Im doing good, nervous, but come to terms with my Ross AVR coming up next week

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vhmoriarty

vhmoriarty

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
189
Location
Knoxville, Tennessee
Just wanted to thank everyone of you that have sent me words of encouragement, answered my silly and sometimes repeative questions and seriously calmed my nerves before my surgery.

I have been taking my xanax only at night to help me sleep, since that is when my mind starts to wonder to the "what if's"

I have loved reading all of the post surgery successes and cant wait to post mine as well.

Everyone say a little prayer for me on Friday the 13th, I go in for my Ross Procedure.

My husband is going to try and put a update in the post surgery to let everyone know how I am doing. I should be out if no complications by late next week.

Love each and everyone of you!


(I wanted to post some of the things that have been keeping me positive over the past week....some quotes to think about from time to time)

The hardest part of life is facing the deaths of those you love. If its sudden, you dwell on the things you should have said, done, etc.. If you have time with the ones you are losing, you dwell on how you should have spent your time. And if you are saved by the grace of GOD you know that although the hurt seems to never go away....you will see them all again someday.


Would you know my name. If I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same If I saw you in heaven…. Beyond the door There's peace I'm sure. And I know there'll be no more... Tears in heaven.

I also really like this song, and it has touched my life this week as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkKRYbBcUtM

My father will be gone from me as well on Monday, Nov. 8 for three years. He was my strong hero. I know I will again see him someday as well.

I know that if it is my time to go, I am ready....and for all of you that my life has touched I am grateful.
 
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You aint' goin no where. I didn't give you permission.

We all feel the same way. I don't care if it's your first or fifth surgery, none of them are easy to deal with. Once you get through the hospital doors, you'll begin to calm down. It's weird, but you do.

Now get in there and get er done and get back here to help the other scared newbies. ;)
 
Thanks Ross! I just wanted everyone to know that if something DID happen where I was going cause of my faith.

My daddy will be gone this Monday 3 years and its so hard losing loved ones. This past year I lost my granny and my uncle.

In the past 10 years I have lost a son, husband, father, 2 uncles, 1 aunt, both sets of grandparents....so yeah my life has been hard.
 
Hi Valerie, I cried on the operation table and pleaded with the surgeon please dont let me die
it worked for me twice
Pre surgery is a lot harder that Post
 
Wishing you the best... I experienced exactly what Ross mentioned, from the moment I woke up on the day of surgery, I was calm and ready. and yes, post-OHS is easier than pre...
 
vhmoriarty said:
Thanks Ross! I just wanted everyone to know that if something DID happen where I was going cause of my faith.
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I'm sorry to tell you, but I collect the souls of those here. I have them in a jar on my desk. In other words, you'll be stuck with me, so like it. :D
 
Valerie:

I had fears, not so much of dying, because you KNOW this operation is OVERWHEMINGLY successful, but of various compications that might make life miserable, but ultimately the faith I had in my surgeon and his team reassured and comforted me and I went into the operation FAIRLY calm. You have your faith that if something were to happen you would be taken to a good place. Supplement that with faith in your surgical team and you should be as calm as possible.

A few weeks prior to the surgery I did some imagining of what it would be like to get ready to go into surgery, laying there on the guerney, etc.. Sort of play-acted the pe-op morning in my head. I did this to get some experience with the pre-op nerves. I did get nervous, but then I worked myself down. I think this practice worked to get some of the nerves out of the way, so pre-op would not be such a shock. Pe-op was more or less routine and I held it together well. Next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery.

May your Ross procedure be as easy on you as my AVR & aorta repair. Best wishes for a calm, safe 13th! We're all here rooting for you!
 
Valerie,

I've really enjoyed your energetic approach to valve surgery.

I felt so awful a few times before surgery (probably anxiety) that I took an aspirin and an Ambien and just said to myself "hope I wake up". It worked every time;).

I'm looking forward to your posts in the years to come!
 
Bill B said:
Valerie:

I had fears, not so much of dying, because you KNOW this operation is OVERWHEMINGLY successful, but of various compications that might make life miserable, but ultimately the faith I had in my surgeon and his team reassured and comforted me and I went into the operation FAIRLY calm. You have your faith that if something were to happen you would be taken to a good place. Supplement that with faith in your surgical team and you should be as calm as possible.

A few weeks prior to the surgery I did some imagining of what it would be like to get ready to go into surgery, laying there on the guerney, etc.. Sort of play-acted the pe-op morning in my head. I did this to get some experience with the pre-op nerves. I did get nervous, but then I worked myself down. I think this practice worked to get some of the nereves out of the way, so pre-op would not be such a shock. Pe-op was more or less routine and I held it together well. Next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery.

May your Ross procedure be as easy on you as my AVR & aorta repair. Best wishes for a calm, safe 13th! We're all here rooting for you!
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I have been on a operating table before....csection with my daughter and gallbladder removal. I specifically explained to my nurses cause I was doped up that I felt like Jesus on the cross, lol cause they had me all stressed out.

My guardian angel took pictures with her and made the whole team look at them of her family. She said so many times they look at you as another body, and her dr is mine as well. So I am doing the same thing. She also asked them to pray with her before the surgery, which Im doing as well.

Thanks guys for your uplifting thoughts!

See ya guys on the other side of the mountain!:p
 
Valerie,

After Friday you are going to be wondering what you were so worried about. We ALL go through the "what ifs". I did not for one moment believe I wasn't going to wake up again, but I still had a talk with my husband....."This is what you do if I don't make it..." etc. I think with every surgery to some degree and OHS to a great degree...this is in our minds. It's hard to think about being opened up and put on a heart-lung machine, esp if you don't know what kind of shape you are going to come out in....lol.

I had to answer your post because I wanted you to know how I feel today. My surgery was July 16th.....almost 4 months ago....and I am NOT lying when I tell you I feel GREAT! I cannot believe how really good I feel. I am 46 years old and before my surgery I thought my life was over. I had trouble getting up in the mornings, trouble cleaning my house.....trouble just doing every day things because I just didn't have the energy! I think we all learn to adapt a little when the body gets so run down, and I wasn't aware of how really bad I did feel.....! Today, I got out of bed with enough energy to face the world! I got outside and did some yard work that didn't make me out of breath and its a beautiful day in Alabama as I am sure it is in Tenn!

No matter the worry...(its unfounded...you will see that I am right) no matter the discomfort you will feel after surgery (I would be lying if I told you it was easy), I will tell you what MY surgeon told me....."I want you to tell me how good you feel 8 weeks from Friday!" Write it on your calender and then tell me I was right! (I do enjoy hearing it)!

Prayers for you and your family come Friday...if we can all do it..so can you!

Mileena
 
vhmoriarty said:
Will I have a view....that may be nice, lol?;)
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Well I don't know. Bonnie keeps yelling at me to put cloths on. Terry just complains constantly about not being able to get out of the jar. Simon keeps asking if the health care reform passed and I'm still trying to figure out why he even cares. :confused:
 
Ross said:
Well I don't know. Bonnie keeps yelling at me to put cloths on. Terry just complains constantly about not being able to get out of the jar. Simon keeps asking if the health care reform passed and I'm still trying to figure out why he even cares. :confused:
Click to expand...


I just need to make sure I have a Rum Runner in hand and chair to look at the world on the outside and I will be set!
 
Hi Valerie, my prayers are coming your way. The worst part for me pre-surgery was my surgeon had an emergency and my 10 am surgery didn't happen until almost 5 pm. The waiting all day was horrible but once they wheeled me in the operating room, all I remember is how sterile it all looked, a nurse introduced herself to me and the anesthesiologist did too and the next thing I remember I was in the Cardiac Care Unit in my bed. I'm now 4 months post op and it's getting kind of like childbirth and the memory is somewhat fading!

We'll all be praying for you and looking forward to hearing from you. Big Hugs. We won't let anything happen to you. Prayer is a powerful thing and you've got a lot of living to do.
 
You'll be so happy to be getting stronger when you wake that you'll wonder what the worry was before you went to sleep.

But I understand. We all need to affirm the strength of our loved ones who cannot come on the journey with us, the beauty of our faith so that we sleep in contentment, and the certainty that our wishes will be kept.

Take Heart, this is a surgery that has a better chance of a positive outcome than an hour's commute on a busy highway,
Pamela.
 
Valerie,

Best of luck to you. I'm sure this is going to seem like the longest few days you have experienced in quite a while. Just know that you are in good hands and you have lots of prayers coming your way. I'm sure that post surgery is going to be a breeze after all you have endured to this point. Hang in there and stay strong.

Kevin
 
Why does it suddenly feel like I am someone sitting on death row? I mean seriously this waiting game is awful. Knowing that my life will change forever on Friday is such a huge weight to bear.

I am trying to keep my head afloat and think of how much better I will feel and cant wait to be able to say what the heck was I so worried about.

But as of right now, 29 years old sitting here twiddling my thumbs till my chest is cut open and a vent tube in my mouth is the pits.
 
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