Day 817: What kind of day was yesterday?

What kind of day was yesterday?

I’m not sure  how to characterize my day yesterday. Maybe  you can help me put words on what kind of day it was.

Yesterday was a day when I:

• created and ordered this t-shirt online,

• got a flat tire on the way in to work, after my car met up with one of the kashmillion friggin’ potholes in my fine, snow-ravaged hometown of Boston,
• was enough of an expert on the experience of flat tires that I was able to take care of that and get to work only five minutes late,
• got my taxes done,
• had some macaroni and cheese in the cafeteria of the hospital where I work,
• met with somebody who was very interested in my therapy groups,
• took these photos,

            

• posted this in a Facebook group for people who have (or who love somebody who has) a very unusual heart like mine:*

I have a question, group! I am a 62 year old with cctga who developed a-fib in September 2013, and my doctors are now considering valve replacement. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about how adults with cctga become more prone to sudden cardiac death as we grow older. One of the cardiologists I’ve been consulting seems amazed that I have made it into my 60’s. Have other people heard about this as a problem?

One of my cardiologists is recommending that we replace my current pacemaker with a pacemaker/defibrillator combo before we do a valve replacement — an intervention I personally prefer because it’s less invasive. Actually, here’s another question: this same cardiologist says that if they replace my valve, this might actually make me worse. He is concerned they will put me on a machine during the valve surgery and will not be able to take me off of it because of the increased pressure to my heart because of the new valve.

Any thoughts, answers, questions about sudden cardiac death for people with cctga in their 50’s, 60’s, or beyond or about valve replacement dangers for people like me? Many thanks.

• received several heartfelt and informative responses to that post–  that helped me feel hopeful, sad, scared, upset,  happy, worried, calm, surprised, and delighted — including this one:

Ann?! I’m like two towns over! I can’t believe that somebody with my condition is so close.

What kind of day was yesterday? What kind of words might describe it, for you?

I’d say that yesterday was the same kind of day as any other day:

• A day that changed from moment to moment.
• A day in which I had all my feelings.
• A day of potholes and successes.
• A day when I could connect with others, if I reached out.

I wonder what kind of day today will be? Here’s one thing  I know so far.

Today is a day when I’ve heard the song “Yesterday.”

What kind of day is it, for you?

Thanks to the Beatles, to all who helped make my day yesterday,  and to people with hearts of all kinds, especially you!

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* What kind of heart did I have yesterday? One with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (cctga). The same kind of heart I have today.