Hi Everyone!!!!

[Brian Reinersmann]

Hi everyone, My name is Brian, I'm a 30 yr. old widowed male with three children 6, 9 & 11. I live right outside of Nashville, TN. I manage a fitness center for the military and an EMT. I too like so many other peole have a bicuspid aortic valve. I was told that I have to have surgery in the next 6 months. I have been on a Ross procedure chat line for about 2 months now and picked up this site from there. I have been reading a lot of stories and information from this forum today...I'm glad I found this site. Just like so many people I have been trying to figure out what procedure would be the best for me. I'm down to the Ross procedure or the ST. Jude's regent valve. And I too have the coumadin phobia. I just wanted to say Hi to everyone and say thank you for posting your stories. It makes it a lot easier to hear other people and what they have been through and all the success that they have had. And I can pick up so much information from everyone out there. Once again thank you. Brian

 

[Nancy]

Hi Brian-

Welcome to this site. You'll really love the people here. We're all very friendly and we get it as far as this type of surgery. Sorry you find yourself in this position, but you're young and that counts for a lot as far as a wonderful outcome. You'll do just fine with the surgery. The surgeons are the best and they cross all the "Ts" and dot all the "Is" with very thorough preparation.

So I see you're a fitness center manager and also an EMT. Hats off to you-My husband has had to use ambulance and EMT services a few times. They've saved his life at least 3 times that I can remember. He has an extensive history.

He has 2 mechanical valves, has had 3 valve surgeries (one for a repair), 2 lung surgeries and tons of other very serious medical problems. He's 71 and has been on Coumadin for 25 years. Coumadin is no big deal, you go and get tested, take what they tell you and forget about it until the next testing time. Lots of people here also self-test. So don't let that be the most overriding thing about your valve selection.

I hope you'll utilize this site to its max and post frequently. You'll get lots of answers and maybe can shed some light on our questions too.

 

[Paula]

HI

HI

Hi Brian, welcome aboard!
Your story sounds alot like my own. The phobia issue and all. I was advised to go with the Ross but i am wishy washy between that and mechanical?( But there is the phobia issue). The thing I like best with the mechanical is the less time on the heart-lung machine. I am 29 and hope to have another child one day. I was told the Ross was the way to go, but I have been told here that they were advised not to have children after the Ross????So I dont know what i will do. I dont have a date for surgery yet, but he said within a year probably. What Ross site have you been going to? I am trying to talk with as many people I can about this.
Well, hope you get as much info here as you can, there is alot people can offer here to you. I have found its like having another huge extended family here Take care, Paula

 

[Mara]

Hi Brian
I had the Ross last year. Just had my one year post-op check up with the surgeon today. He said it all looks great.
I saw my cardiologist last week. He said the same thing. two thumbs up. So, from my perspective the Ross was very cool.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to give you my experiences. [email protected]

-Mara

 

[Christina]

Hello Brian,

Hello Brian,

and welcome to this wonderful site. We hope you will feel at home here.
As Nancy already has said before me, everyone is very friendly and extremely supportive. It was great support when I needed my surgery two years ago. I had two surgeries within 11 days due to a screw-up by the cardiologist office. (read my story for complete details)
I was scared, but the more I found out about it, the less I feared the surgery. It's not as bad as you think it is.
I also had a bicuspid valve but it also was stenosed. I had to have surgery real soon after diagnosis.
I am doing fine after two years post-op.
My surgeon recommended the mechanical valve, because he said: "you don't want to do this too often, and this valve will last the rest of your life". Not always true as you can read in my personal story.
I am on Coumadin, but once that is stabalized it is not much of a problem. As Nancy told you, you just have to go and get tested at a lab. There are people on this site who have been on Coumadin for more than 25 years without any problems.
I home test so am not dependent on going to the lab. It really is the way to go when you have a busy life like so many of us. I also take it with me when I travel and don't have to worry about having to look for a lab in a strange city.

Come and see us often. Ask any question you have and someone will come along and give you an answer.


Christina
AVR's 8/7/00 & 8/18/00
Tucson Medical Center, Tucson, AZ.
Dr. Gulshan Sethi
St. Jude's Mechanical

 

[wlaldridge]

Hi Brian and Welcome to this great place for caring and sharing, everyone is terrific and helpful.

There is one really extenxive thread here regarding valves quite worth reading. I don't think it is under valve selection, can't remember (pump headed before being on the pump, I guess). It was started by a gent whose user name is Peter Easton. Do a search of his posts and you will find it. It was in the summer of 2001 prior to his surgery in September. Great reading.

Good luck and welcome.

 

[wlaldridge]

Hi again,

the thread I just mentioned is at:

Heart Talk: Making the choice: RP, homograft, Mechanical

A very interesting thread to follow.Started 7/19/2001

 

[Brian Reinersmann]

Everyone,
I just want to say Thank You for everyone that has welcomed me to this site. I looked up Peter Easton's thread at heart talk and it was very good it had a lot of information in it. The Ross site that I have been on is at:
[email protected]
it has some good information on it about people that have had the Ross Procedure done. It is time to get back to my search to find as much information as I can. Thank You, brian

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi brian and paula!
my husband had his rp 11 months ago and so far so good. he is feeling amazing!!!
he opted for the ross because he was also scared by the thought of having to take coumadin.
from what i've read here and from my dad (who has a st. judes and takes coumadin and used to be needle phobic!!!!), it is the non-coumadiners who seem to mind it and fear it more than those who actualloy take the stuff. it's supposed to be a piece of cake.
joey and i have been thrilled with his decision to do the rp and it seems this group is constantly growing.
who is the surgeon who will be doing the surgery if it's an rp?
wishing you both all the best. please feel free to email us anytime with any questions .
stay well, sylvia

 

[Brian Reinersmann]

Sylvia,

The surgeon that I'm looking at for the RP is Dr. Drinkwater(he has done 100+ rp, children and adults, with a 100% success rate with adults), he is with Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. If I go with the mechanical valve I probably will go with Dr. Petracek at ST. Thomas hospital in Nashville, he was the first Dr to use the ST. Jude's regent valve from what I know. I have heard nothing but great things from both of them and their success rate, and they both talk highly of each other. I guess it is just what procedure they feel more comfortable doing. Brian