Friday, November 16, 2012

After Open Heart Surgery:The Road Widens Out

Eighteen months after a signature event of my life,the surgical stopping of my heart so a valve repair could be made,the road is widening out.Although the facts of what occurred are permanently emblazoned on my soul,we have reached a medical plateau.There is no longer any need to intensively monitor my progress.I have joined the ranks of the majority of valve repair patients.Now only a yearly assessment of my heart's inner workings is required.
Things have gotten so quiet in there,there are quite frankly better things for my medical team to do with their time,patients who are much sicker than I for them to attend to.That being said,there are still a few reminders of what happened to me.Of course my daily medication regimen is one of them.I am permanently attached to the pharmacy now.A lot of the success may be attributed to the stress that has been relieved by these cardiovascular drugs.My blood vessels are widened to the point where my heart doesn't have to work very hard to pump blood.This helps facilitate the longevity of the valve repair.
Externally,the extensive chest scars are all but invisible now.I can still feel a stinging sensation every day,though,from the wire permanently embedded in my chest.This wire held my sternum together while it healed from being split during surgery.
There are also occasional optical migraines in the form of mild visual disturbances.These have the appearance of meteorites.How appropriate,since the entire experience of major surgery made me feel like an astronaut.It was truly a strange new frontier for me.
Emotionally,there is a freaking out process when the evaluation approaches.You may have to stay in hospital if they find something weird going on in there.Take your scripture with you just in case.
My heart had started to enlarge.I was on the narrow road to heart failure.Now I am on a wide path-for how long I cannot say,but it certainly is more refreshing.

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