you never know ....

[njean]

Dear Helen,

I just want to wish you all the best and to say that I have certainly gotten my chuckles worth this morning after reading your posts! :tongue2:

You sound upbeat and ready to get the show on the road, and that is exactly the kind of attitude you need to have! I have a feeling you will be more than ready for that trip when August rolls around.

Best of luck! :thumbup:

 

[bluefields409]

Angio -check - in the arm which was a bonus
met with surgeon-check even liked him - bonus again
awaiting transfer and booking. Dr almost thought of doing it TODAY but decided i needed more transfusions first.

I swear they take out as much blood to check on how much is going in, and is it making a difference. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration on my part.

I do feel like a festive christmas carol. Sing along ..."7 blood transfusions, 6 ekg's, 5 stinking IVVVVVVVVVVVVV's, 4 million bloodtests ,3 different hospital rooms , 2 echocardiograms, 1 angiooogrammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

And this is me NOT on any happy meds.

Helen

p.s. I really was tested

 

[bluefields409]

LOL !!!!

 

[bluefields409]

say, don't ... they go with F & B's advertising agency?

LOL ............(these are because i needed more characters to reply.) shrug

 

[bluefields409]

kinda screwed up the include quote thing and i cannot blame it on meds as i confessed not on any....anyways THANK YOU allfor the encouraging messages.

 

[AmyBL]

I am such an American. What is "cheeky graffiti?"

Wishing you the best with your upcoming surgery.

Amy

 

[bluefields409]

I am such an American. What is "cheeky graffiti?"

Wishing you the best with your upcoming surgery.

Amy

well...something said (or written) that my parents would have considered bordering on rude or perhaps a tad disrespectful. However , in the context am being leaning towards sarcastically humerous but still likely to not receive parental approval .:biggrin2:

I suppose American comparison could be don't talk back or adult context "for a good time call"...not good if it is your number and you didn't write it :rolleyes2:

appreciate the good wishes.

Helen

 

[Blair]

Just saw this thread today, as I was tied up with surgery/recovery at the time. You guys are great! Really crack me up!

OK, I'm a little late, but I'm here in my cheerleader skirt, legs still shaved from surgery (sort of).
GO HELEN! GO HELEN!

 

[bluefields409]

Just saw this thread today, as I was tied up with surgery/recovery at the time. You guys are great! Really crack me up!

OK, I'm a little late, but I'm here in my cheerleader skirt, legs still shaved from surgery (sort of).
GO HELEN! GO HELEN!

Any man showing up in a cheer leader outfit, regardless of shaved leg status is never late, especially to walk the road to good recovery

Blessing and well wishes back at ya

Helen

 

[pellicle]

Helen

Any man showing up in a cheer leader outfit, regardless of shaved leg status is never late

My wife showed up in a bunny suit, does that count?

 

[bluefields409]

Helen




My wife showed up in a bunny suit, does that count?

Well..it counts more for you than me. . Too funny !!! LOL

 

[Aggie85]

Bluefields, hang in there and remember to smell those roses (thorns and all)! (Ahemmmm, I think that's what you and Pellicle were tossing around on a certain other thread... )
Seriously :rolleyes2: though.... Don't know where you're at now in all this as we are half way through June. But, if not too late ask for a PIC LINE to be put in. They can use this in place of repeated IV sites or for those blasted repeated blood draws. I'm a very difficult stick, even in the best of times, and the admitting RNP recommended my getting a PIC line put in after surgery to use for all the repeated blood draws that would be needed. BEST THING I EVER DID!

Second point, the Drs are going back to Bio valves as first recommendation partly because of the new Melody Valve technology. If/when that first Biovalve fails, in most people it can now be replaced in Cath Lab with a Melody Valve and prevent further OHSs. If you have a mechanical valve put in from beginning, they can't use the Melody Valves later if a replacement is needed. Just keep this in mind for future reference.

Best of luck to you either for up coming surgery or in now recovery!!!
Linda (no tattoos yet) :biggrin2:

 

[clay_from_nj]

If/when that first Biovalve fails, in most people it can now be replaced in Cath Lab with a Melody Valve and prevent further OHSs.

How long does the Melody valve last, and can you put a Melody into a failing Melody, and how many times can you do that? I believe that the Melody has not been around very long so no long term studies could have been done yet. Also, (from the official Melody website): "Authorized by Federal law (USA) for use in pediatric and adult patients with a regurgitant or stenotic Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT) conduit (≥ 16 mm in diameter when originally implanted). The effectiveness of this device for this use has not been demonstrated." And from the official product brochure: "DO NOT implant in the aortic or mitral position. Preclinical bench testing of the Melody valve suggests that valve function and durability will be extremely limited when used in these locations." So, it's not an option for most of us...

 

[Aggie85]

I don't know much about the Melody Valve myself because it was not really an option for me. (I can't have femoral vein caths because of an interrupted veinous pathway.) I only mention it here as it was being encouraged by the Dr.s at Cleveland Clinic as the reason they were going away from mechanical valves and back to bio valves. This may be in very specific instances and dependent on which valve. This was both the dr. Krasuski, the cardiologist and Dr. Pettersson, the surgeon.

Two issues that bothered me about the Melody valve, and please keep in mind this was very preliminary and not thorough researched information. But, I didn't like that it wasn't fully approved yet, and was only being CURRENTLY allowed as humanitarian usage in life threatend circumstances. More importantly, according to the Melody Valve's, producers own website, there is a 35% failure rate of the stint carrier in the first year. I found that statistic very alarming. I asked Dr. P about that and he kind of blew me off that it wasn't important! I disagreed but since I had already decided not to do the bio valve because of the IFVP (Fem Vein issue ) I didn't persue it.

It is important to remember, though, that the valve is brand new and still being researched. The discussions regarding its use are for a FUTURE use WHEN A BIO VALVE NOW BEING PUT IN FAILS, not necessarily being discussed for PRESENT use.

I mentioned it to let folks know to ask their Drs if it might be an option for FUTURE USE for them and to let them know what to research. It may be a deciding factor in the decisions TODAY about getting a bio valve vs a mechanical valve (to refresh, because Melody can't be used to replace a failed mechanical valve). I know FOR ME (having now had 4 OHSs), if I did not have the IFVP issue, I would've been willing to bank on improvements in the Melody Valve between now and WHEN I might need it in the future to avoid a 5th OHS. And knowing about it as a future possible option at the time of deciding bio/mech was appreciated.

These can be hard decisions because we just don't have reliable crystal balls, but having as much information as we can have about issues and options is important in helping us reach these difficult decisions and the point of these forums.

Best of luck to all out there facing valve replacement!
Linda