Prepping for the Big One

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As Mindy noted, the heavy duty pain medications can cause dizzyness and nausea. I requested pain medication with lesser side effects following my bypass surgery and did fine, with no adverse side effects. Just remember, there ARE solutions between the heavy duty pain killers and NO pain killers. Just ASK.

'AL'
 
Re: More goodies!

Re: More goodies!

Peter Easton said:
Great reference, Ken. We really need some sort of readily-accessible anthology of these things appended to the website, verdad?

Peter

I heartily (pun intended) agree Peter!

I've long thought we needed a REFERENCE forum listing to post
Articles, Books, and Web Sites.

What do you think Hank?

'AL'
 
Reference Forum, Need Help?

Reference Forum, Need Help?

I would like to see the Reference Forum happen and have my own collection of articles, books, and Web Sites that I'd be willing to contribute.

What a great service this would be to those people new to the quest of information on AVR. If there is anything I can to help put this together, let me know.

Deb
 
Peter, as soon as I knew I was due for surgery, I got my affairs in order (had been putting it off). Just about all of us come out of our heart surgeries with flying colors, but better to be safe than sorry, besides you're kinda forced to do what you should've done long time ago. God bless
 
Building up the lessons

Building up the lessons

The advice about getting one's affairs in order is good -- hope I follow through on it!

Regarding the collection of lessons and resources developed on these sites, several things seem to be underway that folks might want to relate to. First, in general, the "Support" forum covers issues like these and there is currently a thread there entitled "A Learning Site" with some initial ideas about building this dimension of the valvereplacement.com website. Second, I believe that Kevin M. is working as we speak, so to speak, on composing a guidebook for AVR candidates with all kinds of things on valve choice, surgeon and cardiologist relations and what not. I'm sure he would appreciate everyone's help at some point. I don't think too many cooks can spoil the broth on this one.

Peter
 
Wow! This thread truly demonstrates how wonderful this group of heart buddies is. Peter reminds me of an astronaut and all these other people are working with/for him to prepare him for launch!

It's hard to add much to what everyone else has contributed here, but for me, the most important thing pre-surgery is taking time, freeing up time, for the preparation. I succeeded at that to some degree, but wish I would have had more.

Of course, extra time can also be a problem if one has trouble focusing and keeping busy with the preparations. So, I think for some people, it may be better to just continue to be absorbed with the regular affairs of life.

However, knowing you a little bit now, Peter, I think you are the type of person who will certainly take very good and positive advantage of any time you have for preparation, so my advice is to free as much time up for it as you can.

Also, just before surgery, I did begin to get cold feet. That is not normal for me, as I'm generally fearless and have done a lot of public speaking and have faced many other dangers, etc. in my life. I had no difficulty dealing with it, but deal with it I did have to do. So, that's something you might want to be ready to overcome, just in case you encounter it too.

Also, keep positive however you can, both before and after surgery. There are many causes for concern and worry, but don't let any of them get you down. Otherwise, that could become the biggest cause for concern.

Although not a psychiatrist, I am an administrator for psychiatrists and see a lot people with depression, etc. Although not prone to it myself, I must admit that, post-surgery, I did feel that I was vulnerable, especially when it seemed that the recovery was going really slow. And, in my case, my recovery was going really well so imagine the test someone must go through if their recovery is more problematic. So, even though you might not encounter depression or be overcome by fear, etc., these problems are not that uncommon and you should be prepared to recognize and deal with them effectively if they do occur.

Your surgery will be upon you before you know it and soon you will be over that mountain and on the other side to be welcomed by all your well-wishing heart buddies here. Prepare as best you can and then, blast-off!
 
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update???

update???

Hi Peter, I was actually wondering, did you get your aortic stenosis from rhuematic fever? I was just wondering. I got mitral stenosis from rhuematic fever. I never knew anything about the heart before all this happened, but now...I had to learn fast! Good luck Peter, I have my surgery on the 27th of this month! Keep me posted, and I will have either my husband(Who's name is Kevin) keep you guys posted every night as to how I do with my surgery. THere isn't anywhere for him to sleep in the ICU there, so he's going to sleep at home, and come in the morning. Well, good luck!
Joy
 
Rheumatic fever and other ills

Rheumatic fever and other ills

Joy --

My surgeon did say in his (good and lengthy) first briefing with me that, worldwide, the majority (or in any case plurality, I guess) of people with aortic stenosis developed it as a consequence of childhood rheumatic fever, originating maybe just in untreated strep throat.

In my own case, I'm less sure, as both my eldest sister and my Mother had AS and valve replacement surgery, which seems to argue for something more hereditary.

Steve -- I really hear the words about potential post-op (post-partum!? -- we are losing a part of ourselves, it's true) depression. I personally went through a major depression about 18 years ago and know that it is nothing to trifle with. One consequence, though, of going through that particular version of hell is I guess that one is attuned to the signs of impending problems and somewhat practiced in forestalling them. Will be interested to see how that plays out post-op. Happily my spouse is a veteran in dealing with those issues as well.

Peter
 
rhuematic fever?

rhuematic fever?

Actually my gramma had the same thing, mitral stenosis...I am begnning to think that there's something hereditary with strep throat or rhuematic fever??? I am definately going to ask my cardiologist if there is. Well, have a wonderful evening!
 
Forward

Forward

We wll keep you in our thoughts and prayers for the 27th, Joy. I'll be about a week behind you (see me back there in line?)

Peter
 
The horse smells the stable

The horse smells the stable

Well, it's countdown time. My operation -- either Cryolife SG or C-E Pericardium -- is set for next Tuesday and I go down to Shands Hospital in Gainesville tomorrow for pre-op, being that I can't do it on Labor Day.

I note a sort of strange and wonderful phenomenon. I have had very manageable symptoms, overall -- just things out on the edge of my "envelope" of daily activity that I have handled by gradually restricting that envelope. First it was just a case of avoiding sprints, then not walking uphill fast with loads, then not walking up hill with loads, period, then not walking up much of a hill at all...

But I really haven't felt effects in my daily living to any great extent -- this despite an aperture that appears to be at the borderline of the survivable (0.6 cm2). Not in any case until the last few days. Now I can feel the dizziness, breathlessness and other symptoms beginning to encroach on normal life... just in time, so to speak. As we are now only four or five days before the operation, the increasing symptoms don't bother me as much as they make me for the first time quite relieved to be undergoing surgery, in fact "motivated" and ready to go ahead and come out on the other side.

I don't imagine I could have handled this better if I had planned it. I had more than a month to prepare without much in the way of discomfort, then a few days with sensations that have sort of primed me for the event. Hope my luck holds!

Peter
 
Yeah, it always helps to feel a little worse before so that the aftermath is clearly, and not just theoretically, better. We've got to feel the difference, not just understand it!

For myself, I had manageable symptoms for 25 years and then, boom, one night woke up and had to head for the hospital ER in an ambulance. The next 3 months before surgery were very uneasy and manageable only because of the meds. My surgeon said that I was leaking back through the valve half the blood it had just pumped through; just the opposite of your condition.

In any case, soon you will be on your way to recovery and a condition that will definitely be much less risky than your current condition.

Let us know how it goes tomorrow in pre-op.
 
Good luck Peter

Good luck Peter

Hi Peter-

I want to wish you best of luck for you surgery. It will be such a relief to get it over and you'll feel so much better afterwards. We'll all be waiting to here about what happened and your thoughts about everything. Talk to you on the other side.

Here's to a healthier you!
 
Hi Peter

Hi Peter

The best of luck to you. With Gods help you will come through with flying colors. Look forward to the updates from the other side. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you.

BOOMER


P. S. Stay away from the green jell-o.
 
Go get'em

Go get'em

Well Peter, the time is nearing and you are so prepared (at least as far as preparedness goes). I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I will also look forward to hearing how all goes. I know you will have a story to tell since you seem to be pretty thorough - I will be awaiting your tales of your great adventure.
Take Care.
Tammy
MVR 04/06/89
AS = 1.04 cm (and holding, and holding, and holding, etc. etc.)
 

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