will schedule soon

[marciemarine]

I went to meet my surgeon and he told me that he would like to replace both my aortic and mitral valves with mechanical ones. However, my husband is scheduled for a second angioplasty in a couple of weeks and I want to see how that comes out first. I'll probably have my surgery in the first week or so in November. I like the surgeon and he seems to have a lot of experience with these surgeries. I'm not as nervous as I was but I still have a bit of jitters. I can't wait until it's history. The waiting is getting to me. What does anyone recommend I do to get ready? Marcie

 

[catwoman]

Marcie:
For starters, you can get a dental appt and make sure there's no dental work that needs to be done ASAP. (I don't think I was told to do this.) It's usually 3 months post-op before you can have dental work done otherwise.

I spent some time stocking my freezer & pantry.

If you don't have one now, get a blood pressure monitor & a set of good scales. You will be asked to check your BP & weigh yourself frequently the first couple of weeks post-op.

Take care of legal affairs; the hospital will give you a list of these. You can probably get a list now.

Make a list of books you'd like to read, movies you'd like to watch when you don't feel like getting out post-op.

Have some fun with friends pre-op -- take a weekend trip, if your condition permits it.

If you don't have one and do have room/budget for one, shop for a recliner now. It's easier to get out of a recliner than a bed for several weeks after surgery.

 

[marciemarine]

Thanks! You've given me a lot of good things to think about.

When I called the surgeon's office to make my appointment for surgery, the secretary told me I would need a dental clearance, so I made an appointment for a dental visit this Thursday. I would never have thought about that as a requirement for heart valve replacement. I had gone to a dentist last summer, but have since moved to a different state, so I was going to get my annual appointment soon.

Marcie