3 Weeks Post Open Heart Surgery 2

Top of da morning to you all.. I haven't blogged for so long as I haven't managed to master the art of uploading pictures from the ipad to the blog site. But I’m home now (yipppeeeeee) so I can blog to my heart’s content (pardon the pun!!) So, where do I begin? I was admitted to hospital on 6th July 2012, for the 4th time, as id been feeling unwell and was suffering with the rigours (very cold, shaking then temp spikes to 40) and id remembered this as being a tell take sign of endocarditis (heart infection. So they put me on IV antibiotics for 6 weeks, every 4 hours. This meant a line had to be put in me, as my veins wouldn’t play, and cannulas were a nightmare to get in. So I had a Hickman line put in, as I had my first Trans oesophagus echo (internal scan of heart) under a general anaesthetic. once this scan was done, the surgeons came round and dealt me the news that unfortunately the scan showed my new valve had become infected and the bacteria had eaten away at the tissue that was securing the stiches in, and I now had a leaky heart valve, which if left for too long would put the heart under too much stress and heart failure would be inevitable.The worse news was that the bacteria was a particular one that had built up a resistance to many antibiotics, and therefore they had to get the right combination of antibiotics. If not the bacteria basically eat away at healthy tissue and organs of the body, once it gets to a certain level in the blood stream its basically untreatable. This scan was to be performed every week (5 in total makes me queen of the TOE's apparently)so they could monitor the deterioration of the heart, as well as having the antibiotics to help minimise the bacteria levels, and this was how they could make sure I wasn’t deteriorating too quickly.

(Hickman Line) When they told me I had a second heart infection I was devastated (think I’ve previously covered this in my last blog. Everything went fuzzy and I couldnt focus on anything, but still kept smiling and cheery. Didnt see the point of mopsing round, it doesnt acheieve anything doing that, so in the spaces where I wasnt having the antibiotics, i'd slip off and nip to Liverpool one with friends and family he he he. I think we'd even had a lovely glass of red wine one afternoon when the sun was shining. I also went to see the Monet art exhibition at the Tate and the Rolf Harris exhibition at the Walker gallery. So 14/8/12 arrived (night before my operation), and I had to say goodbye to my mum, my dad and my brother. No matter how much of a positive person you are, there is always that doubt in your mind, that this could be it. Especially a second heart operation, so close to the 1st. The nurses sedated me slightly in the evening, (so you receive a better sleep), and then again in the morning once i'd had a shower and dressed into the delightful paper knickers and gown. To be honest, I don’t remember leaving the ward to go to theatre. I do remember being in the room where they put you to sleep. I was nervous but just wanting it all over. I then remember waking in a strange room, not where I had done previously and they said I was in full on intensive care. It wasn’t as scary as last time on awakening, and the breathing tube didn’t freak me out, but I did insist I was ok to breathe without it,and once they felt I was stable breathing on my own they replaced this with an oxygen mask. There had been a few complications during the operation and I'd suffered massive internal bleeding and at 12pm the surgeon was called back out and they weren’t sure if I might need to go to theatre again. Luckily not. As I came around more i was aware that I had wires in my neck, loads in my wrists, and drains in my chest. I was morphined up to the eyeballs and in and out of sleep. However, I do remember trying to stretch my legs and my left one wouldn’t move AT ALL. The pain was excruciating in my leg, like nothing I’ve ever had before. I asked them why and the surgeon had had to make an incision in my groin to access the femoral artery so they could pass some equipment to the heart via the artery. Infact they didn’t actually need to use it in the end, but had made the incision just in case. When the nurses came to roll me, so I didn’t get pressure sores (attractive!!!) I was crying and screaming, it was sooooo bad. The actually chest wound where they'd cracked my sternum and peeled back the ribcage didn’t hurt much at all, it was the leg. Family came to see me, but I was so off my head I was just chatting rubbish (no change there then). Id fall asleep mid conversation, TOTES WEAK!!!!and say to them, cant you see that person in the room opposite on the cross trainer ha ha... When I closed my eyes, id have loads of vivid mad images floating around. The actual operation they had performed was an aortic valve replacement with aortic root replacement, and they had used a mechanical valve.Which means life long warfarin. 3 days later I was taken off intensive care to a ward. Id actually stayed in the same room a few weeks back. The nurses were great. I was so helpless because I actually couldn't move at all. My leg was really getting me down because I needed to get up and about to reduce the risk of a chest infection, but physically couldnt at all. It was heart breaking. I could see my career just take a nosedive and this was definately rock bottom for me. It took 2 nurses to get me even onto a chair, right by the side of the bed, to wheel me to the shower or toilet. They had to actually move my leg for me, and id be crying when they did, but was determined to push it, thinking it would eventually be ok.

(I had 3 drains in my chest, pacing wires in chest and various other tubes and stuff). In the end I just said to the surgeons this is getting no better, I couldn’t feel my leg it was numb, but if I tried to weight bare or move it, it was so so painful. They agreed it shouldn’t be this bad a week later, so they decided to operate. So 1 week after the open heart surgery, I was back in theatre. Once I was back on ward, I could tell it was better, although there was still a lot of numbness in the leg, and it was very sore around the wound, but that kind of pain is fine, you know it’s going to get better. Indeed, what had happened in the heat operation, was, they’d sewn it up tightly, because I was on warfarin, but they think that nerves had gotten trapped. Anyhow......... That evening I felt really cold, and then I began to get the spikes in temperatures. My heart sank... surely not another heart infection. I wasn’t sure I could mentally, or physically go through it a third time, and I knew my family would be totally totally devastated. The nurses asked me to pee in a small bottle, (next bit a little gross) and as I was trying to aim my pee (ha ha ha ) I noticed my left groin area was inflamed and massively swollen and was tracking down my leg. I alerted the nurses who did the doctors and my surgeon was called up. He thought maybe I had a haematoma, and said we need to re operate to remove it. So the next day, back to theatre. By this time, everyone in theatre knew me, it was almost embarrassing because they were saying...."gosh, not you AGAIN!!!!" On opening me up again, they couldn’t find a haematoma, and they diagnosed cellulitis, an infection in the wound. So I was back on IV antibiotics to try and clear this up and I then had another tube coming out of my leg, to drain the blood away. Instantly I felt better once Id had a couple of days of this treatment. I was starting to walk (very slowly) around the ward,and using a walker, but then the next day I took the stairs, day after did the stairs twice, and each day, Id set myself targets.

(drain in my leg) I was so pleased with how the actual heart operation had gone, because the pain in the ribcage was so minimal in comparison to last time, and I firmly believe this was because I was totally bed bound for a week after and it forced me to rest. Whereas before I’d been moving around, doing some light mobilisation exercises for the shoulder girdle etc. etc...

(1week post operation) On 4th September I had my Hickman line removed under a local anaesthetic... yeyyy... free from wires......

(2 weeks post operation) I was discharged yesterday evening and have just come back from a trip to the countess, where I’ve had a chat about warfarin and I now have weekly check-ups for this. Every 2 weeks imp back to Liverpool for check-ups, and every week I have to have infection levels checked. I’m not out of the woods just yet. I need to rest, and stay away from people with coughs, colds and infections. I’m so weak and I feel awfully rude saying to visitors they can really only stay around 30 minutes, but it really does tire me out and I’ll be like this for quite a while. I am now a piece of artwork in the form of scars and mentally it has been hard. I have had to overcome such a lot of illness and setbacks over the last 3 years. The whole episode stems from a root canal that became infected, which led to a heart infection, which damaged my heart valve further, which then lead to an abcess in the spleen, which had to be removed, so I now have a comprimised immune system. this more recent stay in hospital, I have had 2 major heart surgeries, another heart infection, 2 leg operations and a infection in my leg. This whole nightmare has been so hard for not only me, but the people around me. My aunty also passed away through all this, and my grandad put into a nursing home with full blown parkinsons, and the whole family have had to pull together so much. Without them, and the support of my friends, I couldnt have been as strong, mentally as I have been. (although I am one hard mo fo!!!! ha ha) I’m not allowed to even consider training for 4-6 months due to the strain on the heart and the aorta and also, my immune system wouldn’t cope. So for now its art work, and pottering around. I hope this hasn't bored you and I will continue to keep you updated.

15 weeks post surgery 1. 2days before open heart surgery 2!

Morning everyone, I'm sure everyone is feeling a little fatigued this morning after the closing ceremony last night. Did you all enjoy it? I have to say, I secretly enjoyed the spice girls. I believe I missed Gary Barlow? I had to go to sleep at 12 ish as I would be woken at 5 ish for my iv antibiotics, but then couldn't sleep anyhow so may as well have stayed up to watch it. Well. I'm now 15 weeks post open heart surgery but unfortunately 2 days to go until my second open heart surgery.. I'm trying not to think about the operation now, just looking to the few weeks after it and hoping that all will be well this time and I can return home in a few weeks and begin to rebuild my life slowly. I'm going to be returning back to the clean eating programme once home and looking to reduce body fat to a minimum. I'm also looking for 4 other people to join me on the clean eating programme. This programme will not include any exercise at this stage. The exercise element will be implemented at week 12. I just want to see the results of the diet only. It will require you meeting up with me and me taking your measurements etc. Email me claire@chesterfitness.co.uk if you would like to join me in a few weeks on the programme. I will be doing a video blog the night before my operation and uploading to YouTube. Big hugs Claire xx

14 weeks post open heart surgery

Hi everyone,

Well... Did we see 'the big man' in the 100m last night. Pure genius! That's how fast I'm gonna be runnin out of this god damn place. It's been great to have the time to watch the Olympics but as those of you who have been pretty I'll or spent a long time in hospital, concentrating in hospital is a nightmare. I wanted to write a book, develop new workshops, and I just can't concentrate at all. Plus, you've got zillions of people coming in and out of your room every minute of everyday.
I have been moved back to my original side room, as it's been decorated a new shade of yellow. Actually looks ok.
Went to Liverpool one yesterday with Jolene, Nic and Lizzie. We went to Pesto and had scummy food and.... A bottle of red wine (I was good and ok'd it with the docs and just had a small glass). We got caught in the thunderstorm, but managed to shelter, so didn't get too wet.
Was lovely to sit and feel like a normal person doing normal things, albeit just for a few hours. Got back to the room, and my mum and aunt and cousin came over, so was a lovely day. I'm managing to escape today to spend a few hours at the Walker Art Gallery where Rolf Harris's exhibition is being displayed.
Trying to make the most of this last week before my second heart operation which is pencilled in for next Wednesday.
It's a really really tough time mentally and emotionally. I'm pretty nails ;-) and I can just get on with it, if it was just me to think about. But seeing how it's affecting my mum, dad and brother breaks my heart. They are all so so upset and are finding it difficult to deal with the fact that this operation has to be performed again. My mum regularly breaks down and I'm sure my father has his dark moments. My brother has become really down and finding it heard to express his emotion but it's easy for big sis to see that he is not himself. As for me... I just feel like punching everyone that winds me up ha ha ha.... I get really wound up by rude people and bad mannered people and find myself regularly having to count to 10 when walking past people who are being obnoxious. My tolerance levels are not great and I'm sure that's how I am dealing with it.
Clean eating!?!?!  This has gone out of the window as hospitals are carb cities. It's impossible to follow it, unless ur getting unlimited supplies from friends and relatives, which is not fair to ask.
Il get back on it post operation, and hope you will join me too.

Anyhow, I'll sign off for now and I'll do another written and YouTube blog before my operation.

Thanks

Claire xxx

13 weeks post open heart surgery 1

Good morning everyone, Are we all excited about the Olympics opening ceremony tomorrow evening? I'm looking forward to being able to watch all the Olympic events and am looking at this a one of the positives of being in hospital. What's your favourite event? Is anyone going? Please email me with pics or comments at claire@chesterfitness.co.uk and I'll get them on here. Update on the old health front... I had another TOE yesterday and the heart is under the same stress as last week which means the bacteria haven't done any further damage and so the surgeons and microbiologists have decided that it's best to keep me on 3 to 4 more weeks worth of strong IV antibiotics to really blitz these pesky bacteria and then operate then, when I stand a minimised risk of another infection (omg, don't think I could go through it a 3rd time in less than 6 months) The other choice I now have to make is what valve to have. Option 1- cows pericardium valve (this is the ne I currently have). This is not really an option because it hasn't worked this time. Option 2 - mechanical valve. Tic toc tic toc... If I choose this, u will hear me before u see me as this valve is noted for its sound and this could be soooo annoying when trying to sleep, or indeed watching a film, or taking an exam, ha ha, or being n a plane next to someone, I'll end up being accused of having a bomb on me he he he. The other more serious complications of a mechanical valve are that you can't ' binge drink' :-( Now I'm not a binge drinker but I do like a good night out with friends and am partial to the odd after party he he, but these means that all that has to stop. So think I'm gonna become a yogi, body builder, walker, dog lover, traveller business extraordinaire. It also means it complicates the option of having babies, but to be honest, I think ve come to the conclusion that this will not be a part of my life and maybe will consider adoption in the future! Or like I say, I'm gonna just have loads of dogs and become the crazy dog woman that all villages have. Warfrin also means you have to avoid certain foods high in vitamin K and also sports such as skiing, mountain biking, contact boxing, and 50 shades of grey 'hard limits' ;-) The pros of the mechanical valve mean I wouldn't have to have another operation for 20-30 years if all goes well. Option 3 - human heart valve and ascending aorta transplant. This is probably the option I'm going to go for as it means there is less risk of a reoccurring infection and I can drink and basically lead a normal life, but the massive deisadvantage is I would need the operation doing again in 10 years time. Decisions decisions!!! What would you choose?? Ultimately it's in the surgeons hands and he has said when he opens up my chest and looks at the heart he will decide on the day! They have confirmed they will take pictures of the op for me..... Looking forward to hearing from you all soon Claire xx

12 weeks post open heart surgery

Hi everyone,

How's 'the outside world' doing? Iam feeling like I've been detached from normality for so long now. To do the simplistic of things such as go for a meal with friends and family, or enjoy a evening at the pictures seems such an appealing and also faraway way of life. Gone our my days of rushing round here there and everywhere. When I get out of here, it's a slower pace of life all the way!!

Speaking of getting out of here........

BAD NEWS!!!!!!

I've got to have the whole open heart surgery done again!! I'm totally devastated. I basically have a heart infection and it's eating the new valve. It's the worse thing that could happen. The surgical team are gutted. it is a massive set back and this 2nd operation carrys massive risks, with it being so soon, and also with infection being present in the body. If this 2nd valve gets infected... Well..... Let's not think that way. But it's bad bad bad........
The second operation will be next Friday and I will be taking regular video blogs as soon as I can speak and hold an iPad. I'm not looking forward to it, as I know ow what to expect, the pain on waking up from the operation, when they are taking out the draining tubes etc. urrrggghhhhh, can't even think about it without feeling sick!
I'm trying to get my strength up by eating loads of fruit and calorie dense food. I have managed to loose 12lbs but my aim now, is to put 6-7lbs back on in preparation for the operation, as il probably need all the energy I can to get me through it.
Then ill embark back n the clean eating 3 weeks post op.

Thank you for all your support guys.


Claire xx

Day out from broadgreen to Liverpool royal

Good evening fitness peeps, So, I've had the most fun today that I've had in a long time!! I had a day trip from broadgreen to royal Liverpool for a PET scan... Hmmm. Never google stuff if curious..... On doing so...PET scan.... Used for detecting cancer?!? WTF. Anyhow,, went for one. I had my own bodyguard ha ha. We got the ambulance to the royal. Have you ever been there? It's like terminal 1 Manchester airport! They had designer glasses stall, make up stall, I was half expecting a swimwear and bikini stall!! We sat for a wile in the waiting room, and then I got asked to go to a small room. Basically they inject u with nuclear radioactive stuff and then you have to sit quietly for an hour, toilet it circulate. Then they take u into the scanner and you lie with you arms above your head. Well, all I can say is..... 50 shade of grey kept bloody popping in my head as my arms were going dead after half an hour and I just kept thinking, god, I'd be no good ha ha ha...... Got back from the royal to broadgreen, via a little bit of mischievousness, which I can't say ha ha, then waiting for the results. I. Going to be in here for at least 3 more weeks and then long term antibiotics. That's the latest update. I can't seem to upload videos or images onto the iPad, so il keep taking the video blogs and upload them on my return home. I'm going to write 2 more fitness articles this weekend. So will upload these once they've been edited. Big hugs Claire (darlo04) xxx

10 weeks and 3 days

Hi guys, Thought I'd give you a little update. I can't seem to up load any pictures on here via iPad, and as I'm stuck in hospital.....I know...can you still bloody believe it!?!?!then you'll have to wait for pictures I'm afraid.
Lots to report. I've been feeling unwell pretty much since the operation. Maybe the odd good day thrown in, but I've slowly got worse to the point where now I'm havin 3 or 4 rigour attacks a day. For those that aren't familiar with these, it's where the hands and legs go really cold and then you start shaking uncontrolably for an hour or so, then temperature spikes dangerously to around 40degrees.
So after havin had 3 bad bouts, I had to be readmitted back into hospital on Friday. So so I'll, i felt exhausted. I couldn't walk or move I was that drained. They took 3 sets of blood cultures and one whilst I was having a turn. I then had another 2 turns yesterday and was in desperation as I just felt so bad. The surgeon came to see me and he was stumped. They'd had a meeting at the royal Liverpool hospital with all the top consultants as my case has not been seen before. Then last night they'd made a break through, however, it's not great news.
Will tell you more over next 2 days as I'm having ct scan and an echo this afternoon, but basically they've identified a bacteria in the blood.they just need to source the cause of the bacteria!

Will keep you updated.


See you soon


Xxxxxx