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Back after emergency open heart surgery
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 2010-12-12 10:53 AM |
Regular  105  San Jose, CA |  Subject: Back after emergency open heart surgeryHello everyone, It's been about 6 years since I did my last triathlon (the San Jose International) and in that time I've had a child, had my gallbladder out, and, on March 25, 2010 had an emergency CABG x 1 (bypass surgery) for an extremely rare coronary artery anomaly. I am very thankful to be alive as my surgeons said this usually causes sudden death in young athletes (I'm 40 and I started playing competitive sports at age 6)...so, needless to say I'm pretty much a miracle. Looking back, I've had trouble getting fit since that horrid tri experience in 2004 and most of that probably was related to my heart not beating properly. It's now fixed and I've been released to full activities. I'm planning on a sprint tri in June 2011 (San Jose again) and am realistic about balancing work, family, and most importantly my health. Wishing you all a great 2011 season! |
| 2010-12-12 11:56 AM in reply to: #3245696 |
Master 2484  St. Louis | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Welcome back! You'll really enjoy your next tri seeing as it is really a gift to be able to do it. |
| 2010-12-12 12:48 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
Royal(PITA) 14270 West Chester, Ohio | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Welcome back! |
| 2010-12-12 1:47 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
Master 1603  Connecticut | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Wow, that's an amazing story. It is a great reminder to all of to be grateful for our health, wherever we finish in the pack. Welcome back! I hope that you find yourself feeling better and racing faster than ever this time around! |
| 2010-12-12 3:38 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Welcome back! Wednesday is the tenth anniversary of my open heart surgery to get a mechanical aortic valve. Every day is truly a gift. It sounds like you have a good perspective on things (funny how heart surgery does that for you!). Good luck and good health in the coming year. Mark |
| 2010-12-12 4:01 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
| Veteran 195 | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Glad to here of fellow heart patients getting into triathlons and doing well. I have had numerous cardiac issues since I was born and not even 40 yet. I wish you the best of luck and word of advice. Its the mental stress that weighs the most. I have been battling with the mental stress for so long but for some reason I have the discipline and drive to compete in a full ironman and so far, as I start back into it, (4 year lapse due to the birth of 2 kids, 3 heart surgeries, and masters program.) I am more focused than ever. I wish I could explain it. I wish you the best of luck with all of your endeavors. |
| 2010-12-12 4:54 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
Veteran 287 | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Truly amazing! Welcome back! |
| 2010-12-14 2:44 PM in reply to: #3245906 |
Regular 105 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery You are truly amazing! See, it keeps it in perspective and there are always folks who have been through more! One heart surgery is bad enough but going through 3, well, I can't imagine! Great job on the half! I'm not a runner so I would never be able to finish that distance before daylight ran out! Ha! |
| 2010-12-14 3:04 PM in reply to: #3245906 |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery crlarner - 2010-12-12 5:01 PM Glad to here of fellow heart patients getting into triathlons and doing well. I have had numerous cardiac issues since I was born and not even 40 yet. I wish you the best of luck and word of advice. Its the mental stress that weighs the most. I have been battling with the mental stress for so long but for some reason I have the discipline and drive to compete in a full ironman and so far, as I start back into it, (4 year lapse due to the birth of 2 kids, 3 heart surgeries, and masters program.) I am more focused than ever. I wish I could explain it. I wish you the best of luck with all of your endeavors. Depression is a common side effect of heart surgery. I've struggled with it off and on over the years, but find that staying active and having goals definitely helps me stay on top of it. One heart surgery was more than enough for me; it took me nearly a year to fully recover. I can't imagine going through it three times. God bless you. Mark |
| 2010-12-14 4:29 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
| Veteran 195 | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery I think what is more amazing is how far we have come in medical field. When I had my first surgery at 12 I stayed 2 weeks in the hospital and was inactive for 6 months, Now, at 38, when I have surgery, I am in surgery for 7-10 hours, home 2 days later, and back to work/ coaching that same week. Dr. advises 4-6 weeks, but I will go nuts. What are some things you did besides be active to get through the stress? |
| 2010-12-14 9:52 PM in reply to: #3248893 |
Regular 105 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Wow, that's amazing! Well, I went from charge nurse in the ICU to cath lab table, spent a night in IICU, then to OR for my CABG x 1 the next day. I was dc'd on post-op day 6 and struggled with intractable nausea/vomiting for the first 48 hours after I was extubated. It was literal hell and I have never experienced such pain as vomiting with a sternotomy. That is the price that younger women (like myself) pay with serious general anesthesia. The older guys I usually care for rarely get nauseous! But, I started walking the day I got home and was on the elliptical and stationary bike at week 6. My graft was a bit tenuous at first and couldn't handle too much of a workload as it had to mature (I have a rare problem so my "simple" CABG was not so "simple"). I agree that depression is a side effect and I had a bit after surgery (about 2 weeks after) that really surprised me as I'm usually never this way. It gave me a much better perspective of what our patients go through though. And, I think that exercise is truly what kept me going and sane through all of this! |
| 2010-12-15 6:33 AM in reply to: #3245696 |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Today is actually the tenth anniversary of my surgery. My surgery was a straight forward valve replacement and only took 1-1/2 hours. They had me sitting up that night and out of bed walking the next morning. I was kept me ICU for two days only because they didn't have any beds available on the cardiac recovery floor. My surgery was on a Friday morning and I went home first thing the following Tuesday. Mark
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| 2010-12-15 8:03 AM in reply to: #3245696 |
| Veteran 195 | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery AAAHHHHH.....I remember those days. Days of nausea from the anesthetics, soreness, sheer boredom of having to wait it out. I don't miss those days a bit. Hopefully we are good to go for awhile now. |
| 2010-12-15 8:40 AM in reply to: #3249390 |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery crlarner - 2010-12-15 9:03 AM AAAHHHHH.....I remember those days. Days of nausea from the anesthetics, soreness, sheer boredom of having to wait it out. I don't miss those days a bit. Hopefully we are good to go for awhile now. The worst thing for me was sneezing before my sternum healed. Made me think about the 'chest burster' scenes in the Aliens movies. Mark |
| 2010-12-15 1:26 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
Regular 105 San Jose, CA | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Oooh...I never had to sneeze thank goodness but had some serious nose blowing because I left the hospital with a sinus infection on top of everything! It was hell! |
| 2013-02-23 1:43 PM in reply to: #3245696 |
| 2 | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery great thread, Had my quad bypass day after christmas, and Im in rehab now, can't wait to start training again, hopefully i will be released to start doing that again, I so want to get back into the pool |
| 2013-02-25 1:30 PM in reply to: #4634332 |
Champion 7036 Sarasota, FL | Subject: RE: Back after emergency open heart surgery Sublxed - 2013-02-23 2:43 PM great thread, Had my quad bypass day after christmas, and Im in rehab now, can't wait to start training again, hopefully i will be released to start doing that again, I so want to get back into the pool Good luck with your rehab. Just take it slow and listen to your body. I remember it took me a while to get my stamina back. Some days it was two steps forward and one step back. If nothing else, I learned how to take naps during my recovery! Keep us posted on your progress. Mark
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