Heart Infection - A friend needs hope

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tigerlily

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
149
Location
Pittsboro, NC
The brother of a friend of mine, Max, could use your prayers and stories of hope. Max had a valve replacement last June. Several weeks ago he had surgery for a mean heart infection. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of details. I know they tried to cleanse the infection and of course they must be using some powerful antibiotics. They released him after a few days only to re-admit him again last night with fever and chills. According to my friend, Trish, her brother is struggling in every way. It's not hard for us valvers to imagine how worried and discouraged Max and his family must be right now.
I thought if you all had some stories of hope we could share with Max, I could print them off and give them to Trish to take to her brother. I'll ask Trish to tell her brother what a wonderful forum this is as well. Please help me to lift his spirits.
 
Sorry to hear, i'm new to this game so don't recall any stories that could help him during this time.

Sounds like endocarditis (spelling?) so hopefully the anti-biotics will fix this all up. I think a few of the regulars here have had that so hopefully they will be along soon with some positive stories to assist.

All the positive thoughts i can muster are sent his way.

Regards.
 
I have had no first-hand experience with endocarditis, but I will keep Max in my prayers.
 
Dear Max, I am so sorry to hear of your illness. I am a member of valve replacement.com and if you know computers, we invite you to join us for information and support - when you are better and at home. I pray that your doctors will find a way to help you recover from this quickly so that you can go back home to be with the people who love you dearly, and of course your friends, one of whom had told us about you. Blessins, Max.
 
Prayers.....

Prayers.....

Im afraid I dont have practical advice for Max, but I certainly will remember him in my prayers. Best Wishes Max.
 
Prayers are on the way and there is room for optimism. I recently completed 58 days of IV antibiotics for endocarditis on my aortic valve that is not many months older than Max's and escaped with no tissue damage. I understand what he and his family are going through. For me the uncertainty of endocarditis was far more difficult than valve replacement. There were a lot of thoughts and prayers sent my way during my treatment, they must have worked. I hope and pray that the same will be true for Max and his family.
Philip
 
Philip said:
Prayers are on the way and there is room for optimism. I recently completed 58 days of IV antibiotics for endocarditis on my aortic valve that is not many months older than Max's and escaped with no tissue damage. I understand what he and his family are going through. For me the uncertainty of endocarditis was far more difficult than valve replacement. There were a lot of thoughts and prayers sent my way during my treatment, they must have worked. I hope and pray that the same will be true for Max and his family.
Philip
Click to expand...

Philip - This is an example of what makes this site so terrific! You've just gone through something, maybe the same thing, to what the friend, Max, is going through; and you post this encouraging and optimistic personal experience! Wonderful!
 
Tigerlilly:

Thanks for posting your concerns. Any valver's concerns are our concerns, too.
Post-op infections are not not the norm, but they aren't unusual either. They can be successfully treated. Some just take longer than others.
 
I will keep Max in my prayers, Justin had BE when he was 11. He had the 6 weeks of vanco and gentomycin in a pic line, most of the time he was home and we took care of it, with a weekly visit from a home care nurse. Justin ended up w/out any additional damage from the infection, AND his wasn't even picked up early, so there is alot of hope, Lyn
 
Sending positive wishes, enery and prayers to Max. Hope you feel better soon!
 
Tiger,

Is Max's infection endocarditis or a pericardial infection. I have an employee had a severe pericardial infection, worked throughout and was totally healed with aggressive treatment. The "Cleanse the infection" language make me think pericardial infection since they try to flush the infection from the pericardium. In my employee's case, it was very successful and she bears no ill after-affects.

Best Wishes to Max

David
 
I have no experiences to share, but my wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery go out to Max and his family and friends.
Rachelle
 
Tigerlilly -

I can't help Max with any personal experiences along those lines, but I can certainly offer up my thoughts and prayers for him and his family and will do so.

Jan
 
I didn't have an infection post valve surgery, but I did get one after an ICD placement. They can't be certain if the infection made it to my heart or not, but the lead tips (when they removed them) tested positive for bacteria. They treated me as if the infection were in my heart. I went home with a PIC line and IV antibiotics twice a day. A home health nurse came 3 days a week (they were also taking care of the wound vac they used to close up my incision) and after 5 weeks they took me off the antibiotics (was supposed to go 6 weeks, but apparently the meds were working TOO good and my WBC was getting low). I have had no more problems since then. The biggest pain was getting the docs to believe I had an infection, despite no fever or bacteria in my blood stream. When the incision site burst open they finally believed me.

Anyway, I am sending thoughts and prayers Max's way. It's tough to go through so much, but it helps to know there are people out there pulling for you. Good luck and I hope you get to go home (and stay home) soon!
 
The hospital my son was at recently had a 15 yr old with a heart infection. He was on full life support for 4 or 5 days, but was released from the hospital a few days later. He is doing well. Hold on to your hope, prayers and good doctors work wonders.
 
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