Finally talked to Surgeon

[Blake777]

Hello everyone. I finally talked to one of the Surgeons Yesterday. He said they are going to try and do a repair first and if it doesn't work they will put in a St. Jude Mechanical Bi-leaflet valve. Still have to go back next Tuesday and talk to the rest of the team and then I will set the date. I just really want it over with. I'm sure I will make it just fine like all of you. Well I will keep you all up to date.

Thanks for listening !
Ronda

 

[bvdr]

Rhonda,

I know this gives you mixed emotions. One part of you wants it over and another part is really scared. I think we all have felt like that. I was so calm when I talked to my surgeons nurse and arranged my surgery date.........it was akin to making a beauty shop appt., and then I hung up and cried.

I always say the wait is the hardest part and I do believe that to be true. Soon this all will be behind you.

Do what you need to do to clear your calender for the weeks following surgery. Write your bills ahead of time, stock your pantry, even freeze some of your favorite meals if you have time. This is done for you so you can relax and recover afterwards. I got refills of my husbands prescriptions and filled his medication containers for three weeks in advance in case I was feeling pump-headed afterwards.

Having done a few things ahead of time made it much easier for me to relax and concentrate on doing the things I needed to recover.

Spend some soul time too. It is a great time to take care of spiritual matters that might have been put off. It is a wonderful thing to go into surgery and know that whatever the outcome you will be fine.

Let us know as soon as you have a date so it can go on the calender. This is a time in your life that you will always look back at and remember some of the minute details of some things.

Don't expect everything to go perfectly smooth because it never really does. Your experience will be uniquely yours although it will have things in common with many others. We will be here and walk through this thing with you. Things sound like they are kicking into high gear for you....Congratulations, and may you soon be fixed!

 

[SJJ]

Ronda,
I can't say it any better than Betty just did, but I do want to add voice to the chorus. Keep us posted as things progress.
Sue

 

[Raverlaw]

Ronda,

Let us know when you get your date. It will be scary and exciting for you, all at the same time. We're here to help!

 

[Blake777]

Truly Scared

Truly Scared

I am truly scared. I feel like I'm just not going to be able to go through with it, but then something in my head says you have no choice. My husband is feeling the same way. Last night before he closed his eyes, he said I don't want you to have the surgery, but I know it was just fear talking. So I reminded him that I have no choice. I just have to beleive that Jesus will be with me and keep me from having a really horrible experience. I Know he will watch over me. My husband does all of the grocery shopping since I've been ill with my back and neck problems, so that's something I won't have to worry about. I know he can cook if he has to, and he's a pretty good house cleaner also. My mother will be here a lot too. I will probably suggest to my husband to get some tv dinners and things so when my son comes home from OSU, he will have food. And of course there are fast food places and resturants. I do look forward to rest and relaxation, just not the horrible pain. I will let you all know the date as soon as I set it. Our anniversary is the 20th of this month, so I thought I might wait until after that date.

Thank You all,
Ronda

 

[SJJ]

Ronda,
I know the prospect of OHS is a difficiult thing come to terms with. Please go back and read the many POST SURGERY comments in which the majority of folks report discomfort, not "the horrible pain" you imagine. The drugs available in the hospital are wonderful and if needed, you'll be provided with a prescription to keep you comfortable when you're discharged. I ended up taking one for back pain but really didn't feel a need for more than that once I was home. The more I read about the experiences of others who had already been through their surgery, the more confident I became about facing my own. I empathize with your concerns and don't mean to minimize them, they're certainly normal. I just want to reassure you that most of us found our surgeries much more "doable" than we had imagined and I think you will too. Keep connected so we can support you through this.
Sue

 

[Marge]

I had mitral valve regurgitation, too, and was scheduled for either a repair or a replacement. I had the surgery last month and they were able to do a repair, which is nice for me. I hope you are also able to have a repair, Ronda, but even if you have to have a replacement, maybe my experience may help. Discomfort-wise and pain-wise, I don't think there is much difference b/n a repair and a replacement, it is the same surgery in terms of opening up the sternum, etc. I can tell you, the whole experience was a lot better than I had anticipated in almost every way.

I was afraid of lots of things prior to the surgery, but most (like the breathing tubes) weren't nearly as scary when they actually happened. And I had very little pain, certainly nothing like "horrible" pain. I don't want you thinking I am stoical or pain tolerant I am really a pain wimp. But like Sue I'd use the term "discomfort" rather than pain and for me it was not really bad discomfort either. They are very good at managing pain in the hospital these days. I got pain medication there like clockwork, I do not know even now whether I really needed it -- I never had to ask for pain medication, because they never let me develop any pain before they were back for the next dose. I was sent home with Darvocet which I only used for the first week or so to help me get a comfortable position to sleep at night.

 

[Blake777]

Ok, I'm better.

Ok, I'm better.

Thank you all so much for talking to me. I will have to mark this so I can read it over and over before surgery. I tried to find those other post that I used to read to calm me down but I couldn't find them. But thank you Sue and Marge and everyone else, you have made me feel at ease again. I will try not to freak out anymore. Thanks a bunch. I will stay in touch.

Ronda

 

[Kathy]

Blake,

You'll be better prepared for surgery than many people. I only found this forum a few nights before I had surgery and didn't have time to read through many threads.

My husband was scared, too. It was a very difficult experience for him. After all, he was conscious the whole time and didn't get any pain meds. Not only will Jesus be with you, but you'll know that people are praying for you all over the country.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I am truly scared. <SNIP> I do look forward to rest and relaxation, just not the horrible pain.

Ronda

Hello Ronda,

You sound a lot like Jaque (Punkin32810 or some such number) who had a persistent nagging fear in spite of all of our assurances. She is doing GREAT and is enjoying a speedy recovery. I suggest you read her posts (search Members for Punkin#####) and then look under Forum posts (I think that's what it is called now...Hey, I'm over the hill and can't remember 'stuff' anymore.

Anyway, I don't remember anyone talking about experiencing 'the horrible pain' you imagine. Some of us did have some MUSCLE pain but MASSAGE and Medication takes care of that. I don't know anyone who had more than some 'discomfort' from their chest incision. REALLY!

I prescribe a good dose of reading in the Pre-surgery and Post-surgery Forums, taken on an 'as much as you can tolerate at a time' basis. The more you read about how everyone got through their surgeries from many different perspectives, the better you will feel about going ahead with the BELIEF that you too will survive and thrive.

FWIW, I went through my first heart surgery (bypass) one day after being told 'it is time' with NO counseling and NO VR.com, just the knowledge that I knew several people who had all done the same thing with the same surgical staff at the same hospital and every one of them was doing well. I figured 'if they can do it, so can I'.

And YOU have HUNDREDS of testimonials and supporters to rally and guide you through your surgery, 'so what's to worry'?

Hope I've helped in some small way Ronda.

Best wishes,

'AL'

 

[Bryan B]

Hi Ronda,

I feel very fortunate to have found VR.com a couple of months before my surgery. As soon as I found out I needed to have surgery I started researching on the internet, and someone recommended this site from the CC website. You should feel fortunate as well. This place will dismiss all the myths and "unknowns" out there. Having said that, I was still surprised at how "easy" it was going through the surgery compared to what I had figured in my mind. I'm also amazed at how well I feel 2 weeks after surgery. I won't lie and tell you I felt great when I woke up, but 24 hours later I had most of my tubes out, I was walking, and any pain I had was being taken care of by oral pain meds. Each day the improvement was amazing and I was discharged 4 days after surgery. Two weeks later I'm walking about 1mi twice a day, and the only discomfort I have now is occasional incision pain if I do something stupid.

It's normal to be scared (I sure was), but I just focused on showing up and knew as soon as they started my IV and gave me some of the "happy juice" all would be well...and it was.

 

[Blake777]

Thank all of you for your prayers and replies. I have a unstable asthma problem or some kind of pulmonary problem that me and the surgeons are discussing, they are sending me for more lung functioning tests, also have chronic degenerative disc disease in my neck, and degenerative arthritis in all joints. The surgeon told me I would probably have a little more pain than others. He said the lung problem may be coming from blood backing up in my lungs from the regurgitaion but he can't make any promises that it will end after surgery, I've had this problem for 5 yrs and I pray that surgery takes care of it because I am sick of spitting up in a bag day and night and literally choking off of sputum at all times. Also have been back and forth in ER for minor kidney problems. They ran blood test Tuesday, to make sure I don't have another bacterial infection which I seem to get every six months, don't know if it's from the lung problem or kidney problem. I have a torn meniscus and arthritis in my right knee and have been on a crutches then a cane since June 2001 (still on cane). I hope I can walk the way I need to after surgery. I guess this is kind of worriesome also. But I know they will check me out good and check all records before surgery. Thanks again, and God Bless.
Ronda