Back to Work

Things just keep getting better and better. Finally started back to work last week. It's great to be out of the house but getting back in the swing of things at work is proving to be a bit harder than I thought. You don't realize how much really happens in the month that you are gone. Other than the actual work part of WORK I love being back. I can't express how incredible the people I work with are. The love and support they have shown me really is amazing. Big Ups to the entire K2 crew for everything they have done for me.

Finally got to start Cardiac Therapy as well. It's great to be able to move and exercise some. I get to spend 15 minutes on a treadmill, walking of course, and 15 minutes on a stationary bike. There are a few other exercises in between. For now it is all pretty moderate but they promise me we will continue to ramp it up. I told the Dr. that i want to try and run the 5k at work on May 10th for the Shape up the Nation program and he seemed to think that was doable. For sure I can walk it but i want to at least jog. 3.1 miles isn't really that far. I have a few weeks to get ready and I think I can do it.

Other than that life is looking up. Things are getting better everyday and starting to get back to normal. That's all for now but I will be sure to try and update this sometime next week.

See ya

Pictures Please

Hey everyone. Some people had been asking to see the pics of me in the hospital so here you go. Fair warning....I look like death in some of these. There not all pretty. Lots of tubes and wires hanging out of me. So if things like this are tough on your stomace you may not want to look ahead. Just remember as bad as some of these look....I'm doing great now. :)

This was pre-op. I was loving the super rad blow up suite they had me wear!



This was me right after surgery. I had more stuff hanging from me than you can imagine. At least by now my hands weren't tied to the bed anymore.

Here's the post-op head shot. My agent loves this one. That yellow thing going into my neck was actually a device that went through my artery directly into my heart to measure the blood pressure inside my heart. CRAZY!


Here's me with the first nurse I had. His name is Darren. He was pretty much rad. Luckily i got to meet him again after my first day in the hospital cause honestly I don't remember ever taking this picture.

Finally they let me eat. I have some super sweet pudding in my left hand there. That was the first food of any kind that I had in the last 16 hours probably. Best pudding ever at that point.

Here I am a few days after surgery. Starting to look a bit more normal with a few less tubes and wires hanging out of me. That's Cat next to me. She is my surgeons head nurse. She kinda runs the show. Don't mess with Cat.

Been good!! Finally

Hey everyone....sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I think the Dr. appointments have slowed and things have been going well for the first time in a while and there's not a whole lot to talk about.

I had a couple of appointments last week. I met with my surgeon Dr. Luber for the last time. He said everything was looking good and he was happy with my progress. They let me start to drive again as well. I am a free man! It's so nice being able to get out of the house and not just be stuck in front of the TV all day. Besides letting be drive they did take some x-rays of my lungs and there is still some fluid around my left lung but nothing like it was last time. No one really seemed to worried about it. The Dr just wants me to take another x-ray next week to make sure it hasn't become worse.

After I saw Dr. Luber I went to see Dr. Bilnoski, my cardiologist, for a follow up. It was the first time I had seen him since my surgery. He did an EKG and an echo. They wanted to make sure there wasn't any more fluid around my heart, which thank goodness, there wasn't. He also increased the dosage of my beta blocker to try and slow my heart down. My pulse has still been pretty high, which isn't all that uncommon but its not a great thing either.

Other than that things have been going pretty well. Still going to the anti coagulation clinic twice a week trying to get my warfarin levels dialed in. Healing has been going well too. Starting to feel better everyday. There is still some fatigue but that will go away over time. Also I am starting Cardiac Therapy tomorrow. I was supposed to start last week but the hospital canceled on me and rescheduled. The therapy should be good. They will help me get my heart and lungs going again but in a safe and monitored manner. I am looking forward to that!

That's all for now....