Timing of Surgery

[Arlyss]

I have read with great sympathy the various threads regarding pre-surgical anxiety. The reluctance with which one views the thought of surgery is very normal and understandable. It is difficult to face a major invasive surgery electively, when there are no symptoms. Looking back at my husband's two different surgeries, for me it shows the value of elective surgery while still in relatively good shape. When his bicuspid aortic valve failed, it was sudden. He should have been monitored more closely, but we thought there would be symptoms. There were no gradual symptoms such as shortness of breath to alert us. He was always physically in good shape - and the next thing we knew he was in pneumonia (from fluid in his lungs) and full blown congestive heart failure. Going into surgery that way is far from optimal. He is fortunate to have come through that one, and that no lasting damage was done to his heart. Thinking of it now frightens me. With his second surgery, for the aortic aneurysm, he was in good health in every way. And the surgery and recovery went beautifully.
I found a question on another site and I will list it here so that you can read the link yourself. http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/cardio/messages/C33873-2.html I felt the doctor made a very strong point when he said that at Cleveland Clinic they see many instances where the valve surgery was not done soon enough, and consequently the patient suffers afterwards.
So I just want to encourage everyone to have the surgery soon enough, before your heart suffers permanent damage. You can then look forward to the best possible future on the other side of the mountain!
Arlyss