Hello everybody! It's been almost a year and a half since my aortic valve replacement, and about a year since I last posted. Lots of new faces (pretty ...Read more
Hello everybody! It's been almost a year and a half since my aortic valve replacement, and about a year since I last posted. Lots of new faces (pretty much all new). I just want to tell everybody that is going to have heart valve surgery that it is nothing that you can't get through. Yeah, it hurts like a Mo-Fo for a couple of weeks afterwards, but by a month you'll be feeling a lot better. The hardest thing for me to get through was the psychological affect of having the surgery to begin with, so make sure you talk to someone if you have to. if you have to take Metoprolol afterwards, Watch for the side effects of that on your mood as well (I got off of that stuff as soon as I could). I feel pretty good though, feels good to breath, and really just grateful to be here. Getting back into working out, eating better, not drinking for at least the next three months( the holidays were brutal!) So, enough of my rambling. I wish everyone of you guys blessings, health, peace, and an extremely speedy recovery. Have a happy 2019!
John Morales Thanks Craig , nice to hear from a Heart Warrior, im due in on March 11th, good to get encouragement ... Read more
John Morales Thanks Craig , nice to hear from a Heart Warrior, im due in on March 11th, good to get encouragement from someone whos been there . Thanks for stopping back ...
Rita Savelis Thanks for the update Craig. I hear you on the betablockers. Was so happy to get off of them and feel ... Read more
Rita Savelis Thanks for the update Craig. I hear you on the betablockers. Was so happy to get off of them and feel my mood change. And, like you, I encourage everyone to talk out the emotional effects of OHS. Best to you.
Coming up on nine weeks post AVR and feeling pretty good physically on most days. No pain really other than in my back, especially in the evenings. Stills not ...Read more
Coming up on nine weeks post AVR and feeling pretty good physically on most days. No pain really other than in my back, especially in the evenings. Stills not back to work yet, because my employer refuses to get back to me, and I'm not sure if I can handle it yet. Yesterday I cleaned out my chicken coop for 3 hours( it was a mess, and hadn't been cleaned since my September 5th surgery) and drank a powerful beer afterward. Boy did I feel like crap! I won't be doing that for a while. I'm still wiped out today. Tomorrow I'm supposed to start cardiac rehab, but also have a friend that wants me to help plant garlic at his farm. Definitely could use the work, but afraid of overdoing it with my recovery.
I think this process is going to take longer than I want it to. It sure feels nice to breathe a full, deep breath again though and get everything out of it. Like I said, I'm feeling good, wishing it would go a little faster, but thankful to be alive and breathing .
Michael Kohring Wow Craig from reading your posts you are doing great! I barely sent two texts in first two days. I ... Read more
Michael Kohring Wow Craig from reading your posts you are doing great! I barely sent two texts in first two days. I am +6 weeks and just started driving and doing lot more, walking about 2-3 plus miles a day. I just started doing things and let my body tell me how far to go. I plan to start rehab next week. It is great to breathe deep again! Happy recovery!
Cathleen Weed Itās easy to start pushing yourself and over-doing it right about now (a couple of months out) out ... Read more
Cathleen Weed Itās easy to start pushing yourself and over-doing it right about now (a couple of months out) out of pure frustration. You really will just end up setting yourself back. Continue to take it easy for another month and then youāll be good to go!
Bonnie Stone-Hope Good for you! Sounds like you are doing very well.
Remember, the tortoise and the hare ..... take it ... Read more
Bonnie Stone-Hope Good for you! Sounds like you are doing very well.
Remember, the tortoise and the hare ..... take it easy for a while!
Feeling ok. I was hoping that I would feel better than what I do by now, but I'll take what I can get. My heart was pretty enlarged by the time that I got in ...Read more
Feeling ok. I was hoping that I would feel better than what I do by now, but I'll take what I can get. My heart was pretty enlarged by the time that I got in for surgery, so I'm chalking up my lack of energy to that. My surgeon seems to think it will take about a year to go back to normal.
Friday I went to the ER with a Right Bundle Branch Block, and was told that it was common and that I shouldn't worry. It seems to have resolved itself over the past few days( I hope š¤).
One other thing is daily migraines, man they suck! I have some sort of headache every day. I read about Pump head, but I'm pretty sure that daytime television is the true cause of reduced cognitive abilities post OHS. TV is soooo bad!thank god I have books. I'm confident though that I'll get better, but it'll probably take some time because of my heart size issue. Yesterday I walked 3.5 miles spaced out through the day, and today I couldn't do half of that because I'm wiped out. Like Adam says though we're all unique in our personal recoveries, so I try to keep that in mind. Anyhow, my continued prayers and well wishes go out to everyone here who is both pre surgery and post surgery. š
Keep your head up. Life is full of two steps forward and one step back moments. Prayers your way that ... Read more
Keep your head up. Life is full of two steps forward and one step back moments. Prayers your way that you are better soon.
Hi Craig, yes ... I, like you, am following my very own path to recovery. It's now 6+ weeks since mit ... Read more
Hi Craig, yes ... I, like you, am following my very own path to recovery. It's now 6+ weeks since mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve. I've had issues with unusual heart rate/rhythms and had a pacemaker put in just over two weeks ago. Having symptomatic AFib again (for the past week) but I remind myself that this is MY journey and MY recovery. It's NOT where I thought I'd be but it's my reality. And I have several factors involved that increase my fatigue.
We'll get there in our own time! I, like you, have been told to give myself a year for full recovery.
Wishing you continued healing and full recovery.
Donna Garthe I am trying to enjoy the good days and accept the roller coaster of ups and downs two and a half mont ... Read more
Donna Garthe I am trying to enjoy the good days and accept the roller coaster of ups and downs two and a half months out from mitral valve repair. When I get impatient, I get depressed. A year sounds right. Hope your headaches improve. Last week, I went shopping, had friends over for brunch; my house was clean. This week, I have done very little. Maybe I overdid it? And, I am having a bad reaction to a medication. We will get there!
Barbara Wood 4 weeks is still early Craig...I don't believe I was doing 3+ miles at that point. I'm 4 months past ... Read more
Barbara Wood 4 weeks is still early Craig...I don't believe I was doing 3+ miles at that point. I'm 4 months past mitral valve repair, finished cardio rehab, feel absolutely fantastic, but the first 6 weeks were tough, very up & down. It keeps improving, slowly but surely- hang in there, it really does get better!
Craig Irving I do remind myself of the fact that my heart did experience something that no heart should have to. L ... Read more
Craig Irving I do remind myself of the fact that my heart did experience something that no heart should have to. Lots of ups and downs, even hour to hour. It's boring too! Thank you for your comments guys, they're really helpful.
Gerald Poulton Doing good Craig, you had several issues, its hard but give it time and I am sure you will make a ful ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Doing good Craig, you had several issues, its hard but give it time and I am sure you will make a full recovery š
Rita Savelis A year gives one some time to get used to another normal. It can help to have lower expectations. My ... Read more
Rita Savelis A year gives one some time to get used to another normal. It can help to have lower expectations. My doctors told me I would be exhausted for a long long time. I was glad to be forewarned. Sometimes when you read this site, you'd think it was par for the course to jump right back, run a marathon, have no repercussions. That can be hard especially for those who were in great shape before OHS.
You don't really control your recovery. A lot of things are out of your control and every case is a very singular personal case that can't be compared with others.
If you had a broken leg you might watch it heal and see the time it takes. But you can't see what your heart is going through and so expect to be better very quickly. There is much emotional stuff to add to all that that one has to process.
As far as headaches, I have had some sort of short vascular headache almost everyday since OHS. They don't last long but they are different from any headache I had before OHS. I hope yours go away soon. As far as migraines, I hate them. Had them before, still have them. There are some lucky folk whose migraines change, get alleviated after OHS.
Here's hoping that you fall into the good category!
Take care.
Craig Irving Thank you Rita and Gerald. I'm coming to terms with the fact that this recovery will take a while, bu ... Read more
Craig Irving Thank you Rita and Gerald. I'm coming to terms with the fact that this recovery will take a while, but we do recover.
Civita Fahey Craig, you're doing great for 4 weeks. I like you felt I should have done more at the same time as I ... Read more
Civita Fahey Craig, you're doing great for 4 weeks. I like you felt I should have done more at the same time as I read how some people were walking 4--5 miles. I couldn't do it, though I thought I was in pretty good shape before surgery. But, we are all different and we heal in different ways.. I came to that conclusion as you have, take it one day at a time and the energy will come back.. don't over do if you can, but as I know, we don't know we've overdone until we've overdone. I am 5/12 months out and pretty much feel back to normal..though I have returned to my normal activies, I still find trying to keep up with full time work, family, trying to go to the gym it tough.. I'm pooped at the end of the day on some days. but, I do feel so much better. Are you planning on cardiac rehab? I found that very helpful both physically and mentally.. I started at 7 weeks and I could hardly do a full 15 min on the treadmill and I left with over half an hour at a high incline and fast speed.. Never thought I would see an incline again as before surgery I couldn't do it without being short of breath. so my new mantra is "its a marathon not a sprint". keep up the good work.. you'll get to where you want to be. best to you
Craig Irving Hi Civita. I am planning on doing cardiac rehab in a couple weeks, and looking forward to it. Sitting ... Read more
Craig Irving Hi Civita. I am planning on doing cardiac rehab in a couple weeks, and looking forward to it. Sitting inside my house all day can be brutally boring, and it will be nice to have an excuse to get out.
Civita Fahey Yes, as you mentioned daytime TV is so bad..and you can only read so much.. you will enjoy rehab.. t ... Read more
Civita Fahey Yes, as you mentioned daytime TV is so bad..and you can only read so much.. you will enjoy rehab.. take care.
So, I saw my surgeon on Thursday, about 3 weeks and 2 days post avr. I was given an all clear to resume normal activities as I saw fit and told to push myself ...Read more
So, I saw my surgeon on Thursday, about 3 weeks and 2 days post avr. I was given an all clear to resume normal activities as I saw fit and told to push myself some with my walking. With my new found confidence I walked an extra mile yesterday than my usual 2. I ended up in the ER with a right bundle branch block last night. š
Gerald Poulton Ahhh, another one of those pesky open heart surgery complications. Among 374 patients included in ou ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Ahhh, another one of those pesky open heart surgery complications. Among 374 patients included in our study (mean age 34,146 males), 192 developed new conduction disorders:The risk of developing conduction disturbances after coronary bypass grafting (CABG) or valvular surgery, new right bundle branch block (RBBB) is 33%
What treatment are they going to do ? It seems an actual bill of health takes a lot longer than 3 weeks.
Craig Irving None. I was released after about an hour in the ER, and told that it was nothing to worry about. It s ... Read more
Craig Irving None. I was released after about an hour in the ER, and told that it was nothing to worry about. It seems to come and go, but for a while last night it wasn't going anywhere. Gonna get in touch with my cardiologist Monday, and see if I can get a monitor for a few days.
As for what my surgeon said, I think that he meant within reason, and as I feel better. Maybe I just got some inflammation from doing too much yesterday. Oh, well I'm sure it will resolve itself.
Gerald Poulton š seems like sort of a cousin to Atril Fibrillation,
Cheers
Craig Irving That makes me think of a funny scene from Spaceballs. Cheers Gerald!
Well, it's been two weeks now and I'm feeling ok. I can tell that I'm getting better, but the days can.be tough. Last week I was having PVC's every day for ...Read more
Well, it's been two weeks now and I'm feeling ok. I can tell that I'm getting better, but the days can.be tough. Last week I was having PVC's every day for most of the day, but as of this Monday they went away for the most part. Appetite is going strong, but haven't been eating as good as I should. In the hospital I watched Forrest Gump, and now I want soft serve vanilla ice cream š¦ all the time. Ate pizza last night. Good stuff right? Still beat a lot of the time but making progress. Still thinking and praying for all of you.
Gerald Poulton Congrats Craig, I have to much of an appetite as well but I guess that is better than not eating, min ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Congrats Craig, I have to much of an appetite as well but I guess that is better than not eating, mine has been for date squares or matrimonial cake as it is often called. Yum, good to gear you are doing so good š
Jane Neulieb It has been 2 weeks post AVR also. Appetite is good for me also. The tiredness is still present mos ... Read more
Jane Neulieb It has been 2 weeks post AVR also. Appetite is good for me also. The tiredness is still present most of the time. I can walk a few blocks but have to stop for a few seconds every block or so. It is improving though. I would love to be able to drive but maybe it is keeping me on a steady recovery course instead of over doing it. This site is wonderful and I thank all who are sharing their experiences. It helps so much.
Craig Wise Take it easy Craig. Honor your bodyās fatigue signals. Itās there to guide your desire for act ... Read more
Craig Wise Take it easy Craig. Honor your bodyās fatigue signals. Itās there to guide your desire for activity. Recovery is best measured in months; as opposed to weeks. Ease your way through it. I rushed. Was not best path.
Well, I did it, and while not totally uneventful I feel like everything went well. I remember waking up in the ICU and seeing all kinds of stuff going on around ...Read more
Well, I did it, and while not totally uneventful I feel like everything went well. I remember waking up in the ICU and seeing all kinds of stuff going on around me, and the breathing tube down my throat. One thing I can say though is that I didn't freak out, I knew that it was breathing for me( thanks to other posts that I've read about it on this site. My lactic acid levels were high for a while, but after copious amounts of fluids it went back to normal. A pneumothorax was also a visitor that I had that resolved rather quickly. I had the most painful breakfast of my life on Wednesday morning, but once I complied with taking my pain meds when I needed them, all my other meals were half enjoyable. Chest tubes came out Thursday and I felt like a new man. Sent home Friday .A little post operation depression, but I'm sure it's still from lingering trauma and medications. I can write more detail when I get a laptop in front of me. Typing a whole, in depth story on these phones is almost as painful as my sternum is. Thanks all of you who sent well wishes and prayers my way when I needed them most. Wishing all of you the very best!
Lilly Black wow.....you did such a great job writing this post its hard to tell you just had surgery! hang in the ... Read more
Lilly Black wow.....you did such a great job writing this post its hard to tell you just had surgery! hang in there and take a day at a time.....so much physical trauma. When I woke and felt the tube I was totally out of it from the anesthesia, it didn't matter. Glad you made it to the other side Craig. Take care and have a speedy recovery!
Jennifer McInerney Well done. Hope your recovery is smooth sailing. Wishing you all the best!
Craig Wise welcome back. guard your sternum. careful with arms; especially getting up / down or in / out of be ... Read more
Craig Wise welcome back. guard your sternum. careful with arms; especially getting up / down or in / out of bed.
Gerald Poulton Way to go Craig, so so often it is not so much the OHS or the sternum but those little nagging compli ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Way to go Craig, so so often it is not so much the OHS or the sternum but those little nagging complications that accompany them. But considering what one goes through, for the most part they are a small price to pay. Happy to hear you are well, now take care, relax and heal. š
Phyllis Petersen Welcome to the other side! I can't believe you can write that much on your phone so soon after surger ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen Welcome to the other side! I can't believe you can write that much on your phone so soon after surgery. All the best for an uneventful recovery.
Rita Savelis Typing on phones is painful, I hear you.
You will have much time ahead of you in which to write ... ... Read more
Rita Savelis Typing on phones is painful, I hear you.
You will have much time ahead of you in which to write ...on a computer.
For now, get some much deserved rest.
Take care.
Joey Hardee Awesome update, Craig! Thrilled to hear it. That post was impressive on a phone. I can't correctly ty ... Read more
Joey Hardee Awesome update, Craig! Thrilled to hear it. That post was impressive on a phone. I can't correctly type anything longer than a short sentence on my phone and I have one of the bigger ones :-) Take care. Will keep praying for healing to go quickly.
Lilly Black I totally agree with Craig Wise! The better you shield the quicker and better your sternum will heal. ... Read more
Lilly Black I totally agree with Craig Wise! The better you shield the quicker and better your sternum will heal....been there twice! Take care!
Margot Swann Tuesday to Friday sounds like something I can handle. Oh, how I will want to go home.
Rose Madura Glad to hear all went well. Hope your recovery is quick. Keep us posted.
Well tomorrow is the big day. I haven't been able to sleep very well, or relax. I guess that I have up until tomorrow to decide which type of valve I want to ...Read more
Well tomorrow is the big day. I haven't been able to sleep very well, or relax. I guess that I have up until tomorrow to decide which type of valve I want to replace my aortic. I'm 37 and actually was strongly pro tissue, because of my active lifestyle, but now I'm second guessing that. The mental stress is nearly breaking me and I'm not sure if I can handle another surgery in the near future. Edwards has a new bovine valve being rolled out next year that is supposed to be for younger people, so it's too bad that this situation had to occur this year.
I went out for a walk this morning, and I walked a good 3 miles, taking in all the beauty that I have seemed to miss before this situation. I know this surgery needs done, because I felt fine on the way out, and not that great on the way back. Been reading a lot of stuff on the internet about complications after surgery and that can be scary too, but what is there to do about it? The way I see it there's a fork in the road, and one way is rocky, but the other way is a dead end.
Took a ride with my father to go see the old camp ground that we used to go to when we were both younger. it was different but looked the same too. We stopped in the old gift shop, and my father bought me a campground shirt. I started crying in the truck after and we were both crying together, while we looked at where we used to go.
Got to see family yesterday at a little get together at my parent's house and it was nice. I hope to see them all again soon, it's a shame that it took a situation like this to make me realize how much I love all of them, even with their quirks, I love them all.
I took the opportunity after church service yesterday to ask the priest for confession. He saw how upset I was and immediately brought me in to the confessional. it felt good to get the things off my chest that have been bothering me. I actually felt a sense of peace for a while and was able to take a nap.
I pray that we all have fast, uneventful recoveries. I'm glad that I found this site, it allows me to type out a rambling post just to get everything out. God Bless.
There is no right decision, just the one you make. And then you move forward.
There will always be might have beens.
If there were a right choice, we'd all have taken it.
I truly hope that your surgeon helps you in your choice as well.
2 years ago my surgeon told me that he would keep my wishes in mind, but then when my heart was open, he'd see the state of my valves (2 calcified valves to replace, a third to repair) and make a choice for me based on what he saw.
It's sort of nice when one can "blame" someone else for a choice. Now I am glad I could trust him.
I wish you an uneventful recovery, although there are always some events.
Recovery takes time. Allow yourself the time your body needs to heal.
Take care.
Will be praying for you and your heart team.
Joey Hardee Feel for you, Craig! When I was told surgery was much more likely in my future than not, I was initia ... Read more
Joey Hardee Feel for you, Craig! When I was told surgery was much more likely in my future than not, I was initially depressed but once I stopped feeling down, I started researching. I found this site and man has it been a Godsend. I am trying hard to focus on the large number of positive outcomes I have come across while knowing this is OHS and recovery will take patience, which I am not known for :-)
I'm at the point, as you also stated, where the symptoms make me sure this needs to be done sooner rather than later. I need to come to grips with it, know my God is with me, and prepare for the recovery because I fully anticipate the surgery will make things much better.
I will be praying for you that you will have a great surgery experience and be better than before! Please update on how your recovery is going.
Amy Steele Craig, you are in my prayers for peace during these last hours of waiting, for a successful surgery a ... Read more
Amy Steele Craig, you are in my prayers for peace during these last hours of waiting, for a successful surgery and swift, uneventful recovery... I'm with Rita on the decision of which valve type to have. There is no one 'correct' choice, but you can make the 'right' choice for you and your lifestyle. Personally, I knew all of my life that I'd need aortic valve replacement, and that I wanted a tissue valve. At 52, I wasn't as young as you, but was considered 'young' for a tissue valve. I am happy with my choice even though I will most likely need some sort of replacement again in a decade (or two -- fingers crossed!). It's a very personal decision and you'll make the right one for you. (as a side note, I asked my surgeon how much advanced notice he needed prior to surgery if I changed my mind about valve choice. He told me that I could make a change in type of valve right up until they wheeled me into the operating room...) OHS isn't a walk in the park, but I have to say that it wasn't nearly as painful and debilitating as I feared it would be.
Be patient with yourself during your recovery. (I REALLY struggled with patience and overdid things a few times early on... I knew when I'd done too much since I was totally wiped out for the next couple of days :-) ) You will feel so much better after 6 to 8 weeks of recovery and feel really good at about 12 weeks. It's better to not think about possible complications, but to keep the big picture in mind, and take each day and challenge as it comes... You can do this!
Catie B I hope writing helps you process your feelings, Craig. It's a very stressful time, leading up to surg ... Read more
Catie B I hope writing helps you process your feelings, Craig. It's a very stressful time, leading up to surgery. Praying things will go smoothly for you throughout.
Pat Munn Please know prayers are sent. The waiting is torture. God Bless!
Barbara Wood I can relate Craig! The waiting was, for me, far more stressful than the surgery & recovery. The firs ... Read more
Barbara Wood I can relate Craig! The waiting was, for me, far more stressful than the surgery & recovery. The first few weeks can be challenging, but you're on the mend & it steadily improves. You sound prepared & ready to roll...best wishes for a smooth surgery & a speedy recovery!
Gerald Poulton Hi Craig, 4 weeks post surgery on Wednesday, feel great and I think you will as well. I agree with ot ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Hi Craig, 4 weeks post surgery on Wednesday, feel great and I think you will as well. I agree with others, dont concentrate on the negative or posible complications from surgery because you may not have any or have very few. I got a couple but nothing that they couldn't take care of right away.
The surgery is scary but you, like I was are in good condition, difference is I am 65. I came out pretty well pain free and am the same today.
As per my journal and pictures, day 0 an hour after surgery I was feeling surprisingly good, went home on day 4 and was sitting on the beach with my lovely wife having a picnic on day 7.
Like most things the worst thing about them can be the fear itself and personally I would say that is definitely the case with my OHS. Definitely !
As per my joutnal, both my cardiologist and my surgeon recommecded a mechanical valve for me and I considered it but because of my lifestyle etc I chose a second operation over living on warfarin and chose the Edwards bovine bio prosthetic valve. After a realatively easy operation and so far recovery I know for me I made the right choice. I plan on being healthy enough for another operation when I need one.
As others say, there is no easy choice, both have consequences, you just have to decide what is right for you, make your choice and then you get to live with itš
Your decision should be what you decide will give you the best life because you have a lot to live. I also believe, big time, that it helps to accept the inevitable and try to stay positive, like I did, find your happy place and be there instead of worrying and definitely be there when they put you outš soon you will be on the recovery side and hopefully realize that your worry was in vain.
Wish you peace of mind, now go and slay that giant. š
Lilly Black Craig, you are my son's age! I can't imagine him going through this surgery, although he has UC outbr ... Read more
Lilly Black Craig, you are my son's age! I can't imagine him going through this surgery, although he has UC outbreaks that are extremely painful and are treated with meds. I'm sending you a HUGE e-hug! You are young and will recover quickly....if I can do it at 64 yrs old, you can do it....you got this, Craig! I have never been so active in my entire life until after my second surgery. I will be 66 years old on the 27th. Nothing stops me from whatever I want to do in life! It's totally scary while waiting for the surgery, but I wish you peace of mind! you will feel so much better afterwards.....take care and keep us posted!
Jane Neulieb Craig, I am having my aortic valve replacement tomorrow also. Everyone says the waiting is the worse ... Read more
Jane Neulieb Craig, I am having my aortic valve replacement tomorrow also. Everyone says the waiting is the worse part. so I know at this time tomorrow the surgery will be done and we will be on the road to recovery and healing. Please keep posting so we will be able to share this venture!!
Marie Myers I am so sorry you have to go through this at such a young age. But on the bright side, because you ar ... Read more
Marie Myers I am so sorry you have to go through this at such a young age. But on the bright side, because you are young, you will recover quickly. Try not to overdue things in the first few weeks! Praying for a good surgery and strong recovery! I know you will do well because this old lady came through it too!
Rose Madura We are all pulling for you. Yes, it can be scary but at the same time, it must be done. I too am sorr ... Read more
Rose Madura We are all pulling for you. Yes, it can be scary but at the same time, it must be done. I too am sorry you must go through this at a young age. Please keep us posted and may God bless you!
Nancy James You expressing your fear and trepidation is a good thing for others like me who will be in the same s ... Read more
Nancy James You expressing your fear and trepidation is a good thing for others like me who will be in the same spot in a couple of weeks. Everyone around me is always saying, "You'll be fine and be better actually." That's all well and good but they aren't the ones going thru it....each experience is different and personal. Because of your age you probably will do great - but as humans we also realize that things can go wrong and that's scary. The reality of what my surgeon said that the scary things that can happen is less than 1% - so our odds are really great. So I want to say good luck, and God bless you....look forward to hearing about your post-surgery story.
Jennifer McInerney Craig, the waiting is tough. Im still waiting but hopeful it will be done soon so I can stop thinkin ... Read more
Jennifer McInerney Craig, the waiting is tough. Im still waiting but hopeful it will be done soon so I can stop thinking about it.sending prayers your way for a successful surgery and speedy recovery
Craig Wise Craig, prayers for you. You're young and healthy. Rita's words on choices resonate with truth to m ... Read more
Craig Wise Craig, prayers for you. You're young and healthy. Rita's words on choices resonate with truth to me. Best to you.
Laura Jacobs All the best for you tomorrow Craig. Sending you positive vibes and well wishes for a smooth surgery ... Read more
Laura Jacobs All the best for you tomorrow Craig. Sending you positive vibes and well wishes for a smooth surgery and recovery. You have youth on your side, and a wonderful, caring family to support you through the recovery. We look forward to hearing how you are doing post surgery.
Mark Hall My prayers are with you too, Craig. You'll make it where you're going.
Craig Irving It's 3am now, I'm up reading your awesome messages to me. I'll keep all of you posted on my recovery. ... Read more
Craig Irving It's 3am now, I'm up reading your awesome messages to me. I'll keep all of you posted on my recovery. Thank you. Gonna try and get at least another hours sleep before heading to the hospital.
Shannon Gray Many, many prayers. I was 42 when I had my surgery, with two young children. Prayers upon prayers for ... Read more
Shannon Gray Many, many prayers. I was 42 when I had my surgery, with two young children. Prayers upon prayers for an uneventful and ease full recovery.
Civita Fahey Best of luck Craig, whichever valve you choose, will be the best for you.. All the fears you have now ... Read more
Civita Fahey Best of luck Craig, whichever valve you choose, will be the best for you.. All the fears you have now will soon be forgotten and you will be on the road to recovery.. I will be praying for you..
Thalia Cecil You got this! Seriously! You are still so young and will recover perfectly. I hope you see all of the ... Read more
Thalia Cecil You got this! Seriously! You are still so young and will recover perfectly. I hope you see all of these when you wake up :)
Hi everybody. My original surgery date of 9/17 has now become 9/5.
I awoke this morning in an instant state of anxiety, and I prayed for help getting ...Read more
Hi everybody. My original surgery date of 9/17 has now become 9/5.
I awoke this morning in an instant state of anxiety, and I prayed for help getting through the next two weeks of worry.
For lunch today I took A ride with my family into a local village which is in a very rural area and no cell service is the norm. As we got out of our car I saw the last name of my surgeon on a license plate except that instead of DeRose it Said Rosie DE. I pointed it out to my family as a sign that I was going to be in good hands. While in the restaurant a call from my wife actually came through on my phone and it was clear. My surgeon couldn't do the original surgery date so I was offered an earlier date of 9/5. I took it! No use in trying to avoid the inevitable.
I wish all of you the best of luck with your future surgeries, and present recoveries. Throw a prayer out there to God when you can, because he's listening to all of us.
Gerald Poulton Nice, by the time your old surgery date gets here you will be almost two weeks into recovery š And ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Nice, by the time your old surgery date gets here you will be almost two weeks into recovery š And by then you should be feeling pretty darn good. I had to delay my first opp date by about 2 weeks and it was such a long wait vecause I just wanted to be on recovery row. Your in good hands my friend š
Bob Gillespie Listen to Gerrie's words, he spoke wisdom to me and wasn't wrong. You'll be out of the hospital now ... Read more
Bob Gillespie Listen to Gerrie's words, he spoke wisdom to me and wasn't wrong. You'll be out of the hospital now before what was your date.
Jennifer McInerney A little stressful but getting it done and over with is a good thing. Putting you on my prayer list.
Mark Hall I'll be praying for you too, Craig. You did the brave thing. Now, roll your burdens upon God, because ... Read more
Mark Hall I'll be praying for you too, Craig. You did the brave thing. Now, roll your burdens upon God, because He cares for you- and you are worth "many sparrows" to Him, whose eye is upon this little bird.
Cris Dykeman A similar thing happened to me, and in the end I was so happy to get the wait time over with. The re ... Read more
Cris Dykeman A similar thing happened to me, and in the end I was so happy to get the wait time over with. The recovery sucks, but the anticipation was definitely worse! Prayers are with You!
Phyllis Petersen The sooner the surgery, the sooner you can move forward. The pre-surgery anxiety is part of the packa ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen The sooner the surgery, the sooner you can move forward. The pre-surgery anxiety is part of the package. Try to find something really enjoyable to do to help you relax.
Civita Fahey Prayers for you Craig. the sooner you get it done the better and you will be onto recovery.
Just had a cardiac catheterization done this morning to make sure that my coronary arteries are good to go. Still undecided as whether to get a bovine or a ...Read more
Just had a cardiac catheterization done this morning to make sure that my coronary arteries are good to go. Still undecided as whether to get a bovine or a mechanical valve. I was leaning toward having the bovine put in first, and hopefully getting a good 10 to 15 years out of it, and then, if nothing better comes along, replace it with a mechanical. The funny thing about this whole situation is that I knew that this was inevitable, but was still surprised by the news from my cardiologist.
Gerald Poulton Hey Craig, I was the same, new it was coming but was shocked when my cardiologist said, can we call ... Read more
Gerald Poulton Hey Craig, I was the same, new it was coming but was shocked when my cardiologist said, can we call in your wife, it is time for your operation.
As for the valve type, it is never an easy answer and you are young for a bovine. I can only suggest you do a lot of research and also see what your surgeon sais about the longevity of a bovine at your age. I am a young active 65, run 10k's and they only gave my bovine 8 - 15 years. I went into my decision with the realization that I would need a second operation but chose that over a life on warfarin. The good news is that the new mechanical valves need less warfarin and there are hopes for a different blood thinner around the corner. Good luck with your decision, the operation may be easier than the decision š
Eric Linnenburger Craig, I can empathize with your situation and the tough decision you have to make. You won't be wron ... Read more
Eric Linnenburger Craig, I can empathize with your situation and the tough decision you have to make. You won't be wrong either way. My situation is similar to yours. Watched my leaky BAV for over 10 years. First heard the murmur at a routine fire department physical at age 30. I was undecided on valve choice for 10 years. The first surgeon I met with acted like mechanical was the only good option at my age. I was ok with coumadin but probably wouldn't have been able to continue working as a firefighter on coumadin. I had all but decided to go with a bovine valve for this reason. After some research I realized I might be a candidate for aortic valve repair since I was mainly leaky and only mildly stenotic. I ended up going to Cleveland Clinic and having the repair done. Bovine was my backup if the repair wasn't possible.
With all that being said, having just had open heart surgery 2 months ago today, I would have still chosen the tissue valve knowing that re-op would be inevitable. However, if my career wasn't in jeopardy, the mechanical valve would have been difficult to look past. There is no wrong choice. It has to fit your lifestyle. When you do make your decision, own it! It'll be a good one.
Kelly Stoll Hi Craig. Surprise happens to most of us I bet. I've known about my BAV since birth. When I called my ... Read more
Kelly Stoll Hi Craig. Surprise happens to most of us I bet. I've known about my BAV since birth. When I called my dad to let him know I need surgery he said "I know it's sooner than you would like, but we've always knew this was coming". It was an oddly comforting comment to hear at the time. I wish you the best with all of your preparations and decisions, your surgery, and (of course) your recovery.
Steve Farthing Of course a tissue valve today may offer the option of a new valve (or two) via transcatheter down th ... Read more
Steve Farthing Of course a tissue valve today may offer the option of a new valve (or two) via transcatheter down the road instead of surgery. Not possible with mechanical.
Clayton Mcarthur Steve is right, going to be a lot of new technology in heart valves and surgery.
Craig Irving Thank you all for your comments and stories. When I make my decision I will own it, and have no regre ... Read more
Craig Irving Thank you all for your comments and stories. When I make my decision I will own it, and have no regrets either way.
Craig Wise Hi Craig. I'm a young, very active 54, and my considerations (and decision) was similar to Gerald's ... Read more
Craig Wise Hi Craig. I'm a young, very active 54, and my considerations (and decision) was similar to Gerald's above. I elected tissue. For now, I feel good about the decision, even though my surgery and complications have been very difficult (and rare). I'm really hoping for an improved, and longer-lasting TAVR, when my valve wears out in 10-15 years. Best to you.
Rose Madura Yes, getting the news is always hard, even when you've known it's coming. I'm 59 and got an Edwards ... Read more
Rose Madura Yes, getting the news is always hard, even when you've known it's coming. I'm 59 and got an Edwards Magna bovine tissue valve. I don't regret the decision. I wouldn't want to go through this type on surgery twice. But the decision is a very personal one.