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I was pretty active on this site about 5-6 years ago. Everyone provided a lot of insight, advice and hand holding as I prepared for my aortic valve replacement. Surgery was easy-peasy and I was the proud owner of a pig valve. Well...the latest echo shows the pig is dying. The heart cath is...

Sorry I haven't been around but work has been UGLY and there's not much time for anything. I started rehab last week and have to admit, I'm wondering why I'm there. The exercise is extremely light and they don't want me to do anything more than what they say. To be honest, I'm walking faster...

I'm 2 months post surgery, back to work and generally doing great. But....lately I've developed a big case of anxiousness and insomnia. I can't get comfortable, toss and turn and end up having a really miserable time at night. Even with a sleeping pill, my sleep pattern is non-existent. Anyone...

Today was a great day. I saw the surgeon for my followup. Results - everything's great. Permission to drive Then, saw my cardiologist who has just been named Director of Heart Failure at the hospital. Results - everything's great. Released to full-time work. Then we talked about rehab. She said...

I have this really silly question. I had my surgery on 2/9 and have been home 2 weeks. How long has anyone used their pillow for 'bracing'? I'm still coughing a little and find it helps. But those out of the blue sneezes are really painful. I don't want to sound like a baby, but find I still...

I came home from AVR on 2/13 and things have been going great. However, I've noticed a few things and was wondering if anyone else had similar experiences. Every so often, my eyesight goes out of focus. If I close the left eye, the right eye is fine and vice versa. It's the dual focus that...

We had dinner last night with good friends of ours that are both nurses, one of which is a director of one of the clinicial specialities. (I was the token non-nurse at the table) Both of them have specialists on the hunt for me when I'm admitted. Now...here's the question. I'm a type II...

I just got back Dr Gaudiani's office and I'm scheduled for AVR on Jan 19th. He's recommending an organic valve rather than mechanical. The fun begins!

Hey all. I'm taking the bull by the horns and trying to make this valve replacement truly on my terms. (or doing the best I can) I found a book called 'The Patients Guide to Heart Valve Surgery' by Adam Pick. I find it to be a great resource that highlights everything from diagnosis to pre-op...

Hey all. So my 'floppy valve' as my prior doctor pegged it is a seriously calcified aortic valve. At the moment I remain totally asymptomatic except for horrible percentages of blood flow. Treatment to date has been quarterly stress tests and/or echos. My last stress test was stopped early...