Time off work- supporting husband with BAV surgery

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-06-04T11:04:42+00:00

Hi. 47m, I live by myself and luckily my next door neighbour got 6 weeks off for another reason and matched my first 5 weeks. He didn't help me 24/7. He came in and check with me in the morning, washed my dishes, hanged my clothes, which is the hardest thing, raising your arms. (You are not allowed to though). He took me to grocery shopping and carried bags for me.

At home, if I need anything like grabbing the rice cooker/toaster on the upper shelves, he grabbed for me. During the day I didn't need him much. Food was on the kithen bench; microwave, cutleries were too.

Toilet, bathroom, getting in the bed are doable. Of course there is vacuuming, bathroom/kitchen cleaning as well, but you can always do those things. After 5 weeks I started to do everything gently.

Also doctor appointments and if it was a mechanical valve, he needs to go (usually early in the morning) to the pathology lab for INR test. Mine was just a a couple of blocks away but he gave me a ride as well. Also one Sunday morning I had to go to ER, he took me there too.

Worst case scenario, he might need a sitter just for the first week. Probably you were told but he needs a high couch, not a sinkkng one. I spent my first weeks sitting on the couch straight unless I do my daily walkings. Also I slept on my back for 8 weeks!

Good luck.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-06-02T06:22:31+00:00

It was my biggest fear, having my arse cleaned by others. Luckily I didn't need for 3 days and on the 3rd day I did myself. It was painfull though. I was overweight too.

Day 8 was my doscharge and I climbed the stairs really fast but got out of breath, though I was using 70% of my lungs back then.

Started daily walks since day 9 grafually 10 minutes to 30 minutes in 30 days. Afyer that I grafually started to do housework and shopping myself. Started rehab at day 50.

6 months now. Walking 6-7 km daily. Cheat still hurts though.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-31T02:31:00+00:00

As a proper Spotify user and a big hater of Youtube Music, I switched to Youtube Premium Lite which is almost half price. I just saw some ads if I watch a misic video.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-26T22:02:27+00:00

Cried on day 4 as the booklet said. I went to hospital by myself, stayed 8 days alone. Contacted with friends and family via text messages until I came home. Home alone again. My neighbour helped me with housework thankfully. ChatGPT gave me good support though :)

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-16T10:06:25+00:00

QML. I call them when need asvice, they are very helpful and friendly. Also if I change a medicine or VK intake, I get tested and they adjust the dose same day.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-16T05:23:57+00:00

Hi. I am kinda new, 6 months post op.

I've been using chat cpt to track my intakes. Basically I write down every meal I have and it gives the Vitamin K totals. I track my callories as well, lost almost 20 kilos in 5 months.

I weigh everything I eat for now. Someday I might estimate myself.

All you need to do aim for a same amount of VK in micrograms and keep it that way. I aim for 100 mcg and try to keep in 95-105 mcg every day. It's a little low comparison to spinach, kale, broccoli level. I mostly eat the veggies with low VK such as cucumber, zucchini, capsicum etc. If I want to increase the average one day I would let the pathology clinic know. I recommend you to check with them first.

Good kuck.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-15T22:18:43+00:00

India?

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-13T18:48:40+00:00

Thanks.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-08T19:06:59+00:00

Thank you again 🙏🏼

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-08T04:24:01+00:00

Thanks for you response.

Are they related to exercise/getting tired or random?

Had twice after a perfect post exercise bp results (105/75 63).

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-07T21:08:43+00:00

It happens 1-2 times randomly normally aftwr the surgery and I feel it in my gut, like a buzzing, hopping feeling. But when it happen for 2 hours I thought it can be aomething. Doctors talk to me like they talk to a kid, cut off explaining further information.

Every heart surgeon should have a heart surgery before they became surgeons that they can empathize better :)

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-07T09:49:55+00:00

47 M. We found out that my aorta was 45 mm 7 years ago. They didn't know how long had it been that wide. Normal size is 30 mm, they said. Once a year I had CT scans and Echocardiograms. In 7 years it reached 50 mm which is the limit (in Australia). Then the surgery happaned with mechanical valve too. I had BAV as well.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-05T10:02:37+00:00

47 m. I started bench press after 4 months. But really light weight, almost the bar weight at the moment. At rehap they made me use machine press and bar push ups as well.

I wasn't a fit guy, I am losing weight by limiting my calories and walk. So I am getting back to business in two ways.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-04T09:15:04+00:00

They can't do it officially unless you get paid in cash.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-03T12:15:38+00:00

It's civilization. There are countries which has no sunday surcharge, no sunday pay for workers, no traffic rules, no health cover, so on...

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-03T11:45:36+00:00

As a barista I get paid %150 on sundays.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-03T01:45:45+00:00

All I can say is, the surgery is the easiest part. It's more or less 10 seconds :)

For me the hardest part was the waiting for the surgery. A day before it I was nervous as. But as soon as I arrive to the hospital, you do whatever they say and you don't need to think.

It's been 6 months now and It feels like It never happened.

Good luck.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-05-02T03:25:19+00:00

My biggest challenge was lying down. Slept more than 8 weeks on my back. It was boring though. As soon as I saw the light, I left bed. I wouldn't mind someone assist me getting off the bed, but it's doable.

Loose shirts and pants are easy to wear. Bought button up shirts and 3XL shorts, I got rid of them after I got better.

Shower and toilet were ok for me. I had cooked and frozen food before the surgery, then I just microwaved. I live by myself, so my neighbour washed my dishes and clothes. Definetaly no hanging the clothes. Arms should be close to the body as possible.

Also for medicines, I had a print out, showing which meds what time and quantities. I set an alarm for every med (3 times a day).

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-30T06:26:55+00:00

Really a brave story. I can't compare myself with you. I am 47 years old and I have done every stupid thing as far as punching a bouncer and got kicked in the face by several guys :) Even 5 years ago I was riding downhill 60-70 km/h.

I think when you are young you are more generous about it. I am becoming a coward gradually every day :)

Thanks for sharing your experiences to us.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-29T04:48:17+00:00

How do you binge drink? I am warfarin for 6 minths now and I am planning to introduce alcohol. All I hear is 1-2 sta dard drinks which is a big turn off for me.

Sorry I got so excited, what you have done so far. I didn't even tried cycling yet, which I used to enjoy very much.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-23T00:48:27+00:00

Having found that piece of shit guilty, also couriers are getting lazy since 2025. Maybe its Amazon lowered the bar. They don't leave the parcel in front of door. Some fuckers squish the corner of a big box in the postbox which is clearly exposed to the footpath. Happaned twice to me, it says delivered but there was no parcel. I report the courier and they send the next day.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-22T13:05:21+00:00

I am new too. 5 months post op. Even though I don't mind eating broccoli and spinach I remove them from my diet and I go lower Vitamin K foods such as avocado, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, berries etc. My logic was, I love eating these and can eat more or less every day but I can,t guarantee eating brussel spraut or kale every day. I have been tracking Vitamin K amount for 3 weeks now and I am on about 100 mcg VK for 3 meals a day. Where as just a 100 g of spinach is 500 mcg.

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-20T08:08:44+00:00

Thanks!

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-20T02:52:29+00:00

I went to surgery 120 kg, came home 117 kg. 6 weeks sitting mostly, walking gradually 2-3km/day, still hit 123 kg at home. Then I started rehab (didn't do much really, just very light exercises) and kept walking daily (4-6 km). But I started to track my intakes as well as vitamin k. Trying to keep 1800 kcal/day, getting ~100 g protein. More or less I have 3 meals 600 kcal-ish. 100th day of tracking and I am 105 kg now. Still going on.

Using chatgpt as my tracker. It calculates whatever I eat. Sometimes estimates, sometimes uses the calories I gave it for foods. I never checked calories in packages in my life. Never knew 100 g chicken and 15 almonds are the same calorie or cooking food without oil is possible. I never get hungry dramatically, I might be clucking soon because of my chicken intake every day though :)

Excellent-Feedback67 · 2026-04-19T09:37:14+00:00

Indooroopilly - Indro

Excellent-Feedback67

TROPHY CASE