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Paula (from Finland)
I think it has been at least five or six years since I wrote to this forum last time, then my username was Paula (in Finland).
Little bit history first: I had a major heart surgery "Ross procedure" in December 17th, 2002 and was back home on Christmas Eve. Then my aortic valve and aortic root was replaced with my own pulmonary valve + root and to the pulmonary position I got homograft (as most of you may know of course). Now after almost 7 years of worry-free living I am facing a new open heart surgery again to replace a dilated section of my aortic root.
What I?d like very much to know if there is somebody else in similar situation, somebody who have had ?Ross prodecure? done and do have or have had also aortic root dilatation? What kind of surgery those persons have had to get the dilated aortic root repared after Ross? I would like to know specially if there is any change of valve-sparing prosedure after Ross?
The dilation is life threatening, because of the risk for aortic rupture! The aortic root wasn't dilated seven years ago when they did the Ross. When I was tested 6 months ago the dilation was 49 mm and I quite sure that it may have generated 1 mm more now and was 50 mm when I was tested last week. I have have understood that the 50 mm is the limit when they do the surgery in my case, because I had congenital aortic stenosis (of course there is different opinions what is the optimal time for surgery).
It is somehow worse now to get ready for the new surgery, because I know what to expect! It is very difficult (as it was also before the first surgey) to motivate myself that I relally need this surgery, because I feel that there is nothing wrong with me and I am in a perfectly good condition. I don't ever have had anykind of heart attack or any pain. I learn it last time that after the surgery I needed to start all over again... for instance, I have to parctice breathing and I needed all my strenght to walk few meters and had some post surgery complications as bad arrythmias and my whole body was in some kind of drowse ... of course I feel lucky that God let me survive the surgery in a first place....
Sorry to be so depressing this time, but the knowlege of a new surgery is number one in my life at the moment. I have had more tests now in March, magnetic imagine, ultrasonograbhy, angiography etc... and I will see my cardiologist next week on Tuesday, March 23, 2009.
Otherwise I'm also very confident, because I know that the medical care, espesially heart (cardio)surgery, in Finland is very high-graded and it is also completely free to every Finnish citizen.
All this once again reminds me how important the health is and make me to arrange the priorites in my life. Despite of all this I'm going to play tennis and badminton and try to live normally, but of couse I need to avoid extra stress, for instance lifting hevy objects is not recomended.
In other parts the sun is shinig in my life. I got married last September and I'm very happy with my husband, he is really the man of my dreams...
Please, remember to enjoy every minute of you life, you know life itself is the most threasured thing of all!
Regards,
Paula (from Finland)
Little bit history first: I had a major heart surgery "Ross procedure" in December 17th, 2002 and was back home on Christmas Eve. Then my aortic valve and aortic root was replaced with my own pulmonary valve + root and to the pulmonary position I got homograft (as most of you may know of course). Now after almost 7 years of worry-free living I am facing a new open heart surgery again to replace a dilated section of my aortic root.
What I?d like very much to know if there is somebody else in similar situation, somebody who have had ?Ross prodecure? done and do have or have had also aortic root dilatation? What kind of surgery those persons have had to get the dilated aortic root repared after Ross? I would like to know specially if there is any change of valve-sparing prosedure after Ross?
The dilation is life threatening, because of the risk for aortic rupture! The aortic root wasn't dilated seven years ago when they did the Ross. When I was tested 6 months ago the dilation was 49 mm and I quite sure that it may have generated 1 mm more now and was 50 mm when I was tested last week. I have have understood that the 50 mm is the limit when they do the surgery in my case, because I had congenital aortic stenosis (of course there is different opinions what is the optimal time for surgery).
It is somehow worse now to get ready for the new surgery, because I know what to expect! It is very difficult (as it was also before the first surgey) to motivate myself that I relally need this surgery, because I feel that there is nothing wrong with me and I am in a perfectly good condition. I don't ever have had anykind of heart attack or any pain. I learn it last time that after the surgery I needed to start all over again... for instance, I have to parctice breathing and I needed all my strenght to walk few meters and had some post surgery complications as bad arrythmias and my whole body was in some kind of drowse ... of course I feel lucky that God let me survive the surgery in a first place....
Sorry to be so depressing this time, but the knowlege of a new surgery is number one in my life at the moment. I have had more tests now in March, magnetic imagine, ultrasonograbhy, angiography etc... and I will see my cardiologist next week on Tuesday, March 23, 2009.
Otherwise I'm also very confident, because I know that the medical care, espesially heart (cardio)surgery, in Finland is very high-graded and it is also completely free to every Finnish citizen.
All this once again reminds me how important the health is and make me to arrange the priorites in my life. Despite of all this I'm going to play tennis and badminton and try to live normally, but of couse I need to avoid extra stress, for instance lifting hevy objects is not recomended.
In other parts the sun is shinig in my life. I got married last September and I'm very happy with my husband, he is really the man of my dreams...
Please, remember to enjoy every minute of you life, you know life itself is the most threasured thing of all!
Regards,
Paula (from Finland)