Joining team 2011 June 29

[kailin]

Got surgery date today -- so much to do before I feel ready!

Know I'm exceptionally fortunate that I have a heart problem, which can be fixed, rather than what so many of my friends have had to endure with cancer and other terrible diseases.

So, will be visiting a couple of nearby rehab places, to try to find one with a room of my own. As a person who has lived alone for a long time, hope I won't have to deal with a new roommate right after the surgery.

Cath results are that no cardiac vascular issues, so I hope all I will need is a new tissue [bovine maybe] aortic valve. So perhaps for almost the first time in my life I won't have a heart murmur anymore!

Tomorrow will see primary care doc and try to get the numbers from my most recent echo. Lungs are also clear. Compared to some of you warriors on this forum, this should be medically simple. :thumbup:

Seeing as I'd like to fly to Europe in early October, what do you guess are my chances of that? :tongue2:

Thanks to all for all the information. The doctors seem somewhat surprised about how much I already know about this process. When the surgeon actually opens me up, there could still be surprises. Hope not!

Surgeon handed me a greeting card from his desk today. It was hand printed with a heart with a zipper, above which was a little cloud with a little cow on it! The card said "thank you for saving my life" - and was from a patient who had her procedure 2 years ago. and signed it with her name and under that "age 93."

Day after tomorrow have pre-surgery tests such as carotid artery echo, some more blood work, etc. And some conversations with social workers, then some other medical stuff followed by visits to rehab facilities.

Many thanks for all the sharing for all of you! :smile2:

--------
numbers from latest echo to come, was 0.7 almost 2 years ago, but not symptomatic until this winter.

kailin in maine

 

[kailin]

Oh, forgot to say, bicuspid aortic valve
rheumatic fever age five with anticoagulant treatment then
only prescription med I've been on is corvedilol, low dose
plus 1 gr daily of niacin as statin substitute and lots of other supplements such as COQ10, essential fatty acids, lipoic acid, Vit D
have added a professional-formula immunity building regimen for pre-surgery

kailin

 

[Jen]

Lots of positive thoughts and prayers headed your way for a bump free recovery. I am 2 weeks over the mountain tomorrow. You'll do great!

 

[kailin]

Lots of positive thoughts and prayers headed your way for a bump free recovery. I am 2 weeks over the mountain tomorrow. You'll do great!

Thanks, Jen, and happy that you're posting so soon after your surgery!

[did get a new toy - an Android wi-fi tablet, so I can stay in touch :cool2: ]

 

[JulieS]

Best wishes Kailin - I will be thinking of you on June 29th as that is my surgery date also.

 

[Natina13]

Welcome to the waiting room, Kailin !!! Sending you positive prayers for a smooth surgery and a speedy, bump-free recovery !! See you on the other side of the mountain.....
Go Team 2011 !!!!!!!
Renee

 

[kailin]

Best wishes Kailin - I will be thinking of you on June 29th as that is my surgery date also.

Wow - a surgery-twin! So will be thinking of you also!

 

[kailin]

Thanks, Renee. "bump-free" sounds like a good plan!

 

[Cooker]

Wishing you the best possible surgery and recovery .... Godspeed:thumbup:

 

[nngbwh]

Wishing you a successful surgery and bump free recovery. We will be here waiting for your good news.

 

[kailin]

Thanks Cooker and Nelson -- Nelson, one a these days I'm gonna take the train in to Boston. But now it probably will wait until after! Would have done this weekend but we have a strawberry festival here in my little Maine town - homemade strawberry shortcake, even homemade whipped cream [that's a message for Nelson, not Cooker ] Intend to eat as much as I can until they run out of berries!

 

[Prairee-Dawn]

Best wishes. I love the mention of the card. Thanks for sharing that. My hubby sees his surgeon Thursday. Today he says he is really feeling "antsy". From my experience with my father and grandfather, this waiting period is the worst. Thankfully, we are told our surgeon doesn't like making patients wait so tried to get surgery scheduled fast.

 

[Greg a]

Kailin, I have marked you on the VR family calendar and YES you share the date with Julie

Godspeed to both of you




:thumbup:

 

[enkaynj]

Oh, forgot to say, bicuspid aortic valve
rheumatic fever age five with anticoagulant treatment then
only prescription med I've been on is corvedilol, low dose
plus 1 gr daily of niacin as statin substitute and lots of other supplements such as COQ10, essential fatty acids, lipoic acid, Vit D
have added a professional-formula immunity building regimen for pre-surgery

kailin

May I ask for your age ? I am 50 and decided to go with bovine tissue valve as well. Just want to know how many in my age bracket are making the same choice. All the best Kailin. I am going for surgery on July 6th right after you.

 

[nngbwh]

Thanks Cooker and Nelson -- Nelson, one a these days I'm gonna take the train in to Boston. But now it probably will wait until after! Would have done this weekend but we have a strawberry festival here in my little Maine town - homemade strawberry shortcake, even homemade whipped cream [that's a message for Nelson, not Cooker ] Intend to eat as much as I can until they run out of berries!

Kailin,

Me and you need to go bar hopping when you are in Boston.

 

[Natina13]

enkaynj
First of all, best of luck on your July 6th surgery, sending positive prayers your way !!!! Welcome to our Family... I saw you were asking ages of people who had the "Bovine" valve, since your 50. I am 59.....I went with the Edwards "Magna" Bovine tissue valve, as it was the one my surgeon felt was the best fit for my Aortic valve replacement. He actually had another in surgery with us ( I was going to go pig, but told him, I would trust his judgment 100%, when he got inside, as to which valve was best for me)......but this one fit so closely/perfectly, I had no leaking or any complications what so ever. He told me, this one is lasting a lot of people 20 plus years. I already knew, I would at some point in the future need a re-op ( due to hereditary CAD)...to replace the Arteries they did a Triple Bypass on. See, unfortunately, at this time.....they normally last around 10 yrs ( for the Mammary Artery, a little less for normal size leg veins). I was very lucky, my veins in my legs, were very large, even better than my Mammary Artery, which they used for the "Widow Maker". My plan is.......to get a mechanical when I have a Bypass re-op. I just didn't want to have to deal with extra meds, labs and risks of bleeding, no matter how slim the chances are....at this age, as I want to go hiking and camping in Yosemite.... and do some things I have always wanted to do, sky-diving, going down the Colorado River rapids etc. I am thinking, by then....they may have perfected a mechanical valve, which requires no blood thinners, or new surgery techniques, which will not involve re-opening my whole sternum again. But if they don't..........I will deal with it.....small price to pay ( 7 days in a hospital) for a longer life. All the fear I had, in the waiting room, before my surgery........was wasted energy. I have had a back injury or a tooth that got infected, that caused more pain, than this surgery did. I think, it is just the fear of the unknown and knowing.........someone, unfortunately, has to fall within that very small window, of people who die, have a heart attack or a stroke, during the surgery. I was not afraid of dying......I'd have been asleep, never known the difference..........I was concerned about having a problem, which left me disabled permanently, unable to care for myself or my daughter. But like I said.......the % is so small, next time...I am not going to eat every chocolate candy bar in California, pre-op....to relieve my anxiety..lol
May peace of mind and serenity fill your life. We are here for each other to lean on.......
Renee
Go Team 2011 !!!!!!

 

[Greg a]

Kailin,

Me and you need to go bar hopping when you are in Boston.

Nelson, is that not elitest by not inviting ALL of the family to sit on your newly painted porch knock'n back a brew or two before we board the well stocked tour bus?

 

[nngbwh]

Nelson, is that not elitest by not inviting ALL of the family to sit on your newly painted porch knock'n back a brew or two before we board the well stocked tour bus?

Greg, You know what ? I killed my grass because I used too much fertilizer. I'm just really mad at myself. So right now I am digging..... digging and digging. No painted porch this year. Greg, you need to head over to give me a head to toe massage skip the middle part of my body.

 

[kailin]

May I ask for your age ? I am 50 and decided to go with bovine tissue valve as well. Just want to know how many in my age bracket are making the same choice. All the best Kailin. I am going for surgery on July 6th right after you.

I'm 67.

Kailin,

Me and you need to go bar hopping when you are in Boston.

You're ON!

Just back from pre-op tests, lectures, signatures etc etc - some duplication because apparently MD group doesn't give all their info to hospital. What's up with that?

-------
So far as I can tell, everything is fine, clear coronary arteries, etc, except that pesky valve has added enough apatite to make the opening 0.6 -- guess that's why I'm tired so much of the time, maybe? Max gradient 84, mean gradient 47. Mild regurgitation. Increased ejection fraction estimated at >70%.
All those numbers from echo done exactly 2 months before the operation date.