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Glad to hear you are doing so well. You are an inspiration to others on this forum, especially to us "older" folks who are still in the waiting room. Even if we have not achieved your level of fitness before surgery, it is encouraging to see that you are able to progress so nicely. At this...

Since I'm still in the Waiting Room I'm afraid I can't be of any help in answering your questions. However, I do know that you will be in good hands there at Duke, so I feel confident you will do just fine. By next weekend this will be all behind you and you will be on your way to recovery...

Greg -- Thank you for the birthday wishes and also the birthday serenade. :)

Jim -- I have been following your progress, as we both seem to be on the same timeline. My Echo numbers have hardly changed at all since 2009 and they are almost identical to your numbers. My valve area measured at 1.1 cm2 this last time and my ascending aorta was also 4.3 cm. In 2009 I was...

Thanks Mary and NJean. And Mary I love your St. Paddy's Day cow!!

Greg -- Thanks for the birthday wishes. You have the greatest graphics!!

Bryan, I've been looking for your post this week -- so glad to hear from you. Hope that you get beyond the rough spots soon and look forward to hearing from you again when you feel like it.

Jim -- I think what you suggested sounds like very good advice. The Echo that I had a year ago stated that I had a 4.0 aneurysm on my ascending aorta, but my latest Echo didn't mention anything about it. I know that isn't a very large aneurysm, but also realize that it is subject to change...

Thanks to Jim, Larry, and also Gil for all the info about different options other than wires for closing the sternum This is a very interesting thread -- especially to those of us who haven't had surgery yet. I haven't yet heard of the plates that Jim mentioned, but have been meaning to ask...

Larry- Thanks for your reply. Your valve was certainly an example of just how fast a valve can go downhill. The year before last my AVA was 1.4, so I had quite a change from one year to the next. That's why I was so surprised when there was no further change in the year just past. However...

After receiving completely conflicting info from my previous cardio I decided it was time for a change. The last Echo I had at that small cardiology group was done by a tech that was not even certified, and it was obvious to me that he was not very experienced. The new cardio is in a large...

Bill -- It was good of you to take the time to post and let us know how you and your family are doing. I often think of Valerie and wonder how you all are getting through this difficult adjustment -- it's so nice to hear that you are all doing OK. Thanks for letting us know and please keep...

Rick, Glad to see you looking so good. Hope you can get that leg down to size and get off that pump soon. It sounds like your recovery is going along great.

Thank you all for your comments. Since my numbers didn't change very much in the six months between the last two Echos, I have been trying to get some idea of how long it might take to get to the time when surgery is really needed. From reading the posts here, I guess that it's a pretty...

Following the good advice of many people on this forum I got copies of my most recent Echo reports for my records -- here are some of the highlights. AVA 2007 1.5 cm2 2008 1.4 cm2 6/2009 0.9 cm2 12/2009 1.0 cm2 GRADIENTS 2007 12/18 mmHg...

Rick -- So glad to see you posting on your own now. You did sleep through quite a storm but there is still plenty of snow around for you to see. Hope you get to go home tomorrow and beat the next storm coming Thursday. Have a great Christmas with your family.

Mathis -- Thanks for the update on your Dad -- I have been wondering how he has been doing. He does look like he's doing fine -- please keep us posted on his progress when you get a chance.

Rick -- Sending you all the best wishes for tomorrow -- you have such a great positive attitude. We will all be waiting to hear from your son and looking forward to the time when you will be posting again.

Rick -- You are so right about talking to family about heart matters. They love and care about us, but don't fully understand what we go through dealing with these problems. Not that it isn't hard on them too, but they don't have the same experience that we do. You have found the best place...

Rick-- I checked out your album with the photos of your Superman cape. Your wife did a great job on it -- you will be a big hit when you are walking around the cardiac floor. Wishing you all the best on the 16th.