Penny,
Good on you there is progress and more information and communication.
Not sure if i am reading this right, but from i am gathering from most forum responses and case studies, (it seems) that few BAV seem to have a need for bypass, as well, even in older patients?
It almost seems like a leaky valve helps clear the arteries, as my CT only revealed 1 artery with 30% blockage and of course I said let's fix it...surgeon responded at 30%, nothing to fix...so have been wondering if BAV patients have a lower incidence of blockage? (is this thought/statement flawed?)
Will need to question surgeon on that, when and if I ever see him again....he seems reticent.
Maybe our 1st date (surgery day), did not go so well and i may have said something while in surgery to offend him, as i was slighlty out of it and cannot remember a thing about that day.
Part of my fear pre op, was what discoveries would be made as we progressed, as have spent decades with poor eating and other bad habits, so was almost amazed when he said heart pump is good, oversized but ok and arteries are in good shape. this was quite surprising to me.
For surgery, Surgeon did say in a pre op visit, that they spend some time at beginning of OHS, re-evaluating, what needs doing, as echo, CT and other non invasive tests, may reveal most, but not necessarily all, with the finality of the OHS visuals.
Oh and whatever valve you choose and to my knowledge whatever procedure is done at OHS, anti coagulation and Coumadin for a minimum of 3 months is pretty much SOP. now on Coumadin, I did my 4th anti coag clinic yesterday, am on 5mg daily of Coumadin for more than 30 days now and my range has always been, 2.5-2.8, no varying, so as long as i maintain my high greens stable diet (vit K) daily, this is has been a non-issue for me and I could manage it a lifetime if i needed to.
Penny, am very happy for you that pre op communication is continuing with your surgeon. Every day is a new day and a good day, some better than others. It is important to express your patient concerns and then you will be forcibly be relying on the surgical team, for their judgment calls (there are many on the team) and they do this for a living. You need to believe they will make the right decisions on what is best for you, then they will move on th next patient...it is the way of the world and your post op professionals will take over to see you through, the next post op steps..
But hoping for you, that as you iron out these pre op decision and get the information, your anxiety will be reduced in knowing that you have done what you could...the professionals will see you through to post op, at which time you will regain some control on having a successful rehab.
Gil
