Lisa, I was told I had a heart murmer when I was a teen. In my 40s a doctor wanted to knoww the cause of the murmer so I had an Echocardiogram, which showed Aortic Stenosis.

In my 50s I started getting stents for blocked arteries. Then I had open heart surgery for 4 bypasses. At that time they saw that the valve was leaking but not enough to be replaced.That was in 2008. Since then they started watching it to see if it got worse. In 2023 I went to the ER with shortness of breath and diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. They said it was caused by the Aortic Valve. In October 2023 I had TAVR procedure to replace it with a bovine valve. So its been 1 year and im somewhat fine. I say somewhat because I sometimes have shortness of breath. I'm overdue for an appointment with the cardiologist and another Echocardiogram. So this might be a peek into your future. I never knew If there was something i coyld have done to prevent it from progressing.

My stepson had to have his valve replaced in his 40s so he got a mechanigal valve made of titanium because he was so young. A biological valve only lasts 10 years and would have to be replaced again. Im 78 and probably wont live long enough to need another one. It was a very easy procedure, home the next day. If you have it done with open heart surgery you are there for a week. Yours might never progress to the point of needing replaced. It can be scary not knowing.

Lisa I'm sorry about your heart problems and you are so young. I've learned with cancer that there is a lot of things out there that they can do for us which I am very thankful for. It is difficult to try to work out what I like and what I need to eat with having to watch protein and fiber. I did low carb for so long and switching to eat this way is not easy because I am having to figure out how much carb I can and cannot do. I married DH years ago and moved to FL where he lived. Then we moved to SC. I absolutely love SC. I loved the 4 seasons with occasional snow which is rare here and I also loved all the beautiful trees. I moved back to TX when my Daddy's health went downhill so I could have those last years with him.

Carol Sue Thanks for the link. I like knowing about those. I even saw there are half socks with the toes like the toe socks. DS gave me some shoes that I can't wear but I might could wear them with those if I decide to wear them.

My weight is still 164 and that bounced around before landing there. It is time for me to get busy and figure out a better "personal plan" working at doing this the way my oncologist wants me to eat. I've been bad about eating some of the things I probably should not be eating especially because they trigger me to eat more than I should. For now, I will stick with an 8:16 IF ratio of eating. I will be stricter at keeping calories limited to 1200 most days with occasional rare days of higher carbs but keep them below 1500 calories. Doctors always tell me I need to eat 1500 to 1600 calories and I honestly believe I would gain if I did that. I'm back to exercising 45 minutes 5 to 6 days a week as well.

I talked to DS last night and she evidently is still taking her diet medicine which surprises me because I know oncology did not want her to lose weight. So I need to ask her about that when I talk to her again.

Have a good day everybody.

Carol, my dad had a pig valve put in. That's so wild.

Trish, I'm ok, truly I am. Half the time I don't even think about it except to give my roommate ****. He likes to scare me so I tell him one day my aortic valve will blow thinks to him.

Lisa if i had received the valve when they did my open heart it would have been a pig valve. My MIL had a pig valve. Mine is not a cow valve but its made from cow material. Its hard to understand. They showed me a valve so I could see what it looks like. Its hard to believe that was put through my artery up to my heart and set in place. DH took a picture of it. He was fascinated. It seemed too big.

We went to the casino today. DH got a good machine with a jackpot of $900+ but did not win. He brought some money home. If this keeps up he will want to go to the old casino. I hate the long drive. Especially since it gets dark early. If only he woyls get tired of it! Fat chance! I used to be the one who won most of the time but we cant afford for both of us to gamble if we arent going to win. Its aklso the fact that i dont want either of us to do it. Once in a while would be ok but he wont do that. He says he has nothing to do otherwise,but I could make a list of things that need to be done!😅

I really need to start exercising again. My knee is really getting worse and the recumbent bike helped before. I will be walking and my knee will buckle. DH doesnt want me to use my walker because he says I will depend on it and always have to use it. But I think that is better than falling.

Trish,i dont understand why Oncology doesnt want the patients to lose weight. Many cancer patients lose weight from the cancer. Its always healthier to lose weight. It might be this is most important to your sister. Maybe it makes a difference in the meds they use to treat the cancer. I guess there is a good reason. Such as,they dont want you to reduce nutrients you are receiving.

I had potty issues again today. I'm wondering if its from something im eating for breakfast. I told DH that the coffee tasted different yesterday and today but its the same coffee we always use. I ate scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, a slice of tomato and SL toast with butter. It could be the mushrooms. I always suspect produce. Maybe I could skip them tomorrow but I like them so much!. He said he washes them, and he ate some with no problem. I dont know what else it could be. I took Immodium since we were going out, so I might be ok overnight. At least I might get a nice drop on the scale tomorrow, back to the 170s.

Carol Sue I have heard that if you eat too much fat it can cause potty issues. I don't know if that is the problem or not. I know when I was doing keto that I did have diarrhea when I ate eggs and bacon and also added fat to my coffee. I finally had to stop putting it in my coffee. Does your DH cook your eggs in butter? Just a thought. I'm not sure I ever knew what really caused my problems.

Ate within 7 hr eating window today. I got hungry tonight but I made it without eating anything else.

I only got 5 hrs 45 min sleep but I was up reading til almost 3 am. Sleep wasnt good. Tossed and turned.

Scale is up .8 to 180.8, I really thought it would go down after all the potty issues. I didnt eat much yesterday, either. 1043 calories.

DH does cook the eggs in butter and also the mushrooms but I eat that meal often with no problem. Fat for that breakfast is around 25-30 grams. I estimate the amount of butter it contains because i dont think the numbers for eggs and mushrooms includes butter its cooked in. I do often get potty issues from a high fat meal. Maybe thats it. Eggs have fat anyway without the butter!

I did lose 1 lb this week down to 163 lbs. I'm really trying to cut the calories and maybe not worry a lot about anything else. I need to keep the calories under control. I also notice that I am better able to do this if I don't eat so many salads. I love my Ranch Drsg and crackers with it. When I eat salad I don't eat other veggies. I am thinking that I need to stop the salads and start eating more cooked veggies. I find eating lower calories is easier if I cut those things out. Today DH is cooking fish and I'm going to add mashed potatoes and Nomandy blend veggies for me. DH will make his salad and fix his own sides that he wants. That is a nice thing about him especially after the year he had to do all the cooking and now deals with diabetes himself is that we the same protein for our main meal but we sometimes eat different sides. Example he has his fruit for dessert but I have my fruit with my cereal for breakfast. Todays carbs will be 1048.

Sleep was good. I've finally got my exercises back up to 45 minutes a day spread out throughout the day and I now do them 6 days a week except for the week I have infusion each month. Today I start my 24 hr urine test in a jug to take in when I go for lab tomorrow. They told me I don't have to fast for those tests which I've always fasted for. So now I'm thinking of eating my breakfast and see if it helps improve my lab work.

Carol Sue even today eating the way I do, I still get potty issues if we eat some fried foods. I don't think you have enough fat in the breakfast. I guess if we could figure out what really causes it, we could stop it. As for me, I think I've figured out that I cannot eat as much fiber as the experts think we should. I think for my age 21 grams is way to much for me. I can do 18 grams but more than that gets me in trouble.

Lisa I hope you are doing well.

Have a good day everyone.

Trish,here is an article about fiber.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/too-m...ber,%20soluble

It talks about different kinds of fiber. I dont think fiber causes diarrhea. I wish I could eat more salads. For some reason I dont eat salads at home. The lettuce etc goes bad too soon. I dont order salad at restaurants because I want other sides,like hot vegetables.

My step son has diarrhea as a result of his surgery and he eats lots of fiber like the bean salad and takes a supplement similar to Metamucil. They removed the part of his colon that removes the water from his stool. They told him he might have diarrhea the rest of his life. This was a couple years ago. I might have also had that part of my colon removed but they never told me that.

I think I'm going to eat some cauliflower tonight. I saw it in the freezer and now i want it. I get very little fiber.

_________
I cooked 2 carrots and a cup of cauliflower and ate it with Parmesan cheese. It was so good!

I slept good overnight.

The scale has started its return to up! 1.0lb up to 181.8. I hate this! I'm sick of being fat!

Carol Sue Thanks for the link. on fiber. It is helpful. Evidently some of the things I experience will finally settle down.

My weight was down 1.8 lbs to 161.2 lbs this morning and FBG 99 and BP 11/60. I can't as for better than this at this point. I did have a c of collagen coffee, but decided not to eat anything along with it. I will be liquid fasting until after the lab work. I will ask the nurse to see if I need to fast before these blood draws. I do know I have to fast when having scans. I figure the coffee/collagen will be out of system by the time I get the blood draw. I will try to have the blood draws earlier in the day from now on, but right now they have holidays to work around for this month and next.

Going to half of my exercises this morning and have 1049 calories planned for today and that is with eating Taco Bell tacos today.

BBL

If blood work is to be fasting they usually tell you, or it says on the request. I always,fast to be sure. But I get mine done early morning. If they schedule you later in the day its probably not fasting. One time I had no choice but to go after work at 3:00. The nurse doubted me when I said I fasted, but I was used to fasting.

DH went to play his lottery numbers and is going to Home Depot to see them face to face. Phone calls havent worked so far. They either schedule us or refund our money. They claim that they are unable to get a part. They offered to let us choose a different opener. I dont know if that will be more money or not. I just want it done before winter weather starts. I'm really stressed over this, and so is DH.

I ate the same breakfast today. We will see what happens.

DH cancelled the installation with Home Depot. They said it would be a 4 week wait with their installers. So they gave him a free upgrade to a better one and he said he would take it home and find his own installer. They gave us a credit for installation. Just now a woman called and said an installer will come on Tuesday.

No potty issues so far,but I did take the Immodium yesterday!.

Carol, use the walker. Use it when you need it. I'm sorry, don't listen to your DH. You can still get around and do things and be active. My knees have both been replaced but I still use my walker when need be. I put heavy trash bags on it. If my laundry is heavy, I'll put it on my walker. If my grocery bags are heavy or I have a lot is sparkling water, it goes on the walker.

I use it when traveling especially by plane. I'll put my bags on it. Listen to old Lisa here. The walker is an aid. Using it will not make you reliant on it.

I have 2 but the one I use when needed is my 4 wheeled one with an added seat.

Oh oh oh Carol, me too. If it's a fasting blood work, I make mine a morning appointment so I'm not starving all day. I take equate antidiarreal pills. That's not spelled right, I'm sorry. Im in a I don't give a rats *** mood today. I'm lethargic and fatigued. I still threw a load of clothes in and I have a small grocery order coming. I wish now, I hadn't ordered it. Trish, I'm OK. I hope this Friday finds you well. mmmmmmm Taco Bell sounds delish. I live out in the boonies so that helps me cut down on eating fast food. I miss Arby's Super Roast Beef combo with curly fries. Oh gosh, that sounds good too. I'm sitting here dreaming of fast food.

Trish, I'm OK. I hope this Friday finds you well. mmmmmmm Taco Bell sounds delish. I live out in the boonies so that helps me cut down on eating fast food. I miss Arby's Super Roast Beef combo with curly fries. Oh gosh, that sounds good too. I'm sitting here dreaming of fast food.

Carol Sue I have prayed for your garage door to be fixed because I would hate for you to have bad weather and DH having to go to the front door to go in to open it. I usually get blood draw in the morning and will request it from now on. Not because of the fast, but I really like to do the 24 hr urine test from morning to morning instead of the afternoon. The tech told me that unless the doctor tells me I need a fasting blood test. then I don't have to fast. I always fast because I think it is a more accurate reading. Especially since they do my blood sugar.

When we lived in SC, I fasted everyday until 3ish. DH and I always had our blood drawn in the afternoon. I remember the receptionist would ask me "Can you fast that long?" She was surprised when I told her that I fasted that long everyday. I cannot understand why I can't do long fasts anymore. I did that before we knew about IF>

Lisa I use my walker when I go to oncology and walking in public. I can walk without it at home as long as I'm not really tired.

We get takeout when once a week when we go to the store and also when we go to the doctor or I go to oncology for my blood work and infusions. Our favorite from Arby's is the French Dip beef sandwich.

I had 1230 calories and did all my exercises except the recumbent bike before we left this morning. Another good day.

Goodnight.