I am not a doctor; I just play one on the 'Cat.............

Actually folks I have learned a lot the hard way over the past ten years and I'd be happy to trade any knowledge I've acquired for the body I once had. In all truth, I am the classic case of "If I had known I were going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." I honestly never believed I would live past 40 or 45 or have any reason/desire to do so........***sigh***.......As the saying goes, we get too soon old and too late smart. In any case.......

UPDATE....PLEASE READ

I called kat this afternoon and we had a long conversation. She is very tired and obviously somewhat disappointed that everything isn't healed already! The reality though as she is aware is that her body has yet to fully shakeoff the effects of anasthesia and the surgery itself. I was always fortunate to be a very fast healer but you can't force it or rush it. Her Docs are pleased with the way the surgery went and how she is doing now. I hate it when Medicos tell you you are doing great and you feel like shit. Makes me want to grab them and say, "Okay then motherfucker....Let's have a cosmic body swap and you lay here and do great.   I'll take your Porsche out for a 'Proficiency Run' to Cleveland and maybe catch an Indians game!" But it's true, kat is doing well and things will improve over time, but I'm sure a bit slower than what she'd like.

Several factors will cause things to proceed a bit more slowly. First she has to shake off the anasthesia and start eating some food. I told her to have the nurses bring her anything that sounds good or even edible no matter what the time. She needs to be walking 4 times a day at least for short distances

In kat's case too, her condition has been far longer term than just a few months. This problem ahs been getting worse and making her weaker and weaker for years. It won't take that long to fix but she'll first have to get back to the strength she was at last week. Then she can get a bit more aggressive and start building on what the new valve can give her.

They will also have to spend some time getting the Coumadin level right. It's the blood thinner and she'll always be on it but it can also cause some tiredness depending on what the INR number is. Vitamin K kills Coumadin and much of what kat eats (green and leafy) contains lots of K. The key here is to be consistent in eating and adjust the Coumadin dosage around that. You just don't want to be too high in the dosage.

With reasonable exercise and food, in just a very few months, kat will be much stronger and far better off than she has been in years. Completely healed with properly adjusted meds and on a decent diet and exercise regime, she'll be around for many years to drive both Morgan and Roger nuts! BTW...that Morgan boy got a set of lungs on him!!!! Kinda' like Mario!

So be sure to include a few extra good thoughts for just a little while longer. She's on the road and there's good times just around the bend!

Spaw