Harley2000
Member
Tomorrow will be 2 months after having my operation. They replaced my aortic valve with an On-x mechanical valve and repaired the mitral valve. This was done with minimally invasive surgery.
I went into this surgery with the knowledge that it was needed but not wanting to know allot of details. Major decision was mechanical or tissue valve. Once that decision was made I figured that I just had to show up and they would take care of the rest.
I had previously posted about time in the hospital so won't cover that again. It went very well without much pain or problems. When I woke up there were no breathing tubes down my throat so don't know anything about that. Most uncomfortable was the pulling out of the drain tubes.
I didn't realize the significance of minimally invasive surgery compared to the sternum splitting surgery until after coming home from the hospital. The doctors mentioned the benefits but until I read on this forum about the soreness and problems people experienced, I am glad I ended up at a hospital that had surgeons that did the minimally invasive surgery.
Once home I had to keep telling myself to take it easy. I wanted to get out and about within a week of being home. I climbed a tree and took down a tree stand 3 weeks after surgery. I rode the Harley to the Tomahawk Colorama 4 weeks after surgery. I graduated from Cardio Rehab 5 weeks after surgery. I have been cutting firewood with my chainsaw and carrying chunks of wood out to the truck.
I am trying to get my INR to get to where they can get to once a month testing. It has stayed down at the lower allowable range and they are slowly raising Warfarin amounts to get to mid-range.
Anyway, I am glad it is over and hope things keep going as well as they have up till now.
Mike
I went into this surgery with the knowledge that it was needed but not wanting to know allot of details. Major decision was mechanical or tissue valve. Once that decision was made I figured that I just had to show up and they would take care of the rest.
I had previously posted about time in the hospital so won't cover that again. It went very well without much pain or problems. When I woke up there were no breathing tubes down my throat so don't know anything about that. Most uncomfortable was the pulling out of the drain tubes.
I didn't realize the significance of minimally invasive surgery compared to the sternum splitting surgery until after coming home from the hospital. The doctors mentioned the benefits but until I read on this forum about the soreness and problems people experienced, I am glad I ended up at a hospital that had surgeons that did the minimally invasive surgery.
Once home I had to keep telling myself to take it easy. I wanted to get out and about within a week of being home. I climbed a tree and took down a tree stand 3 weeks after surgery. I rode the Harley to the Tomahawk Colorama 4 weeks after surgery. I graduated from Cardio Rehab 5 weeks after surgery. I have been cutting firewood with my chainsaw and carrying chunks of wood out to the truck.
I am trying to get my INR to get to where they can get to once a month testing. It has stayed down at the lower allowable range and they are slowly raising Warfarin amounts to get to mid-range.
Anyway, I am glad it is over and hope things keep going as well as they have up till now.
Mike