Hello everyone, I have been lurking here for a week or so, and thought I would say hello. I am scheduled to have an aortic valve replacement Jan. 31. I am a 48 year old male with severe regurgutation. After much consultation with doctors, research, and praying, I have decided to go with a biological valve. I know everyone has there own opinions, but I think this is the right choice for my lifestyle. This has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make, and I hope it works out well. This forum has been a lot of help and comfort to me; knowing that other people have gone through this and are doing fine. God bless all of you, and I will post my progress in the post-surgery forum.
Surgery in five days
- Thread starter gordy
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geebee
Gordy,
Welcome. I am glad you came out of lurking mode to say hi and to let us know of your upcoming surgery.
One of the most important thing to know is, once you have made the decision on which valve you want, do not spend any energy second guessing it. It is much more important to spend your time and energy getting ready for surgery and being with loved ones.
I wish you well. Please have someone post for you after surgery. Now that you are a member of the family, we will be worrying about you.
Good luck and God bless.
Welcome. I am glad you came out of lurking mode to say hi and to let us know of your upcoming surgery.
One of the most important thing to know is, once you have made the decision on which valve you want, do not spend any energy second guessing it. It is much more important to spend your time and energy getting ready for surgery and being with loved ones.
I wish you well. Please have someone post for you after surgery. Now that you are a member of the family, we will be worrying about you.
Good luck and God bless.
K
Kay
Hi Gordy, and Welcome!
Joining this forum will be one of the best things you ever did! The support, help, advice, and information is incredible. You are now part of a really awesome family.
A word of encouragement about your valve choice. I also chose a tissue valve, a Medtronics Stentless Porcine. I'm a few years older than you, (59) but because of several reasons, a mechanical valve was not an option. The good news is that my particular valve has been on the market now 12 years and studies show no appreciable calcification to date. My surgeon told me that this tissue valve might last 20 years or more. So I'm thrilled. Yes, I might one day need a replacement, but I'm not concerned about that possibility. By then I'm confident valve replacement will be perfected as day surgery through the femoral artery. They've already successfully done that.
In the meantime, the quality of life I have now that I have a working aortic valve pumping blood through my body makes it all worth it. I'm just 8 weeks post-op, and I praise God constantly for the miraculous difference I already feel. Yes, definitely worth it -- EVEN if I do one day face another replacement.
You'll be on the other side of the mountain with us in no time. The time will fly and if your experience is anything like mine, it won't be nearly as bad as you expect. I'm still shocked at how relatively easy mine was. The abdominal hysterectomy I had last year was far worse, much more painful, and more difficult to recover from. Go figure!
God bless you and give you peace. I'll be eagerly watching for your after surgery post.
Kay
Joining this forum will be one of the best things you ever did! The support, help, advice, and information is incredible. You are now part of a really awesome family.
A word of encouragement about your valve choice. I also chose a tissue valve, a Medtronics Stentless Porcine. I'm a few years older than you, (59) but because of several reasons, a mechanical valve was not an option. The good news is that my particular valve has been on the market now 12 years and studies show no appreciable calcification to date. My surgeon told me that this tissue valve might last 20 years or more. So I'm thrilled. Yes, I might one day need a replacement, but I'm not concerned about that possibility. By then I'm confident valve replacement will be perfected as day surgery through the femoral artery. They've already successfully done that.
In the meantime, the quality of life I have now that I have a working aortic valve pumping blood through my body makes it all worth it. I'm just 8 weeks post-op, and I praise God constantly for the miraculous difference I already feel. Yes, definitely worth it -- EVEN if I do one day face another replacement.
You'll be on the other side of the mountain with us in no time. The time will fly and if your experience is anything like mine, it won't be nearly as bad as you expect. I'm still shocked at how relatively easy mine was. The abdominal hysterectomy I had last year was far worse, much more painful, and more difficult to recover from. Go figure!
God bless you and give you peace. I'll be eagerly watching for your after surgery post.
Kay
hensylee
Well-known member
Welcome to the forum, Gordy. My prayers will be with you on `1/31 and hope you have no trouble on your way up the mountain. Watch out for the truck. Let us know how you get on. If someone can post here for you, we appreciate it. Godspeed
Ross, I will try to put it in the calendar
Ross, I will try to put it in the calendar
Glenda
Well-known member
Gordy, the hardest time is the waiting. You'll be so glad to get it over with and start feeling better. Be sure and let us know how you are doing. Because of other medical problems I had a tissue valve put in on June 2 and I'm doing great. You will be in my prayers.
D
danielgilboa
Hi Gordy,
I am 9m post but still can remember the decision making period. If you need your glands removed they just tell you and do it. When you need OHS/VR *you* need to make the decisions - if, when, who, what procedure, what valve and so on. On the other hand, since you are making the decisions, you are on top of things. You must have learned your condition quite well and explored the solutions before making up your mind.
The waiting is one of the most nurve racking parts of the whole thing. I spent time preparing and lots of time with family and friends. I never knew how important moral support can be for the success of a medical procedure. But I got loads of encouragement, support, motivation and positive energy from so many people... I am just moved thinking about it again...
I hope you are not too weak now. Enjoy the weekend you have before surgery and then just fall into their hands (a virtual fall of course...). When you get through to the other side you will be a stronger and healthier person!
Let us know how you are doing these days and of course, we will be waiting for your first post op report...
I am 9m post but still can remember the decision making period. If you need your glands removed they just tell you and do it. When you need OHS/VR *you* need to make the decisions - if, when, who, what procedure, what valve and so on. On the other hand, since you are making the decisions, you are on top of things. You must have learned your condition quite well and explored the solutions before making up your mind.
The waiting is one of the most nurve racking parts of the whole thing. I spent time preparing and lots of time with family and friends. I never knew how important moral support can be for the success of a medical procedure. But I got loads of encouragement, support, motivation and positive energy from so many people... I am just moved thinking about it again...
I hope you are not too weak now. Enjoy the weekend you have before surgery and then just fall into their hands (a virtual fall of course...). When you get through to the other side you will be a stronger and healthier person!
Let us know how you are doing these days and of course, we will be waiting for your first post op report...
G
geothoix
xLook forward to hearing back
xLook forward to hearing back
We are in the waiting phase but all the research is positive. The biologic is certainly one of the lead contenders.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery
g
xLook forward to hearing back
We are in the waiting phase but all the research is positive. The biologic is certainly one of the lead contenders.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery
g
E
Eowyn Rose
Welcome Gordy,
I wish you all the best and i will be thinking of you on the 31st Jan. I am looking forward to hear from you when you have had the operation You will do just fine.
Send you love. well wishes and peace
Eowyn Rose
I wish you all the best and i will be thinking of you on the 31st Jan. I am looking forward to hear from you when you have had the operation You will do just fine.
Send you love. well wishes and peace
Eowyn Rose
Gordy,
I'll be thinking of you on Monday.
I'm 52, and chose a Medtronics Mosaic valve for myself last year, but it was fully a toss-up with the Edwards Perimount Magna valve. My main reasoning was that I will have one reop, assuming I have a reasonable lifetime, and I want to have that reop before I was 70. The Mosaic has a high probability of an 18-22 year lifespan, which will put me in that age slot. The Perimount bovine valve might go 25 years, which might make it considerably more recovery involved.
Having had the surgery, I can say that I am content that I made the right choice for me, and that I can deal with the surgery better than I could have dealt with being a constant patient, with the lab visists and special considerations needed every time I needed medical assistance or testing.
I hope your procedure and recovery go smoothly.
One thing you might consider: I found that Fentanyl worked better for me than morphine, inthat it leaves you less groggy and has fewer stomach issues. You might ask your surgeon if you can go with patient-controlled Fentanyl for post-surgical pain.
Best wishes,
I'll be thinking of you on Monday.
I'm 52, and chose a Medtronics Mosaic valve for myself last year, but it was fully a toss-up with the Edwards Perimount Magna valve. My main reasoning was that I will have one reop, assuming I have a reasonable lifetime, and I want to have that reop before I was 70. The Mosaic has a high probability of an 18-22 year lifespan, which will put me in that age slot. The Perimount bovine valve might go 25 years, which might make it considerably more recovery involved.
Having had the surgery, I can say that I am content that I made the right choice for me, and that I can deal with the surgery better than I could have dealt with being a constant patient, with the lab visists and special considerations needed every time I needed medical assistance or testing.
I hope your procedure and recovery go smoothly.
One thing you might consider: I found that Fentanyl worked better for me than morphine, inthat it leaves you less groggy and has fewer stomach issues. You might ask your surgeon if you can go with patient-controlled Fentanyl for post-surgical pain.
Best wishes,
inlaguna
Well-known member
Gordy
I am 2 months post op and chose an Edwards Magna Bovine valve. It was a tough process to say the least, but once I made that decision there was no turning back and I didn't think twice about it. I'm 41 so I know there will be at least one more surgery in my future.
I feel great now........I exercise and don't pay much attention to my new parts.
Enjoy yourself before surgery. I will always remember the weekend before my op spending time in Boston with my wife and daughter. Stay positive.....that really helps too.
Dan
I am 2 months post op and chose an Edwards Magna Bovine valve. It was a tough process to say the least, but once I made that decision there was no turning back and I didn't think twice about it. I'm 41 so I know there will be at least one more surgery in my future.
I feel great now........I exercise and don't pay much attention to my new parts.
Enjoy yourself before surgery. I will always remember the weekend before my op spending time in Boston with my wife and daughter. Stay positive.....that really helps too.
Dan
M
momshell7
Will be thinking of you Monday~!
Will be thinking of you Monday~!
Gordy
I will be praying for you to have a very successful surgery on Monday. My husband had his aortic valve and part of the root replaced in Oct of last year. He got the stentless porcine valve. He knows that he will be facing another surgery later in his life. He is now 38 and had his first surgery at 16. He said that this surgery was so much easier on him that his first one. With the constant advances being made, maybe the next surgery will be even easier. There isn't a known lifespan for his valve yet because since it has been used no one has had to have it replaced. They are at around 10-15 years so far. So hopefully it lasts a long time.
My husband recovered rather quickly and was back to work two weeks after his surgery. This was, of course against his doctor's and my advice. He is a real estate appraiser so his job is not too physically demanding. He wasn't able to drive right away but he was able to sit at his desk and work. He was just anxious to get "back to normal".
Wishing you a very successfully surgery!!
Looking forward to your first POST-surgery post!!
Michelle
Will be thinking of you Monday~!
Gordy
I will be praying for you to have a very successful surgery on Monday. My husband had his aortic valve and part of the root replaced in Oct of last year. He got the stentless porcine valve. He knows that he will be facing another surgery later in his life. He is now 38 and had his first surgery at 16. He said that this surgery was so much easier on him that his first one. With the constant advances being made, maybe the next surgery will be even easier. There isn't a known lifespan for his valve yet because since it has been used no one has had to have it replaced. They are at around 10-15 years so far. So hopefully it lasts a long time.
My husband recovered rather quickly and was back to work two weeks after his surgery. This was, of course against his doctor's and my advice. He is a real estate appraiser so his job is not too physically demanding. He wasn't able to drive right away but he was able to sit at his desk and work. He was just anxious to get "back to normal".
Wishing you a very successfully surgery!!
Looking forward to your first POST-surgery post!!
Michelle
P
Phyllis
Best wishes on Monday, Gordy. Dick has the Edwards Magna valve and has had a remarkable recovery and is back 100% at a little over a year. Hope to hear the same results from you this time next year! Now that all your decisions are made you can rest easily and place it in the hands of your surgeon - your next big task will be to walk, breathe, have a great recovery and have someone post for you here.
Good Luck..Gordy
Good Luck..Gordy
Gordy,
I Will Be Thinking Of You On Monday, As I Share My 2nd Anniversary Date With You. I Too, Chose A Medtronic's Freestyle Porcine Valve, Though We May Face A Re-do Down The Road. I Know You Are Anxiously Waiting Around For The Surgery To Be Over. I Empathize And You Can Be Sure That You Have Many Thoughts And Good Wishes Boosting You Over The Mountain. We Will Await Your Desent With Great Delight....Good Luck My VR Friend...
Good Luck..Gordy
Gordy,
I Will Be Thinking Of You On Monday, As I Share My 2nd Anniversary Date With You. I Too, Chose A Medtronic's Freestyle Porcine Valve, Though We May Face A Re-do Down The Road. I Know You Are Anxiously Waiting Around For The Surgery To Be Over. I Empathize And You Can Be Sure That You Have Many Thoughts And Good Wishes Boosting You Over The Mountain. We Will Await Your Desent With Great Delight....Good Luck My VR Friend...
A llurker no more!!!!
Welcome aboard and our thoughts and prayers will be with you. Go for it and don't look back.
Danny & Peggy
Welcome aboard and our thoughts and prayers will be with you. Go for it and don't look back.
Danny & Peggy
Thank you
Thank you
I would like to thank everyone so much for your support and good wishes. I have friends taking me to the hospital, and my parents are comming to stay with me for a while, but i'm still going through most of this alone. I will try to give my friends this web address, but I don't think they will be able to post my progress unless they join the forum. There is no way my parents could figure it out, so this may be my last post until I'm home from the hospital. I have got an excellent surgeon, and one of the best heart hospitals in the country, so I think my chances of a successful surgery and recovery are very good. Thank you all again for your posts; they have calmed me down and boosted my spirits immensely. God bless you all.
Thank you
I would like to thank everyone so much for your support and good wishes. I have friends taking me to the hospital, and my parents are comming to stay with me for a while, but i'm still going through most of this alone. I will try to give my friends this web address, but I don't think they will be able to post my progress unless they join the forum. There is no way my parents could figure it out, so this may be my last post until I'm home from the hospital. I have got an excellent surgeon, and one of the best heart hospitals in the country, so I think my chances of a successful surgery and recovery are very good. Thank you all again for your posts; they have calmed me down and boosted my spirits immensely. God bless you all.
