Say it aint so.

[ARGreenMN]

Anyone know how to put a valve back in? I tried the party trick and it pulled my valve out and right through my sternum. I think I can sew it back in, but is tab A suppose to go in slot 1 or 2?

Haha, just kidding Luana, don't freak! I did try it though, and none of the magnets off my fridge would stick. Not my Gophers magnet, my daughter's dance magnets or the super-heavy-duty bullet magnet my son must have found somewhere. I was afraid to try the bullet magnet 'cause it's so strong, but finally did and it didn't stick either. They must have used stainless-titanium-super-hero wires on me.

 

[Luana]

if you don't mind me asking, did they use glue for your surgery, or...?

Pika, I did not have a sternotomy. I had a small thoracotomy, 3-inch incision between 2 ribs on the right side of my chest, so no wires or glue because no bones were broken. There's a picture of it in the scar photos section here.

 

[Luana]

Doug, as Lyn said, you should receive a card describing your prosthesis. A question you should ask your surgeon's office is whether they will register your new hardware or must you do it yourself. After your AVR, you should receive a page describing your valve with its maker, model, and serial number along with the name of the surgeon, hospital and date of implantation. Most often the surgeon's office sends in the registration but that is not always true. This is something that you will want to take care of shortly after surgery before records start becoming confused. When I called my surgeon's office, I was told they didn't know if it had been registered so I call Edwards myself; it had not been. However, in my discharge paperwork I had the page that provided the necessary information and the Edwards rep I spoke with over the telephone did it right then. Two weeks later I got a pair of cards describing my valve and containing information about performing medical scans in the future.
Larry

Larry,
With St Jude, you must register yourself with them to get an ID card. I didn't have the model and serial # of the valve on my discharge info, just the size, called surgeon's office to get info, gave it to St Jude and got my card. Took care of everything with St Jude via email. They told me they run about 3 months behind in processing cards, so I got my ID card sometime in Feb.

 

[Demonic]

I too have a metal hip and a AVR. I set off the hand scanners that they use at airports. Luckily I only had to take off my shoes last time I flew. As the security guy scanned me I just told him where the scanner was likely to bleep.

I'll have to try the fridge magnet trick. :biggrin2:

 

[Philip B]

Magnet Trick

Magnet Trick

I showed the magnet thing to the physiology students in my high school last year. I simply used magnets that were stuck to the fridge in our teacher's lounge... freaked every kid out.

Al's right, high quality stainless steel isn't supposed to be magnetic. Mentioned this to my cardiologist a couple of years ago. He questioned my seriousness, so I demonstrated using some magnets from a fridge he had in his office... freaked him out too. It left him questioning the quality of the stainless steel wires that were used in my surgery... hopefully, they didn't use a second rate valve... how would that conversation sound... gee, Philip we need to open you up to do some rust removal on your valve. Maybe in a few years, you guys can start calling me Ole Rusty.

-Philip

 

[New Guy]

I guess it seems I might occaisionally set off the alarm at airport security, but more importantly if we run out of room for the kids artwork on the refrigerator I can be used as a backup? I don't think I want an MRI ever again either.