Dee
October 22nd, 2004, 01:53 PM
Hi everybody, (sorry this is a little long)
I can't hardly believe it, but it was one year ago today that they found the tumor attached to my mitral valve and transported me 90 miles away to have open heart surgery. The day before was just a normal day for me and that was the last thing I would have ever thought, was that something was wrong with my heart!!!!
This anniversary brings many thoughts and emotions. The last year was very difficult for our family to say the least!! 39 years old and what I thought to be pretty healthy, and out of the blue I'm told that I to have OHS!! What a shock. :eek: The surgery went well, the one bummer was they were hoping to save my valve but were unable to, so I had a St. Judes mechanical put in. Recovery in the hospital went well, was released in 4 days post op. Got word while we were making our 90 mile trek back home that my dad (64 y/o) was on his way to Denver to have some tests run....he hadn't been feeling well for a couple of months and they couldn't figure it out. Little did we know at that time, that was the start of a 4 month hospital stay for him. :(
One and half weeks post op I developed pneumonia and was back in the hospital for 3 days. My husband would come visit me every morning and the morning that he came in my room with a gloom look on his face and closed the door behind him, I knew it had to be about my dad. He had been diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer, Gillian Barre and West Nile. He fought a long hard battle, was told that he wasn't likely to make it a couple of times and then because the Gillian Barre parralyzed him, he was told if he did make it, he would never walk again. It was extrememly hard for me, because I was not able to see my dad until about 6-7 weeks post op. The Dr.'s didn't want me driving over the high mountain passes to get to Denver. Once they released me to go, we would try to go over every couple of weeks or so, the trip was pretty hard on me at the time. We spent Christmas Day with him in the hospital. The end of Feb. he was finally released after tons of rehabilitation and chemo. He came home in a wheel chair and was skin and bones. He wasn't able to move himself from his wheel chair to another chair on his own. He was a very determined man and was going to prove those Dr's wrong........AND HE DID!!!! He is now walking on his own (can hardly tell anything ever happened to him) and the cancer is in remition!! Whooohooooo!!!! :D :D
Having teenagers is in itself a little stressful. Several trips to the ER for my daughter and sinus surgery as well. Another 3 day stay in the hospital for me for an infection and many tests over the last year for various other things. But, there have been many angels looking out for us and we're blessed!! The VR family has been an important part of my recovery but lately I've been so busy that I've been neglecting my VR family. I've been suffering from anxiety and just feeling overwhelmed with life. I need to get back to this family that has been there and understands, because I tell you, no one understands like you guys do!! I tell my friends what I'm going through and they just look at me funny like I must be crazy and then that makes me feel all the more crazy!! The saying that, "you just can't relate unless you've been there" is so so true and I've found that out a lot lately!! So, I hope you'll forgive me for 'flaking' out on you guys for a while, I'm really working at getting my life back as I once knew it and I think the one year anniversary of my OHS is the best time to do it!!! :)
I'm looking forward to celebrating Mon. the 25th, when I was given a second chance on life!!! :D Thank you guys for always being there!!! ;)
I can't hardly believe it, but it was one year ago today that they found the tumor attached to my mitral valve and transported me 90 miles away to have open heart surgery. The day before was just a normal day for me and that was the last thing I would have ever thought, was that something was wrong with my heart!!!!
This anniversary brings many thoughts and emotions. The last year was very difficult for our family to say the least!! 39 years old and what I thought to be pretty healthy, and out of the blue I'm told that I to have OHS!! What a shock. :eek: The surgery went well, the one bummer was they were hoping to save my valve but were unable to, so I had a St. Judes mechanical put in. Recovery in the hospital went well, was released in 4 days post op. Got word while we were making our 90 mile trek back home that my dad (64 y/o) was on his way to Denver to have some tests run....he hadn't been feeling well for a couple of months and they couldn't figure it out. Little did we know at that time, that was the start of a 4 month hospital stay for him. :(
One and half weeks post op I developed pneumonia and was back in the hospital for 3 days. My husband would come visit me every morning and the morning that he came in my room with a gloom look on his face and closed the door behind him, I knew it had to be about my dad. He had been diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer, Gillian Barre and West Nile. He fought a long hard battle, was told that he wasn't likely to make it a couple of times and then because the Gillian Barre parralyzed him, he was told if he did make it, he would never walk again. It was extrememly hard for me, because I was not able to see my dad until about 6-7 weeks post op. The Dr.'s didn't want me driving over the high mountain passes to get to Denver. Once they released me to go, we would try to go over every couple of weeks or so, the trip was pretty hard on me at the time. We spent Christmas Day with him in the hospital. The end of Feb. he was finally released after tons of rehabilitation and chemo. He came home in a wheel chair and was skin and bones. He wasn't able to move himself from his wheel chair to another chair on his own. He was a very determined man and was going to prove those Dr's wrong........AND HE DID!!!! He is now walking on his own (can hardly tell anything ever happened to him) and the cancer is in remition!! Whooohooooo!!!! :D :D
Having teenagers is in itself a little stressful. Several trips to the ER for my daughter and sinus surgery as well. Another 3 day stay in the hospital for me for an infection and many tests over the last year for various other things. But, there have been many angels looking out for us and we're blessed!! The VR family has been an important part of my recovery but lately I've been so busy that I've been neglecting my VR family. I've been suffering from anxiety and just feeling overwhelmed with life. I need to get back to this family that has been there and understands, because I tell you, no one understands like you guys do!! I tell my friends what I'm going through and they just look at me funny like I must be crazy and then that makes me feel all the more crazy!! The saying that, "you just can't relate unless you've been there" is so so true and I've found that out a lot lately!! So, I hope you'll forgive me for 'flaking' out on you guys for a while, I'm really working at getting my life back as I once knew it and I think the one year anniversary of my OHS is the best time to do it!!! :)
I'm looking forward to celebrating Mon. the 25th, when I was given a second chance on life!!! :D Thank you guys for always being there!!! ;)