Heart Surgery Journal

[Buzz Lanning]

ValveReplacement.com members,

Enclosed is a journal that documents my last four years living with aortic valve disease (in a Word document). The journal is divided into several sections: (1) initial diagnosis, (2) monitoring phase, (3) pre-surgery phase, (4) surgery & initial recovery, and (5) continued recovery at home.

I'm hopeful this will provide useful information for those of you currently anticipating surgery. This journal may also be helpful to individuals in the post-surgery recovery process.

Wishing everyone the best & Happy Holidays!

[bvdr]

Buzz,

That is a wonderful journal and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I'm sure it will be very helpful to many people. I am glad you are doing so very well and thanks for posting it.

[Mary]

Thanks Buzz, for posting it.
It certainly does help.
Mary

[Rain]

I can't believe it took you so long to get thirsty?! :eek: I woke up thirsty... but I was very aware of all that was going on as soon as I woke up. I kept a diary too... but not as in depth as yours. I put personal stuff that was going on at the time in mine as well as the medical stuff. I haven't had the desire to go back and relive it all yet.... sooooooo many things happened in my life during that time frame. Whew!

What do they say... when it Rains it Pours?! :p Or after heart surgery would that be.... POORS. :D :p

[Mary]

Buzz,
I forgot to mention that your mile swimming time is really good.

[Buzz Lanning]

Hi Mary,

I really appreciate the swimming time compliment. I swam 1 year in high school, then quit. I started again about 13 years ago (averaging about 100 miles per year).

I noticed you're a swimmer in your public profile. Do you still swim? Anyway, wishing you the best & Happy Holidays! BUZZ

[Buzz Lanning]

Betty, Rain & Mary,

I'm glad my heart journal was helpful. Looking back, the whole heart surgery process is a "major event" in one's life. Although I could do this again if necessary, along with everyone else on this website, once is more than enough!

Rain;
For me, waking-up after heart surgery was like a dream; I KNOW I was more aware of my surroundings, etc. at the time (just like a dream), but today, I hardly remember anything.

I got my Christmas present on July 6th! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

[RunMartin]

Hi Buzz,
I have just read your heart journal and have found it very helpful. I am a runner and swimmer and I am due to see my cardio for a six month check up this Wednesday. When I joined this forum a year ago you were one of the first people to reply to my initial post. My left ventricle is enlarged (6.5cm six months ago), and I am asymptomatic and I swim and/or run every day. The last few days I have been getting a little apprehensiveabout my visit to the cardio. After reading your journal and the many posts from other people, I have managed to get a better prospective again on my condition and what it entails. I get great encouragement from the fact that you did not seem to panic. Being asymptomatic at the moment, my head says "why should you need this when you feel fine!". I have to put my trust in the doctors to decide when the time is right for surgery (if ever).

I too was impressed with your swim. Did you have any discomfort from the sternum when swimming for the first time, as it was at a similar pace to the swim you did before surgery?


Thanks to everyone

Martin

[PapaHappyStar]

Hi Buzz,

Thank you for posting your journal. Its excellent.

I feel many of the things you describe post-op and it is great to have a reference.

Thanks,
Burair.

[Buzz Lanning]

Martin,

I had no chest / sternum / muscle discomfort during my first swim after surgery. I wanted to swim sooner, but my surgeon recommended waiting about 5 months.

[Marguerite53]

Thanks, Buzz.

That was quite interesting reading and will allow me to share with others in a succinct way, many of the things I've been learning here. I really appreciate your sharing it with us. Hope others in the "waiting room" will find it to be helpful, too.

I go to the cardiologist tomorrow, just for a visit. I'm headed in with new questions and reading this has helped me focus on some necessary things.

:) Marguerite

[ar bee]

journal

* have also written a more personal version (understand that you do NOT want to publish that here...)?

* interesting that the ventricle-, etc measurements vary so much over time. Mine show a slow but steady growth. No such up and downs like yours. Even with the ace inhibitors ventricel size and EF didnt go down, they only stabilised

* considering that you were in very good shape pre-surgery, is your recovery time considered 'standard' in terms of duration?

well2u
ar bee

[Buzz Lanning]

Ar Bee,

No, I didn't write a more personal version of my journal, although I definitely have positive & negative experiences about the whole process. With regard to the left ventricle measurements, after the initial decrease in size, the left ventricle slowly increased in a very linear fashion (see enclosed plot). Finally, it's hard for me to judge recovery time; everyone is different. I probably recovered within the "normal range".

Hope this answers your questions.