lymphoma plus heart surgery

NANCYL1

Hello folks:

Have not been here for awhile since I have been recently trying to survive heart surgery, which took place on January 21.  Mitral valve replacement and aortic valve replacement, 6 hour operation.  Finished two years of Rituxin infusions before the surgery, and the oncologist said that things look very good, but come back if I start feeling lousy.  Great sendoff, hey.  Must see him again in about 4 months.  Have been doing rehab for the heart which is a snooze.  Need some people to communicate with who understand anxiety.  This all gets to be a bit much.  Nancy is not a spring chicken.

 

Nancy...............

allmost60

Yes, it's difficult...

Hi Nancy,

  Glad to hear your heart surgery went well and the recovery is going smoothly. Anxiety is something we all deal with after a cancer diagnosis. It creeps in when we get close to scan time, and in my case, sometimes it catches me off guard even when I'm feeling perfectly good. Right now I'm waiting for results from a eye biopsy I had done last Tuesday. My anxiety is running very high right now,and it is hard to deal with. I try to keep positive thoughts and busy doing things to take my mind off of it, but the "not knowing" is very difficult. Hopefully I'll get results this coming week. I see my PCP tomorrow, and then my Eye surgeon on Wednesday. I guess 3 or 4 days of waiting won't kill me, but it sure makes the days longer! You know you can come here when you are feeling anxious and overwhelmed and someone will always be here to help. Got to just take each day, one at a time. I'm no "spring chicken" either, so I "get" what your saying.  Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Much love...Sue

(FNHL-stg3-grd2-typA-Dx 6/10-age 63)   

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Heart issues

Nancy,

Glad you are back in the neighborhood. I hope your recovery speeds along. I have an echo Wednesday, to see if I have normal output from my heart. I have been staggering and barely able to get out of bed for some time now (I just got up from 15 hours sleep, and can hardly get dressed now to head off to work).

I learned that I have had a "tortured aortia" for some years -- stretched out of place, almost certainly from chest trauma.

Did you have any of these symptoms prior to learning of heart disease ?

max

NANCYL1

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Heart issues

Nancy,

Glad you are back in the neighborhood. I hope your recovery speeds along. I have an echo Wednesday, to see if I have normal output from my heart. I have been staggering and barely able to get out of bed for some time now (I just got up from 15 hours sleep, and can hardly get dressed now to head off to work).

I learned that I have had a "tortured aortia" for some years -- stretched out of place, almost certainly from chest trauma.

Did you have any of these symptoms prior to learning of heart disease ?

max

AORTIC VALVE

Max:

Have not been able to use my computer.  Trouble off and on since I bought it a year ago.  I think it is now fixed.

 

How did your Echo go?  My cardiologist last year told me that I had calcification of the Aortic Valve and would need a valve replacement.  He also told me that I would eventually lose energy, which did happen.  

 

Let me know how you are doing.

 

Nancy

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

NANCYL1 said:

AORTIC VALVE

Max:

Have not been able to use my computer.  Trouble off and on since I bought it a year ago.  I think it is now fixed.

 

How did your Echo go?  My cardiologist last year told me that I had calcification of the Aortic Valve and would need a valve replacement.  He also told me that I would eventually lose energy, which did happen.  

 

Let me know how you are doing.

 

Nancy

Echo

Nancy,

Thank you for asking. The echo was normal, with an "ejection rate" of 65%, which they said is very normal (the rate does not go to 100%; I am not sure what the highest normal percentile is).  Currently, all indicatins are I have no heart muscle damage from Adraimycin .

I have a full lung workup Monday with a specialist, to continue investigating my breathing issues.   I walked much of Hartwell Dam (SC/Georgia border) today, which is quite a trek, and managed to keep going pretty well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpWtheeG1HU

Bless your progress with all of these worrisome issues,

max

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Echo

Nancy,

Thank you for asking. The echo was normal, with an "ejection rate" of 65%, which they said is very normal (the rate does not go to 100%; I am not sure what the highest normal percentile is).  Currently, all indicatins are I have no heart muscle damage from Adraimycin .

I have a full lung workup Monday with a specialist, to continue investigating my breathing issues.   I walked much of Hartwell Dam (SC/Georgia border) today, which is quite a trek, and managed to keep going pretty well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpWtheeG1HU

Bless your progress with all of these worrisome issues,

max

Lungs

Nancy and all,

I finally got to the lung specialist today, and did all of the tests that we all go through when establishing a respritory baseline again, plus a chest x-ray.

The results:   (same-day results ! How cool is that ?)

Since ending chemo four years ago, I have lost an additional ~ 30% of my lung volumn to scar tissue, most likely because of the Bleomycin, but it could be due to reflux: As the stomach gasses rise, some are inhaled, and that can scald the lung tissue.  To try to determine exactly what is going on, I have a chest CT in a week. 

I have known folks who had whole lungs surgically removed, and who did well for decades, so I am not too worried at this juncture.  If the scarring can be stopped, all should be fine. 

Havn't slept but a couple of hours since Saturday, so I am headed to what we submariners call "the rack."

max

.

illead

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Lungs

Nancy and all,

I finally got to the lung specialist today, and did all of the tests that we all go through when establishing a respritory baseline again, plus a chest x-ray.

The results:   (same-day results ! How cool is that ?)

Since ending chemo four years ago, I have lost an additional ~ 30% of my lung volumn to scar tissue, most likely because of the Bleomycin, but it could be due to reflux: As the stomach gasses rise, some are inhaled, and that can scald the lung tissue.  To try to determine exactly what is going on, I have a chest CT in a week. 

I have known folks who had whole lungs surgically removed, and who did well for decades, so I am not too worried at this juncture.  If the scarring can be stopped, all should be fine. 

Havn't slept but a couple of hours since Saturday, so I am headed to what we submariners call "the rack."

max

.

Nancy

So glad all that is behind you.  Dealing with Cancer is bad enough but to add another major issue ......no wonder you have anxiety.

Thinking of you as you heal and hoping for good news from here on, Becky

 

NANCYL1

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Lungs

Nancy and all,

I finally got to the lung specialist today, and did all of the tests that we all go through when establishing a respritory baseline again, plus a chest x-ray.

The results:   (same-day results ! How cool is that ?)

Since ending chemo four years ago, I have lost an additional ~ 30% of my lung volumn to scar tissue, most likely because of the Bleomycin, but it could be due to reflux: As the stomach gasses rise, some are inhaled, and that can scald the lung tissue.  To try to determine exactly what is going on, I have a chest CT in a week. 

I have known folks who had whole lungs surgically removed, and who did well for decades, so I am not too worried at this juncture.  If the scarring can be stopped, all should be fine. 

Havn't slept but a couple of hours since Saturday, so I am headed to what we submariners call "the rack."

max

.

LUNGS

Max:

You walked along the Dam for quite a distance?   Sounds great.  At first I thought you were kidding; then I looked at the top where it appears that walking might be possible.

Acid reflux?  I have some of that and take a pill for that malady.

Let us know how your Chest Ct. turns out.

Nancy

NANCYL1

illead said:

Nancy

So glad all that is behind you.  Dealing with Cancer is bad enough but to add another major issue ......no wonder you have anxiety.

Thinking of you as you heal and hoping for good news from here on, Becky

 

BECKY

Hello Becky:

Thank you for your note.  I am almost finished with heart rehab and in a few months must go back to my Oncologist to see how  I am doing, re the Lymphoma.

How is your husband doing?  

       Nancy

 

illead

NANCYL1 said:

LUNGS

Max:

You walked along the Dam for quite a distance?   Sounds great.  At first I thought you were kidding; then I looked at the top where it appears that walking might be possible.

Acid reflux?  I have some of that and take a pill for that malady.

Let us know how your Chest Ct. turns out.

Nancy

Hi Nancy

Bill is doing great, thanks for asking.  He started the new drug a month ago and no side effects.  Since he has to take them about the same time everyday, we are constantly checking and rechecking.  He says he feels like he is swallowing 4 100 dollar bills.  Thank goodness for funding!

Hoping you continue to improve,

Becky

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

NANCYL1 said:

LUNGS

Max:

You walked along the Dam for quite a distance?   Sounds great.  At first I thought you were kidding; then I looked at the top where it appears that walking might be possible.

Acid reflux?  I have some of that and take a pill for that malady.

Let us know how your Chest Ct. turns out.

Nancy

Massive structure

Nancy,

There is actually a paved road all the way across the dam, including the spillway section.  It is wide enough for two-way traffic !  The structure is amazing in scale. 

The CT has been delayed one day, until Wednesday, since I had forgotten that my daughrer graduates with her B.A. degree Tuesday, at the age of 20.   She will then have three college degrees, since she earned A.A. and  A.S. degrees in high school.  Quite proud. Wouldn't miss it !

max