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Hello all, Last year at this time I was being brought out of anesthesia following my AVR it was the beginning of a re-newed life for me. To think that a year has passed! Were it not for the well-healed scar which most mornings I note as I am blow drying my hair there are days when I would...

Hi David and welcome, I was interested to see you lived in Dartmouth. My husband and I and many other family members have summer houses in Tiverton and we all spent many many days as teenagers on Horseneck Beach and South Shore beach in Little Compton. Beautiful country. I will be five...

Egbert, For what it's worth, I had a very similar experience at 6 weeks post-op........malaise,fever, chest pain that popped up in different places and once so intense it woke me and I was pacing in the bedroom waiting for relief from the ibuprophen. I had four such episodes each lasting a...

So sorry to hear this Dawn-Marie, I know you have already had other opinions but there are still other centers with reputations as good as CC and they may have different opinions. I am talking about places like Johns Hopkins, Brigham and Womens and Mass General and Mayo Clinic. You are in...

THinking of you, wishing you birthday wishes and praying you will be better soon. Barbara

Nupur, I agree with Kim. I was in the waiting room for eight years and consider all the worrying I did was a big waste of time. I kept working at a very demanding job up until a few days before and I am glad I did. Having too much time on my hands would not have been good for me. I'm prone...

Sharon, I had my AVR on 8/6/08 and the breathing tube was a non-issue. I was worried about it pre-op and in retrospect it was a waste of time. IF YOU CAN focus on how good you are going to feel that first time you open your eyes and realize you made it and you have a new valve (s). Do tell...

Dana (dcat96) had her AVR on Tuesday (9/2) at Brigham and Womens in Boston and is doing well!!! I actually had the pleasure of SEEING her today in the ICU. She is still a bit uncomfortable and would probably not agree with me but I THOUGHT SHE LOOKED GREAT!!!!! According to Dana the...

I saw my surgeon today for my post-op visit and asked him this exact question. His answer was that it is the individual body's chemistry and metabolism and not activity level that effect the longevity of the valve. He encouraged me to continue to take the calcium supplements I have been taking...

My sneeze solution My sneeze solution I'm two weeks post-op too and have come up with a solution that is working for me. Instead of allowing the sneeze to pass through my nose I force it to come through the back of my throat and exit my mouth:). It's a little bit loud and I don't think I...

Victor, I too was very fatigued prior to surgery. I am now two weeks post-op and though I have not regained full strength I feel less of that pre-op fatigue already. Re the breathing tube and chest tubes......I was awake when both were removed. In retrospect I wish I had not wasted time...

Prayers on the way for Darlene. I hope she is going to a major medical center. Hers is not a case for the small hospital scene. Will keep praying. Barbara

Congratulations on your climb. I am trying to "embrace my aches! They are a result of the effort and what a great outcome. We're both a week out. I'm trying to force myself to not hold myself so tensely - intentional relaxing has helped me. Good luck, barbara

Congratulations on your climb. I am trying to "embrace my aches! They are a result of the effort and what a great outcome. We're both a week out. I'm trying to force myself to not hold myself so tensely - intentional relaxing has helped me. Good luck, barbara

Alistair I know just how you feel (my surgery 8/6)! Congratulations. Carpe diem! Barbara

As many of you know I was in the "waiting room" for 8 years before my AVR which finally occurred on Aug 6. During those years I watched the post-op forum like a hawk, rejoicing every time I saw those emails announcing one of us had made it! I envied them and prayed and hoped I would one day...

Hi Robin, Thinking of you and will be glad when you are past this phase. Best regards, Barbara

Hi Al, Yes, we have discussed all of the radiation implications and then some........ effusion tendency due to stiff pericardial sac and pleural lining, thoracic duct drainage issues etc. He has a wide experience in radiated hearts, knows Bruce Lytle's work at CC, and makes his final decision...

From the first day I joined this forum over three years ago I have thought about this post. When would I be writing it? Who would be the surgeon? Where would I be having the surgery? What valve would I be choosing? Would I have the courage and peacefulness of so many of the writers here...

Hi Jody, I've just caught up on your posts and am sorry to see you are so worried. I know just what you mean about being able to tolerate a lot if you know it is to be expected. It's fear that gives us the most pain sometimes. I hope very much that you will press the point with your cardio...