Thanks for the well wishes, Wayne and Phillis.
Actually, as of yesterday, the surgery has been pushed back to next Wed, June 13th. We decided to have the Chief of Cardio Surgery at Kaiser SF perform my dad's surgery and his first availability was next Wed.
My dad has been in the hospital for the last week; however, he is coming home today. The doctor said it might be more beneficial for him to rest at home since there is a higher possibility of catching an infection in the hospital. My dad was all for this because he hasn't really gotten a good night's sleep since he's been in the hospital.
So, after much discussion, my dad decided to go with the mechanical valve after all. It will most likely be the St. Jude valve, which is what Kaiser typically uses. This is to avoid the increased risk of a 4th surgery in my dad's 70s.
Since my dad will be on coumadin, he will have to be very diligent about his health (i.e. watching what he eats, walking at least an hour a day). My sister and I are planning to hire a nutritionist to get him on track after recovery.
By the way, I am officially 2 days past my due date. If my baby doesn't come this week, I will be induced on Monday. I also have a twin sis who is pregnant and due on 6/20, so this is going to be one very busy month. Being able to see and play with 2 new grandchildren will give my dad something to look forward to after recovery.
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. I will continue to keep you posted on my dad's condition.
Jennie