Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 22 - 退院日

Ah* It's the day of discharge! Just had a normal breakfast, and will have lunch here later, but after that, it will be back to daily life already. I miss the place already! Hey, how many places can u name where you had a life-changing experience (or "heart-changing," in my case), and enjoyed d ordeal? It has been scary, it has been painful, it has been boring, it has been fun. (^-^) I'm really, really happy and thankful to God for making it go so smoothly; to mom for being here for me and taking care of me; to Hannah for her telepresence and remote-love; to all my family and friends who prayed for me; to the doctors and really nice nurses who did a wonderful job; and to no one in particular for the lack of hair and make-up. d(^-^) A truly heartfelt Thank You! ＼(^O^)人(^O^)／ Lets drink and celebrate! Whoops, gotta watch the intake! (｀o'ヾ

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 21 - Update 2

Surgeon just came by. He gave the thumbs up for discharge! Going home tomorrow afternoon! ~ヽ('ー`)ノ~ Will be taking the 7 tablets of warfarin for now, plus Viaspirin, another med i've been taking ever since the surgery. Both will be permanent. The heartrate med will continue until further notice. Just have to come back 2 weeks later for another blood test.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 21

It would seem i will need to stay here for a few more days due to my high warfarin requirement. (・ω・;) Doctor said that around 4 tablets is d norm. I still took 7 tablets last night. Oh well, will just wait and see. On a positive note, my weight has stabilized at 63.2-63.7 kg. I never thought its possible to get nearly the same value day after day after day! Amazing. Controlling salt intake really does work. Yesterday, they tested my leg strength among other things. It would seem i need more leg exercises. My legs are 50% weaker than the average in my age group! Well, no surprise there. (｀o'ヾ Been getting a lot of reminders and cautions from d nurses in prep for my discharge. I'm getting scared of the outside world because of those. Sounds like daily life is a dangerous and scary place. Hahaha. Ha. (¬_¬)ぁゃιぃ Will need to buy blood pressure and heart rate measurement device and a weighing scale when i get out, so that i can properly keep records. I just wish they invented some portable device to measure the salt content of food. That would be cool! As it is, i only have a jap food guide. 1 bowl of ramen already exceeds my daily salt limit by 25%. And a Tenya Tendon tempura bowl is only a bit below my limit. And that's jap food! Eating Filipino dishes would be... catastrophic. (´〜`) Its definitely d start of a healthier, albeit controlled, lifestyle.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 20

I think i had too much sleep. Head feels a bit heavy and im a little dizzy. Talked with doctor about d fast heartbeat right now. Will have to schedule follow-up consultations initially once a month. He doesn't think it is a permanent condition. Yokatta... (^-^)v Although im still a little worried about it. Warfarin dosage increased again yesterday from 6 to 7 tablets. It worries me that due only to natural variations, my dosage needs to be increased twice in 2 weeks. Especially since blood testing after i'm discharged is only once a month (compared to d current near-daily blood sucking routine). Supposed to have final checkup today but no scheduled examinations yet. Hm.. Could they have forgotten?

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 19

Hm.. Didn't know what happened to the old guy. They had him CT scanned, and transferred around lunch. Another old man took his place. As for me, they doubled my dosage of d heartrate lowering med in hopes of further decrease. The change is only a little so far. I think my sleeping heartrate is now 70-80 bpm. Active heartrate still around 80-100 bpm. Been walking 800 meters, and d 5 flights. Nurse gave me a more comprehensive warfarin listing. More common food needs to be limited, including carrots, asparagus, and garlic. Generally, normal small amounts is ok, just not as main diet. There are some super-high Vit.K foods that i don't know yet. Will need to translate more food names later. Still don't know if i can take my usual Enervon tablets.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 18

Some of my chest pain seems to have started to disappear. I can already lift my body up using my elbows while lying flat, albeit very slowly. I needed to roll sideways and use d bed post in the past days. Yeah, getting in and out of bed had involved a tiring and painful dance. Last night, i also succeeded in lifting my head up from my pillow for a short while. My rhinitist seems to be making an unwelcome come back. Good thing sneezing no longer involves a sledgehammer... just a regular workshop hammer. (´〜`) Woke up today to the old guy in front of me crying out that he feels a lot of pain in his abdomen! They haven't figured out what's wrong yet. It's been more than an hour since! (=_=)

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 17

Heartrate still around 80-110 bpm. Looks like that will continue indefinitely for now... A complication of d surgery. Doctor said will discuss possible follow-ups on monday. Surgeon said i can be discharged on tuesday depending on d results of d last checkups on monday. Yesterday, I started going up and down 5 flights of stairs in addition to d 400 meters. Stairs are barely doable. Out of breath immediately. Cycling at 25 watts for 30 mins only. Rehabilitation guy said it will take probably a couple of months to get back to normal. Also met with dietician today. 6g of salt per day only, and restrictions on leafy vegetables due to the warfirin. ┐('〜`；)┌ Mom started cooking and bringing some tasty food since yesterday. o(^o^)o D hospital food had been quite unpredictable - sometimes delicious, sometimes unforgettably forgettable.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 16

Started meds for palpitation last night. This morning, my heartrate has decreased from an average of 110 bpm to around 90 bpm. I definitely feel less fatigued now, although I can still feel my heart thumping whenever i lie down or lean on a chair. Didn't get much sleep last night. Told the nurse it wasn't d new noisy snoring neighbor, or the periodic beeping of d equipment of the one that just finished surgery, but i'm not so sure. (^ヘ^)v Still can't get into a good sleeping posture, actually. Still have to lie down face up. Chest wound doesn't hurt much anymore, but the peripheral muscles still hurt a great deal when stress is applied. Sneezing is d worst - feels like a sledgehammer to my chest muscles. Last of d stitches (i hope) should be removed today.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 14

Odd dream last night about spirits, energy transfer (to me?!), and waking nightmare again. (=_=) Interestingly, it was also part anime - with a white-haired van transforming into a white-haired female "master spirit"; and little devils holding a stick with a keyword and a small hole at the end meant to lure unsuspecting visitors - Hell's version of google search and spyware sites. (¬_¬)ぁゃιぃ Today, i started walking 400 meters. Also started going to d rehabilitation area in d 1st floor for cycling. Just 15 watts for 20 mins today. Heart rate all throughout was a steady but high 125-130 BPM. （｀ε´）ぶー Had fish with pizza topping for dinner! (o^-')b

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 13

Heart rate still averaging around 100 bpm. Doctor said some electro cardiac pathway may have been affected or damaged. A few more days of observation is needed. Will need to take medicine if the condition persists. D other person in my room will be having surgery tomorrow. I thought i will be left alone in d room, but they wheeled somebody in from another room. Beans and veggies in tomato sauce for breakfast.. m(_ _)m Still at 200 meters with rest.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 12 - Post-Ope Day 5

Nurse said i can get a shower today! d(^O^)b First shower since ope! Just have to watch the chest wound properly, in case the hot water makes it bleed due to thermal expansion. Started walking 200 meters today as part of rehabilitation. Also discovered there are still some wires in my chest that can be connected to an external pacemaker in case of emergency. They plan to remove them in the next couple of days. {{{{(+＿+)}}}}

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11 - Update 3

Had you ever experienced a nightmare while awake? Like getting a sensation that everything feels big and immense, or every movement feels being sped up, although all other senses tell you everything's normal. I remember having such experiences as a child. According to my mom, it usually happens to me when i have a fever and had just woken up. Id b crying or scared of something. Well, i know how frightening it can be. Lately, ive been getting them again while in d hospital. Its really, really disturbing. Id have to stand up, walk around, and try to "wake" myself up from it. Today, i experienced it while watching the Christmas Concert. The notes seem to have triggered something in my head. I had to excuse myself even though i was in the front-most row (dizzy, i told them). They wheeled me up to my room immediately. Im sure it has some physiological cause. For sure, my sleep pattern is out of whack right now.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11 - Update 2

Everyone's leaving! Graham left this morning, and its going to be pretty quiet and uneventful without him around. We conversed only a few times, and didnt really talk most of d day, but hearing english once in a while was reassuring. Here's wishing him a full recovery from his stroke and heart operation! I wonder if he'll really write about he's experience as a gaijin having a stroke and triple bypass in japan. D other japanese guy who came in a couple of days before had also left. Which leaves only 2 in d room. Its going to get pretty lonely here. Cant wait to get home soon.
Also realized i've been uploading too much data, and im suddenly *really* concerned now of my phone bill! Will limit to text uploads from now on.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 11

Chest wound still mildly painful. At least i can move around more. Still short on breath. I can walk until d drink station already, with some rest. Its around 10 meters away. Lifting paperback still tires me though. So i read only a little last night before sleeping. Hospital will be holding a Christmas Concert today. They set up a large flat screen for those here in d 4th floor. (^-^)

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10 - Update 3

Upper wound.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10 - Update 2

THEY TOOK OUT MY FLUID LINES JUST NOW!! $#!\(%@& IT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 10

Recuperating. Surgery went perfectly. A lot of painful stuff as expected, but hospital service is excellent. Best in the world. Feels like a hotel if not for my medical treatment and surgery.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 7

Today's the big day! (-"-;) Opted for mech valve and a lifetime of warfirin. Hope i made the right decision.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 6

Its d day before ope. Im nervous and worried as expected. I keep worrying about my wake-up-runny-nose (rhinitis?) and whether it will be a problem when i wake up in d ICU. The doctor said not to worry since he hasnt seen anyone with rhinitist encounter any problem. Said that worst case, they can administer an anti-allergy drug. I hope it'll really be ok. yesterday, the project leader, sawada-san came by to visit. Brought some nice gifts too - a 3D puzzle and a 3x3x1 rubiks square (since not a cube). I completed the puzzle last night! (*'-^)-☆ D structure and pieces were left-right symmetric, so twas easy after building 1 side. Friend of my mom came over yesterday too. He's from Taiwan who is teaching chinese language in a university in nearby Takao. Had chicken patty/cake/block as part of dinner last night. They also included clam chowder in today's breakfast. >a, Will have CT Scan again later. They need more detail so will inject contrast agent again. At least no longer v
ia catheter. (-"-;) Nurse just came over and explained pre-op stuff, including d need to shave some parts ive never shaved before. ('0')/ハイ!

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 5

If yesterday afternoon is any indication, it's going to be an unproductive and boring day. Discovered how useful my phone-TV is during such times. Got to watch Kamen Rider W during breakfast today. (*^_^*) They already gave me some materials to read in preparation for the ope. Have to practice deep breathing and how to get out of bed at least once an hour. Had udon for lunch yesterday. Project leader dropping-by today. My mom will be coming to keep me company, since she rested yesterday given nothing much was expected to happen. Got tired of d slow pace reading Ga-rei manga, so i just did a speed-read. (^-^)v Started reading "Proust and the Squid", a book about d science of reading.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 4

Last of physical examinations today. Nothing to do until d ope on tuesday except to talk to surgeon. First breakfast here. Finished Timescape today - a wonderful nebula award winner by Gregory Benford. The book does science and the scientific commumity a great service even today, almost 30 years since its first publication. Also reading ga-rei #10 with phone dictionary and memo-ing the terms and kanji. Doctors recommending valve repair instead of replacement - it would seem mech valve is also expected to degrade in 15-20 years. Will discuss more with surgeon Takanashi-sensei, on monday. He's flying bk from germany tomorrow. Apparently, he's well-known here according to graham. Also had a conversation with an english-speaking japanese man from Ginma(?) prefecture. He also has a bicuspid valve (small 3rd leaf). Got a brief jap lesson on "ga" in d process. :P errata for previous post: anesthesia is "masui" 「麻酔」, not "musui". ∵・∴・★

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 3 - Esophagial Echo

Just finishd with esophgeal echo. Having something pulled in and out of your throat feels weird - especially the last looong hard pull. I kept on choking. They also had me keep this lubricant thing down my throat, and made me bite on a plastic thing with a hole to keep my mouth open. This is probably how a deep throat feels like, except it goes down to d level of your heart (NOT that i plan to do it, im not gay). They also sprayed something down my throat, im guessing its musui, anesthesia. They also injected me with more musui. D trick seems to be to just keep breathing through your nose and ignore everything else. D moment you breath thru d mouth, you choke and cough. It helps that the attending nurses were nice.. in both sense of the word. I cant imagine going thru that with an all-guy staff. Hahaha. Now, with everything wearing off, my throat just feels really sore. I can start drinjing only from 1130, and eat from 1300. (ΘoΘ;) Good news is they said i can drink
1 can of coffee. ＼(^O^)人(^O^)／ Will also have shower at 1530.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 3

Its almost 4am. Woke up in d middle of the night again. Using left hand to type. Im jst too conscious of my IV drip arm. At least the incision part is now less painful. They binded it yesterday with a bind that used pressurised air. They let out air every few hours to loosen it. Now its jst bandage. Saw d cut when they took off d bind. Lookd away immediately. (=_=) Talked with Graham, d guy from england across me. He also had heart surgery. Wounds were scary. Now dreading d esophageal echo thats due in a few hours. No breakfast for the 2nd time.

Aortal Valve Replacement - Day 2

Late post. Was supposd to send this during d morning. Today's my second day here at Sakakibara. Woke up in the middle of the night from 3-430pm. Early lights out (9pm), and early wake up call (6am). I was looking forward to breakfast when I remembered that no breakfast for me. My next meal will be lunch, after the catheter thing. |||(-_-；)||||||