Return of the Energizer Emily

It's happened.  I doubted for a long time that it would happen but it has.  I'm back.  The Emily Energizer Bunny is back!  I am just five days away from the one year anniversary of my surgery and I feel like me again.  Finally!  Just within the last few weeks I have started feeling like myself again--increased stamina, energy and drive.  I am now working 8-hour days and still have the energy and enthusiasm to make dinner, bake cookies, do laundry, be social and renovate our trailer.  Wow!  Not only does multitasking no longer exhaust me, but it invigorates me again!  I'm back on!

There has been one hiccup...a few months ago I noticed a subtle regression in my symptoms...getting winded walking up stairs and general fatigue.  Tests show that my new valves are doing great--too great, really!  The new valves (together with my upgraded, larger aortic root) have increased my heart's workload capacity with no significant regurgitation.  This is wonderful!  Unless you're my mitral valve. 

My mitral valve is the last remaining defect of my Shone's Complex--the only valve that has never been operated on.  Why?  Well, it's a bit wonky and it has always managed to keep up with the poorer performing valves.  But now that my new valves are performing like Usain Bolt, the mitral valve is being left in dust...not even keeping up enough to get a bronze medal!  My pulmonary pressures are elevated and the gradient across my valve shoots up to 30 with exertion. What's this mean?  We have to fix that little mitral valve, probably sooner than we thought.  AND it will probably need to be replaced via another open-heart surgery because the valve is too wonky to be replaced trans-catheter. 

Now, I know I make open-heart surgery look like a breeze, but I told my doctor I'd like to try to wait a LITTLE BIT longer before the next one.  SO, a few weeks ago I started some diuretics in addition to the ACE inhibitor I'm on.  And wouldn't you know it, the Energizer Emily reappeared!  I am now a busy bee once again and I am feeling great!  The plan is to manage my mitral valve as long as possible and cross that next surgery-bridge when we get there.  With my Bolt-esque valves and my Energizer Emily-ness, I'll be leaping over that next surgery-bridge in gold-medal-style. 

BTW, if I was an Olympiad, I would definitely be a pole vaulter!

2016: A year for remodeling

It's a new year!  And a new year means more life—another year of possibilities, experiences, adventures, trials, accomplishments, struggles, growth, joys, travel, and delicious meals.  Hooray for new years!

I am nearing 5 months since my surgery last August and it has been almost exactly one year since I went to my cardiologist with concerns that things were noticeably changing with my heart's function.  One year—what a trip this year has been!  It's been a year that required immense flexibility, creativity and patience as I went through the changes and transitions of declining health, surgery and then slowly improving health!  It has also been a year of humility—being humbled by the immense love and support of my families and friends and most particularly my parents and husband.  This year, at the age of 31, I have come to appreciate that no matter how old I am, I will always need my parents--not in a moocher-type-of-way (they hope!) but in a "your-love-and-support-strengthens-and-empowers-me-type-of-way".  And that's nice.  You can't get too old for that.

Another great thing about this past year (beside more life and the affirmation of family love) is that this year has upgraded me to quasi-bionic!  Ever since The Terminator I've always been a little bit jealous of people with rebuilt knees and metal plates in their bodies because they could call themselves bionic.  Now, not only do I have a donor valve (which is cool enough!) but I've also been upgraded to bionic status with a bio-prosthetic valve, putting me in the company of Darth Vader and the Terminator.  That's very nice.  I might just live to be 105!

And now for this year...what will it hold?
My visit to the cardiologist last week showed my heart to be recovering very well: BP and heart rate are normal, mild pulmonary regurgitation and flow turbulence, good heart function and a strong heart muscle.  I've re-started an ACE inhibitor, not for blood pressure reasons but to assist with 'reverse heart remodeling' as my heart continues to heal and improve in shape and function.  The theme of remodeling will continue to echo throughout the year as Ryan and I undertake the happy task of making a home out of our vintage trailer!

I wish everyone a 2016 full of life, good health and fruitful remodeling!

"When everything else changes our love will stay the same." —Brandi knows best.