Saunas, Scars, Sweat And My New Pal… Glenn
This is an amazing story of sweaty coincidence and heart valve surgery.
Earlier today, I went for a swim and sauna at my gym. It was a very, very, very long day. That said, I was looking forward to the peace-and-quiet of the sauna.
As sweat began to form in little beads on my forehead, I looked across the sauna. There, right in front of me, was a long, vertical chest scar that looked incredibly similar to my incision scar.
I couldn’t resist. I spoke up and broke the silence of the wooden room.
“So, what did the surgeons do to you?”
Then, it happened.
“Uhh. Umm. I had a heart valve replacement,” the stranger responded.
I smiled.
“Really,” I said, “I had one too!”
His eyebrows popped up.
“No way!” the bald, athletic-looking man said to me with a smile, “I can barely see your scar!”
“Yep. I had a bicuspid aortic valve - so I had an aortic valve replacement,” I responded.
The stranger, who would eventually tell me his name was Glenn, said emphatically, “I had a bicuspid valve too! One of my leaflets was in really bad shape. In fact, I almost died!”
For the next fifteen minutes, Glenn and I went into turbo-talk about our very similar experiences specific to heart valve surgery. We talked about the highs and lows of cardiac surgery. It was amazing!!! Glenn and I talked about:
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease
- Cardiac Depression
- Fatigue After Heart Surgery
- Dr. Starnes and Dr. Trento (two leading surgeons in Los Angeles)
- Pumphead
- Exercising After Heart Surgery
- Coumadin Therapy For Mechanical Heart Valve Patients
- The Ross Procedure
I could go on-and-on but I’m off to see my sister-in-law perform in a local production of High School Musical.
By the way, if you’re reading this, “HEY GLENN!” 
Keep on tickin!
Adam Pick is a former, double heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This special book was designed to help patients and caregivers better understand the opportunities and potential pitfalls of heart valve replacement and heart valve repair surgery. Ultimately, this book was written to minimize patient stress and to enhance the patient’s recovery. To learn more about Adam’s heart valve surgery book, click here.
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March 8th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Adam: Great information! The illustrations of the bicuspid valve are terrific. Like you, I had a bicuspid valve replaced at age 61 and was asymptomatic as well so I don’t feel signigicantly different. I did not experience depression and have had a great recovery. I had my surgery Nov. 16th and am completing cardiac rehabilitation this week. I HIGHLY recommend that anyone having cardiac surgery enroll in cardiac rehab. While I have not had depression I have experienced anxiety. I have had some breathing issues that my Dr. seems to think is asthma, GERD and possible sleep apnea. We’re working on solving this. I immediately began to think that perhaps my new valve wasn’t working properly. I struggle with that more than I care to admit!! I am truly my own worst enemy. My days are fine but nights my anxiety level goes up. Did you experience anxiety about your valve working properly. I think it is the one part of having a tissue valve that I don’t like but I definitely did not want a mechanical valve because of the the necessity of using coumadin on a ongoing basis. Keep up the good work. I look forward to reading all the information you pass along. Today’s offerings were really exceptionally helpful to me.