surgery Wed., 7/9

[Kathy]

I discovered this board last night. I am 52 and was diagnosed a year ago with MVP, although I was told I had a slight murmur when I was 16. I really didn't feel I had any symptoms to report to my GP last year and was told to wait a year to see a cardiologist. Hindsight tells me that I had learned to cope with my symptoms and that I was prone to blame everything on raging hormones.

My thoughts and emotions are running rampant at the present time as I will be having surgery at the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday. I do have two concerns which I would like to address on this board.

I was diagnosed with dextrocardia at 16. My heart is on the right side of my body. I am curious to know if anyone else who has had mitral valve replacement has dextrocardia and if their surgery was complicated by the condition.

I am also concerned about returning to work. I am a special education teacher and mother of a 13 year old. My work is somewhat demanding physically and time consuming outside of school. My child participates in several extracurricular activities. I can't imagine returning to all of that activity and in retrospect, could kick myself for subjecting myself to all that stress during the last year. I wonder what other working moms have done. Currently, I do not intend to return to work until I am comfortable with fulfilling my domestic responsibilities.

Thank you.
Kathy

 

[JimL]

Kathy, welcome to a truly wonderful site, full of information. I can't answer all your questions, but here's my two cents worth.

After surgery, lifting will definitely be a factor in the decision to return to work. It takes the sternum 2-4 months to heal up, and during that time you don't want to lift more than 5-10 pounds.

You also point to stress, which I think is a factor after surgery, to say nothing of before! I found it very difficult to deal with stress for some time after surgery.

Perhaps you have earned a little vacation?

I wish you well on your surgery Wednesday; it's one of the best places to have it done. Please be sure to come back after surgery and tell us how everything went.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Kathy-

Welcome to your new group of friends who understand about this surgery.

We have another member who has dextrocardia her name is Gnusgal, you could look her name up in the member list at the top of this page and send her a Private Message.

You are going to a terrific place to have surgery and I'm sure everything will be OK.

As Jim mentioned, there is a little period of healing that has to take place before you can get into anything too physical. At about 6-8 weeks, you should be feeling pretty well. After a year, you will be feeling very, very well. Healing is an individual thing and these are only estimates. But the important thing to know is that this surgery is done to save your life, and it is highly perfected. If you are symptomatic now, you will be anxious to feel better soon, because the pre-surgery period can be mighty uncomfortable. Sometimes like you have mentioned, things happen slowly and people don't realize just how far they've deteriorated, plus the heart can compensate by getting larger, and that is not a good thing.

It's very normal to have apprehension during the pre-surgery phase. But stick around here and we'll try to help you prepare yourself mentally for the journey.

Best wishes.

 

[ccrawford]

Hi Cathy - Welcome to the site. There is an awful lot of useful information here, and I'd suggest you spend some time in the pre-surgery section between now and Wed. Hope you have a comfortable recliner chair at home in a quiet place. Most of us spend a lot of time, at least in the first few weeks, sleeping in recliners rather than beds. You'll need a lot of help for awhile because you will feel pretty bad and will have problems trying to lift anything - Hope you've got some help. Cleveland Clinic is one of the top ten sites in the country for this type of surgery and you should feel comfortable you will have the best of care and will be taken care of very nicely. If you have someone who can post for you, we'd love to here how you are doing. If not, we'll wait for a few days to hear from you and will be thinking about you. Best wishes. Chris

 

[Gnusgal]

Dextrocardia

Dextrocardia

Hello, Kathy. Your post was brought to my attention (thanks Jim!) because of your dextrocardia. I also have this defect (along with MANY others). I didn't have my mitral valve replaced, but I had my tricuspid valve. But my condition is MUCH more complicated than just having a "backwards" heart (the rest of me is actually backwards too). My vessels that go to my ventricals are reversed as well. I know it's a bit confusing, but let's just say I'm a bit unique (though I actually know others like me, believe it or not!). Regardless of all these complications, my valve replacement was a sucess. My surgery was one year and 11 days ago.

Now as for everything else. I am also a teacher, though not special ed. However, my roommate from college IS and I know there is a LOT of lifting involved. I would say you're probably going to have to take some time off (which you deserve, for all the hard work you do). Unless you can find some way of being in the classroom without lifting the kids, which I doubt, it would not be a good idea. I had about 8 weeks after surgery before I had to head back to school for the Fall, and even though I felt pretty much back to "normal" I know I wouldn't have been able to carry heavy items. One of the problems, you're going to find, is that you will feel like you can do things, and then find out you can't. After my first surgery (not a valve surgery) I felt SO much better I told people "I didn't know I felt bad until I knew what good felt like!" I'm sure you will experience similar, if not identical emotions. However, you have to keep in mind that you ARE still recovering, so you don't want to do too much too soon. Let your family do things for YOU. This is a good opportunity to be pampered, so don't pass it up.

If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to post, personal message, or email me. I've been through a lot in my 26 years, and feel like it is my duty to pass any wisdom I might have gained on to others. Good luck, and I'll be praying for you!

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Kathy,
Welcome to this Wonderful Site. You will be amazed at how well you will feel after your surgery. It just takes time and with each day you will get better. Don't overdue it. Again Welcome and Good Luck. Our prayers are with you.
Dave

Keep your fires small!
________________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical
Heart Center of the Rockies

 

[Georgia]

Welcome, Kathy

Welcome, Kathy

At least you don't have too awfully long to wait. If my own experience is any indication, Wednesday will arrive REALLY fast.

Take advantage of the next couple of days and treat yourself - manicure, pedicure (something fun to do with your daughter); get a couple of lounging outfits that are smooth on the chest (I had winter surgery, so always wore a silk undershirt and that didn't irritate the incision.

This is a list I made for someone who had surgery a couple months ago:

1. Do you have a recliner that fits you? This is truly one of the most important things you can do for yourself for recovery. If you don't, go buy one tomorrow. It needs to be in your home by the time you get out of the hospital.

2. Get a couple of robes and/or lounging pajamas for recovery.

3. Get a body pillow for your bed (for when you're not in your recliner) It really helps, too.

4. Get a small stool for the shower; you'll want a shower more than life itself when you get home; but it's likely to make you light headed the first few days. Best thing is to sit.

5. Make sure you have a reliable scale - they'll want you to weigh yourself daily for a while.

6. Get books, movies you like; the lighter (requiring less concentration) the better.

7. Be sure your pc or laptop is handy (we got a used laptop because our computer room is upstairs and I didn't think I could make it up there for a while).

8. You might want to splurge on really good meals the next couple of days. Stuff tends to taste like dirt for a while after op.

9. As others have suggested before, update your will and have a durable power of attorney.

You ought to get out and see a couple of good movies this weekend and just do for you.

Take some time to peruse old threads on here - there are LOTS of good ideas for those going into surgery.

I went back to work after 3 months; it was none too soon; and I didn't have to do any lifting.

You need to make your family aware that for the next couple or three months, your activites and participation will be sharply curtailed. It's necessary that they understand that this is NOT OPTIONAL. I had surgery and treatments for cancer when my girls were teens; and it was a constant struggle with their demands and my inability to meet their needs. And hubby wasn't too much help. My kids were gone this time, so the only demanding beings were the dogs & cats. Repeat the following: "It's all about me; it's all about me." And act on it; if you don't breathe, walk and nap in your early recovery period, you won't recover as well. And you won't be able to drive for the first 4 to 6 weeks, so you need to make arrangements for someone to haul your daughter around.

All of our best wishes; do try to keep us in the loop. We'll all pray for you.
__________________

 

[MelissaM]

Kathy -

Good luck with your surgery, and thanks for asking great questions! As another waiting for mitral valve surgery, your questions and the responses were great to read!

Please keep us posted on your progress! If you have any thoughts on the Cleveland Clinic, please share - they are on my short list of places to go and I would enjoy hearing any comments you might have!

God bless,

Melissa

 

[nadi]

Welcome!

Welcome!

Hi Kathy!

Welcome and best of luck on your trip over the mountain Wed.
I will keep you in my prayers. Please have someone post an update for us if you can.


I am almost 9 wks post op(Monday) and I goofed the other day and picked up a large glass bowl full of potato salad. I ended up in the E.R. with pain on the left side the following morning, it hurt (still does) to breathe! This is the 2nd time I have pulled a muscle in the chest area. The moral is you have to be VERY VERY careful about lifting/twisting after surgery.

My only suggestion about your daughter is maybe car pooling where another Mom or Dad could drive you both (when you feel up to it) that way you can be there but without the worry of driving.

Again welcome and take care,

 

[Kathy]

Thank you to everyone for your very kind replies and suggestions. I will try to post tomorrow.

I was caught up in an organizing frenzy today. My daughter will be staying here part of the time we are in Cleveland with two college girls, so I was arranging things for them. My husband is closing down his business for a month and I organized a month's worth of work to send in for a sub. I also my daughter's packing for camp which she will attend August 3.

This more complex than planning for a big trip and/or Christmas.

Kathy

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Kathy

Hi Kathy

Soundslike you are staying busy..Good..Remember, when you arrive @ hospital..they give you a good feel shot..Then off to sleep. You will be fine..Go home and nap, walk..walk...walk. that gets the nasty stuff out of you.. Don't lift anything heavy for a few weeks..and take your pain meds .. Our school starts back in Ga. Aug. 8th..Grandson will be in Middle school (sixth) Had five age 11 year olds for the weekend. See, life starts all over when you have VR.. I think I wore them out..and I am age 63. My 2 cents..take 3 months off from teaching school..Help you daughter out with her activities first. And be sure. you feel up to going back to teaching school...Bonnie