Recent content by BarbATS

Good morning and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you, Charlieecho! So glad for you that you put your thoughts out there and got lots of sound advice from the experienced valvers! As a 13-year warfarin user after mitral-valve replacement with a mechanical valve, I can add my best wishes to you...

Hello, HopefulHeart! I agree with the others here that blood thinners/mechanical valve are a sound (no pun intended) investment in your future! I had my mitral valve replaced at age 55; thirteen years later, I am better than ever. Yes, you must be diligent in handling the testing and follow...

Hello, there, Jayhawk, It is good to hear you are doing well for the most part of your days! Maybe your mind is simply prepping you for your December 10 "appointment". Kind of like "dry runs" of what you'll be experiencing on that special day. Elective surgery--as compared with an emergency...

Hi, Mike (The Hammer Man!)-- Yes, we all seem to have had various sensations, sounds, poundings, thumps etc after these procedures. As others have said here, often this is a temporary phenomenon -- we get used to these sounds and sensations AND/OR they naturally subside with time. I'm sure you...

Happy Anniversary to you, ski girl. Love your great sense of humor and your take on things. With your attitude, you'll be cheering us all on for eons to come!

Dear Dick-- Wanted to add my voice to the many who are applauding not only your longevity, but your sense of humor and compassion as well! Your accumulated knowledge is evident in your every post; your approach to the subject matter and to the forum participants is what brings a smile to my...

Congratulations to you, Tammy! It's great that you are another valver doing well and coming back to give inspiration to those who who might need that "shot in the arm" (well, maybe not the best choice of words!). As one of those who have been there, I join you in happiness today and looking...

Hello and congratulations to you, John D! Isn't it great to be so "distanced" from surgery that you forget the exact number of years that have passed?! The once-consuming thoughts of what it will be like, how will it go, how quickly will I recover, WILL I recover, and on and on...the best thing...

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary, Walter! I see that we are the same age and both have mechanical valves. I just celebrated 13 years. We are both doing great and isn't that wonderful...yes, it is! All the best for continued good health.

Congratulations to you, SumoRunner! You are really an amazing example of the great vibrancy we can all experience after heart surgeries. Dedication to maintaining and enhancing our health and challenging ourselves to grow--mentally, physically and spiritually-- are a part of the work that it is...

Hello, NigelP- Read with interest your query and the many responses here. Let me say I have had an ATS mitral valve since 2000, with no problems and do my own home testing of INR levels with ease and no "issues". The ATS valve was said to be quieter than the gold standard at that time, the...

Hi, Kathy! Belated congratulations on your tenth anniversary! I can sense your true happiness and that you live the way we all strive to, with zest and gratitude for our "new" lives post-op. Continued good health and positive spirit! You go, girl!

Hello and congratulations, Kevin! I'm happy for you that you are doing well. It's great that you visit the forum and that it has helped you through your experiences. It feels good that we valvers can give back to others coming down the road, offering ideas based on our personal journeys. Most...

I'll add my voice about daily impact of blood thinners. Having a mechanical ATS mitral valve for 13 years now, and taking warfarin from the start, it has been quite the "non-issue" in my life! After that initial post-op tweaking for a short while, things have been routine. I have been testing...

Hi, big_L I can feel your growing resolve and sense of direction in this last post....great! It's like putting on a pair of glasses and suddenly the fogginess is transformed to clarity. Having a plan coming together will probably positively affect everything for you and that is exactly what...