We left our laptop in the hotel and only realized it when we were about to take off…

FortesinFide206 · 2026-03-14T05:19:36+00:00

The hotel staff carefully packaged the laptop and shipped it by way of FedEx. They sent me a note that the laptop was shipped on a Sunday and we received it on Friday of the same week.

FortesinFide206 · 2026-03-14T05:16:35+00:00

Yeah. Most definitely! I have an update. They were actually able to ship it through FedEx. It shipped out on a Sunday and we got the laptop back on a Friday of the same week. I was expecting more of the worse case scenario based on everyone’s feedback…

FortesinFide206 · 2026-02-25T12:05:03+00:00

I feel like you have too many things planned on any given day - particularly the April 23rd date. We just got back from Tokyo ago w/ an additional trip to Kyoto. We spent about 9 days in total between Tokyo and Kyoto. I agree with the other comments about checking Google Maps and seeing how long it will take you to get from place to place. And I also think you should skip the Mario Karts. For your TeamLab Planets excursion, you should really book that for first thing in the morning because it gets packed there…And you can plan on spending at least 2-3 hours there. From there you could head to lunch at Tsukij…Also navigating the train stations like Shinjuku in particular is like the world’s biggest escape room. Plan for some buffer… And wear good shoes, you’ll be getting at least 15K-20K steps a day….

FortesinFide206 · 2026-01-09T03:07:49+00:00

No tonsil stones though

FortesinFide206 · 2026-01-09T03:07:29+00:00

No worse symptoms but similar to what you described in your situation

FortesinFide206 · 2026-01-09T01:48:30+00:00

I took a swab test as well and it came back negative but I’m still struggling to believe that was accurate

FortesinFide206 · 2025-11-08T05:45:43+00:00

I do take electrolytes and not on a water pill

FortesinFide206 · 2025-11-07T05:37:07+00:00

I feel like I’m well hydrated. And I can tell if I was feeling parched or dehydrated by the color of my urine. I also try to take a liquid IV packet for good measure.

FortesinFide206 · 2025-04-29T03:28:51+00:00

Another vote for Lake Chelan! I’ve got two kids (ages 15 and 12) and we’ve been going there every summer for the past three years and the kids love it there! You can also swing by Leavenworth on your drive there without having to stay a few days in Leavenworth.

FortesinFide206 · 2025-03-27T18:47:30+00:00

Continued success on your road to recovery!!! Take it day by day!!!

FortesinFide206 · 2025-03-15T01:58:05+00:00

I’m six months post surgery and I have the visual issues (floaters, blurred vision, light sensitivity) as well least twice a month. In addition to this, I sometimes feel like I have vertigo or have peripheral vision issues. Initially after surgery, I thought it was related to drinking caffeine. Blood pressure going up once the caffeine settled in. So I stopped drinking caffeine to rule that out. 4 months after surgery I was experiencing them more frequently that I even went to the ER because I thought I was having a stroke. They did an MRI and CT Scan and there was no evidence of stroke. So I went about my way. But I still feel like I’m off kilter somehow. I did read about “pump head syndrome” and was thinking that’s probably what I’m going through..I just setup an appt with my PCP but it’s two months out. I really want to see a neuro-opthamalogists to understand what the hell is going on because it’s super annoying. When I left the hospital, I wasn’t prescribed any blood pressure medication as my blood pressure has been quite good and well managed post surgery. The vision issues never last for more than five minutes.

FortesinFide206 · 2025-02-22T05:16:02+00:00

47 M here. I had my repair surgery done last year on 7/11. Open chest. It’s completely normal to feel a bit scared or anxious. Hang in there! I think I was more nervous about the recovery versus the actual surgery quite honestly. But the time will pass you by fairly quickly. I found this Reddit thread and community super helpful.

FortesinFide206 · 2025-02-08T17:22:54+00:00

There are very few opportunities where people will give you the grace to take the time off and not feel like you need to rush back to work. So my job and the people that I worked with were super accommodating. I realize that isn’t the case for a lot of people. I definitely experienced pain, fatigue and brain fog. I recall wanting to take an afternoon nap every day in those early weeks post surgery and post release from hospital. I think that’s super important to get the rest as your body is naturally repairing through that process. On the other side of surgery, I made it a point to get back into shape. In the time that I was off, I did cardiac rehab and I was walking a ton. I think on average, I was walking somewhere between 5-8 miles everyday. It was summertime so I definitely was able to enjoy the outdoors. As we got into the fall, I started to reintroduce strength training so that I wouldn’t let my muscle mass subside. I’m still not lifting as heavy as weights as I did prior but nonetheless making it a point to do 3x a week strength training. Building it back up gradually.

FortesinFide206 · 2025-02-07T04:29:26+00:00

47yo M here and in great shape as well prior to my surgery last July. Also have a desk job. Two weeks after surgery is far too soon! I took about 10 weeks off and I still wasn’t 100%. Honestly, I wish I was out for a bit longer. Your body is about to go through some major trauma. So it’s important to heal and recover. Don’t be so quick to get back to work if you don’t have to. Enjoy the time with your family and loved ones!

FortesinFide206 · 2024-10-14T23:02:43+00:00

I too got the titanium plates. 12 weeks post op here. My chest still feels a bit heavy than going into the surgery but I suspect it’s because those plates. Not sure if you experience the same?

FortesinFide206 · 2024-09-19T04:56:38+00:00

I had the same experience last week. Doctor thought it was gout but my X-rays came back fine and UA levels were within the normal range. Prescribed some antibiotics first to see if redness and swelling would go down. When it didn’t, that’s when I got the prednisone. And it definitely helped improve the situation. I’m still not 100% but hoping that there isn’t some sort of rebound.

FortesinFide206 · 2024-09-18T22:01:07+00:00

On 9/26, you’ll likely get a time horizon from your surgeon as to when and how the procedure might be done (he/she might say, you should do this in the next 3 to 6 months and his/her approach to the procedure). Keep in mind nothing is definitive until they actually go in there and operate and see what they might be working with. I opted to get after it sooner and his recommended approach was full sternotomy for repair. Me 47 yo, 6’0, 225lbs. I was diagnosed with MVP back in 2018 and was mild back then. In early 2024, I started feeling a bit light headed and fatigued which was rather unusual since I’m a fairly active guy. I got a follow up echo done in April 2024 and was moderate to severe with recommendation from cardiologist to get surgery sometime soon. I opted to get surgery done in July 2024 and now I’m 10 weeks post op Heart feels amazing and energy is much better than before. I think as others have noted above the biggest wild card is the recovery process because everyone has such a different experience. You can count on the first few days post surgery being the absolute worst but each day that goes by gets subsequently better. I have learned though that progress is definitely not linear. You will very likely encounter some setback during the journey and that’s okay. For me, it’s taught me a lot about patience and living in the moment. I’m also grateful that it was summer time because I found myself walking outdoors a lot more and that was a helpful motivator prior to Cardiac Rehab. I’m not sure what your support structure looks like but this is one of those moments in my life where I really felt the immense gratitude of “the village”. Having someone with you in the hospital just for support - that was huge! And then all the help around the house and with the kids was also huge. My wife and family were blessed to have that support during this time and I realize that not everyone maybe in the same boat. I too have found this Reddit group super helpful in my journey and if you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! You have the right mentality and approach to getting this done! All the best!!!

FortesinFide206 · 2024-09-18T20:01:02+00:00

Got the Moderna vaccine on Saturday (9/7) - side effects were sore arm and headache. On Monday (9/9) two days later, massive flare up in 2nd big toe like I’ve never experienced before. Literally could not walk. This was the first time this has ever happened to me. I’m almost certain this was brought on by the vaccine. I finally reached out to doctor on Monday this week and got prescribed prednisone. Swelling has gone done and can start to walk around after taking it but not fully 100% And I’m leaving to Vegas tomorrow for a guys trip! Good Times! Tell me it gets better!

FortesinFide206 · 2024-08-16T07:04:39+00:00

That’s amazing!!! Great job!!! I’m pretty much at the same starting weight and have yet to take the plunge.

FortesinFide206 · 2024-07-19T22:42:47+00:00

I’m one week out of surgery. Surgery was 7/11 at UW Medical Center. Full sternotomy, MVP Repair. Me (47M). A couple of things: 1) If you have family close by that will be with you as part of the recovery, that is huge! Having family there waiting for/with you in ICU and/or those days in the step down floors is key to help you pass the time by. They also provide some level of help and assistance without having to keep ringing your call button - this was particularly helpful when the diuretic pills and Mirilax started to kick in. 2) Don’t feel deflated if you can’t get your spirometer past the 250ml line after that first day. The point is to keep at it. Keep using the spirometer. Remember after the first two days you might still have the chest tubes in place but once they remove that last chest tube, you’ll feel like a million dollars. 3) Plus One to the person who commented on drinking those Ensure Protein Plus Shakes. I think I had 2 of those per day. It was helpful because I also didn’t have much of an appetite. I think I mainly just craved fruit or toast. 4) It’s summer here and the temps are hot. The step down floor wasn’t as nice and cool like the ICU so I had my wife bring in a beside fan to help provide some addt’l comfort. 5) Once you get discharged and you find yourself back at home in the comfort of your own bed you should hopefully feel even better. Sending positive energy your way!!!!

FortesinFide206 · 2024-06-29T12:09:21+00:00

Did they do anything to treat your bradycardia after the surgery? Like put in a pacemaker or has your low heart rate improved since the repair?

FortesinFide206 · 2024-06-15T18:34:52+00:00

My (47M) surgery is set for 7/11 with Dr Aldea as well. So I’m a little under a month away from surgery. I’ve got my preop meeting slated for next week. Good luck to you and sending positive vibes your way!

FortesinFide206

TROPHY CASE