I read your story and i wish Dr. Balkhi was still in the state. Sounds like he knows his craft. We were declined here by a local hospital. Wondering if his ...Read more
I read your story and i wish Dr. Balkhi was still in the state. Sounds like he knows his craft. We were declined here by a local hospital. Wondering if his program still exists without him...
Joe,
Noticed you had minimally invasive surgery. What qualifications did you have to pass in order to be a candidate? I hoping hoping for either robotic or ...Read more
Joe,
Noticed you had minimally invasive surgery. What qualifications did you have to pass in order to be a candidate? I hoping hoping for either robotic or minimal!
Any information is much appreciated!
Vicki E.
Sorry for the lack of response. We have had some medical problems in the family that have held my attention.
The major qualifications are:
Your anatomy has to lend itself to the surgery. Everyone is a little different. If your set up is a little different it makes it unworkable.
If you need to have vessel bypasses done at the same time then they will opt for the sternotomy.
Joe, thanks for the comment you posted on my site. I think what you say is relevant to the meeting I\'m having with my cardiologist on Tuesday. For several ...Read more
Joe, thanks for the comment you posted on my site. I think what you say is relevant to the meeting I\'m having with my cardiologist on Tuesday. For several weeks each time I push the performance envelope I seems to drop back to a lower level. Very frustrating. It\'s 5+ weeks since my AVR, so maybe I\'m pushing too hard.
All the best to you in your recovery.
Ken
I'm sorry that I have not responded to your comment sooner than this. We have had some medical problems at home not related to my heart surgery.
I'm sure that by now you understand that no matter how hard you push there will be up and down days. I still have "one of those days" every once in a while.
Joe! This is great, and it will be great for Joey and Mia too...the whole family can benefit and have fun.
I would suggest replacing the photo on your journal ...Read more
Joe! This is great, and it will be great for Joey and Mia too...the whole family can benefit and have fun.
I would suggest replacing the photo on your journal front because the new you looks healthy, bright and fit. NEW JOE
Joe Gimbel We have had a lot of fun with the pool so far. Also, I did change my picture. It's not the best but I ... Read more
Joe Gimbel We have had a lot of fun with the pool so far. Also, I did change my picture. It's not the best but I edited what I had. Mia took the picture in Bogota in a resturant. I'm leaning to the left because Luz Maria is there and Mia took the picture of us both. I edited it so it was just me.
So Mia gets the photo credit!
Joe, I did not see but what type of valve you received? I\'m a little older than you and at this moment, plan to receive the bovine; although two other surgeons ...Read more
Joe, I did not see but what type of valve you received? I\'m a little older than you and at this moment, plan to receive the bovine; although two other surgeons recommended either the pig or mechanical. Still very concerned that I\'ve made the right decision. I think minimal invasive covers many variations. The Dr said mine would be more like a \"J\" or swinging door look on my chest. Whatever that means! Glad to hear your doing so well; great inspiration and hope for us all. Thanks for the information. Don
Joe Gimbel Don, I have an Edwards Model 3000TFX which is a pericardial tissue heart valve. That's from the card ... Read more
Joe Gimbel Don, I have an Edwards Model 3000TFX which is a pericardial tissue heart valve. That's from the card I have to carry with me. I don't know the source of the tissue though.
Good luck! Joe
Joe Gimbel Don, A mechanical valve lasts longer but includes blood thinners for the rest of your life. The size ... Read more
Joe Gimbel Don, A mechanical valve lasts longer but includes blood thinners for the rest of your life. The size (diameter) of the valve is important for the future. It could affect the ability, or ease, of implanting a cateter based valve if you need one. hopefully you won't.
Any surgery that uses the term "Sternotomy" means that they cut your sternum. I have a 3" incision between my ribs. it's a straight line. There is a photo with my journal.
Hi joe. Glad to hear you\'re doing we\'ll. Thats super. Curious. Was this your first attempt at bike After surgery. I\'m 8 weeks post & wonder when I can go ...Read more
Hi joe. Glad to hear you\'re doing we\'ll. Thats super. Curious. Was this your first attempt at bike After surgery. I\'m 8 weeks post & wonder when I can go biking. Assume after 12 weeks. I\'ll ck doctor but Thot I\'d ask you too
Continued success. Nancy Friedman st Louis . 2-9-12. Avr. Done
April tenth I will be six months from surgery. I have to say though that I had a fall in 2001 and broke both of my ankles. Since then I have not had the balance of the energy to ride a bike.
But now I have both. It may have been possible before this but I did not think to try, plus the weather has been cold before this. My surgery was October 10th 2011.
January might have been workable but the weather was cold, breed.
Maybe talk to the rehab nurses and see what they think.
Hi Joe, thanks for the update. Glad you continue to do well. Impressive that you are consistently hitting the gym eve nthough it is not fun yet. Way to go!!!!! ...Read more
Hi Joe, thanks for the update. Glad you continue to do well. Impressive that you are consistently hitting the gym eve nthough it is not fun yet. Way to go!!!!! Keep up the good work.
-Mitch Friedman
Hi Joe. Good to hear from you. Darn that work being work thing. Wish it weren\'t so! Keep up your exercise. It sounds like its a habit now, if not complete ...Read more
Hi Joe. Good to hear from you. Darn that work being work thing. Wish it weren\'t so! Keep up your exercise. It sounds like its a habit now, if not complete fun. I\'m sure it really helped you get to where you are. Keep the beat man -- DVB
Joe, good to hear you are doing well with your rehab. I hate exercise, so I imagine I am not going to be a happy camper about rehab, but I am determined once ...Read more
Joe, good to hear you are doing well with your rehab. I hate exercise, so I imagine I am not going to be a happy camper about rehab, but I am determined once my surgery is done to get better about it and not waste this second chance, so to speak. Keep it up...you can do it. Sorry to hear about your friend Chris. Will pray for complete recovery for him. Do you know if the stroke was related to his heart valve? I will drop by his journal and wish him well. Keep us updated.
Getting closer...Linda Dixon
Exercise is still a core to be done but I feel better for doing it.
Chris is doing somewhat better. He can talk but still missed many words and confuses others. He can read more but with the same problems. Confuses left and right, colors, body parts, etc.
I told him that I would get him a game of "Twister" to help him work these things out. He thought that that was funny.
The bad news is that the police dept that he works for is trying to fire him over this. They don't want give him the time to recover or to try to recover enough function to return to work.
Ok, other doctors indicate that it was the sternectomy that was to blame. I don't really know what the cause is. Anyway the stroke seemed to clear up problems he was still having with his heart. Maybe a clot moved from the valve to the brain. Not real sure.
Chris will love any guestbook entries that you can send his way.
I am from: Mt Pleasant, Wisconsin
