Scheduled for AVR Surgery 1/11/12

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R

RealtorRick

Active member
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
Messages
39
Location
Lewistown, PA
After 6 years of waiting I am finally scheduled. Had my pre-op meeting with surgeon and all testing done on 12/29. Spent 5 hours total. No more bloodwork, CT scans, nothing until surgery. We will arrive the evening before, stay in the hotel next to the Hospital and be in the surgical center by 5:30 am. Surgery is scheduled for 8:00 am. I am actually looking forward to it. I want to be on the getting better side of surgery. 6 years on the getting worse side is too long. Surgeon was a delight to speak with, very confident and very compassionate. My wife feels a whole lot better about it now. I have researched this site for 6 years and have to thank all who have shared their experiences. I will and have recommended this site to anyone faced with valve replacement. This site and my faith and trust in God keep me at peace with the situation.

FYI- I am getting a St Jude mechanical with Dacron Graft. After the heart surgery heals I can get my shoulder fixed that just got torn up last week. Waiting on MRI results of shoulder to see how bad it is. Happy New Year to all.
 
RealtorRick said:
After 6 years of waiting I am finally scheduled. Had my pre-op meeting with surgeon and all testing done on 12/29. Spent 5 hours total. No more bloodwork, CT scans, nothing until surgery. We will arrive the evening before, stay in the hotel next to the Hospital and be in the surgical center by 5:30 am. Surgery is scheduled for 8:00 am. I am actually looking forward to it. I want to be on the getting better side of surgery. 6 years on the getting worse side is too long. Surgeon was a delight to speak with, very confident and very compassionate. My wife feels a whole lot better about it now. I have researched this site for 6 years and have to thank all who have shared their experiences. I will and have recommended this site to anyone faced with valve replacement. This site and my faith and trust in God keep me at peace with the situation.

FYI- I am getting a St Jude mechanical with Dacron Graft. After the heart surgery heals I can get my shoulder fixed that just got torn up last week. Waiting on MRI results of shoulder to see how bad it is. Happy New Year to all.
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On the calendar Please assign someone to keep us posted ASAP




:biggrin2:GO CLASS OF 2012:biggrin2:
:thumbup:​
 
Rick,
Here's wishing you good health with your new valve. To better health in 2012! :thumbup:
Best,
John
 
The hardest part is about over for you, and it sounds like you are in the right frame of mind to bounce over any bumps that may crop up in recovery.

Best of luck!
 
I'm right there with you Rick. My preadmission stuff starts on Wed. I've only been perking for 2 years and can't wait to get this thing done and over. (pig valve for me) Best of luck. Here's to a healthier 2012!
Dave
 
Rick, I will be thinking about you on the 11th. My surgery was less than a year ago, but it seems much longer than that already. It is amazing how well we can cope with such things.
 
Thanks for the best wishes everyone. Shoulder is still bothering me and Ortho has not called with results of MRI yet. Won't change anything but I would like to know how bad my shoulder is. Perhaps they are not telling me until after the AVR on 1/11. I am still not nervous at all. 9 days until I have a new St. Jude clicker in me.
A 42 year old girl from my church came up to me Sunday and told me she was just diagnosed with BAV and is going for her TEE soon. She is very afraid. I told her to visit the site as it and the people on it have been a huge blessing. Keep up the good work everyone!!
 
Rick, I'll be thinking of you on the 11th too. I can personally tell you that the St Jude's "clicker" with Dacron conduit is a good one, but mine doesn't click. It thumps mildly. Don't be disappointed if yours doesn't click too much. :)
 
RealtorRick said:
Thanks for the best wishes everyone. Shoulder is still bothering me and Ortho has not called with results of MRI yet. Won't change anything but I would like to know how bad my shoulder is. Perhaps they are not telling me until after the AVR on 1/11. I am still not nervous at all. 9 days until I have a new St. Jude clicker in me.
A 42 year old girl from my church came up to me Sunday and told me she was just diagnosed with BAV and is going for her TEE soon. She is very afraid. I told her to visit the site as it and the people on it have been a huge blessing. Keep up the good work everyone!!
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Hi Rick, Ill keep you and your wife in my prayers. I personally would call the ortho and ask about your MRI, even with the holidays they should have the results by now. The other thing I wanted to mention was did you tell your surgeon and everyone else you met with during the preop day about your shoulder? You also might want to be sure they talk to your ortho to see what is going on, since it is very common for people with perfectly good shoulders and backs/necks to be be sore after OHS, from the way they position you to have your chest open and work on your heart. With your shoulder they might want to handle you a little differently, If possible, so they dont make it worse or at least make it even more painful. Or they might want to have PT work with you right after surgery, better pain meds etc.
Otherwise everything sound really good and you seem to have a great attitude which can only help with recovery
 
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Lyn makes a very good point, Rick. It will certainly do no harm informing your surgeon that you are having the shoulder problem. Some weeks before surgery my left clavical was badly dislocated and for several weeks would not stay in place. When I mentioned it to my surgeon, he said that knowing this, his team could take steps to avoid reinjury. They did and my left clavical gave me no problems after the AVR. What your doctor does not know can hurt you. By the way, for me the dislocated clavical was far more painful than heart surgery. My business partner suffered a broken clavical when he was thrown from his bike; it was far more painful than anything I've experienced. Days after the bone was set, I could here "Mother of God!" when he bumped something. Compared to that, most heart surgery pales.

Larry
 
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You'll be in my thoughts! Hoping for a healthy and speedy recovery. Can I borrow your frame of mind, because I'm terrified.
 
Best Wishes to you Rick. Will be thinking of you on the 11th. I also would agree that it is a good idea to mention the problem with your shoulder to the doctor and anyone else that will listen. Shoulders, neck and back are the areas that generally get all stretched outta shape during the surgery and you don't want to do any extra harm to your body. Good Luck
 
Bill B said:
Rick, I'll be thinking of you on the 11th too. I can personally tell you that the St Jude's "clicker" with Dacron conduit is a good one, but mine doesn't click. It thumps mildly. Don't be disappointed if yours doesn't click too much. :)
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Sounds like we have the same brand. Mine clicks much louder than my old St. Jude w/o the graft. Wife finds it a bit loud at times. This is over two years out.

Best of luck on the 11th, RealtorRick.
 
Superman said:
Sounds like we have the same brand. Mine clicks much louder than my old St. Jude w/o the graft. Wife finds it a bit loud at times. This is over two years out.

Best of luck on the 11th, RealtorRick.
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It is quite variable and unpredictable. I'm a little guy and I expected a loud click to come out of my thin chest, but I got a thumper instead.
 
RR,

Sorry I missed this post. I had my BAVR 18 FEB 12....I pray that your procedure went well and that you are gaining your strength back with the least amount of pain. Continued recovery, sir.

SB42
 
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