Mended Hearts Open Forum

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  • 1.  Hi

    Posted 03-13-2018 18:34
    Hi everyone. Let me introduce myself. My name as you can see, is Adrian. I am from Australia, more specifically a place you may or may not have heard of called Tasmania. I have been in the US for 10 years. In 2016 I underwent a double bypass at Florida Medical. It was after that, as with many of us, that I joined Mended Hearts. 
    I am currently Chapter president of Chapter 60 in Fort Lauderdale. I believe it is one of the oldest chapters, certainly in Florida.

    I love to meet new people and would love to have a chat sometime. Great to be here!

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    Adrian Keep

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  • 2.  RE: Hi

    Posted 03-14-2018 13:35
    Hello there,  My name is Richard Short and I live in California and am a member of chapter 395, one of the newer chapters. We will be 3 years old this summer.
    I wanted to say to Mary that your fears and concerns are ok. Many of us felt the same way about our surgeries. I had a 4 way cabg 3 years ago this month and a pacemaker last year. 
    The procedures now are so much better than they used to be and the time spent in the hospital is much less than it was several years ago. 
    Listen to the medical staff and walk as soon as possible when they ask you to and you will be home before you know it.
    Good day to Adrian. Or should we say Gaday! Glad to be a part of a group of people from all over the world. Now we need to go international. I hope you are in touch with family and friends down under. You can be the liaison between the start a chapter back home.
    Take care to both of you.

    Richard Short
    Chapter 395
    Apple Valley,  CA


    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Hi

    Posted 03-15-2018 19:25
    Hello to every kind person who responded to me!

    I cannot tell you how much the responses have meant!! Honestly....you are all such a blessing!!! Thank you for taking the time to write me back!!

    While I still feel very scared, I feel so much more comforted and assured to know that I am not alone and to know that you are all out there with such amazing stories of survival and recovery!!

    Thank you!!

    I got scheduled today for April 4th....I met with a surgeon and place that I felt more comfortable with and just had an overall more positive vibe with....so, I will need to be checking in for moral support before then!!

    All of your suggestions are so very helpful. Again, I cannot thank you enough...

    xoxoxoxoxoxo

    Mary
    CT

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    Mary Sirianni
    Teacher
    Weatogue CT
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Hi

    Posted 03-16-2018 03:05
    I'm so glad you have someone you feel comfortable with.  That makes all the difference.  I absolutely adore my cardiologist and trust him completely. And listen to what everyone tells you about cardiac rehab.  I tell CR, "You didn't save my life, but you gave me my life back."  I had idiopathic  asymptomatic cardiomyopathy while I was poet in residence at a school in a small SC town where two school nurses and a resource officer saved my life with a defibrillator. My ejection fraction dropped to 10, and I was given to no chance to survive.  Six years later, I'm still here.  My story was in the Feb. 2016 "Heartbeat."  I'm a national Mended Hearts advocate, and  I still go to CR for Phase 3, follow-up rehab.  My thoughts and prayers will be with you on the 4th, and remember, you have all these MH people on your team.  If you want to know more about TAVR, contact Carla Asta at Edwards, carla_asta@edwards.com; I met her at Mended Hearts national advocacy training, and she's wonderful.

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    Francee Levin
    Columbia SC
    (803) 788-1207
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    Original Message