and my cardiologist says...

...that all is well!

I had an appointment with Dr. Akhtar yesterday. I had an echocardiogram also. Blood is flowing down the newly moved coronary artery, which is great! There was a bit of abnormality on my ECG, so they want me to come back in 3 months to check it out again. Dr. Akhtar thinks the abnormality is only there because it is so soon after surgery, and it will correct itself.

A list of great things Dr. Akhtar had to say:

• I can drive again

• we can try to get pregnant in October

• blood is flowing down the moved artery

• I have massive coronary arteries. This is good. The chance of ever developing heart disease (which runs in my family) is very small. They usually measure these the main coronary arteries in mm. Mine is 1cm!!

• random days of fogginess are normal. I have been having random foggy days. This is a result of being on the heart and lung machine, and will improve over time.

• the echo tech, the ECG tech and Dr. Akhtar all said that my incision looks great, and will heal very well. The ECG tech said that she sees patients whose incisions look like mine, but they had surgery a year ago!

After going for an ECG in 3 months, I will see Dr. Akhtar every year for an echo and check up, to monitor the moved artery. It may narrow over time (unlikely), which is fine, but they want to monitor it anyway.

I am back working already. The magazine I design each month is ready to go to press for the September issue. So, work I must!! I have lots of help here, so working hasn't been too bad...

here we are...

...we are home.

We drove home yesterday. The kids were great, which was super. They usually travel really well, but I was a bit worried since I wasn't even able to reach around and grab toys after Jacob chucked them. But it all went very well! Yay!

Now, we are slowly unpacking. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, but we are slowly chipping away. I just want everything done at once...everything unpacked and organized!

I am still feeling very well overall. I am feeling a bit more stiff in my upper chest/collarbone area. I don't know why. It's not terrible, just a bit more uncomfortable.

So, another chapter in this adventure is over. We will have a lot of help the next couple of weeks as I continue to recover at home.