My Experience

I have had a life-long heart murmur and was born with an enlarged heart. In the past year or so, my symptoms of shortness of breath, arrhythmia, dizziness, chest pain, and fainting got progressively worse. In addition, since my heart was so inflamed, I had trouble eating and drinking. I felt so sick that I was unable to climb one flight of stairs.

When I first visited my primary care physician, I was feeling very ill almost all over my body, and not quite sure what was wrong with me. After having a few medical examinations, she referred me to the cardiology department at the hospital to get an evaluation (EKG, echocardiogram, etc). The test results were returned to my primary care physician and she told me that I had a severe aortic regurgitation with symptomatic congestive heart failure. She told me in order to get better, I must have heart surgery.

I was in complete shock. However, at the same time, it was a relief to know what was wrong with me. Still, I was not completely ready to hear this; I have always followed a life style of holistic and natural healing. I started this path about 25 years ago, when I almost died due to an allergic reaction to medications I took. Since that time, I had never taken any medications, not even vitamins or supplements.

My primary care physician assured me that these days, cardiac surgery is quite advanced, and that I would feel better after having the surgery. Also, the types of medications used today are more sophisticated then 25 years ago. Still, it was very difficult for me to accept that I had to go through major surgery.

Two weeks after I met with a cardiologist, I was introduced to a cardiac surgeon. He told me that I should have the aortic valve replaced within a few months. He explained that he could perform a minimally invasive surgery to replace my valve, so the incision would be relatively small and the recovery would be much faster then the traditional open-heart surgery. I decided to have the surgery, because I did not think I could survive much longer in this condition. My diagnoses were aortic regurgitation with congestive heart failure (Class 3, New York Heart Association), coronary artery disease, and aortitis. I originally received the surgery date for August; however, I was having many episodes of severe angina, arrhythmia, and shortness of breath, and my family put me on the waiting list just in case a surgery date opened up earlier. Luckily, a July surgery date opened up and I was able to take this appointment.

Preparing for surgery
I had various medical appointments to make in order to prepare for the surgery. At the allergy clinic, tests were performed to make sure some of the medications I would take for the surgery would be safe for me as I am very sensitive to various drugs. Both my family and I wanted to be cautious about this. I passed allergy challenge tests and I felt much better about the surgery.

I was also asked by the surgeon to get dental clearance to make sure there were no active dental infections prior to the cardiac surgery. I made several trips to the dentist to get this clearance.

I also received some spiritual counseling and followed a meditation and visualization program to reduce stress and focus on healing (Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster Program by Peggy Huddleston). Although I knew about her book and relaxation CD for a long time and recommended them to my friends and family who needed to have surgery, only through my personal experience did I know how much they helped me through this challenge in my life. I rested as much as I could; I listened to Peggy Huddleston’s Relaxation CD and visualized my healing process. I organized a support group of family and friends. I was able to stay very calm during my surgery preparation.

The night before
But the night before the surgery, I became afraid again. That evening my son, daughter and sister arrived from different parts of the country and it was quite hectic in the house. Some of my family was very worried about me. I could feel their worry. I did not have as much time to meditate and relax. Because I was overwhelmed, I began thinking that I could potentially die the next day if anything were to go wrong during the surgery. I broke down and cried.

My daughter called Peggy Huddleston and she suggested that all the family members surround me in a circle and send me energy of love and protection by visualizing wrapping me in a blanket of love. It made me feel so safe and loved. The morning of the surgery, before we left for the hospital, my family put me in the middle of a circle again and visualized me surrounded in a comfortable warm blanket of love. I felt calm and relaxed.

With this calm state of mind, my family and I headed for the hospital at 5:30 a.m. to register for the surgery. As per instructions, I did not drink or eat anything. Once I got to the hospital, I awaited at the registration office to receive my medical bracelet.

I was transferred to the cardiovascular diagnostic intervention center at 6:40 a.m. and waited in the room for my turn to get a cardiac catheterization exam. At 8:00a.m., I was called in to prep for the exam. My family was allowed to come into the cath prep room, two people at a time. At 8:35a.m., a doctor performed my cardiac catheterization. The exam was sent to my surgeon so that he could design my surgery. I continued to listen to my relaxation CD during the exam and afterwards; it helped me to feel calm.

At about 11:15 a.m., I was moved from the cardiac catheterization recovery room to the pre-op room, and my family came with me while I was transferred. I was alone in the pre-op room when my surgeon came in and told me that the cardiac catheterization exam showed that I had coronary artery disease and that I would have to have double bypass surgery. This meant that I could not have minimally invasive surgery, but instead needed to have traditional open-heart surgery. When I was told this information, I was slightly slow to react because I had medication in the morning from the cardiac catheterization exam. I did not know what this meant at the time and I was confused. When my family came in with their caps and gowns to visit me in the pre-op room, I asked them what was happening to me. They tried to explain to me but I still did not understand what they told me.

After this point, I had no recollection of my family leaving the pre-op room or being wheeled into the operating room. My family told me that my surgery began at 1:47 p.m., and that surgeon came out at 5:55 p.m. to the family waiting room to tell them that my surgery was a success, the aortic valve was replaced and bypass surgery was performed. Additionally, because my aorta was clogged and inflamed, he had fixed that prior to the valve replacement and the bypass surgery. My family told me that I was brought into the ICU around 6 p.m. and an hour later my family was allowed to visit me. At this point, I have a flash of memory of being surrounded by my family, and I heard my sister saying, “You did very well!”

ICU
My next memory is of my youngest daughter and my son holding my hands on both sides, and then my older daughter and her friend holding my hands. I really couldn’t tell where I was at this point, but since my family was around holding my hands and everything was ok, I felt comfortable.

I found out that I was breathing quite well on my own after the surgery, and within 3.5 hours, my breathing and stomach tube came out and I was breathing on my own. I heard that this is quite fast as some people can have the breathing tube in for a day or two. I was in ICU for three nights. Originally, the nurse thought my physical condition was stable enough to be moved to the step down room the next day. However, the step down room was full and there is more privacy and individual attention in the ICU, so the kind nurse helped me to stay in the ICU a little longer.

The first few nights, I don’t have much recollection of my bodily function, but long after the discharge, I was told by my family that I had a condition called “ICU delirium” where I was disoriented, confused, and paranoid. I was told that due to the lack of sleep, trauma of the surgery, and medications, some patients undergoing major surgery can develop this condition, but they usually improve after being discharged from the hospital and returning home.

In the ICU I felt like I was able to hear the thoughts of the doctors and nurses. I felt extremely paranoid and scared that they were trying to harm me. In my head, I planned an escape from the hospital. After a while, it occurred to me that my experience might be similar to what people talked about having a “bad trip” when taking drugs. Although part of me had this consciousness and understanding, I was still in the middle of it, and I tried to focus more on listening to a relaxation CD and also receiving energy healing from my friends and family.

On the third day, it occurred to me that I had not eaten anything for a while and I got very hungry and thirsty. I asked my family and the nurse if I could eat something. But I was told that I still had air trapped in my stomach so that I should wait a little longer. I could hardly wait to eat something! In the afternoon of the fourth day, I was transferred to the step down room. I still had yet to look at my incisions; I was not yet ready. When I finally looked, it was so unreal to me as if it was from a scene in a movie. On the fifth day, I was able to walk around the hospital hallway and I climbed a few stairs with my family and the nurse with me.

Going home
After spending four nights at the hospital, I was discharged from the hospital. I was given discharge directions, anti-embolism socks, and medication instructions. I was taken out by wheelchair and into my daughter’s car. Although I was slightly scared to leave the hospital, I was so glad to be away from all the beeping noises of the hospital room, and I was looking forward to a peaceful sleep at night.

I slept very well the first night at home. My family helped me take showers, get out of bed, get dressed, and they cooked all the meals. I was told to wear anti-embolism socks during the day, which were tight and uncomfortable but necessary to help prevent clots from forming. I needed to take good care of my incision in the chest and the leg where they removed the vein for bypass surgery. My family bought a special chair so that I do not have to stand while taking a shower. My family measured my blood pressure and temperature every day; it was very important that I did not develop a fever and that my blood pressure remained stable. Within a week, because the pain was tolerable, I stopped taking all pain medication.

The home-visit nurse came every other day for the first two weeks. I had my first cardiology appointment during the second week I was home. My doctor was very happy that my surgery was a success and he was very pleased with my incision healing and my overall physical condition. He wanted me to take low doses of certain heart medications to give my heart a rest to heal, so my blood pressure and heart rate were controlled with medication. I also took medication to lower cholesterol. I was tired for about a month after the surgery, so I took several hours of naps every day and slept well at night.

Since this was my first time in 25 years to be on medication, I did not quickly recognize some side effects. I continued to feel confused and disoriented and began to feel quite depressed. I also developed a pretty severe cough to the point that I was unable to sleep. I had a consultation with a naturopathic physician. With his help, I began taking certain supplements and gradually got off certain medications. Pretty much within one week, my depression and confusion cleared and I felt much better. Also, I began to experience arrhythmia again; I was put on an increased dosage of magnesium taurate and this condition resolved within a few days.

About two months after the surgery, I met with my cardiac surgeon. He looked at my incision, and he asked me, “What have you done?” He was surprised how much and how soon my incision had healed. I was surprised that this amazed him, as I know he sees many patients daily. I had no way of comparing my healing process since I did not know anyone else close to me who had this procedure, but I was so happy to know that he thought it was quite amazing.

Around this time, I realized for the first time in my life what it feels like to have a strong heart beat. I am still going through my recovery period. I have been going to cardiac rehabilitation to strengthen myself. I truly feel that I have been given a second chance to live, and I am grateful.