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Fast Eddie

Hi all

I'm new to the forum. I've been watching/reading for a while and finally decided to post something to introduce myself

I'm a 60 year old physically active guy from Arlington, MA who is now two weeks away from surgery to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm.

We discovered te aneurysm accidentally 7 years ago, when 2 days worth of arrythmia sent me to my primary care doc. He referred me to my great cardiologist, Dr Panos Papageorgiou at Beth Israel Deaconess medical center here in Boston. They did an echo cardiogram and discovered the 5.0 cm aneurysm then. So we've been monitoring it for a good long time. It was stable until my last CT, at which point it had grown to about 5.4 cm. So I had a consult with Dr Ralph de la Torre at Beth Israel. He suggested that since I am a (relatively) young 60 and in very good physical condition that now was the time to do it.

I have a cardiac cath. scheduled for tomorrw at which point I hope they will have more information on the degree of aortic valve damage (stenosis). So it is possible that he will replace the AV at the same time. If the catheterization shows any blockages, I'm told they would fix that up at the same time. Sure seems like a lot of surgery for one session, but Dr de la Torre is a pretty outstanding guy from what I've been told, so I'm confident of the results.

If he is going to replace the valve I think I want to go with the ON-X after reading a lot of articles in this forun and other sources on the web.

The hardest part of all this is that I won't be able to do any biking for a while.
I am signed up to ride the Pan Mass Challenge in August, which is a two day 180 mile bike ride to raise money for the Jimmy Fund at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I've done that ride 5 times before and was/am really looking forward to doing it again.

Being able to ride it this years is a goal. Maybe not realistic, but why not try for it?

I'll continue to be hanging out in this forum for the next two weeks and then hopefully in the post-op forum!

Thanks for all your information and input

Ed "Fast Eddie" Friedman
 
Hey, there "Fast Eddie", welcome to the VR community. Glad you found us and decided to join up.

There's a few bikers like you (the pedal kind) around here so perhaps somebody will come by and comment on how long it took to get back in the saddle post-op. It was 10 weeks before I could ride my bike (the motor kind) but not as long or as far as I usually ride. I suspect you will probably be able to do some bike riding by August but a 2 day 180 km trek may be a stretch.

I had my OHS Feb 2006 and suffice it to say that I learned to have a lot of patience that first year post-op. I could resume most activites, but with moderation and some restraint. It was easy to over do it, and I'd suffer for days afterward, so I also learned to pace myself.

Best wishes with the cath tomorrow. Don't know if you've had one before, but it sounds worse than it is. Good luck.
 
Welcome, Fast Eddie.

I am sure glad to hear they are repairing the aneurysm as 5.4 is a bit large. I think waiting any longer would have been dangerous.

If your valve needs replacing, I hope they can do it at the same time as having a second OHS is no fun. Best to get everything fixed and go on with your life.

I think the ride in August is a bit of a stretch but, as you said, might as well have it for a goal.

Glad to have you on board and best wishes for you.
 
Welcome, fast Eddie. Glad you decided to join. Be sure and give us the exact date of surgery so we can add you to the calendar. Wishing you the best with your cath tomorrow.
 
You guys are great!!

You guys are great!!

Everyone

Thanks for the welcome. I sure am glad I found this group. I would LOVE
to hear from some other bikers who have had OHS to hear their experiences.

The surgery is scheduled for May 8, and yeah, I think riding the PMC in August is a real stretch. I think the surgeon is by nature an optimist!

While I'm not looking forward to tomorrow's cath. procedure, I have heard from a co-worker that it sounds worse than it was.

The job I personally wouldn't want is the one where you keep pressure on the femoral artery for 1/2 hour after the procedure. Seems like there ought to be a better way, but they've found that having a real person there instead of sandbags worked out better.

I guess the sandbags couldn't relate to the patients real well.

Thanks, everyone for the replies.

Ed "You're putting that probe WHERE????" Friedman
 
Speaking of sandbags - my last cath was done fully anticoagulated because I was having a lot of TIAs and my cardio did not want me off coumadin. Before he got to the cath lab, the attending nurse told me my cath would be cancelled because my INR was too high. Nothing I said would convince her that this was how my cardio was doing the cath. When my cardio came in, the two of them actually had a heated debate about doing the cath. She finally said okay but that she would not be responsible for the post cath recovery.

My cardio was the one who sat with me for a couple of hours holding the sandbag in place. To this day, he is my hero.

A cath is not really that bad. In fact, if you ask they will probably turn the monitor so you can watch. It is kind of fascinating. The only thing I do not like is the dye (very warm and makes you feel like you are peeing yourself - very strange). However, it only lasts for a few seconds.

If you do not want to be aware, you could always ask for some happy meds. ;) :D ;)
 
Originally Posted by geebee
The only thing I do not like is the dye (very warm and makes you feel like you are peeing yourself - very strange). However, it only lasts for a few seconds.
Click to expand...

Actually, it kind of reminded me of the first time I drank straight booze as a kid. :eek: :D :D That warm rush!! ;)

You should ask to watch the monitor for sure. Not only is it fascinating to watch, it helps pass the time and keep your mind off the procedure itself.
 
Hi Eddie,
Welcome to the group. Your August bike ride may be pushing it but why not set the goal and go for it. Just listen to your body after surgery. There would be nothing worse than ultimately slowing down the recovery because you went too far too soon.

All the best,

Cheers,
Chris
 
I just wanted to add my welcome. We have many physically active members and many bikers, so I'm sure they'll be by shortly to say "hi".
 
Ed,
Welcome to the VR Forum! This place is awesome and the people are too!!
Don't worry about that cath. They are nowhere near as bad as you have envisioned. I hope your cardio and techs are like mine were. We laughed and cut up through my whole procedure. One of the techs and I are both youth ministers and that got it started.

As for the surgery, I hope you can get it all done at one time. Having just undergone 3 surgeries in three weeks time I know that one surgery is plenty.

You will be in my prayers.

Peace of Christ,
Don
 
Welcome to Valvereplacement Forum, Fast Eddy. Sending wishes for an uneventful surgery and early recovery. You mentioned that you would like to talk to some physically active people and runners. Have you checked out the forum here for Active Lifestyles and Cardiac Rehab...lots of bikers hang out there from time to time.
Regards,
Blanche
 
I wanted to welcome you, too.:) .but, WOW, waiting for 7 years with an aneurysm at 5.0????When I had my cath..they found mine at a 5.0 and told my family..Needed to do it soon..like 3 days later...Cardio/surgeon...I was age 61 and the surgeon told my family..I want to put in a mech.valve. Your Mother does not want to go thru this surgery again.....I am so happy..just take that little pill(warfarin) everyday...No problem..:) Here I am..5 years later....and doing everything I want to do....Not the biking but staying up with 4 Grandkids..under the age of 6..:D ......Welcome to our forum again..Bonnie
 
Hi Ed - Welcome to the site; glad you found it and decided to post. Hope all goes well with your cath tomorrow.
 
Aneurysm at 5.0

Aneurysm at 5.0

Granbonny

After I did a bunch of research, I found that 5.0 cm was on the large size for a TAA. I presume that the cardiologist was taking into account the risk factors of the surgery vs the risk of the aneurysm rupturing. At my consult with my surgeon he said that at the current diameter there was a 5 - 10 percent risk of rupture in a year. So he did want to do it soon, but not immediately. I wanted to defer till September to do the Pan Mass ride, but he wasn't real entusiastic about that.

Thanks for the welcome!

"Fast Eddie" Friedman
 
Fast Eddie:

Please have a relative or friend post updates after your surgery.

My husband is 9 months older than you (3/13/46) and is having surgery 2 days after you. I'll be taking my laptop to the hospital & will look for updates on your recovery.
 
Fast Eddie, I'm with you all the way brother!

I have a bicuspid aortic valve that echo says is down to 1cm. Since I am asymptomatic, but doing some things that normal people might say are crazy, my primary doc and I decided to send me to Shands at UF for a surgical consult and some further diagnostics. That was scheduled for last Thursday, but Shands cancelled and we have to reschedule.

I rode my bike 150 miles this last weekend in the MS 150 ride. No problems, no symptoms. I've got a week long ride across the state of Georgia in June-about 450 miles. I'm signed up, have motel rooms and everything. Now I'm worried they're going to find something either with the valve or the aorta itself and make me cancel my ride! And I will if they say it is dangerous.

My plan, assuming surgery is needed sooner rather than later, and if I don't have any symptoms, is to do my Georgia ride and then let them schedule surgery whenever they want. If I'm off the bike and out of the gym and all that for a few months, it will drive me nuts but it beats the heck out of dying!

John
 
Hello Ed,
Welcome to Vr.com! and Hello neighbor (I live and work in MetroWest)

It is Wednesday morning and you are probably at the hospital getting ready for your cath. I've never had one so I can't offer any advice but I'm sending you a prayer that it goes well and is not as bad as you expect.

I would also like to send you my very best wishes as you prepare for your upcoming surgery.

I'm still in the waiting room - it will be 3 years this August - I don't know how you did it for 7 years. the uncertainty of when you might need surgery is so frustrating! I'll be anxious to hear your thoughts about Dr. de la Torre and the BI. I've read some interesting things about him as well. My cardio is at the MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham but he is affiliated with the BI and I kind of expect that is where he will send me when it is time?
Take Care!
Susie
 
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