The thoughtful caring Zena who has been an absolute Rock and is now a friend
The lovely “Alison” who I now consider a friend who has her op in October
“Rugbymad” who also has his op in October
“Laura” who has flown in from Dubai and had her op yesterday so probably in HDU
Can we please have these people in our thoughts and send them virtual Hugs and Kisses xx
It’s 07.30am on Sunday 16th September 2018 . I’m now 11 days post op and the pain relief has finally arrived ( Oxycodone ) and kicked in im sleeping at night the last 2 nights I’ve managed at least 6 hours each night which has made the world of difference to my demeanour as I’m thinking about other things now other than pain.
I’d remembered prior to my op a number of people had recommended a “V” pillow so on Friday I asked for one and have used it for the last two nights wow it’s made a world of difference to feeling comfortable in bed and has helped in me dropping off if you pre op go out and buy a “V” pillow for when you get home you won’t regret it
I have my blood pressure and my oxygen levels checked every morning by the nurses after breakfast and every morning the results have been really good even the nurses say they are surprised how good the results are such a short time after the op which is a great thing to hear.
Yesterday morning when one of the staff brought me my early morning coffee ( 7am) and drew the curtains it was a glorious day so I decided a walk was definitely happening after breakfast so I put on shorts and trainers instead of jeans now I’m the youngest here by about 10 years but these ladies still have a cheeky side . One of the ladies whose name I won’t mention who is “91” years Young said “Pete were you a professional sportsman as you’ve got lovely muscular calf’s and thighs I need a toyboy are you up for the job ? “ I was gobsmacked and for once I didn’t know what to say so i just told her she couldn’t afford me !!! We all forget that the brain is a wonderful thing and whilst the body wears out we are still 21 in our heads. I’ve met some amazing people here especially a lady called Joan who is 93 self sufficient sharp as a button and talks so much sense it’s unreal I was sat chatting to her for about two hours last night and it was truly fascinating.
Ladies forgive me in advance for this but there is something I need to mention to any men who are reading these posts as I know it’s something they worry about but it gets swept under the carpet. I got my first “erection” yesterday since the op and it was a real weight off my mind it’s not something the doctors tend to talk about but it is such an important thing for a man. So in essence the engine starts it’s just whether I can go through the gears and drive away but that’s for further down the “road” crap pun I know 😂😂
I decided to go for a walk along the sea front managed about 1 mile ( half a mile each way ) it was glorious and a bit of a boost for me it was only a steady pace but I still felt good . Today I’m going to try to just go a little further and my goal the folliw8ng day ( Monday) is to stick to the same distance but quicken up the pace. But we will have to wait and see how today goes first.
Sam my best buddy from St Thomas’s hospital was allowed home yesterday without the need for a pacemaker fitting I was absolutely over the moon for her as she can now concentrate on her own recovery plan and try to get a glimpse of normality again.
If you’ve read all my posts you will know that I had to have an extra CT scan the day before my valve replacement as there was a growth on my Thymus Gland which had been identified by my CT scan of 26th July 2018. The Thynus Gland was removed as part of my operation ( apparently this is normal and part of the procedure ) and the growth was sent to laboratory for tests. It’s been an anxious time as you can imagine. On Friday I received a call from Amanda Bott ( Mr Young’s No 2 ) who told me she’d been given the results of the biopsy and the tests had found that the growth was.............” NON-MALIGNANT Yes NON-MALIGNANT “ wow !!! I can’t express what that means to me I literally cried tears of joy it had been a tough few days the potential outcome always at the back of your mind and now I’d been given the all clear . Another hurdle achieved. I must say writing these posts has been very therapeutic for me and been an outlet to get things out in the open .
All of you lovely people out there that have taken the time to not only bother to read the posts but to take time out of your day to respond and wish me luck I cannot thank you enough so big hugs to you all and whatever stage your currently at I wish you all the best for the future
Enjoy the rest of your weekend my friends and stay positive it’s the only way
Pete xx ❤️❤️
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Ticktock61
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Keep going Pete.... You are an inspiration to us all... I'm fifty with severe aortic stenosis but mainly asymptomatic. Running a Flock of fifteen ewes, 22 lambs and two Rams. They are keeping me fit and keep my faith in the turning of the world... VERY VERY BEST WISHES TO YOU XX
It’s amazing you can look after a flock of sheep with severe stenosis but saying that like you I was asymptomatic and it’s confusing because on the one hand you know your stenosis is severe but on the other hand you can more or less carry on with daily life . Good luck going forward my friend and I hope you get sorted soon
Well. I had an appointment at Cardiology last week... It's severe. They are concerned it's deteriorated but are seeing me in a year. Sooner if needed. I asked about my daily activities.. They know I've got sheep. They've told me to carry on and keep as active as I can. Before all this was found out I'd lost seven stone in weight which I'm keeping off and haven't smoked for over three months and just vape instead which they are delighted with. It would appear that the drop dead rate if you are asymptomatic is rare and I've got more chance of being killed by Keith my seventeen stone Ram. They agreed and said dropping dead is more a factor for older people... So I'm going to keep on keeping on. So glad I've found you on here... Best wishes to you x
I was told by my cardiologist that when it moves from “moderate to severe” to “severe” you enter an 18 month window which is the best time to get it done it’s a better outcome the healthier you are so don’t leave it too long if there are any noticeable changes within the year leading up to your next review then bring the meeting forward and probably insist on a referrral to the potential surgeon and see what they say it’s your body and you need to fight for your rights to get the op done at the best time for your future life not for their costings ❤️
Firstly, thank you so much for your posts - fantastic effort!
Secondly - I am also asymptomatic, & 54, bav with stenosis that is borderline severe. My heart (haha) says carry on until I feel I'm struggling, but my head says that it's best to get it sorted. I'm curious if your 18 month quote is a general rule of thumb or specific to your age, health, fitness etc..?
It was something that my cardiologist said at home and when I went to see my surgeon in London he drew a diagram showing me this 18 month window he said I was about 4 months into it and although it was my choice when to have it done he said the earlier inside the window the better so I suppose I could have left it till sometime in 2019 but I decided I’d dealt with the uncertainty long enough and I felt fit and healthy other than the Stenosis so let’s get it done. I realise that decision will be different for everyone and some will choose to wait as long as they can there is no right and wrong answer but now being on the other side looking back I definitely made the right decision for me 😀😀❤️❤️
I'll bet that walk felt SO good. No need to explain, I remember the feeling when I did my first one, even though it was only to the end of the street and back.
It sounds like you've cleared all the big hurdles. Congratulations. I'm two years post a quadruple bypass. My recovery was much slower than yours. Are you accompanied on your walks? Carol
Another great read Pete, so glad all is going well and continues to do so. It must be great to be able to get out and walk again. Look forward to reading your next post.
Hi Pete lovely to hear from you again. So glad things are going well for you. You deserve a bit of good news. Keep up your walking but remember the golden rule. "Don't push to quickly". I know you know but I just had to say it as you've said to us often enough so time to take your own medicine. And by the way keep your eyes off all those lovely ladies in there lol. Keep well my friend. Shiona
Another fab insightful and inspirational post. Sooooooo pleased about the results of your biopsy. Such a relief for you. It’s brilliant news. Glad your recovery is progressing and just reading the difference between your first post speaking of your anxiety and now being so upbeat it’s like a different person. Such a great support for those people waiting for surgery or indeed for those who don’t yet know if they have to have it. As for the offer from the 91 year old I would have paid money to see that conversation! What a great lady. Brilliant that you were able to give the men intimate details as well. As you say not something that people talk about easily but really important and for some men erectile dysfunction can be the first sign of heart disease.
Great read thank you for sharing and your kind words 😳. May you continue striding forward with your rehab and recovery. Lots of hugs and positive wishes. Zena xx
Hi Pete, I was thinking about you yesterday and wondering how your Biopsy went. Now I know, what good news. It seems as if your doing well, and all things are coming alive again He He!!!! I have my Mother whom I visit and make sure she is Ok every day, She has a wicked sense of humour and still thinks she's 21 years old. As long as the body doesn't let them down they are still living the dream.
Great to hear everything is going so well, just a shame you had to wait so long for decent painkillers. I don’t think I would have survived without the painkillers, in hospital even the morphine didn’t touch the pain!
Really pleased about the results re your thymus, can appreciate your relief as I went through something similar - diagnosed with blood cancer, had enlarged spleen which was removed and then blood count went back to normal and no cancer! They never did find out why my spleen went rogue though.
Glad you got yourself a v-shaped pillow, I got a double bolster which I can move into different supporting positions and I still use it now, but it was a godsend after my AVR.
Keep up the good work and make the most of being looked after.
It’s great to hear you got the same great news as I did after being told you may have cancer. It’s bloody scary and unsettling and your head is all over the place but then when you are told like we were that everything is normal after so many sleepless nights you just want to scream from the rooftops and let everyone know your good news !!!
I will carry on letting them spoil me for another week don’t you worry about 5hat lol 😂😂❤️
Good morning 😀how lovely it is to read your posts .... So positive and so informative for us all. But your fab sense of humour cheers me up immensely. So thank you for that. Wonderful news about your results ! Such a relief for you and great news about Sam . Enjoy your walk today and breathe in that lovely sea air . Sending hugs 💖
So good to hear from you again I’m glad you think my posts are worthwhile as I just don’t want them to become boring. It really has been a journey and I’m sure it will continue to be so
Hi! Glad to hear the growth was non-malignant. Also that you finally have had the right pain relief and a comfortable pillow set up. You will soon be overtaking me as at 12 weeks I have only reached 5,000 steps but then we all start from a different place.
Your still doing fantastic and you should be so proud of yourself
I wish the desserts were rubbish but unfortunately there not !! I have thrown in the odd bowl of fruit salad here and there but I’m definitely having a proper desert after lunch today .
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