Recent content by johnnycake23

Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
  1. johnnycake23

    Sweet 16 for Bovine Aortic Valve

    Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad it brought some encouragement to others. Hope all you stateside members had a happy and hearty Thanksgiving. Not sure I understand the automobile analogy, but as @tom in MO said, "People with tissue based valves get routine testing to verify the valve is...
  2. johnnycake23

    Sweet 16 for Bovine Aortic Valve

    My cow valve is now eligible to drive. Took a stress test last week and all checked out well ("passed with flying colors," said the electrophysiologist). So that was encouraging. I'm 57 years old, and I don't know how long this moo-moo will last, but for now there are blue skies ahead. Nice news...
  3. johnnycake23

    30-Year Anniversary of First OHS

    Good news on the scar tissue, as I have a keloid mass almost the size of a golf ball at the bottom of my surgical cut. Using "texture" to describe the scar, well, that's one way to put it.
  4. johnnycake23

    30-Year Anniversary of First OHS

    Yep, it's spooky when I think about it like that. And that scar I was so worried about back then? Now when I look in the mirror, it's so old hat that I don't even notice it.
  5. johnnycake23

    30-Year Anniversary of First OHS

    Hard to believe it's been 30 years since my first valve surgery. That one was for an aortic valve repair to address aortic insufficiency for a bicuspid valve. I was four days shy of my 27th birthday (right before I got wheeled in to the OR the crew sang Happy Birthday to me) and I remember when...
  6. johnnycake23

    56 years clicking!!!

    Joe DiMaggio had his 56-game hitting streak, and you have your 56-year valve streak. Not sure which is more impressive, but damn sure which is more inspirational. Congratulations.
  7. johnnycake23

    18th valversary for my bovine valve

    Stories like this are inspiring to us tissue-valvers. Congratulations on #18. Keep it up.
  8. johnnycake23

    MOO is Twelve!

    Welcome back, fellow Chicagoan. Nice to hear from you.
  9. johnnycake23

    32 years since my first!

    That's a whole lot of blood pumped. Congratulations. And I trust there's no sign of it letting up... I've lived more than half my life post-surgery myself (I've had two, though). It seems natural at this point, no?
  10. johnnycake23

    Quinceanera for my Tissue Valve

    Thanks to all for the congratulatory sentiments. BTW: @skeptic49, it's a Carpentier Edwards valve. @Dano64, the surgeon at Northwestern who worked on me --Dr. Ed McGee-- is now at Loyola. Just wondering if he's the guy who did your surgery. And da Bears ain't goin' nowhere this year...
  11. johnnycake23

    Quinceanera for my Tissue Valve

    Today my bovine aortic valve turns 15, which puts me officially through the longevity window. The literature on this has these types of valves lasting 10-15 years. So I guess that means I’m now playing with casino money. Although I’ve noticed recently noticed they’ve changed that to “10-20...
  12. johnnycake23

    Ten years ago for my tissue valve.

    Congratulations on the double digits. Keep on keepin' on.
  13. johnnycake23

    Guinness world record

    So this is the GOAT of pigs??
  14. johnnycake23

    13 year Edwards Magna Perimount Anniversary

    Lucky 13! Congratulations. Keep it up.
  15. johnnycake23

    17 years with my Edwards bovine

    Great news, fellow tissue-valver. Here's to reaching 20 and beyond.
Back
Top