Recent content by Brynn

My surgery in 2004 resulted in a pericardial effusion 2 weeks after going home. Ended up back in ER and had a Pulp Fiction moment, no anesthesia, just direct jab into chest to drain 2000 kg of fluid. I stayed in the hospital longer for that recovery than I did for the surgery. I also, gain...

i llove that you had Dr. Ikon!! His surgical staff seems to be top notch! I leave tomorrow for CH, the preop procedures are numerous. I have appts from 8 am till 4pm wednesday, then surgery on thursday. No time to really dwell, which is good! Glad to hear your surgery was totally successful...

operative tissue ablation and atrial appendage ligation

Yes they are going to do an operative tissue ablation during this surgery and an atrial appendage ligation to fix the flutter, arrhythmia and afib.

Yes I have been doing a great deal of fall cleaning! Listen to funny podcasts and I have some great prayer warriors out there! Thank you!

I am scheduled to undergo these procedures next week. ascd aorta 5.5, root 5.0, afib for several months now. Any advice out there, I am starting to get very nervous, this is a big surgery. Lived my life with congenital heart probs 2 prev coarc repairs. I am female 62 and asymptomatic...

I am so sorry for your loss Garserin, loosing our loved ones is very painful and incredibly stressful. I agree stress is reeks havoc on our bodies in many ways. I am starting to believe, after reading several posts about stress and increased size, that is does indeed have an affect. I too am...

Thanks for your feedback Ultrarunner. Yes, I was under a great deal of stress, not only caring for my mom and all that entailed, but stressing, along with my 2 kids about graduating college, finding jobs which resulted in moving far away, and cutting the apron strings, very hard for a mom:)...

To address a couple comments and clarify my history. My bp has been running around 140/80 for a couple years, none of the new Drs I went to last year seemed concerned about this, so when I found new ones this summer I suggested to my internist that perhaps I could benefit from a diuretic to...

Thank you guys. I am so grateful to have found this forum, your posts are informative and valuable. I agree Ultrarunner and Don, the change is alarming. I believe my size would make my numbers much more dangerous than someone who is bigger, the body surface index calculator I believe it is...

I was recently shocked to learn my ascending aorta is 5.1,cm. I have a BAV, have had coarc repair twice, once at age 4 and again 46. I also have a small VSD, with moderate regurgitation. I think I should mention this change in size of dilation is significant, it was 2.2 in 2011. I am 58 and am a...