sometime too!

Ross:

You know that people with bovine valves don't walk -- they mosey along in herds!!!!!!!!!!

[Karlynn]

Welcome home! As Ross said, your only job for the next few weeks is to walk, sleep, eat and breath. Your body will throw you down and an army of cows who are really ticked off for you treating their donation poorly will stomp all over you if you don't take it easy.

If you find that you are chewing each bite of food for more than 1/2 hour - that's a side-effect from the bovine valve. :D

[Cris N]

Welcome home, Phil. So happy to hear everything's going well. I know you're eager to get beyond the recovery phase, but let it go at its own pace. Concentrate on resting, breathing, eating, & walking for now. You be enjoying the "active lifestyle" soon enough!

Cris

[catwoman]

Phil:
Glad that your surgery went so well and that YOU are pleased with it.
Enjoy your recovery, despite the discomfort and usual limitations. Despite the pain & not being able to do my usual activities, I rather enjoyed the time off, being able to spend 2 weeks with my parents right after leaving the hospital, seeing more of my 2 sisters than usual.
Don't be in toooooo much of a hurry to rush back to "normalcy," whatever/whenever that is. :) There's plenty of time for that.

[Gemma]

Hey Phil,

Welcome home :D. Now do like everybody else says and take it easy for a while - you'll feel the benefit in the long run.

Welcome home! As Ross said, your only job for the next few weeks is to walk, sleep, eat and breath. Your body will throw you down and an army of cows who are really ticked off for you treating their donation poorly will stomp all over you if you don't take it easy.



LOL!! Made me think of a TV advert we've got over here for a particular dairy's milk - "So good the cows want it back" - Phil, have you seen it? Sure you will if the resting part of your recovery plan involves being near a TV. The cows will be after you if you don't treat your valve nicely :D .

Gemma.

[Lanky Lad]

So glad everything has gone ok for you Phil.....just take things a day at a time and the light at the end of the tunnel will get nearer evry day.Like everyone else has said..take it easy,breathe,rest and walk....and listen to your body........good luck m8.....:)

[George]

Congrats, Phil! Well done. My new bovine valve has become my new best buddy as well. Be patient, follow doctor's advice, & you'll be on top of your game in due time.

[Mary]

To Phil,
From one bovine valve recepient to another

[Jan]

Hi Phil

Glad too hear that all is going well, but as others have advised " Take It Easy"

Where did you have your surgery ? and were are you located in the Uk

Keep smiling

Jan ( Liverpool England )

[samiam]

Greetings!

When you are in a bad mood, you can always say your valve came from a bull. When you are in good spirits, it must have come from a cow! My wife whispers "bull" when I say something nasty. That's our secret message for me to cool it.

Good Luck!

[phil d]

Hey all,
Thanks for your post's of support, they are greatly appreciated.
I must have (herd) he he... every cow joke going this last week.
Lanky lad, i'm so pleased that you've got over your bout of A-Fib and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that its the last you've seen of it.
George. I'm glad to hear your home and on the mend. I was due to have my op the day before you until mine was postponed for 2 weeks. Jan i had my surgery in Coventry. All the staff, the nurses and the surgical team were fantastic, very professional and caring.
Rose, My surgeon said he put in a few extra sutures because i have a physically demanding job, and so he has put me on coumadin for 3 month's until it heals.
I went to see the anti-coag nurse yesterday and my INR was spot on target at 2.5. The nurse recommended i should take my 6 mg of coumadin at 6 pm after food. She said that if i forget to take it by 8 pm i should skip the dose until 6 pm the next night. Does that seem right??
Anyway, i don't think its going to be a problem taking the coumadin, so i guess i've got nothing to worry about having a mech when i put the old mooer out to pasture.
Phil

[afraidofsurgery]

Phil,
Glad to hear you've made it through surgery and are on the mend at home. I woke up from my surgery really happy with my new valve, too, and still feel that way! I just had my return visit with my docs (surgeon and cardio), and was cleared by the cardio to start getting back to my usual activity level - well, at least I can start walking 20-30 minutes and riding the exercise bike. I'm SO thrilled!

Congrats on your surgery and hope you have a smooth and steady recovery. I agree with the other folks on taking it easy for a while, that was hard for me to do but now I'm glad I did.

Patty A.

[Ross]

She said that if i forget to take it by 8 pm i should skip the dose until 6 pm the next night. Does that seem right??
Phil
No Phil that is not right. Coumadin is a very slow acting drug. It takes 3 days for a dose to show in a blood test so do you really think 2 hours late is going to make a difference? Nope. I've taken mine up to 8 hours late. Don't go out of your way to be late, just take it when you should. ;)

[phil d]

Thanks Ross, i did'nt think that sounded right. I thought it did'nt sound right when she told me to change the time i take the coumadin from 10 pm to 6 pm ( 4 hours earlier). Yet if i am 2 hours late to skip it.
Wierd :confused:

[Ross]

Be very leary of her. Does not sound like she knows how it works. If you have questions that dont' sound right, ask in the Coumadin forum. This person is certainly not the first.

[Granbonny]

Pick a good hour of the day for you...I choose 5 P.M..In the house, ready to start dinner, ect.. Mostly on time..but, tonight, came in house 1 hour later.. sometimes 2-3 hours late..but, always remember to take it before I do anything..Also, I take it before dinner..so, don't know why she said take it after food.. Coumadin does NOT upset your stomach..like an antibody..which you need to take with food..... Do you have the weekly pill box?.. I have a month pill box..Leave it where you can see it..Most people live in their kitchens.. :D I have mine on a hutch that I pass by many times a day..Cannot help but see it laying there..Also, do you do any over the night stays..If so, just say, before I pack..pack my coumadin first..Bonnie

[Gemma]

Ross, you'd be amazed (well, probably not!) at some of the things I found a couple of weeks back when I did a UK-specific search for warfarin (when we had that query over different strengths and colours) ... can't find the really outrageous one now of course :rolleyes:

Jim takes his at 8pm(ish) or as near after that as he remembers - the main reason they tell you to take it at 6pm is in case they need to contact you during the day to change your dosage - really don't see why it should matter what time in the evening you choose to take it, as long as you're consistent. Maybe it's just easier for older patients who are in hospitals or nursing homes to all take it at the same time when the medicine trolley rolls round.

Re: a weekly pill box as Bonnie suggested, you can get one from Boots for a few quid but I'm not sure if it's really worth it if you're only on warfarin for a few months, unless you're taking anything else longer term.

Other than that, sounds like everything's going well. Keep up the good work and take it easy - walk, breathe, nap and repeat!

Gemma.

[TomS]

Congratulations on making it home! Now all you need to do is to relax and mend.
On the coumadin question I take it before going to sleep (the doctor's perscription to do so is on my bottle), and skipping it if you miss a two hour window is not the better option. From what I've read (and being new to this I've read alot), only skip it if the your next dosage is closer in time to the one that you missed (<12 hours), and don't ever take more to make up for a missed dosage.
Best of luck,
Tom