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Southrnshooter

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Messages
11
Location
Greensboro,NC
Hello, my name is Ken and I am a career firefighter. I am married with 2 teenage sons. I recently went through a major life change and lost 160 lbs. I have been living a very healthy lifestyle for 3 years now. At my last physical, the doc noticed a loud heart murmur. Never had one before. He recommended an echo and after that I found out I had a 6cm aortic aneurysm. My aortic valve was also leaking and classified at moderate. I was having absolutely no symptoms and was running 5 miles a day. So glad this was found before something happened. I see the surgeon tomorrow to schedule my surgery to replace the valve and repair the aneurysm. The doc said it would be within a week.

The information I have already found on this forum has been invaluable. Thank you all so much for sharing your information. It makes me feel so much more at ease for what I am facing to read about others successes. Thanks again and I'll report back In a few days...
 
Hi Ken. If you do a search you will find a few other firefighters who have have valve replacement surgery. This is a great site for info and support from others who have gone thru this. BTW, your birthday is about five months earlier than my valves birthday......so when your docs tell you that they can fix you for a long time.....they're right.
 
Hi Ken,
Welcome to the forum. You are off to a great start researching all the posts and information here pertaining to your condition.
Have you selected a surgeon and hospital yet for your upcoming surgery?

There is a wealth of knowledge amongst the group, so please just ask any questions you may have, and you will be amazed at the great responses.

Welcome to the group,

Rob
 
Yes, I see the surgeon today and get my date. Since I am FD, I have a bunch of friends in the medical world who I trust. Several work on the heart team in this hospital. They have all told me my surgeon is the best. Hoping he will schedule me pretty soon. Ready to get this done.
 
A little more on my condition, I had a personal physical in June this year and no heart murmur, and then at the FD physical in September I had one that rated a 3. It developed that quickly. My cardiologist thinks I may have a bicuspid valve that caused the aneurysm but neither the echo or the MRA were able to confirm that.
 
Welcome to the forum Ken, and good luck with your upcoming surgery! You will be ok!

I beleive your murmur was probably there in June too, but the doctor was unable to heart it. In theory, any GP should be able to detect a murmur (a general term for any abnormal heart sound). But that is not allways the case. I have a very audible murmur, that was also undetected by a GP. He was pretty old, so may be his audition was not the best. Of course, i looked for a different doctor. A GP that misses a very audible murmur should not be trusted...
 
Your healthier lifestyle and your doctor saved your life. They will fix you and you will be fine. Good luck and please let us know how you make out.
 
Well my surgery is next Thursday the 23rd, and will be getting a mechanical valve and a piece of pipe that looks like small fire hose to replace my aorta. Kinda fitting. Everything on go.
 
Hi

welcome aboard and ...
Southrnshooter;n848688 said:
Well my surgery is next Thursday the 23rd, and will be getting a mechanical valve and a piece of pipe that looks like small fire hose to replace my aorta. Kinda fitting. Everything on go.
Click to expand...

hope it all goes well (which it usually always does). Take the recovery step at a time and do not over do it :)

They'll get you walking in the ICU soon after the op. Just be careful with your first "pee" after they take the catheter out ... when juggling a stand with drips on it and being a little 'wobbly' your aim may not be the best ... things conspire in hospitals to embarras you. My first pee the bladder seems to have had some air bubbles in it, so my "stream" sputtered mid stream and there was a short "pthhthth" (like a mini fart) at the end. The nurse laughed as much as me.
 
Good Luck. Tomorrow is my 8 week post op anniv and i feel great. Back to work and almost pain free. I had posted a detailed account of my AVR a while back, in case you are interested for some tips.
You will do just fine.
 
It's good you had it dealt with so quickly. 6cm is on the big and risky side as far as aneurisms. Being fit is going to make your recovery go much faster.
 
Welcome to "our" side! Be sure to keep breathing, keep walking, and for your own good - stand up straight! Your good posture will help alleviate a good majority of your back pain. Also, when you are resting, make sure your head is supported - you need to give your neck muscles a break!

This will all be a distant memory soon. Each day gets a little easier!
-Meredith
 
12 days since surgery and been walking every day. Won the nurses ICU award for the most laps around ICU immediately after surgery. They didn't realize how competitive firefighters are. Lol. Walked 5 miles today and finally feel like I got the anesthesia out of my system and my "air" back today. I think I have read almost every page and thread in these forums. They have helped me so much. Thank you all..!!
 
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