Posted by Ed Wehan on May 10, 2001 at 16:23:16:
I wanted to test this new board so I thought I'd send this out. It's four months yesterday since my maze and outside of that lingering fear that this can't be real, I am totally back to normal.
I am physically stronger now than before surgery. My life is like it was 14 years ago. I have no post surgical after effects.
I ran a tough 10 miler at 6,500 feet on Sunday and beat well over half the field. Give me another six months and who knows where I'll be.
As many of you know, my surgery was at Cleveland and I had the minimal chest opening procedure that Dr. McCarthy does. I was driving after a couple of weeks and all pain or ill feeling was gone by six weeks. I was also jogging some at six weeks and I believe that helped me keep my heart steady.
As many people have faced, I did have some flutter after surgery but this disappeared during the seventh week. Anyone facing this surgery should be prepared for a battered heart that flops around a lot as it tries to get use to its new smoother rhythm.
I don't think that my results are unique but I do recognize that not everyone returns to their previous level of fitness or health as quickly as I did. I had some luck and did quite a bit of work.
Finally, you can't beat the members of this board for the support that they provide. It helped me so much prior to and after my surgery. Also, I recommend getting to know whoever else may be having a maze at your hospital at the time that you are. I found two great people in Mike Johnson (and Debbie) and Carl Plaskett while I was in Cleveland. I am now looking forward to flying out to the East Coast from California in October to join Mike and Carl at Mike's Cape Hatteras beach house to drink a lot of Carl's fine wine.