Recent content by joanie

I chose to go to Cleveland for my surgery and I don't regret it at all. Unlike what Aggie said above, I flew to and from Cleveland - my return flight was 2 days after I was discharged from the hospital and I could have flown home the day of discharge if I had wanted. (I was a bit scared to...

I had the opposite problem. I had fairly severe cognitive issues prior to surgery (not enough blood getting to my brain) but I was fine after surgery. It was almost like the fog cleared in the OR. 2+ years post surgery I'm amazed at how well I feel - much more energy than I've had for more...

After my surgery my hemoglobin was very low (I don't remember the numbers). Like you, I was far from my surgeon and working with my hometown internist. She was reluctant to give me iron pills because of the side effects so she told me to eat lots of red meat. (My vitamin D was also low so she...

Not exactly the same, but I had pleuresy (inflamation of the sac that surrounds the lungs) about a month after surgery. Lasted a few weeks and hurt like hell. I also got a cold that turned into bronchitis about 10 months post surgery. Our lungs are vulnerable after OHS because they...

Dear RTZ Dad, Dr. Sabik did my AVR almost 2 years ago. I cannot say enough wonderful things about him and his entire team. Even though I was a pretty routine case with no complications, I felt as if I was their only patient the entire time I was there. (I know, he did at least 13 other...

I got off the percocet 3 days post-surgery because I hated the way it made me feel. I wasn't in much pain so they gave me tylenol and it worked fine for me. I have a bovine valve so no blood thinners (except a baby aspirin). I do take an anti-inflammatory every day for a herniated disk. They...

No noticible hair loss but my iron was low for more than a year post surgery. At my last physical (1.5 years post surgery) it was finally in the normal range. OHS does all sorts of unexpected things . . .

My first sneeze took me by surprise while I was still in the hospital. No time to grab my heart pillow. All I can say is OUCH! I thought my chest was going to explode! I don't know how you can avoid it, but if you can . . . don't sneeze!

I'm Jewish (not Orthodox) and before my surgery I had several fun-spirited discussions with friends about whether a pig valve would be permissible to someone far more observant to me. Among my favorite scenerios that was raised was the possibility of a airport metal detector type device at the...

I never took Metropolol until my surgery. Post-surgery I was prescribed 25mg twice a day. I found I was light-headed/dizzy from it (it took a bit to isolate the cause of the light-headedness) and after playing with dosages (directed by my doctor) I've settled on 12.5mg in the morning and 25mg...

I'm glad you have an appointment at CCF. It's a remarkable place. I had my aortic valve replaced there in May 2010 and I couldn't have asked for better care. I flew from South Carolina and the travel there and back was not a problem. If ever I need additional surgery, I'm heading right back...

I had my aortic valve replaced at the Cleveland Clinic a year ago. My initial decision was much like yours . . . there's a very good surgeon locally but he doesn't do the volume CCF surgeons do and I was somewhat hesitatant about the care I'd receive at a hospital that doesn't see as many...

I can meet the people who made my valve? That is fabulous! I can't wait to plan that trip. (If I didn't have other plans, I'd go next month for the first anniversary of my surgery!) Thanks for letting us know about this!

I was told not only should I not drive for 6 weeks (I cheated and drove at 5) but also to sit in the back seat of the car for 6 weeks because IF there was an accident, the air bag can do horrendous damage to a sternum (or ribs, in my case) that had just been cut open. If you've ever seen a...

I'm 58 and over the course of the past 3 years all my doctors are now younger - much younger - than I am. I changed cardios twice before finding my current one a month before my surgery. He is 40 and he's a great doctor. My PCP is also 40 (they were med school classmates) and I couldn't be...