Well here we are, 6/26/2023 exactly 2 weeks post Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery. Bottom line, all went well & I am forever thankful. I don’t believe anything I could have done would have prepared me for this event. I walked in under my own power electing to have this done. A far better choice than waiting for a cardiac event to damage my heart & end up in the same exact spot only a little farther behind the power curve.
Day one was hard on my people, all day surgery & recovery. from what I’m told I was quite ashen & had very little life color as I was wheeled by, post surgery with tubes sticking out of my throat, neck & belly . I was still blissfully under & out at this point. My first memory was nurses telling me to be calm, they were going to pull these tubes from my throat.
Soon as that happened I started taking inventory, I could not feel my hands. both were numb, Matter of fact, here on day 15 my right hand still has no feeling, making it hard to type. I could not move, I had multiple tubes in my neck, and belly. I had a catheter in my ding ding. I could not sit up or stand on my own. This was the most helpless I had ever felt. I was 100% dependent! I believe that was the biggest mental hurdle I have ever crossed.
From that day on, slowly, but steady, a LITTLE better each day. today, day 19. I feel much better, I have most of the feeling back in my hands. there are still some dead spots on my right hand & wrist. I am able to walk every morning. My surgeon reviewed my last blood work, EKG & chest X-Ray and said I’m doing great & he’s all done with me. He said to follow up with my cardiologist & set me up for some Cardiac Rehab. Said now its up to me to not do anything stupid to slow or harm the rest of the healing process.
