Mended Hearts Open Forum

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  • 1.  Normalcy, Healing Time and Sudden Changes

    Posted 05-10-2022 08:34

    Greetings

    I'm Ricardo and I am new to the group (just joined this month). I had my first open heart surgery on March 18 after having an Aortic Dissection. I had no clue it was that serious but I was in pain unlike I usually had in my chest. However everyone kept telling me "you're lucky to be alive" "most don't make it" "you could/should have died" this is all new to me and to be honest makes me slightly nervous to have my second open heart surgery. But I know some things depend on the person, or most things depend on the person. However I have a few questions:

    • How long did it take for you to gain some sense of normalcy
    • I had my surgery on 3/18 but I still feel pain in my chest and can't sleep comfortably. Is that normal (it's been a month and I still have pain).
    • I still cannot walk very far and I have to rest after walking up flights of stairs.  Is that normal?
    • My left eye goes dark sometimes (it's happened four times since my surgery. I googled and it said there's many times there's a lack of oxygen reaching the eye.
      • Could this be an effect of surgery
    • My skin is peeling on my hands. Large portions (my finger print and close to the base of my finger). The hair on my knuckles has come up also
      • The back of my hand is scaling
    • I am tired A LOT! Like I feel exhausted.
    • My incision on my shoulder is still a little numb (when does feeling usually come back after surgery)

    So I have to have another surgery to repair the aorta on the lower part of my aorta/heart. I'm just now seeing my chest scar heal. Has anyone had two open heart surgeries due to aortic dissection? And how far a part were your surgeries?

    • What are the biggest permanent changes that I should expect
    • Advice you wish someone had told you that you believe will be helpful before, and after the surgeries


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    Ricardo McCrary
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  • 2.  RE: Normalcy, Healing Time and Sudden Changes

    Posted 07-07-2022 15:52
    Hi Ricardo!
    I cannot address all of your symptoms, but I also experienced some of them. My OHS was March of 2021.

    • How long did it take for you to gain some sense of normalcy -- I have discovered I have a new normal now. I had a widowmaker HA July 2020 so it could be related to that, or the surgery; it's hard to know. I would say it was about 2 months before I felt close to feeling like myself again.
    • I had my surgery on 3/18 but I still feel pain in my chest and can't sleep comfortably. Is that normal (it's been a month and I still have pain). -- Yes! It was probably close to 2 months, maybe 3, where I felt like I could comfortably sleep on my side again. It was pain in the beginning, but then turned into my chest just feeling weird. That has not gone away.
    • I still cannot walk very far and I have to rest after walking up flights of stairs.  Is that normal? --It was normal for me! I was pretty fit before surgery, riding my Peloton several days a week. After surgery I would try walking and would only get to the mailbox, then the corner, then 1/2 block, etc. I had to use the hand rails on the stairs and rest at the top for maybe 3 months. It slowly got better.
    • My left eye goes dark sometimes (it's happened four times since my surgery. I googled and it said there's many times there's a lack of oxygen reaching the eye.
      • Could this be an effect of surgery -- sorry, can't help you on this one
    • My skin is peeling on my hands. Large portions (my finger print and close to the base of my finger). The hair on my knuckles has come up also
      • The back of my hand is scaling  -- sorry, can't help you on this one
    • I am tired A LOT! Like I feel exhausted. Yes, for sure. I was surprised at how exhausted. This gradually got better too. I would say I am back to what I was like before, but I do occasionally need a nap.
    • My incision on my shoulder is still a little numb (when does feeling usually come back after surgery). My entire chest is still numb. And sometimes tingly. And just feels weird. It has definetly gotten better. I only notice the numbness now once every couple of weeks.

    So I have to have another surgery to repair the aorta on the lower part of my aorta/heart. I'm just now seeing my chest scar heal. Has anyone had two open heart surgeries due to aortic dissection? And how far a part were your surgeries? I have only had one OHS. I wish you all the best on your next one.

    • What are the biggest permanent changes that I should expect. The unexpected sadness that comes from nowhere. The worry I still have that it will happen again. The continued weird feeling in my incision area. The foggy brain feeling when I am overtired.
    • Advice you wish someone had told you that you believe will be helpful before, and after the surgeries. To do the cardio rehab no matter what. To be very careful getting into the back seat of the car the first time. To listen more to my body - rest when tired, move when you can. Don't let people pressure you into doing things you don't have the energy to do. To use something on my incision to make it heal nicer.
    God bless,
    Evelyn

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    Evelyn Quast
    Maple Grove MN
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  • 3.  RE: Normalcy, Healing Time and Sudden Changes

    Posted 07-07-2022 17:18
    Reading the thread and appreciate hearing of your experiences. I have severe mitral regurge but I'm asymptomatic and this will be a redo. A part of me is thinking, wow I feel great and what am I thinking? Yet I can't escape the fact that it won't fix itself. 






  • 4.  RE: Normalcy, Healing Time and Sudden Changes

    Posted 07-08-2022 08:19
    Hi Ricardo,

    • How long did it take for you to gain some sense of normalcy  I had my OHS (x3 bypass, 2 valves replaced and Commando procedure) on September 2021 and some parts of my life have returned to my pre-surgery normal but others have not. Even though I walk for 45-60min/day I still am breathless up hills and stairs are difficult.  My legs also still feel unsteady. The new normal for me is not knowing if these areas will eventually be where they should be for an otherwise healthy 61y old. 
    • I had my surgery on 3/18 but I still feel pain in my chest and can't sleep comfortably. Is that normal (it's been a month and I still have pain). This is very common, and it might take a few months for it to finally subside and disappear.  I no longer feel pain around the incision.
    • I still cannot walk very far and I have to rest after walking up flights of stairs.  Is that normal? Yes, most people have this difficulty for a period of time, then with persistent exercise and PT this usually subsides.  Keep exercising after the PT period has ended.
    • My left eye goes dark sometimes (it's happened four times since my surgery. I googled and it said there's many times there's a lack of oxygen reaching the eye.
      • Could this be an effect of surgery I have some periodic issues with my right eye, but the docs thik that it is related to stenosis in my carotid.
    • My skin is peeling on my hands. Large portions (my finger print and close to the base of my finger). The hair on my knuckles has come up also
      • The back of my hand is scaling Not sure
    • I am tired A LOT! Like I feel exhausted. This is something that I experienced for awhile post-surgery, but now I do not usually feel exhausted (sometimes after an hour walk).
    • My incision on my shoulder is still a little numb (when does feeling usually come back after surgery) A few months for me.

    So I have to have another surgery to repair the aorta on the lower part of my aorta/heart. I'm just now seeing my chest scar heal. Has anyone had two open heart surgeries due to aortic dissection? And how far a part were your surgeries? No experience here

    • What are the biggest permanent changes that I should expect Not sure either. Hoping the weak legs and breathlessness are not permanent.
    • Advice you wish someone had told you that you believe will be helpful before, and after the surgeries  Read a lot about ways to be ready for surgery ("prehabilitation"), including psychologically- and physically-prepared.  The same applies to postsugery.

      How are you doing now, Ricardo?  Are any areas better for you?

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      keith corodimas
      professor of psychological science
      University of lynchburg
      lynchburg VA
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    • 5.  RE: Normalcy, Healing Time and Sudden Changes

      Posted 08-31-2022 12:27
      I too am dealing with issues, so here we all are!  But as for the peeling skin on your hands: I've had it too, following a high-stress situation and was told that it happens as a result of the stress for some people.  Keep working on your stress feelings, and I would bet it will eventually resolve itself, as mine did.  I'd forgotten that ever happened till you brought it up.

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      Sue Tegland
      Everett WA
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