Jan's Heart Valve Journal

I've known for several years that I would have to have a new aortic valve but never thought it would be done by open heart surgery! We always talked about the new minimally invasive surgery using the cath method, just like having a cardiac cath done. So you can imagine the shock when my surgeon told me that I would have to have open heart surgery! Today is Saturday, January 2, 2010. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, January 4th at Des peres Hospital. I'm trying to stay too busy to think today but panic keeps creeping in. I know this type of surgery is done many times each year and I know I have a great surgeon and hospital but - they're going to cut me open and stop my heart! That's scarey by anybody's standards.

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I've known for several years that I would have to have a new aortic valve but never thought it would be done by open heart surgery! We always talked about the new minimally invasive surgery using the cath method, just like having a cardiac cath done. So you can imagine the shock when my surgeon told me that I would have to have open heart surgery!

Today is Saturday, January 2, 2010. My surgery is scheduled for Monday, January 4th at Des peres Hospital. I'm trying to stay too busy to think today but panic keeps creeping in. I know this type of surgery is done many times each year and I know I have a great surgeon and hospital but - they're going to cut me open and stop my heart! That's scarey by anybody's standards.