Barbara Walters having heart valve surgery

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While it is true that some people die during or shortly after this surgery, it is also true that in a good hospital and with a good surgeon the chances are HEAVILY in your favor about 98-99% to 1-2%. You could also die during or after an appendectomy. My husband almost died after gallbladder surgery.

But, my husband also had three heart valve surgeries, 2 major lung surgeries and all kinds of other lesser surgeries and invasive procedures. In addition to all that, he had several co-morbidities which could have taken him out.

He made it through all of these things.

He lived to be 75 years old, with a very scarred and battered body and a huge medical history. And he did not die due to heart valve failures. He died of multiple organ failure.

If he made it through, then the vast majority of folks will also make it through.
 
I should have also added that if you need valve surgery and don't get it done, the odds become heavily NOT if your favor by around 100%. There is no substitute for this surgery. When they tell you you need, you need to get it done, if you want to survive.
 
kfay said:
Anyone who is about to undergo a surgery of this magnitude is going to have some fear. If they say they aren't, they are lying.

Kim
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Not true!
I can honestly say I had no fear of AVR. I had know it was coming for 10 years. Surgery date was set a month ahead so I could save some of my own blood. My wife was nervous enough to make up for me. After surgery it was a totally different story. After I finally got home I told my wife I would never go through that again. But within a year my feelings had changed. Today I would fear another AVR.

I lost my 80 year old sister due to knee surgery, any surgery can turn dangerous.

Wish my best to Barbara and all others having surgery.
 
Well, I have to agree with Ross. If I am getting off topic please forgive me, It is true though. We as humans do fear what we do not have control over. Having said that, being a Christian, it is somewhat contradictory too. I should be thinking, well if it all goes well, and I come through it, that's TERRIFIC! If it turns out in the other direction, well that's really allright too. It's a win, win situation. Isn't it?
 
To Joseph -- have faith! I was sure that I would not make it through surgery, because my family had been having alot of bad luck at the time, but I am thriving, living a second life, renewed and thankful and going with the flow. Are we ever in control?

Now my husband is gettting the same surgery soon and we are getting ready again for another challenge, but we know it will be okay. The fear is there, but we know how successful valve replacement is and we have no doubt this is a fix. What a blessing!

There's always something! Gilda Radner
 
Kathy McCain said:
Well, I have to agree with Ross. If I am getting off topic please forgive me, It is true though. We as humans do fear what we do not have control over. Having said that, being a Christian, it is somewhat contradictory too. I should be thinking, well if it all goes well, and I come through it, that's TERRIFIC! If it turns out in the other direction, well that's really allright too. It's a win, win situation. Isn't it?
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I like this answer! Actually I liked all the answers.

My cardiologist told me before surgery that my odds of not making it were about the same as getting hit by a car crossing the street when I leave his office. The difference being we have time to prepare for the surgery, we don't have time to prepare for the accident. If we did our loved ones would come and all that just like they do before surgery. We all ride in cars and airplanes , cross streets and take chances every day. Some of the odds are not as good as we get with surgery. Yet we do these things because we don't plan for it and we are awake and it is pleasurable while we are doing it. (mostly anyway) Still dangerous though.
 
Joseph let not your heart be troubled (bad pun) by any prognostications of gloom and doom. I was very happy to have surgery, not scared for two reasons. One was that I knew I would shortly be dead if I did not have the surgery. The other was faith and the belief that 'if God brings you to it, God will bring you through it'. Keep holding onto your faith!
 
hi joseph,
is that you??? welcome!
first of all, i have always believed that WE ALL are the lucky ones. i know several people who just fell over from aneurisms, heart attacks, etc. suddenly, leaving their families and friends shocked and surprised.
WE are the ones God chose to warn, so that WE could do something about it (fix it through surgery).
secondly, does anyone know where barbara walters is having her surgery and who her surgeon is? i don't think they have divulged that info.
hope you are all well,
sylvia
 
I did catch the segment on The View. She was truly upset. I could see it in her red eyes. My memories of such an occasion came rushing back. Many tearful days leading towards surgery. It's a natural reaction.

Wishing you all the best Barbara. Take your recovery slow and easy. Looking forward to seeing you climb that mountain to the otherside. Godspeed!
 
Jeanie said:
Joseph let not your heart be troubled (bad pun) by any prognostications of gloom and doom. I was very happy to have surgery, not scared for two reasons. One was that I knew I would shortly be dead if I did not have the surgery. The other was faith and the belief that 'if God brings you to it, God will bring you through it'. Keep holding onto your faith!
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I can honestly say that I wasn't scared before my surgery. Naturally I had some concerns, but my personality is much more analytical than emotional. I really felt emotionally detached from the entire situation.

I was completely fascinated with all the technical aspects of the surgery - I spent a lot of time learning everything I could about the procedure and probably drove my surgeon crazy with all the technical questions I asked.

I knew that my life would somehow be different afterwards, but the alternative was that I'd likely be dead within 36 months with the AVR.

It was much tougher on my family, much more than I realized at the time.

As far as the recovery time, I was back at work within four weeks, so I don't think it would be out of the question for Walters to be back in a couple of months assuming all goes well. It's not like she has to dig ditches or do a lot of heavy lifting at work.

That being said, even though I was "functional" with a few weeks, it did take me about nine months to feel 100% recovered.

I wish her well.

Mark
 
If my wife or kids had been scheduled for this surgery I would have been a wreck. If the outcome was dependent on me doing the right thing, I think I would have been very anxious. But those things weren't true, and I felt a remarkable calm. In fact, I remember thinking I felt unnaturally calm. My pulse was being monitored before any medication, and I remember peeking at the machine & confirming that I was clicking along at 58-60 beats per minute. My wife and kids (not me) paid the price before surgery. After I woke up-now that's a completely different story.
 
Thank you, Kim. I was really depressed reading Dan's remarks as I face AVR surgery. Let's face it, we all know deep down about the risks, but it doesn't mean we actually want to think about them or see them in writing...
 
Broken Hearted said:
Thank you, Kim. I was really depressed reading Dan's remarks as I face AVR surgery. Let's face it, we all know deep down about the risks, but it doesn't mean we actually want to think about them or see them in writing...
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Welcome to mortality. By hiding from it or keeping it hidden, isn't doing anyone justice either. It's truth that must be faced.
 
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