Comments on: At 85, After Tissue Valve Replacement And Pacemaker Implant, Connie Keeps On Walking!

By: Helen Galvan

Helen Galvan — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:13:09 +0000

Dear Connie,
Well done and I wish you all the best. I have just had a pacemaker put in after 7 months of roller coaster ride following my aortic valve mechanical replacement in February of this year.Everything else had been tried including medicine and, recently, ablation, but nothing took away the auricular flutter and I had too many cases of emergency visits to the hospital because of the heartbeats being too low or too high. I hope that I can finish this year finally putting all this behind me and, like everybody, just live a normal life.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:07:09 +0000

What a great outcome for a potentially bad situation, Connie! Although 30 years your junior, I went through almost the exact same scenario a year ago. I had the tissue aortic valve replacement and ended up – after a 10 day hospital stay – needing a pacemaker also. I really had no severe symtoms but the only issue I had with my healthy heart and arteries was the stenosis in the one valve before surgery.

I have felt 10 years younger since recovery! Last weekend I was out splitting wood for the fireplace. And that’s quite an accomplishment for me since I sit at a computer all day and am not in all that super shape! I wish you the best through your recovery!
Joe

By: Midge

Midge — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:08:03 +0000

Connie, congratulations on having the courage to go ahead with the surgery and it’s really wonderful that you are having a good recovery. Keep on walking…the mantra of us heart surgery recoverers. It was fortunate that you listened to what your body was telling you and got the surgery over and done with sooner than later.

Best wishes for a continued quick and not too difficult recovery. I had my aortic valve replaced on 2/13/09 and went with a mech valve at age 67. Had I been past 75 or so, I would have followed the route you took and gone with tissue.

Midge

By: anita devine

anita devine — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:40 +0000

Connie,
Your story is really inspirational. thanks so much for writing.
I also had a smooth recovery, and was back in my garden three weeks after Mitral Valve surgery. I wrote to Adam a few weeks ago, and shared my story of climbing 2 Adirondack Mountain High Peaks 6 months after surgery. So, I am back to my old self, and feeling better than ever.
Anita

By: Lucy Grubbs

Lucy Grubbs — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:25:20 +0000

connie, that is such good news and great to hear! I am awaiting valve surgery also for aortic stenosis and am 45, every day I am feeling a little better about the surgery. I’m thinking now, lets just get it over with. Good to hear your doing well