Ella4hubby
Well-known member
Hello all! I am new to this forum...been reading and learning for several weeks now. My husband has a prolapsed Mitral Valve with severe regurgitation and is due for a Mitral Valve Replacement in about a week. Well, actually we're not sure exactly when. Basically he is "on-call" sometime after the 8th of November--yup--that's this coming Thursday. We're guessing it will be the week of the 12th or the week of the 17th. As many have said here, I think it's the waiting that's the worst! Feels like we're holding our breath, waiting for a big accident to occur. On the one hand, I guess it's good that we can prepare for it, but on the other hand, I am a nurse so I must say that my imagination has had lots of time and tons of fodder for dreaming up all kinds of nasty possibilities, complications, and bad scenarios!
Strangely enough, I have been suddenly motivated to do all kinds of cleaning, organizing cupboards, fixing things that have been waiting months....OK years...to get done. Not much of these things are really necessary for us to be ready for the surgery, but it kind of feels like when I was expecting our first child--that nesting instinct kicking in perhaps--guess it may be a woman thing, or just a me-thing!
My husband is 60 years old, and other than the serious valve problem, he is in good health with no other health issues and on no meds. That has kind of made it harder for him to accept the need for surgery now, but the cardiologist and surgeon agree that now is the time before he develops symptoms and decreased heart function.
We are still in the throws of trying to decide on what kind of valve to go for...have found lots of good info and patient experience on that whole question on these forums.
I just want to say I've so appreciated having a place where others know what we're going through. And I certainly appreciate all that I've learned here from an obviously great group of people!
Strangely enough, I have been suddenly motivated to do all kinds of cleaning, organizing cupboards, fixing things that have been waiting months....OK years...to get done. Not much of these things are really necessary for us to be ready for the surgery, but it kind of feels like when I was expecting our first child--that nesting instinct kicking in perhaps--guess it may be a woman thing, or just a me-thing!
My husband is 60 years old, and other than the serious valve problem, he is in good health with no other health issues and on no meds. That has kind of made it harder for him to accept the need for surgery now, but the cardiologist and surgeon agree that now is the time before he develops symptoms and decreased heart function.
We are still in the throws of trying to decide on what kind of valve to go for...have found lots of good info and patient experience on that whole question on these forums.
I just want to say I've so appreciated having a place where others know what we're going through. And I certainly appreciate all that I've learned here from an obviously great group of people!