Those 1st 2 where 6wks apart and I do remember I felt better after the 1st one than I did the 2nd one energy wise but Jeepers this 3rd one I feel like is kicking my arsh!
I remember after the 2nd one I had a lot less sternum discomfort (where they cut and spread the chest open to access the heart directly) but felt a lot better energy wise. After the 2nd one I had less energy but also less sternum pain (I may have been slightly more gentle to myself after the 2nd one) and I remember thinking 'well this **** sucks, the valve was failing and failing badly and I had what they felt and treated as endocarditis (infection of the heart) but I still felt more energy after the 1st one then I did the 2nd one.
Fast fwd 2.5yrs to now, I had a lot of symptoms going in to this 3rd OHS and knew it needed to be done, that it was even more high risk, extra precautions or changes where being taken by my Anesthesia dr but I was kind of finally ready to just do it (as ready as anyone ever is). I didn't feel great often but at the same time now once past the initial 2wks I feel quite like a bulldozer ran over my energy center and steamrolled it, burying any little sign of energy in the dirt.
Ahh those 1st 2 wks where AMAZING, I said multiple times to multiple people after the surgery I felt like I was "High on happy" b/c I felt so good... even despite my foot I had little complain feeling wise.. i'll gladly take some of that back now... Just saying! =)
If I had to say why I feel so tired perhaps it is just the recovery, maybe I just will be more tired for a while this time. I'm not really on any meds now that made me overly feel bad before. The only new one is the Lisinopril (ace inhibitor) and that is a low dose, the other meds that where re-added last wk (Ivabradine) or doses increased (Lasix) don't really make me tired or side effects.
Perhaps some of it is heart rate is still running high 90's to 120/130s which my Cardiologist feels isn't a good thing and is giving the heart and new valve less time to properly get good oxygen and in turn they feel is the cause of the mild/moderate stenosis (narrowing) in the new mechanical mitral valve. Dr.E seemed to feel (and I trust him, he knows what he's talking about) that if we can get heart rate down to a better, lower beat (ideally they prefer under 80s if I remember right) this will give the heart muscle more time to get better oxygen and that better oxygen time to get to the new valve and overall heart/heart function. We'll get there, lol, in my bodies good ole' time (ticks to it's own time).. I see them in clinic next wk for f/up and though not ideal from my perspective they had mentioned last wk of re-adding the Digoxin which works directly to help heart muscle function. I guess even though yet another med would stink it wasn't the worst I've taken either.
Otherwise the cough seems to be improving ever slightly, it's pretty well always been throughout the day but gets worse as the day goes on, i'd imagine, perhaps bc the VPL Shunt drains more as the day goes on adding to the fluid pocket from heart stuff in pleural space? Not entirely sure. But anyways that seems to be getting a little bit better and just the worst part is towards this time of day, very worst is later on around 7-whenever I go to bed which the past few weeks is often by 7:30 or 8, 9 often at the latest anyways. It definitely irritates the sternum area (the cough) but thankfully otherwise pain is still almost none besides from secondary cough.
I do miss having atleast a bit more energy to be up later though! I am a night owl so I hope this comes back sooonnnnnnn! =)
Otherwise the headaches con't on, I should make an Appt with Dr.Bragg but keep waiting, trying to see if the 2nd fluid pocket in the R lung (which is where the VPL Shunt drains to) improves or goes away will the headaches improve? I also am supposed to go to the WORLD Mtng in San Diego in 2wks so am hoping I feel a little better, the headaches get a little better or at the very least no worse and I get a little energy back! I am traveling to SD for the Foundation I work for and flying out of Madison, my seats are very nice and the mtng is always a good one!
I guess the only other thing is last wk at the Cardiology Appt, INR was very close to being in-range but not quite (2.43 I want to say, range is 2.5-3.5) so my Team adjusted my dose a bit. I in turn wrote it down on a app I keep on the home screen of my phone... As it turns out from reading the Cardiology note today though I completely messed up the dose - apparently I need to write down the dose and then read it back to them! I know to they even write it down on the printout they give w any new instructions, f/up, etc so I admittedly don't know when I erred in this. I'll recheck on Monday and hopefully what I've been doing (6,gs 4days, 8mgs 3days) will have put me in-range but I honestly don't know! Oops!?!
I have botox injections later this wk, is with a different Neurologist at Dean, my other dr left, actually she went to UW which is where my PMR doc before works out of ironically. I am hopeful this new doc is good!
Will try to update after next wks Cardiology Appt. If you wouldn't mind, please say a prayer for a little energy to come back my way! =) I am of course praying about the rest,
Thanks for stopping by,
Erica
No comments:
Post a Comment