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Hello, everyone!

I just joined today and am looking forward to being a part of this group.

I have had several Open Heart Surgeries, the last in March 1987 to replace the old (& too small) pig's valve in me with a "bigger and better" one. I am doing well; my doctors (Muster at Children's Memorial in Chicago and Mendelson at Northwestern in Chicago) monitor me every 6 months or so. We do not know if I will need more surgery in the future or not.

I was also diagnosed with sclerosis in my kidneys earlier this year and am taking medication to lower my blood pressure to reduce the amount of protein in my urine.

Please feel welcomed to Email me any time to talk ([email protected]) or ([email protected]). Or, if you want to chat, buzz me if you see me online...my AOL Instant Messenger ID is "fc72mc".

Cort Stevens ... Elgin IL ... pig's valve enhanced 29/swm
http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/cort
http://www.faithcob.org
 
Welcome!
This is a wonderful forum. The whole group is great. There is alot of good information floating around in this forum.

Take Care!
Creed3
 
Welcome Cort.....this is a wonderful place. You certainly won't be without answers to any of your questions. Welcome aboard and hope you enjoy many years with this group.

Evelyn
of Evelyn and Tyce (DON'T SAY A WORD, ROSSMAN!!!) Who had avr replacement on 6/26/02....Dr. James Taylor, St. Francis Heart Center, Roslyn, NY
 
You gotta watch out for certain people (Me) Resident Screwball.

Welcome to the family of VR and enjoy your stay. There are lots and lots of knowledgeable people here, so if you have questions, most of the time, we've got the answers. :D
 
Hey Cort! I thought I recognized the screen name from the ACHA site. :) I hope you find this site as wonderful as I do. I admit, it's not QUITE the same as the ACHA site, in that not everyone has dealt with these problems all their life, but they sure are wonderful people! And always willing to lend an ear or shoulder to cry on (virtually, of course). And as Nancy will tell you, we are quite a bunch of talkers! I hope you are doing well these days. How are your "babies" doing? ;)
 
Welcome Cort,
I am fairly new to this sight, but I can tell you that everyone here is very supportive. I am sure you will enjoy your time here.
 
Hi Cort-

Welcome! This is a wonderful friendly place to be. Sounds as if you've been through a few interesting things, so we'll really be enjoying reading your posts and learning a thing or two from you. You've got lots of built-in friends here.
 
Hey all...thanks for the welcome :).

He he he...Niki, I figured you'd recognize my screen name from the acha board ;). I'm looking forward to getting to know people here, too! Unfortunately, I may need those virtual shoulders a bit right now :(. But, I'm doing OK....I'm guessing, Niki, that you've read my most recent health update under the "stress" thread on the acha board...? As for my "baby girls" (my Chevrolet Monte Carlos), they are doing just fine :). I am dreading, however, putting them away for the winter :(.

And, Nancy, yes, I've had some interesting experiences....especially this year....tho, not all of them good :(. My grandmother was in and out of the hospital in Jan-Mar, then my only gf dumped me after 10 months together in Apr, then I went through some additional health issues as I mentioned in my original post.......

Welp, time for me to go to bed...to at least try to get some sleep....
 
Yes, Cort, I did read about your latest health battle. I just hate that you're having to go through all this (Heck, I hate that any of us do). I'm just glad you decided to give this board a try. You get responses A LOT faster than at ACHA. Seems there's always someone on and ready to respond. Feels a lot more immediate. And when you're venting or worried over something, faster response is definately better. These people are really great.

Do you have close friends or family nearby (I'm trying to remember)? I hope you're not having to go through all this alone. You're in my prayers...
 
Welcome!

Welcome!

Hi, Cort! Welcome to the site...I think you will enjoy it...birds with a lot of the same feathers flock here....many of them with excellent backgrounds for finding just the information you need. If I may ask, how long did you have your first pig valve. I got a homograft AV in Jan. '00 and always wonder "how long will it last".

Good luck with your new valve.
 
Hi Cort!

Hi Cort!

Welcome to the board. You have mt most of the gang already. Sorry about your health crises. But I am sure you will be fine. Just hang in there. Be strong. You are always welcome here and feel free to ask questions of offer advice. We are all friends here. Come in anytme. Take care.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve
 
hi cort!
welcome to this site!
as you know by now, everyone here is so wonderful, supportive and warm.
it's good to have you among us. i hope that if you do need surgery again that you will not need it for quite some time.
please keep coming back and letting us know how things are with you.
stay well, sylvia
 
Wow...the welcomes so far have been nice :)!

Creed...whereabouts in VA are you? I'm thinking of moving to the Bridgewater/Harrisonburg area....

Niki...I've read several of the threads/posts on here...and have been impressed thus far with the opinions, discussions, etc. Heh...I just may start venting soon.... No, I'm not in this alone...I have plenty of family in the area...and many friends across the country...but, I sure feel alone...without Amy.... I appreciate the prayers :).

Jean...My first pig's valve was in me for about 10 years.... It was replaced b/c it was getting too small for me ;). My current one is now 15+ years old.

Caroline...I have been trying to be strong all summer long...I'm beginning to lose that strength.... As Niki can attest to from my "stress" post on the acha board, it has been a rough summer, to say the least, for me. I have had some very good times, but it is a freekin' rollercoaster...that is becoming too much :(.

Sylvia...thanks for the kind words. Hmm...maybe I'll put a "reader's digest" version of my "stress" posts on here to give you all a better idea of what this summer has been like...then again, that might be too depressing...LOL.
 
Greetings friends,

Believe I will have to take advantage of those "virtual shoulders"....

My grandmother died this morning in a Rockford hospital. She had been returned to the hospital about a week ago due to a cold & another urinary tract infection. She continually got worse. Last evening, she wanted the family out there because she did not think she would make it through the evening. But, through discussions with nurses & doctors, the family was told she was not in any immediate danger of such an occurrence...thus, I did not go. I wish I had...when Gram was in & out of the hospital January-March, Amy (ex gf) had warned me not to pass on an opportunity to go see her, but I did...& now I do not have that option any longer.

Hmm...I probably should have started a new thread (as opposed to posting a reply to this one) since this news goes along with my "stress" posts on the other board, but since I now have all of this typed and have not had the opportunity to type up a "reader's digest" version of events of this summer, I hope you will forgive me....

Always...peace,
Cort Stevens...Elgin IL...pig's valve enhanced 29/swm
AOL Instant Messenger ID..."fc72mc"
http://www.faithcob.org
http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/cort
G1=1970-1972...72
G2=1973-1977...76
G3=1978-1980...79
G4=1981-1988...81
Ga=1995-1999...uh, no
Gb=2000-200?...00, FOR SALE
G5=200?-20??...?? V8 & RWD wanted
http://www.aros.net/~rbuck/mcspotter/

"Yes those might be the best days we will ever know, but we'll have to leave them in the past"; Little Texas...'What Might've Been'...~1993

"How do we explain something that took us by surprise?"; Richard Marx...'Hold Onto The Nights'...~1990s

"Why did you have to go?"; Kenny Rogers...'Good Friend'...1980s

"Just what kind of love keeps breaking a heart?"; Brooks & Dunn...'Long Goodbye'...~2002
 
Cort, my prayers go out to you. I know it must be tough on you. I remember when your grandmother moved farther away from you and what great things you had to say about her. Maybe now she can look out after you from above and give you some comfort and psychological hugs. I know she cares for you very much and will be with you in your heart forever.

God bless,
 
Mornin, Knight - chanced to find your post just now and my condolences to you. Yesterday, one of my best friends passed on, too. She had been sick for a long time and I just put off going as I should have - besides nobody knew how sick she really was. Friday, I just made myself go and while there, she chuckled at me a couple of times and that let me know she knew I was there. I also gave her a strawful of water while there, it went down wrong and I COULD have kept the memory that the last time I saw my friend, I nearly choked her to death when she was almost there anyway, but I didn't. So I don't have that lingering 'woulda, coulda, shoulda' thing as you are suffering at this moment. I am positive that your grandmother knew that you loved her very much and that is the memory that you must live with - not the guilt you are trying to put on yourself right now. Nobody could have predicted the outcome the way it happened. So, don't do this to you. God bless
 
hi cort!
i am so sorry to hear about your loss. hensylee said it so perfectly... don't walk away from this with guilt, hold onto the memories. i look back on my life sometimes and find things i would have done differently.
those things are behind me and i have learned so much from them (and passed this on to others). try to move forward from here.... your grandmother, i believe, will be watching over you.
we are all here if you need us...
thinking of you, sylvia
 
Hi Knight and Henslyee---I truly believe that they are with you in spirit. Every time you think of them, remember them, feel their presence because they are there with you, only in a different realm. They still love you, that never changes. Evelyn
 
Hi Cort,

Welcome aboard our VR.com group. How long have you lived in the Elgin area? I'm about 20 miles away from you. I grew up in Streamwood a long time ago and went to junior high and high school in Elgin. You will find a lot of support here. I am sorry too to hear about your recent loss. She will always be with you in spirit. Don't feel guilty, just remember the good times. It sounds like you've been through a lot. We're here for you though. We are having our reunion in Chicago next year for VR.com , so maybe you might want to attend. Perry, Gina and I all live within a 50 mile radius of each other. We're going to be working on an agenda along with Hank of course for our next reunion. It would be great to see you there. I'll keep you in my prayers. Take care and God Bless!
 
Cort,
Welcome to our little village, and condolences on the loss of your grandmother. Try not to be too hard on yourself for not being there...you made decisions based on the best information you had at the time.

Feel free to "vent," ask questions, and share your experiences. I am pleased to see you have 15 years on your porcine valve. Do you know what kind of porcine valve it is?

--John
 
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