Aftermath: Thank God for Insurance....

Thank God for healing, and for insurance! I got a totalled bill from Mayo Clinic today - not just the $60,000-some surgery/6 day stay, but also additional charges that were tallied in the hospital and from my 12/28/07 'second opinion' exam. Cost: $86,000.00-some-odd dollars. Only $1,600 something pending with the insurance company, "my bill due" thus far: $30. We all need that kind of insurance, man.
I went to an all-art staff meeting today; my colleagues were wonderful. One brought a lounge chair so that I could "rest" during the meeting! I have gone from a beginning attitude of "I just want to crawl off somewhere and do this without having a lot of attention called to myself" to "wow these people take such great care of me and it's OK!". Blessings, all....
Pondering a Valentine's Day card to serve as my usual Christmas greeting, which was missed in the rush of all of this....watch for it soon!

The End and the Beginning

It's February 1 - Wear Red for Heart Day, and one month since my aortic valve replacement surgery! One month ago today I ate orange jello, had a glass of New Year's Champagne (the one I couldn't have when I work up from surgery on New Year's Eve), and walked down the hall from the ICU to the cardiac step-down room that was my home for the next 5 days.
Today, I'm showered, dressed, and ready to go outside and DRIVE (my first driving day!) and run a few errands. My incision is healed well on the top, with just about an inch and a half of scab left on the lower portion. The "X"s from the tubes have healed over. My chest is still sore, also my right arm (especially if I try to get my arms up over my head), but time and more inner healing will take care of that. I can hear my valve ticking from time to time, sharply if I take in a very deep breath and hold it; that heart is strong. Xena is still fascinated with the ticking and perches on my chest to purr each night.
I go to sleep sitting up, but end up sliding down to reclining by morning. On my side is still uncomfortable
I've been working at my curriculum job; hours on the computer and phone (probably not great for the arm!), but can officially go back to my CLASSROOM on February 11.
Alpha and Omega. Beginning and End. No more do I have to go to every-three-month echocardiograms, and have the cardiologist ask me, worriedly, "Are you SURE you're feeling OK?" No more do I have to wonder if I'll be able to make an upcoming event, because I might have to go have the surgery. No more do I listen to my heart thud and swoosh at night, and wonder "when"? End of the old valve; beginning of the new. Now my heart ticks crisply. It actually works better, I am told, than many hearts my age with their original parts! When I can hear it I am amazed and thankful at being here, being alive. What a gift, to be aware of one's life! It's the beginning of a whole new era for me; one of not having to worry about an always-impending surgery, of feeling always like a miracle. It's a new era of gratefulness, appreciation and hope.
I'll end my heart surgery blog here - at the beginning of my new life. Thank you for your support, your prayers, your interest and for following along with me. I'll post a few photos yet, and then move on. My heart (!) goes out to you all, and God bless you!

Dancing and Dining / Having Hope and Having Heart

I found myself on the dance floor Saturday night, boogying away to the Stones and having a great time, thinking "I am dancing!! I'm dancing with my new heart valve! This is awesome!" I was tempted to grab the microphone and tell the world: "This is my first time dancing with my new valve!!" but I refrained....nonetheless, it was splendid. The experience fit in well with the hope and excitement generated from the hundreds of progressive citizens at the Blue State Ball, as we celebrated our political representatives and candidates and reveled in the optimism of the upcoming election ("January, 2009: The End of an Error!") Not to mention seeing Lola Perpich on her birthday, hearing Amy Klobuchar, our freshman senator, and other Minnesota DFL congressional workers. All that and DANCING WITH MY NEW VALVE! and HAVING A GLASS OF WINE! Wow!
On the ride home (still in the backseat until Feb 1, when I can drive), an incredible large orange moon rose up in the sky. I quite literally cried in gratitude. What a night! How great to be alive!
This afternoon, Pat and I went up to the New Scenic Cafe. I really wanted to get out on a sunny day that was actually WARM and have a fabulous dinner...Scott Graden's food just can't be beat. We sat in the sunny, art-filled room, overlooking a very non-frozen Lake Superior, enjoying amazing artichoke dip, I with fresh greens with balsamic and grilled, pistachio-crusted goat cheese, and Pat with a chocolate-mole' draped pork tenderloin...wow. Somehow, neither one of us calculated that it was the beginning of the annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, which we figured out as we tried to get home -- every conceivable route was blocked! We finally cut up the Lester River Road, out in the country, through throngs of people waiting to cheer on the mushers in temperate January air at the first checkpoint. We avoided most of the crowds, but did get stopped as one group of mushers crossed over the highway...it was great to see them! Huffing, happy dogs, harnesses jangling in the sunlight, loping along - all I could think was "these dogs have heart" -- to run a 400 mile marathon in January! "Having heart" - phrases like that now get pulled away from my usual speech and refiled and analyzed in my brain...what does it mean, really, to "have heart"?
Sisu, the Finns would say - stick-to-it-tivity, the ability to overcome all odds to succeed - isn't that having heart? Chutzpah, maybe.
Having heart.
What a blessing.
Wow.

New Parts and All

Well, life A.V. (After Valve) appears to be normalizing and going well. I am home-checking my INR (the number on a blood test that determins if I have sufficient anti-coagulant in my bloodstream to keep any clots from forming on the valve), and that is going well so far. Still have a little cough. There's a sore spot in my lower back from coughing....the doc says it's just muscle strain from the cough. I am going to sleep sitting up, but waking up slid-down in the bed. Still not really comfortable to sleep laying down or on my side.
People have been wonderfully, amazingly generous with rides, time, checking in, etc. I keep thinking of the "village" concept - the care of so many others who have thought, prayed, helped, checked in through all of this. It makes me feel incredibly loved; after something that I really didn't want to "bother" people with.
It's hard to not think of all of this in the moments that I hear that little ticking sound....
I should be good for another 500,000 miles....

Three Weeks with a New Valve! and ticking!

Well, it's been three weeks (yesterday) since my valve replacement surgery!
The incision is nearly healed. The whole top part is sealed over; there's still some scabby stuff on the lower few inches. It's a bit itchy, which tells me it is healing well. I hope the two 'X's where the drainage tubes were stay - it's kind of cool to have "X's"
I still have a little deep barky cough. The Rehab lady said there's a little bit of liquid in my left lung, and to keep using Voldemort for breathing exercises. It does get better every day. I kind of have two layers of breath; a normal one, and a 'deep' one for yawning and coughing which goes down into a bigger range. I am scared to death to sneeze! and have surpressed a sneeze more than once..one of these days it's going to catch me, though!
Xena really seems to love my 'ticking'. She will lay as close to my chest as she can and just purr. Pat wonders if she thinks I am purring? I can't usually hear the tick, but sometimes I am aware of it. It's not unpleasant at all - I was worried at first that it would drive me crazy, like an Edgar Allen Poe story... But its really just a little pleasant click.
My skin looks oddly good...wondering if the improved blood flow is making an impact?
Trying to get out at least once a day....
Will keep you posted!

Itemized Statement of Charges

OK...did you log in your best guess for the bill? Go down a couple of posts before you look at this:

Now, there may be other bills that I don't have yet, but the 9-pager that arrived this week, a mere three days after I left the hospital, was a grand total of (drumroll please....) $60,998.79!!
(I paid $49,500 for our house in 1993....)

A few of the interesting itemizations:
Night in the ICU - $2,935
Actual valve replacement - $19,450
The valve itself - St. Jude's Regent Flex 21m $6,525
Arterial blood gas - $980
Respiratory service resuscitation bag $35
A whole variety of different types of sutures: silk, vicryl, prolene, "ethibond", etc, from $2 to $25
Intermediate care room - $1975 per night
2 D/M/ Mode Echo Extensive $930
and
tons of drips, drugs...etc....

So who's our winning guesser??

Cardiac Rehab - Not Just for Old Men....

Today was the first day of Cardiac Rehab. A nice 30-something named Jody (former student of Barb Steen's) walked me through heart healing and function, discussing everything from pressure gradients to circulation to exercise physiology to the effect of salt on getting liquids out of the body. Then - we were off! The bike felt stiff, but great. Jody cut me off at 10 minutes. I got to use a sort of 'reclining Stairmaster' for another 10.
He was pretty surprised that I had not had symptoms from the damaged valve; and attributed it to my general cardiac health. My angiogram was "great".
The coughing/choking will continue for a bit, and apparently Voldemort will be my 'best bud' for awhile....
More rehab next week, plus meetings with the exercise physiologist, nutritionist, and relaxation specialist...mmmm, now that sounds pretty good.
I was a little worried about what was behind the big CARDIAC REHAB door, envisioning a bunch of older men (you know, the ones you see in the Viagra commercials) huffing away with monitors attached. I guess I should not have been surprised to see a variety of ages of men and women, even some younger than myself.
Just another reminder that heart patients come in all shapes, sizes and ages...
Jody cautioned me again on lifting/pulling and the healing of my sternum. He said there are probably 4 wires holding it all together...no wonder I'm so creaky!!

The Coughing Flasher

Coughing, coughing, coughing....there's still some fluid to get out of my lungs, so it's totally expected. Dr. Langager looked and listed Monday; all sounds well. I continue to use Voldemort to suck air in and help with evaporating what I can't cough away.
In the meantime, I've become an 'bbject d'interest'. People are FASCINATED by my new valve. They want to hear it. They want to see the incision. Don't tell Mom, but I've never been such a flasher before - I will pretty much lift up my shirt for anyone. Pretty much anyone who asks will be invited to lay their ear on my shirt and hear my 'ticking'. It's kind of a community thing, I guess.
Folks are very interested, very solicitatious, and intrigued.
S'ok!

Kitty Whiskers and Husband Whispers - Home At Last

I am sitting in front of MY messy desk with MY old Emac with MY husband rubbing my creaking back and MY kitties sitting, one on either side, soaking up this togetherness!
It was sooo great to stay with Mom, and I will miss her - though we see each other frequently it isn't usually for multiple nights. I need to get some more healing underway and go home to help her out with some of her challenges. We went to Barnes and Noble today; she esconsed with coffee and egg strata, and I with a Diet Coke and Anthony Bourdain's newest book, No Reservations....
Mamer spent the night with her brother and his family in Plymouth - today she and her sister in law went to see the amazing Frida Kahlo exhibit, while Mom and I hung out a bit. Later, Amy picked me up, and 6-month-old Rowan and I rode like the two little kids in the backseat (he DID get the carseat, however!) Rowan was perplexed by me at first, then, after he realized I wasn't going to do anything interesting, he went to sleep.
We unloaded at home, with Pat still rushing to clear space in the house from the furnace installation that disrupted my absence. Within minutes, I had Sophie on my lap; then Xena. I lost it when I saw those cats -- cried like Rowan after a 3 hour car ride!!
So, I'm home! Mobility-impaired -- no riding in the front seat, or driving, with a broken sternum. If anyone can get me to/from Cardiac Rehab (830 AM Appt Thursday) I'd love it! Not up for much company yet, just barely in the door and hardly dashing up and down the steps yet....
Thank God!!

Incision Photo - NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!!!

Coughing, Coughing, Coughing....

greetings! It's Saturday, one full week since I left the hospital. I am still moving fairly slowly, someone cowed over to the front. I have been 'out' each day, though briefly. I can sleep, albeit sitting up. Coughing is the beastly thing right now. People want to talk, and I can listen; but I can't talk back - I end up choking and coughing like crazy. More work to do to get those lungs cleared out.
I used to use an occasional inhaler for exercise-induced asthma; thought that might help right now but mine expired in 2004. Called up Mayo today and spoke with Dr. Basar; he called in some albuterol to Walgreens. So I'll try that tonight and see if that eases up on the choking a bit.
Amy, bless her, is coming to the Cities tonight with Rowan, planning to go adnd thee the Frida Kahlo exhibit. I am able to hitch a ride home with the two of them (wonder who gets to sit in the baby seat??).
I WILL run out of Oxycodone by tomorroww.....white knuckling it by tomorrow night?

Slow Moving....

It's pretty comical. My 87-year-old mother is hosting me at her home and taking care of me post-surgery (after all, she's retired, has time, and who can take care of you better than your mother??) Something will fall on the floor, and we'll both just look at it like"can you get that?? Can you>?" It's amazing how much we take MOBILITY for granted...just trying going without it for awhile!!
Now come the challenges of trying to move, slowly, back into the realm of my regular life. I can't drive, but Amy is coming to the Cities this weekend and could get me back to Duluth. I somehow have to get to a cardiologist appt on Monday morning, when Pat is at work. I'll have stairs to consider - but no one to help during the day if I can't reach something or just can't make it work. There are two appointments this week, and I really need to touch base with Kimberlee (Subbing) on a few items - but even these small tasks seem almost monumental....
yikes!!

The Bill - Any Guesses?

OK Folks! As long as we're ON for 08 election and it's a timely subject - whaddaya think this will cost?
5 nights, 6 days in the hospital, one night of which was in the ICU and the rest in "cardiac step down"
Valve replacement procedure, St. Jude's Regent 21mm stainless steel heart valve
Cardiac cath lab - angiogram
Echocardiogram, pre- and post-
Digital chest x-ray, pre- and post-
Whoever gets the closest total - let's see what can the prize be? An Autographed Picture of my wounds??

Bye-Bye Mayo!!

It's Saturday night, January 5. I'm sitting in Mom's living room, on her old recliner that she directed Pat to drag out into the center of the room, next to a plastic box pre-ordained to serve as a "nightstand". My childhood room has been cleaned up and set for my recovery as well! What a day! About 3 AM, a nurse came in to "turn down" my Heparin drip, as my 12:30 blood test had apparently reported it near sufficient. Before sunrise, it was pretty clear that I was GOING HOME. I took a shower, packed up my stuff, roused my family and waited...
Dr. Basar came in and literally poked me in the chest as hard as he could -- checking their work or what? He had me cough a few times and showed me (rather entertainingly - imagine a rather charming, suited Indian doctor in these cnvoluted poses) how NOT to move while my sternum heals up. A bit later, Dr. Sundt breezed in with his team, characteristically in his bow tie, wondering "if there is anything else we can do for you?" I was tempted to come back with some humor, like "Yeah, well, as long as I'm hear, could you just do a few preemptive knee replacements, too?" - but couldn't quite muster it up!
Remember that lesson in high school where you had to take care of an egg and pretend it was a baby (yeah, I know - it didn't really make sense, but you'll see my point here). Patrick had been quite literally feeling out HIghway 52 on his last trip down to Mayo, thinking all the while about how fast and on what part of the lane he should drive to get my broken sternum and I home.... We decided Mom and Barb would be the 'back up' vehicle in case the RAV turned out to be too rough a ride. SO here am I, the Egg, tucked into the back seat (can't ride in the front with a broken sternum, or near an airbag...for obvious reasons!) ready for the ride home...
I was feeling pretty good. I am OUT! SPRUNG! ON THE MEND! Partway home I decided the very least I could do to just barely symbolically pay back my family team would be to buy them lunch. We spend my first 'fresh air, fresh food' meal at d'Amico Cocina; discussing the week. Things that were very clear to them were a bit fuzzy to me. Apparently, my first requests coming out of sedation were "DIET COKE WITH LIME", "IM HUNGRY" and "GET THE TUBE OUT". Demanding, aren't I?
I heard in detail how the nurses would phone and page my family during the surgery, how they let them know when they were "making the incision" and when I was "off pump" - ie - the heart/lung machine was no longer living for me. I heard how Pat was a bit emotional when he saw me hooked up to a million machines, and how everyone was comforting him, even the nurses (come on honey - you scammed that one didn't you?? Sympathy hugs?? :) ) I vaguely remembered them gathered at the foot of the bed, and having the big heart pillow (the hospital gives each patient a giant heart pillow, with a model of a 'real' heart on it, as a souvenier-complete with a marker so you can collect signatures from your nursing and surgery team! It does have a real function to it - to cough with a broken sternum, you need to hug that pillow in tight to your chest). I remember being walked out of the ICU the next morning and proudly consuming about 5 chunks of orange JELLO.
At any rate, halfway home, a quarter of the way healed (hopefully), anxious to try for some real sleep (it's hard to lay on your back or side with the broken sternum), and getting a giggle out of my mom - an 87 year old is STILL a "MOM" and her 47 year old daughter, especially when ill, is STILL a "KID".
Pat headed back up to Duluth to try to make arrangements to get our front door installed and get ready for the furnace installation on Monday and Tuesday....
I heard my valve click today for the first time, in the bathroom in the quiet of the night. It reminded me of a singular evening cricket...

Reflections on the Cardiac Ward...and Voldemort

It's Friday night. Looonnnggg day! I so enjoyed seeing Dr. Sundt and his team this AM when they stopped by to see how I was doing!
Pat, Mom and Barb were in and out, doing a little shopping, coming over to sit with me, etc. I hope that I can sleep tonight. I'm tired, my chest "creaks" - just like an old house in the wind!- and I am SO READY to go home. I'm about to take my little 5-wheeled pole with the Heparin drip bag on it and just set out out the door, up highway 52, in my kitty slippers with my heinie flapping in the breeze....
Things look good for tomorrow. I think I mentioned that my youth and health have actually worked AGAINST me today, because my body just metabolizes the warfarin and heparin instead of building up a protective layer of it in my bloodstream.
Pat took the "after" pictures today, to be posted with the "before" pictures. Please, no need to put them up anywhere. I didn't get any breast implants while they were in there, and there is no nippleage involved whatsoever.
Will I miss:
*The folding bed that is so hard to sleep in? no.
*trying to get out of bed with a broken sternum, feeling very much like a turtle rolled helplessly on its back? no.
*the hospital's massage and BOSE radio relaxation system? well, ok.
*the nurses? They were fab. yes.
*multiple bruises and pokes in my arms and hands, making me look like an intravenous drug user with incredibly bad aim? no.
*the various tubes, wires, and devices hooked up to my person? no!
I so very much appreciate the care and concern of those of you who have followed along in this journey, and thank you sincerely for your love, thoughts and prayers. I hope that, at the very least, if you endure something like this at some point in your life (and who doesn't!), it will be at least less scary having "walked through it" already.
I am amazed by:
*the quality of the doctors, surgeons and practitioners here.
*the professionalism of the caretakers.
*the neverending ministrations of my family and spouse.
It is truly a spiritual experience; to turn over your body, the place where "you" live, to someone else to cut into like a chef carves up something on the Food network. I can see the wonder in the eyes of all the folks here on the cardiac unit; that very special amazement in life itself and what good it holds.
God's peace.

Almost Done....Rarin' To Go!

Last night was rough - my heart was beating faster, and I absolutely could not sleep - plus I had to have blood drawn like 3 times over night!! (They are trying to get my Warfarin level up so that I can go home, but because of my age and health I am metabolizing what they give me better than some patients!) This morning, Dr. Sundt's entire team came in to visit - Dr. Sundt wearing a bowtie! They discussed the fast heartbeat - a byproduct of surgery that generally goes away within about 6 weeks. I was also offered the chance to participate in a study from a medical device company; a double-blind test that compared how people monitor their warfarin levels better; at home or through their doctors. Fortunately, I got the part of the study that provides me with a home-testing unit, much like the ones that people use for glucose testing for diabetes. That will be GREAT, because it's less of a pain to do that way.
So I need to get through probably one more night here before they 'spring' me, and it will be so, so great to leave....and move on!! Getting close...

My Lokapalas - Mom and Sis

They say it's a good idea to have a mentor, a guardian, when you're hospitalized. Someone to just be around through the flurries of nurses, docs, and procedures. A second or third pair of eyes when yours are anesthetized or clouded with stress and sleep. Thank God for my guardians; my 'lokapalas'!
Mom and I became familiar with these popular Asian sculptures when we visted Tokyo and O'hara in 1998. Situated at the outer entrances of significant tombs and temples, the lokapalas are designed to be 'extra eyes'; watching and guarding the sacred within. My sister is a pro at this; she has sheperded my Mom through several medical procedures and is always there with her lists and notes, keeping watch. Mom is here too this time, ever the Mom, making sure that I have what I need and am comfortable though she herself is falling asleep in her chair!
Let me tell you, there aren't too many people you really want to have see you this way - and those who love you and want to be there are the best lokapalas of all!
Pat is my "on call" lokapala this time, trying to take care of the house, cats, jobs, other business in town and our deceased furnace all while worrying about me here. He too, is thankful for my solid lokapalas- the sentries here by my side!

Rain Sweet Rain on a Wounded Body...

Rain, Sweet Rain on a Wounded Body....

I know at least several of you who can emphathize with this feeling...Mark, Allan, Brad - remember in '83 when we were living in Mexico and it rolled around to "dry season"? We couldn't shower, wash clothes, or even barely flush toilets for awhile? I still remember the first shower after that period of grunge (and this was wayyy before grunge was "in", folks!) Sweet water falling down; it was heavenly. I had that experience again today...
It was an early day, with a chest Xray right off the top; then an EKG, and then one of Dr. Sundt's colleagues stopped by to clip and pull out the wires attached to the temporary pacemaker they'd arranged (customary to do this for about 4 days, until they determine your own natural pacemaker is working fine). Another wierd "violin string pulling through flesh" sensation; then it was done. And then -- rain! Best shower I've had in years, even on this wounded new body!
I have been reconfigured a bit, some temporary and the rest permanent. There is a large bump on my breastbone, right below my chin, that "disappears after the incision heals" and "is more prominent on women". From that bump a ragged red line divides my breasts, about 8" in length. Off to the bottom of it are two stitched angry holes, where the plastic tubes were, one on either side about 2" from the incision; and near each of those, another smaller red welt where the pacemaker wires were connected. If an alien were to symnbolically mark a humanoid after doing a body scan, this is probably what it would look like. Tell you what, though - I will have the coolest scar in the sauna.
My neck has bumps, holes and funny skin from the arterial 'hookup' that was located there. I still have EKG buttons on my belly that will continue to monitor me and report to the little machine in my room.
Things are looking fairly positive for a discharge tomorrow. I'm connected to a Heparin drip, as my blood coagulation number is still not in the right range. Hopefully, I'll be easing this wonded body out into the January air soon...
At this point, I'm starting to wonder what my bill lookes like. It is even fathomable? $60,000? More? Insurance, don't fail me now!

What Rush Limbaugh and I Have in Common

OK, not much, granted. But I am taking the same heavy duty drug he was addicted to....and it's making me feel quite well, as you may have guessed from a second blog today! Had my "tubes taken out" this AM - and of course I had to ask to SEE them (don't do this if yu ever have the option!) Two HUGE, LONG tubes that were protruding from my gut, and running right up into my chest cavity....yyeeewwww!!! Like, about a foot long and 5/8" thick. Two holes were those were, one on either side of my midline incision. The only remnant of my surgery, besides the $5,000 titanium St. Jude's valve that is stitched into my heart, is ne "drip" port on my hand, which will remain in until I'm discharged, and three wires running from my hips up into my heart, attached to a temporary pacemaker. (One possible effect of the valve surgery is that the heart's natural pacemaker can be damaged; usually it takes about 4 days post-surgery to ensure that all is OK. So far, it sounds fine, and I should be able to have the wires removed tomorrow).
And, miracle of miracles, I GET TO TAKE A SHOWER TOMORROW! I can't remember when I have so badly desired a shower, yet I'm living in a bit of fear of water touching all of my sensitive, bruised front...
Right now, God willing, I am looking at a Saturday discharge...And hopefully not the problem that Rush had....

January 2: New Parts and All!

Greetings, friends! I'm sitting here in the patient lounge, just around the corner from the room that's been my home since coming out of intensive care - a "step down" facility. The catheter and many of the tubes are out, but I still have two big drainage tubes running into me mid-gut. THey should come out today.
What do I remember?
*Checking in the morning of the 31st. A nice, marble and glass lobby; and a man in a suit gathering up various people and loading us on an elevator, as if we were heading out to a tour!
*Getting a temporary room, and being suited up for the angio gram (I'm just on the age-edge for this, mostly they will do this test at about 50 years of age to ensure that there's nothing ELSE needing to be fixed as long as they are in there!). The doctor who did the angio was Australian, wearing a sparkly pink suit that looked like somthing from a gay hiphop bar. Turns out it's a lead suit - the doctors go into a groin artery with a long tube and inject dye, then take pictures of the inside of the major veins and heart. That test was not at all troubling; quick and painless, and I was able to get copies of the pictures as well! I did not anticipate getting "shaved" - but I guess for any of these procedures you have to be 'hairless from neck to ankles'....
*resting back in my original room after the angio. By this time, Mom and Barb arrived from the cities and came in just before they wheeled me off to pre-op.
*Pre-op - again, a shave-check. Having my chest drawn on with Sharpie - so they get the right spot! Meeting the surgery nurses and anesthesiologist.
*Getting wheeled into the operating room - CHILLY! Looking around for Dr. Sundt, but he wasn't in yet. Turns out he does the "Main Deal", while teams of other surgeons get everything set to go.
*Waking up about 10 PM....Found out later that my surgery was about 5 hours prep to post-, and I was only "on machine" for about an hour and 10 minutes. My valve, I'm told, was really in bad shape. He had to scrape the calcification off just to be able to sew the new one in.
Spent the night in the ICU, and first thing in the AM, I was fed and then WALKED into the step-down unit...since then I've walked at least three times a day. The incision is actually GLUED shut,making for a nice thin line rather than a big ugly scar. They took the bandages off yesterday and swabbed 'er down!
I am thrilled by the "lack of tick" - one thing I was worried about was hearing the valve, and I can't hear a thing. I feel fine, albeit my back is sore, and the actual incision, if bumped just right, feels like a hot iron. It's hard to get comfortable at night; I've been sleeping in the chair.
So - there you go! I was given a "heart pillow" by St. Mary's / Mayo - it's to hold against your chest when you cough to get the fluids out. All of my docs and nurses have signed it so far.
I am so very appreciative of all your thoughts and prayers! Like anything else, I could frame this as a terrifying experience or as a positive one, and thanks to all of you, it's been positive. I am so incredibly delighted to be alive and 'ticking'!
Pat brought party hats and champagne into the ICU, and Dr. Sundt gave his OK for me to have some ('as long as you don't drink the whole bottle') What a way to ring in the New Year!!!
Thanks, everyone!

Pat's Report - From Dec. 31 2007

Happy New Year all, Deb has come through her surgery alive and very well! Last night was rough and neither one of us got much sleep. Check in was at 5:45am and Deb needed to go have some tests to get ready for the big event. I was an emotional train wreck, but Deb approached the situation as the Mighty Finnish Warrior Woman she is with her matter of fact attitude. Deb's surgert started at 1:40pm, and ended about 4 hours later. The doctor came to tell us how things went. The surgery went very well and Deb was in satisfactory condition, which is the best classification you can have. He also said that Deb's valve was in pretty rough shape and it was a good thing she had the surgery. I went to dinner with my mother in law and sister in law until Deb was brought to the ICU. When I first saw Deb it was real hard thing to handle. She had tubes and machines hooked up everywhere. It was something you might see in the Bride of Frankenstine. The breathing tube down her throat was the hardest thing to see. I asked when the tube would be taken out, the nurse said when they were sure she would breath on her own. They woke her up slowly and she responded quicker than most patients do. The more Deb woke up the more she wanted the tube out but the nurse explained that the tube would come out only when everything was right, because they don't want to try to reinsert the tube if she cant breath on her own. The tube finally came out and I could talk to Deb. She told us she was fine and wanted a Diet Coke with lime. We could not give it to her because her stomach might not be ready for it, in wich case the soda would come right back up. Here are some more things Deb thought she would want after surgery that she did not get: New Years Eve bubbly, food, and gum. What she did get was crushed ice to suck on. She was happy to have that. Maybe tomrrow we can ring in the new year. sorry about spelling and gramatical errors, it's been a long day.