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edjspi

Active member
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
Location
St. Louis, MO
It's official: I'm through my second AVR, operation was tues 9/7 and it is now sat 9/11... I'm at the hospital and looks like I will get out tomorrow.

Details: I was on heart lung machine for about 1:15, total surgery time about 5.5 hrs. Got the On-X valve as planned, needed NO aortic root repair, doc said that my heart looked great- not enlarged and no damage. Said my bovine valve was very calcified, and there was sig amount scar tissue that he was able to get rid of.

The incision is almost right down the middle as my first, but it is a little longer.

Complications: they removed my urinary catherher right after I recieved a epidural. The epidural was an Awesome suggestion by the head of the ICU team, it helped my chest and back pain almost immediately! But I've had to had the foley catheter re-inserted TWICE! OUCH!

Switched to oral from iV pain killers a few hours ago, so hopefully that works as well as the IV meds did, and the catheter removal is successful tomorrow and I will be HOME!!!

Thanks again everyone here for all your support and help!!

Eddie
 
Wonderful news Eddie!! Glad that all went well. Now take things one day at time. You know the drill: eat, walk, rest.

Wishing you a continued smooth recovery.
 
Glad to read your post. Congratulations!

I didn't realize you were in St. Louis. I'm in Cape but had my replacement at Missouri Baptist Hospital with Dr. Kouchoukos. Where did you have yours done? I also had the epidural following the surgery, and it was AWESOME! I experienced very little pain, and I think it helped me recuperate faster.

Anyway, glad to see you back and look forward to hearing more about your experience.
 
Glad to hear you are safely through your surgery and close to going home.
Hope you have a bump free recovery.
 
Thanks for posting, Eddie:thumbup:. I'm glad that the surgery is now behind you and that everything is going well. Your comment about the epidural for back pain brought back one of the only memories I have about my surgery. Back in the "olden days", my treatment for the back pain was to be placed on a mattress thru which ICE water was circulated.....I'm not sure which was the most uncomfortable, the pain or the ice water:eek2:.
 
Delighted to hear surgery is over and now you can focus on recovery. Praying is is smooth and uneventful !!
Thanks so much for sharing your story !! :)
Take care of yourself !!

~ Blue
 
Hi Eddie,

Congrats on a very successful surgery!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery, and many many, more carefree healthly years ahead.

Rob
 
congrats.gif
 
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I too am VERY surprised that the epidural isn't more routinely used in this procedure- it was awesome!

I am starting to have some weird, piercing pains in my side ribs, so i'M REALLY looking forward to massage to help that..
One other thing I forgot got to mention is that I can hear the on-x much more than the bovine valve I had (expected that), esp is my HR goes above 100 Hopefully that dissipates, or at least I get used to it!
 

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