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I'm so happy everything has turned out well! It's wonderful that you can email your surgeon.

I got a card with a serial number soon after my AVR. For some reason, when I first received the card I got a big laugh out of having something inside my body with a serial number. Made me feel like Bionic Woman! : ) My cardio has never asked to see the card, either.

Best wishes,
Michelle
 
Everyone who has a card for either a tissue valve or mechanical, do you carry it with you all the time? In your wallet?

I wonder if folks with tissue valve are less likely to carry their card.
 
Johan, great news that your surgeon replied in a timely manner. You will have a card soon. :)
I carry mine in the front of my wallet: right beside my health card, hospital card, and medic alert info.
At first it kind of creeped me out to have all this extra info and foreign object inside of me, but now the strange-ness has mostly worn off.
 
Everyone who has a card for either a tissue valve or mechanical, do you carry it with you all the time? In your wallet?

I wonder if folks with tissue valve are less likely to carry their card.

I got a tissue valve and carry my card in my wallet, but the wallet is not always with me. So I have thought about putting some of the info on a medic alert bracelet, but I don't really think that is necessary.

I guess I should check it out to see if my tissue valve has any MRI issues. Anyone know.

Johan, Sorry for hijacking your thread.

John
 
I got a tissue valve and carry my card in my wallet, but the wallet is not always with me. So I have thought about putting some of the info on a medic alert bracelet, but I don't really think that is necessary.

I guess I should check it out to see if my tissue valve has any MRI issues. Anyone know.

Johan, Sorry for hijacking your thread.

John

MedicAlert members can put the size and serial number of their valve on the MedicAlert site. IMHO, not a bad thing for doctors to have access to in case of an emergency.

Cheers,
Michelle
 
Johan, don't be upset. Most patients never even realize that a card or serial number should be standard issuance. It will all get sorted out, take a deep breath and make a cup of tea. :)
You are right! I don't have a card and didn't even know that I was supposed to!
I do have all of the paperwork and specifics on my valve,along with the surgical notes.
'Guess I should check to see if I am registered and ask for a card too.

JKM7- I think you are right,those of us with tissue valves are probably less likely to
carry a card. I think its the psychology of it--
 
I am very sorry about having inserted that question in the middle of Johan's thread.

My apologies. I meant no harm but just wasn't thinking.

If Ross wishes or thinks it appropriate, by all means remove it.

Sorry, Johan.
 
I received a temp card when I was discharged and a permanent one from St Judes about a month later. I don't know about tissue valves but I suspect they fall under the same U.S. requirement that implants in the human body must be registered (if for no other reason than recall). My DH has cataract surgery and got cards for his lens implants.
 
Johan:

Glad to hear you got such a prompt response from your surgeon!

I'd give him the benefit of a doubt: Let's assume that he leaves details like handling registering an implanted valve to someone on his staff, who in turn DID handle the paperwork -- which got lost in the mail or was e-mailed and there was a syntax error in the e-mail but it didn't bounce back.......

That definitely is a possible scenario. But it's good that he'll investigate it. He certainly doesn't want a repeat of this.
 
JKM7. Not a problem, I kind of think the two issues go together. This started out as my problem with not having a card but I feel it has developed into a very useful discussion about cards and having our valve information stored somewhere.

Unless Ross feels otherwise, my feeling is that we should continue with the discussion about cards in general and carrying it with us at all times or not. I was toying with the idea of a bracelet, but that may be overkill...
 
There are several brands of Medical Bracelets and Necklaces available.

MEDIC ALERT is one of the better known ones.
They maintain your medical information (which you can update anytime) and have 24/7 telephone service available to Medical Personel for a modest annual fee.

'AL Capshaw'
 
I now have valve number

I now have valve number

The surgeon got the ball rolling and his office phoned to say that they extracted a serial number, but not the model yet, and that they were in the process of contacting Edwards Lifesciences about that, and the card.

This number is "only" 6 digits long. Isn't it a bit short, Edwards must have produced more than the 100 000 that the number seems to indicate?

I have also e-mailed Edwards, asking them if they can verify that the number belonged to a valve implanted in Cape Town in July 2009...
 
JKM7. Not a problem, I kind of think the two issues go together. This started out as my problem with not having a card but I feel it has developed into a very useful discussion about cards and having our valve information stored somewhere.

Unless Ross feels otherwise, my feeling is that we should continue with the discussion about cards in general and carrying it with us at all times or not. I was toying with the idea of a bracelet, but that may be overkill...



Johan,
Thank you for your very kind message. I appreciate it.

I am very happy your surgeon has followed through on this matter for you. Hopefully, you will have your card very soon.

:) Can we assume you will carry it in your wallet all the time? :)
 
It's not a hanging offense!!!!

It's not a hanging offense!!!!

I am glad you figured out my sneaky ways. I admire you and appreciate the way that you handle information...

I see nothing, nothing, not one thing wrong with the post you made and the way you added what could be very important information for Johan and many others here. When I see your avitar, I am always quick to read your posts.

Some folks are sticklers for what, I just don't know. There are none so blind as those who will not see." Most posts are, in my opinion, hoping to be a dialog between the posters.....Not just profound words of "wisdom"



Blanche
 
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Perhaps, it is overkill, but I am going to carry my card with me and wear a medic alert bracelet (even though I have a tissue valve). As mentioned before, I too like that medic alert will also provide info on any other health issues/allergies etc. and medication I am on. For what it's worth, the medic alert rep. said that it was impt. for them to have OTC aspirin as a daily medication. It's peace of mind for me.
 
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