About noon today I will be having some mild surgery. It seems the incision (a new seam I didn’t have previously) from my heart surgery over a year ago needs some repair. A hernia has appears at the bottom of the incision just below my sternum. I have no pain with it but it is getting larger. So, about noon today they will knock me out, add another scar to my chest, and charge me for doing it, all while I’m asleep. It will be outpatient but anesthesia will be used so I may have some shallow depth of field and blurry vision for a few hours. Sort of like the image above. I will be back on line as soon as possible.
Today they will pop the hood and do the valve job. At pre-op last week I learned that this morning I will have a tube down my nose, a tube down my throat, and a catheter inserted. Sounds like fun, huh!
Today I am grateful for life, what I’ve accomplished and all I still dream of accomplishing, my family and friends, and each new lease on life. Hopefully this surgery with offer me another lease. If so, then I believe my task will be to use the coming years to the fullest, whatever that may be.
The new aortic valve will look different than the one pictured above and definitely be much smaller. The valves are usually made of pig or cow, somehow. The doctors have chosen to use one made from a cow which has an expected lifetime of 15-20 years, about 5 more than a pig.
I have really not had much worry but every once in awhile a feeling of fear arises then subsides. The surgery does not bother me as much as the recovery. Probably not going to be posting much for a while but will get back on line as soon as I’m able. Thanks for being a part of my life!
“There is in all visible things… a hidden wholeness.”
In 2013 we discovered I have a leaky aortic valve in my heart, known as Aortic Regurgitation. An EKG and treadmill test were done at that time and a status of moderate leakage was the diagnosis. I was told this is not uncommon but we need to watch it closely. This past May during my physical my family physician and I agreed it was time to have a cardiologist run some tests and get their evaluation. After several tests it has been determined the leakage has continued to deteriorate and the left chamber of my heart has begun to enlarge. I now have a better understanding for my lack of energy and motivation over the past 4-5 years. So, the cardiologists, surgeons and my family doctor consider me to be a good candidate for Aortic Valve Replacement surgery.
Here’s an update on the surgery I had back on June 27th. The surgery went well, no problems. I now have 80% less of my prostate. On the post operative side though, I was not expecting the amount of pain from the surgery. Needless to say Monday and Tuesday were not comfortable times for me. Lots of discomfort from the CO2 pumped into my body during surgery. Then on Tuesday evening I began running a fever. For the next 24 hours doctors and nurses pumped me with antibiotics and probed and poked to find out what was happening. On Wednesday night I broke the fever and was quickly on the recovery side again. They discharged me late Thursday evening and I was a happy to be back home. Experiences like this remind us of what sleeping in your own bed is like.
It seems like naps are an everyday agenda until I regain my strength. I’m taking short walks each day and doing all I can around the house. I haven’t done much with the camera but have decided to start hanging it around my neck. As I do so there is some form of healing taking place with I compose and press the shutter button.
The catheter finally came out on July 5th. such a relief to have that gone. I had been wearing one since June 5th, four weeks. If anyone’s ever had to wear one then you know what I’m talking about. At this stage I’m trying to listen to my body and all that is its telling me. It has not functioned as designed for many years and will have to readjust.
My sister, Sheree, was a God send. Not sure I will ever be able to thank her. She took me in for surgery then took me home. She arrived early each morning and went home around 9:00 or 9:30 each evening. Even after bringing me home she filled prescriptions for me and picked up a few groceries. I’m grateful for all she did and all she is!
A friend of mine had these balloons waiting for me in my room and just loved the bandaged whale. One is for the recovery and the other was because the surgery was on my birthday. Not how I wanted to spend my birthday but it could be one of the best gifts for me. Thanks for any prayers and thoughts sent my way!
I have seen a few doctors offices over the past few months. Hopefully today’s surgery will reduce if not eliminate them. Anyway, I’ll probably be offline for a few days…
I have been absent from the internet for over a week as I finish working on some health issues. I’ve struggled with BPH for 20 years and things are now coming to a head. Spent an evening in ER last weekend and am now walking around with a catheter until RALSP surgery which I will have in two weeks from today. Hopefully this will improve the quality of my life.
Same feathers the next morning
Life is always changing and I think these two images present nature creating new art each second. It never ends!
