Tomorrow will be 6 weeks since my open-heart surgery to replace a severely stenotic calcified aortic valve and aneurysm of the ascending aorta. The surgeon said that the broken breast bone would heal in 6 weeks.
I was extremely weak after the surgery to the point of not being able to sit up in bed without help. Regaining strength and stamina has been a gradual process. I have to take this one step at a time. I had a severe pleural effusion and atalectasis (partial lung collapse). The effusion is gone but I still only have about 75% of my full lung capacity (as measured by incentive spirometer).
I have been doing Zumba for about 3 weeks, carefully monitoring my heart rate and stopping when I get tired. Today was the first day of re-starting fitness class using light weights and staying for only 40 minutes. (Followed by 20 minutes of yoga.) I am taking metoprolol, a drug to suppress heart rate. My max was 118 bpm. I don’t know yet whether my new heart valve can handle more than 120 bpm.
Unless something disastrous happens this will be my last post about my heart surgery. If all goes well I expect to gradually regain full strength over a period of months.
I appreciate all your good wishes.
Wendy