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One-Year Heart Anniversary!

  • 1.  One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-29-2020 21:28
    I'm happy to be celebrating the one-year anniversary of my successful open-heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm and an aortic valve. I am so grateful for advances in medicine, skilled surgeons and nurses, meditation, and the boundless support of family and friends. Thanks, in particular, to my rock - my wife - whose unconditional love gave me strength during the difficult times during recovery. The procedure went well and I feel stronger than ever. I send my healing thoughts and support to all those affected by COVID-19.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 2.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 09:51
    Peter,
    Congratulations and carry on with your great life. I am over 19 years since my surgery and feel the same as you, blessed to be alive and surrounded by the people I love.
    We just need to be smart and stay safe while they figure this Covid thing out.
    Blessings,
    Gary Price
    Sanford, FL
    Sent from my iPad




  • 3.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 12:15
    Hapoy happy
    Its like having a second birthday
    Many you celebrate many many more !!!!



    Marilyn B. Rosenhouse
    Mobile: (214)850-0655




  • 4.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 09:52
    Congratulations Peter on your one year anniversary! I'll be celebrating mine in two weeks.
    Stay safe and stay healthy : )
    Michelle

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    michelle leverett
    Ridgecrest CA
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  • 5.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:23
    Thanks, Michelle. Happy anniversary, in advance, to you!

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 6.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 09:54
    Congratulations and keep looking forward.  Past time Maine resident with more than twenty five years since my 1992 open heart surgery and 82 years young.

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    [Phil W
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  • 7.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:24
    Thanks, Phil. It's awesome to hear you're doing well after 25 years! Take care and stay safe.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 8.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 10:16
    Congrats to you Peter on your anniversary...Its letters
    like yours that keep me pushing on even when feeling
    less then 100 percent

    Mary H





  • 9.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:26
    Thanks, Mary. Hang in there! I've learned that every experience is different -- and everything changes. I've learned to appreciate the good moments, and to remember them during the bad ones.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 10.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 11:29
    Congratulations! I am so thankful that you are doing well! It gives the rest of us hope!

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    Cindy Bryan
    Farm Owner/ Manager
    KCB Stock Farm
    Gordonsville TN
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  • 11.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:27
    Thanks, Cindy. This forum and https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com were two of the most valuable resources for me, and the discussions about valve options helped me prepare mentally for what I'd do if my valve couldn't be repaired. Patients report quite a range of outcomes and complications of their surgeries. It's wonderful that folks have a place to express concerns, learn, and get support.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 12.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 04-30-2020 12:55
    Peter Congrats. I'm a mere 8 weeks out. Isn't it remarkable that you can have all this stuff done inside and other than a scar not realize it was done?! And to think, if this is "modern medicine" now...!!!!

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    Herb Greenberg
    San Diego CA
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  • 13.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:29
    Thanks, Herb. It is awe-inspiring to consider what doctors are able to do -- and how fast new techniques are being developed. Congrats on being 8 weeks out. Stay healthy and safe.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 14.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-02-2020 23:18
    I am just a bit farther along, had my 2nd Open Heart Valve Replacement on February 26. I this time I knew it was coming for a long time. This time however I was very sick with undiagnosed Endocarditis for 2 months. I am so very thankful for both of my surgeries. My surgeon said I was probably less than a week away from "the point of no return". I have no words to express my thanks for him pushing to get to the bottom of this. His skillful hands saved my life twice. There are no words to explain how this feels outside of this Mended family. Congratulations to all of us!

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    Kathleen Rutherford
    Tupelo MS

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  • 15.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-03-2020 12:19
    So happy to hear that you are doing well now! Take care.

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 16.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-03-2020 13:02
    Kathleen,

    I love your phrase "Mended family." That is precisely what we are, in contradistinction to TS Eliot's hollow men.  We have found meaning, a meaning that was always there even if we didn't know it.  Hollow once, perhaps, bit now mended.  Individual egos, once, but now a family of souls.

    Ira

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    Ira Reid
    Hoboken NJ
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  • 17.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:36
    ​Congratulations, Peter.  It has been nearly 27 months post CABGx5 for me and I felt and still feel the same gratitude to my doctors, nurses, other caretakers, wife and daughter that you expressed.  I feel something else as well, and I think it is at least partly attributable to the Covid pandemic.

    All my life, at least since my teenage years, I was always the type of guy who would never take no for an answer and would risk anything.  My motto might as well have been "I'm going to do it anyway."  This is no longer the case.  Although I am very fit despite being a 69 year old heart patient, and have this thought in the back of my head that many of the "comorbidity/preexisting condition" statistics are not meaningful for someone like me, I nevertheless have been meticulous in self-isolating and social distancing, following all health care recommendations as well as following additional ideas relating to nutrition, extra sleep, vitamin supplementation, exercise, etc. 

    Why am I doing this, given my prior "don't give a damn" attitude and even my current inclinations?  It is because the sense of gratitude that I still feel has morphed into something even greater. It has morphed into an understanding that I am connected to all these good people that saved my life, as well as to everyone else, including my old, dying dog who waited for me faithfully over the long six weeks that I was hospitalized with open heart surgery complications.  It is as if we are separate parts of a single living, breathing organism called life.  I "owe" it to everyone to take care of myself in the same way that your hand "owes" it to the rest  of your body to pull itself away from a hot flame on a stove.  Although we all are special, unique individuals, we're really not special at all in the sense that we are all the same as souls travelling along life's path in this limitless universe of ours.

    All the best,

    Ira

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    Ira Reid
    Hoboken NJ
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  • 18.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-01-2020 10:54
    Thank you for your inspiring words!

    ------------------------------
    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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  • 19.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-02-2020 14:33
    Congratulations Peter, and welcome to our group. My bypass was on January 14, 2007. 

    My message is similar to Ira's. While I avoided Ira's post surgery issues, I had a few on my own. During my surgery the lubricant on my lungs was rubbed off. After months of physicians trying various remedies, in late April lung surgery was necessary. My re-introduction to the importance of changing the activities that contributed to my heart failing was the physician treating my lungs died, as did the PhD who was counseling on my other problem: stress. Both had failed to prevent their having the problems they were treating me for. My obvious conclusion was that I needed to take responsibility for myself. There is no other way to prevent the cycle, that led to my demise, from starting over.

    Brent Zepke
    author: One Heart-Two Lives: Managing Your Rehabilitation Program WELL

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    Brent Zepke
    Santa Barbara CA
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  • 20.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-02-2020 10:07
    Congratulations, Peter!

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    Mike Anthony
    River Edge, NJ
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  • 21.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-06-2020 12:01
    Peter,
    Congratulations on celebrating the one-year anniversary of your aortic aneurysm and an aortic valve surgery.  You should be fully recovered with just a few minor issues that we all experience after this complex procedure.  I suggest that you schedule a consult with your cardiologist to discuss reducing unnecessary medications and scheduling a electrocardiogram or CTA.  The Electrocardiogram will be used to check your valves functioning and ejection fraction (pumping efficiency).
    Continued good health and stay safe during these extraordinary times.
    Vic


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    Victor Fabry
    Short Hills, New Jersey
    fvfabry@gmail.com
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  • 22.  RE: One-Year Heart Anniversary!

    Posted 05-11-2020 13:23
    Thank you for the kind words and suggestion!
    Peter

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    Peter Eglinton
    Portland ME
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