The rest of summer 2011, Recovery

It is amazing to be able to celebrate small milestones. 6 weeks ago today I had open heart surgery. That alone is incredible, but I will try and go through my feelings week by week.

Week 1: As I was in the hospital, and leaving I have these thoughts about the pain. Try to imagine you can't quite stand up straight, and you can only control your arms from the elbow down. Even then, you have no gripping strength, except maybe an eating utensil or a water bottle. I remember lots of spasms due to any muscle use, and would get hot and cold without warning. Mostly though, it was a lot of sleeping.

Week 2: As I stayed at the Schwartz's place, I think the biggest change was a little more energy, but the pain was different. I had the ability to move around more, and I could move my arms away from my body a little. I still couldn't lift anything. The first time I tried to pour myself a glass of milk, I remember terror running through my brain that I would 1) drop the milk, have it pour out and slip, or 2) pull on the chest muscles enough that it hurt my incision. At this point, I could only close doors from the front, not to the side at all. I couldn't open a bag of chips, any jars, and I could barely touch the top of my head.

One of the biggest indicators of feeling better was how well I could move to dry myself after a shower. The first shower after the hospital, I realized I had no way to dry off my back. It was a difficult task, and I don't remember how I accomplished it. I could not pick my arms up in a jumping jack motion, but I could bring them up in front of my body and dry my hair off. If I pushed too hard, pain would shoot through my pectorals and shoulders.

The other big pain at this time, was trying to sit up. I could only lay flat on my back. I could not sit straight up, as my abs were not strong enough, and my head was too strong for my neck and chest muscles to support like that. I would have to hug my heart pillow, roll to my side, and then push with my shoulder and side to right my self. The pain around my neck was fairly common. Trying to teach those muscles to respond to lift my head, made me feel like a newborn for a bit.

I also couldn't turn my head at all. If I was sitting in a chair with my back to the door, I could hear it open, but would have to wait for people to walk past my eyes for me to see them. I also did not have great lung capacity. I couldn't laugh loudly, and couldn't talk for too long. I improved daily on it, but it would hurt my rib cage to cough or laugh. The first time I sneezed, I was so worried about the pain, I was able to control the next one coming.

Week 3: This is when I returned to my apartment. I could walk more, and feel okay. A mile was pushing it and I would be sweaty and winded after wards. I slept on my couch and watched movies mostly, but I still had visitors almost everyday. Pain was mostly in my pecs, and my neck felt better. I was able to start laying on my side and get straight up instead of rolling. I still used my heart pillow constantly.

Week 4: This was the week, that I was truly bored. I really didn't have the energy to go for too long of walks, and I didn't have a project to keep me busy. I would get light headed after meals and exercise, but I could walk about a mile and a half. I couldn't stretch out my arms completely, and I couldn't pull them behind my body at all. Toward the end of the week I was finally able to lift them along the side of my body to my head, without much pain. I was cleared to drive this week as my neck muscle motion was much improved. I also picked up my guitar again!

Week 5: I finally started Physical Therapy and was able to raise my heart rate up enough to break a sweat. I had almost full mobility of my arms, but after using them, I would be sore at the sternum and need a nap. I was finally able to take really deep breaths without hurting here. Finally able to carry my own (limited amount) of groceries.

Week 6: This week I feel amazing. I have tremendous energy. I have thrown a frisbee, danced at a concert, and done physical therapy. I also vacuumed and moved my couches by myself. I also started chopping veggies, and cooking for myself again. Yesterday at Physical therapy I walked, biked, arm-biked and nu-stepped (a sitting eliptical) for 40 minutes with a pretty good heart rate. I get to start weights on Friday, and usually they don't start weights until week 8! I may even get to jog on Friday. I still take naps, and the only soreness I get is if I use a new muscle and it will hurt for about half a day. I think I will be all ready to go when the school year comes. It will be week 8 when I finally start. Usually Cardio rehab programs last months, but the nurses think I may be able to go to my regular gym by week 9. I will have to be careful about bench press and butterflies. Really I shouldn't do those lifts for a few more months.

My heart surgery- July 5-July 12

On July 5th, I woke up late thinking I had a lazy day. I got a phone call from St. Vincent's hospital in Portland about 10am. They asked me if I could come in to visit my surgeon and get some tests done before my surgery on Thursday. I was a little shocked and told them I could be there in about an hour and a half. I then called my folks, who thought my surgery would be the next Monday, to update them. They made arrangements to leave early Wednesday morning to get to Portland.
I drove to Portland and met my surgeon-Harkness Storm Floten. He goes by Storm. He is a tall gentlemen with an air of confidence about him and a slight southern accent. I immediately was comfortable, but could tell that his speech was memorized and the script is not deviated from. There was also a PA in the room that asked me more questions. I thought I might leave, but then they gave me a map of the facility and 6 other tasks to take care of. I went down to the radiology department for an x-ray and then was sent to Pre-op for some information session. I then was sent to the Operating center for blood work, and more information of dos and don'ts as well as what to expect from recovery. As I was in the hospital, McMinnville called and asked if I couldn't come down and get some blood work done for my angiogram the next morning. I told them that I would be there by 5. I left St. Vincents about 3:30, and hadn't eaten all day. I was a little in shock from all the information that I wasn't ready for. I drove to the hospital in McMinnville and was told they can take the blood test results from Portland. They gave me instructions on how to prep for the angiogram. Basically, they took a tube full of radioactive dye, stick it into a main artery by my groin, and push it up to my heart and inject the dye. Then a machine reads the dye and shows a complete structure of my veins and arteries. Oh, the fun!

I then called some friends and was able to go out to a local pub to eat and have distracting conversations.

The next morning, my friend Pam drove me to the hospital around 7am. They shaved my groin area and gave me an IV drip. I remember them smoothly covering me with blankets and ripping off my gown as I was going under. It was quite the talent. I then remember them telling me that it would be warm as they injected it and I certainly felt that. I also remember them pulling out the tube. I then had to lay flat for 4 hours as my artery healed and they made sure my incision was safe. I was released but not allowed to drive that day. I was taken back home, and packed a small day pack. I was to drive to Portland to meet my parents and stay at my friend Talia's parents house for the night before my surgery.

My friend Ryan came over and helped me pack and move around, my right leg was sore and I was limping. I needed my car in Portland so Pam had to pick up another friend and Joe drove me in my car to P-town. We arrived at the house almost the exact same time as my parents. The house was a huge home with a pool, hot tub, a theater room and other amenities. I still was hobbling, but Mom, Pam and Joe went through the house enjoying the novelty. Talia came by and we took her out to dinner. My friend Daniel joined us as well. Great friends, family and laughter was present to celebrate my last day without a mechanical valve.

The next morning I went to the hospital with Mom and Dad and was taken into a room quickly. I changed into my gown, was shaved from my neck to my toes, but only the inside of my legs. I then had to shower with super antibiotic soap. I came back, took a pill and the anesthesiologist came in. I don't remember anything else. Mom has since told me that they put in my IV's and Mom and Dad walked me to the OR door. We squeezed hands and shared "I love you"s before I passed through the door. I of course remember nothing of about the next 36 hours, save a few painful moments. My heart was put on bypass for about 2 hours as they operated and I was then again pumping my own blood. Immediately after the surgery, my young heart was challenging the new valve.


I was told that it was normal, but my ventricle was trying to beat independently of the rest of my heart. It was used to such efficiency.

I was in the Cardiac Rehab Unit (CRU) until Saturday afternoon. I had two tubes from my abdomen, as thick as my thumb, draining fluid and a catheder. I had an IV in my left arm, one in my right hand, and a tube in the right side of my throat that connect very near my heart. They were able to administer drugs through that tube. I also had tubes in my heart and for a while, they thought that it was creating the problem with my heart, but when they took the tubes out, I was still having some electrical problems. I don't remember much. I remember the dark room, the sound of the waterbath bubbling with the tubes attached. I remember trying to eat my first few meals, and I remember a couple of the nurses. I also remember having a morphine button that I would push when I would wake up, and then I assume I would just go back to sleep.

I finally got all of the tubes pulled. I remember the pain of all the tubes being removed. Very interesting feeling of them pulling so many long items out of your body. I then was put in a holding room before making my way up to the recovery room. My friend Neil visited as I was in the holding room. You would have to ask him what we talked about but I do know he gave me a dinosaur balloon!

I was in room 601 West side from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday Afternoon. I remember my nurses making me feel comfortable, my great visitors, and my parents being there everyday. I don't remember much else. Oh, I guess there was pain too. Upon release, my parents knew that I was not able to take of myself. I was invited a month earlier to go to a house out in the country to recover. A family of a former student had a extra "apartment" in their garage. It had a large living room with tv, couches and recliner.

It had a bathroom and a bedroom as well. The family was amazing. They let me have as many visitors as I wanted. They took care of my pills, made sure I was walking and showed me love for a week. I stayed with them from July 12-July 20th. I don't think I will ever be able to pay back the Schwartz family. Thank you.


Here is the scar 3 weeks after surgery. Check out how high I can raise those arms!?