From ER to surgery in 5 days!

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clawie1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Messages
72
Location
Torrance, Ca
I am a fairly new member who posted a couple of times thinking I would have time to plan my "journey" - well I ran out of time. After 13 years of knowing I have aortic stenosis and waiting for symptoms to appear, the day finally arrived on Wed. July 17 2013. I was running errands, felt dizzy and thought wow I am really tired. After 2 hrs of resting, that feeling did not go away and I decided to call my cardio who promptly said go to ER. At that point, I knew this was my moment.

Today, Saturday July 20, I am at Keck Hospital at USC, Los Angeles, Ca. with surgery scheduled for Mon. My wrist angiogram showed I was a candidate for minimally invasive surgery aortic valve replacement, which I embraced.

Thank you all for all the wonderful stories I have read in these forums - I feel like I have a whole family out there supporting me. I am getting a little nervous but again after reading the "post op" posts, I know I can climb this mountain. I don't know when I can back to posting again.

Clawie1 aka Nita
 
clawie1 said:
Today, Saturday July 20, I am at Keck Hospital at USC, Los Angeles, Ca. with surgery scheduled for Mon. My wrist angiogram showed I was a candidate for minimally invasive surgery aortic valve replacement, which I embraced.
Click to expand...

What type of minimally invasive surgery will you have? The term is often used for a smaller sternotomy or a mini-thoracotomy that does not break any bones.
 
Hi Luana, it will be a mini-thoracotomy - below collar bone although the surgeon said they may have to crack a rib to give them enough space..

Ps the rib cracking will be done to "shave off" some muscle close to the heart (I can't remember the medical term) that will enable my heart to be receive more blood. I know some of you with medical expertise can help me out here.
 
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Hi Nita,

Do you mind sharing your surgeon and age?

Dr Starnes is a legend at Keck, he was one of my top two choices.
 
Dont Worry it will all go well. Best part being that the minimal invasive surgery will make you recover super fast and also the pain would be less than half. All the best & stay positive. :)
 
Sashin Nath said:
Hi Nita,

Do you mind sharing your surgeon and age?

Dr Starnes is a legend at Keck, he was one of my top two choices.
Click to expand...

I have been assigned to Dr. Cunningham but all the surgeons act as a team with Dr. Starnes being the "maestro." Within a couple of hours after arrival, Dr. Cunningham had already reviewed my case and told me exactly what needed to be done. The whole philosophy at Keck is patient involvement and team approach. I feel so privileged to be here because everyone (and I mean everyone) is trying their very best to explain the process of what I will be going through over the next few days and to comfort me as I am going through my anxiety episodes. In addition, compared to other hospitals, this place is very clean and the room is spacious.

By the way I am 73.
 
I had the minimally invasive surgery about a year ago. I had a 6 inch incision upper chest where they went in between the ribs. Replaced the aortic valve and repaired the mitral.

Once I was home after the 5 day hospital stay, recovery went great. I am very happy that there was no splitting of the breast bone. I was climbing trees setting up deer stands a few weeks after coming home and riding the Harley 4 weeks after surgery.

Hope everything goes as well for you.

Mike
 
clawie1 said:
Hi Luana, it will be a mini-thoracotomy - below collar bone although the surgeon said they may have to crack a rib to give them enough space..

Ps the rib cracking will be done to "shave off" some muscle close to the heart (I can't remember the medical term) that will enable my heart to be receive more blood. I know some of you with medical expertise can help me out here.
Click to expand...
I had a mini-thoracotomy, too, though didn't have a rib broken.
 
Let us know when you are on the other side. Good luck with it all! You will be fine! Another day at the office for your surgeon and the team he will be working with. Will say a prayer for you.
 
Hi All,
I am actually 4 hrs away from surgery so I thought I would you thank you all again for the messages and prayers. I am ready. See you on the other side of the mountain. Nita
 
I can well identify with where your head might be at let alone your heart.

I was an emergent OHS my first time and was in CICU for four or five days prior to the surgery as I was too ill when admitted to survive the surgery at that time. From going about my regular life to CICU and OHS in five days was a lot to wrap my head around but I did really fine and recovered very well.

Hopefully you will do equally as well and we'll have you in our thoughts.
Please let us know how you are doing when you are able.
Wishing you a successful surgery and very smooth recovery.
 
Luana said:
What type of minimally invasive surgery will you have? The term is often used for a smaller sternotomy or a mini-thoracotomy that does not break any bones.
Click to expand...

Hi Luana,
I am home now but I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is a hardening of the heart muscle. In order to "smooth out" the edges of the muscle, the surgeon had to crack a rib
 
Harley2000 said:
I had the minimally invasive surgery about a year ago. I had a 6 inch incision upper chest where they went in between the ribs. Replaced the aortic valve and repaired the mitral.

Once I was home after the 5 day hospital stay, recovery went great. I am very happy that there was no splitting of the breast bone. I was climbing trees setting up deer stands a few weeks after coming home and riding the Harley 4 weeks after surgery.

Hope everything goes as well for you.

Mike
Click to expand...

Thank you Mike - I am home now after a 7 day stay. I now have a 21mm St. Jude Porcine valve. I had another problem hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where they had to smooth out a portion of the heart muscle. Glad it's over.
 
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