Kate -
I am sorry you are having a hard time. I will continue to keep you in my prayers and hope you are able to go home this weekend.
Hopefully your family has been by your side and that will bring you the courage and strength you need to get thru this challenge. Hopefully things will brighten up soon. Keep your chin up.
Karen

Hi Kate,
So glad to hear that you're improving! Remember your mantra and keep repeating it. Stay strong, positive, and know that you're surrounded by loving thoughts. We know you can get through this.!
Love and huge hugs,
Sharon, Matt, and Daniela

We need update on Kate please...

Hello Katie, Glad to hear you are doing so good tom side to say hi and that he loves you very much has do I.

Hi Katie I am so glad that you are doing great. My sister Betty and I are thinkig about you every day. love flo

Hi Kate,
Glad to hear you have the breathing tube out! I am praying that every day gets easier and easier. How nice to have your childhood friend with you!!
Kerry Thomas

Hi Kate. Glad to hear that things went well, and hope you're feeling better each day. Hope the 7-year-old is doing well, too.

Mike P.

Kate, glad your surgery is behind you and now you can focus on healing and feeling better every day! Continuing to pray for your recovery!
Holly

Hi Kate,
I was so happy to hear that the surgery went well. And you got the breating tube out quickly--good, good. I prayed for you and the DRs. yesterday and will continue. Just keep in mind that this is a healing process and you WILL be better. The first 2-3 days can be tough but they will pass. Take good care. You are in my prayers.
Arlene

Hi katie glad to hear that you are off the tube hope your night is better.
Love flo

Hi Kate,
Glad to hear your breathing tube came out. Hope you're feeling better tomorrow!

Nancy B

Way to go Kate! So glad to hear your surgery went well. Sorry to hear you had a rough night, but those memories will fade soon enough and you are past the difficult part. Will say a prayer that your recovery from here on out is relatively pain free.

I'm less than 48-hours out now and glad to hear some good news from a fellow HVJ-er. Keep up the great work and will be looking for your first post.

Hello Kate,

I saw our friends post, so glad all went well with your surgery. I will keep you in my prayers as you go through recovery.

I have mitral valve prolapse/regurgitation and am having mine repaired by Dr. Eric Roselli at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. I researched Dr. Adams, but decided New York was such a long way from Dayton, OH.

Take care and God bless. Denise K

GOOD WOMAN.SOUNDS LIKE YOU "ACED" THIS ONE.
LOVE, MARION AND PHIL

Kate, Thrilled to hear that it all went well and that you are on the road to recovery. Keep up your awesome strength -- inside and out!

-Beth

Sorry forgot to sigh my name! Courtney Crowley :)

Hi Kate! So happy to hear the surgery went well. I am thinking of you and praying for a speedy recovery :)

Congrats Kate, you made it through the surgery. As always my prayers and thoughts are with you. Keep up the good work. It sounds like you have great support. Looking forward to more updates. XO, Judy

Hi Kate,

Wonderful to hear the surgery went well. You remain in my prayers. I wish you a speedy recovery. Looking forward to updates as you are feeling better.

Love,
Patricia Lofberg

Hi Stacey-
I cannot recall was this to be a repair and if so were they able to repair and if not what type of replacement valve did Kate opt for? Was this the standard open heart or did they do the under the breast and up through the leg? My surgery is late next week and I need to finalize those decisions. Thanks-Karen

Sounds like the surgery went well, that is great news. I am sure it will be nice to get the tube out and see and speak to her husband, son and friends like yourself.

Please continue to update us on her progress.

Karen

katie tommy and i prayed for you all day , GOD is good . We LOVE you
flo,al,and tommy

Woo-hoo! Great news. Let the healing begin -- DVB

Fantastic. I'm so glad to hear that the surgery is complete, with such good news.
- Jim Smith

Hi Kate,
We are ecstatic to hear the surgery went well! We're hoping and praying that you have a smooth and easy recovery!
Love,
Sharon, Matt, and Daniela

That's awesome! Great news that the surgery went well. Now on to rest and recovery.

Jimmy Johnson

Go Kate!!! I'm upstairs on 7west and feeling better every day. I'll be walking the floors with Kate in no time. It just gets better from here.
Selma

Excellent news! Thank you so much for letting us know. Please give my best to Kate!

Nancy B

Kate, my thoughts and prayers are with you as you climb this mountain tomorrow! Stay strong and determined, and before you know it you will be on your way home! You really don't need much at the hospital, some chapstick and maybe a neck pillow. Hopefully you will have someone to be with your husband during the day, to keep him company. I know it's very scary, but you are in excellent hands.
Holly P

Kate, my thoughts and prayers are with you as you climb this mountain tomorrow! Stay strong and determined, and before you know it you will be on your way home! You really don't need much at the hospital, some chapstick and maybe a neck pillow. Hopefully you will have someone to be with your husband during the day, to keep him company. I know it's very scary, but you are in excellent hands.
Holly P

Kate--best of luck with your procedure--you are in the best of hands! New York is easy to get around--it's a city of neighborhoods, so there are lots of little markets (bodegas) and restaurants. All of us loved Yo In, Yo Out, a French bistro on Lexington--the owner is so warm and friendly, and the food is great, the crepes especially! Yura on Madison down from the hospital has the best omelettes in the world! And I liked My NY deli on Lexington (we stayed at a guest house on Lexington). Pizza--go to Famous Famiglia. Gong Modern Thai--very small place but the most awesome food. You will do just fine--you may even get out in time to have some of the food, depending on how long you're staying after the surgery. God bless--you are in our prayers!
Jim and Donna Smith

Hi Kate,
I'm one of the "graduates." Dr Adams and his team repaired my mitral and tricuspid valves and did a Maze procedure on March 13. You're going to one of the best hospitals in the world to have your heart fixed. I expect you've thought of this already, but once you leave ICU the days can get long while you're on the floor, gradually getting stronger and getting ready for discharge. You'll need frequent naps, especially because night time sleep is problematic. I'm glad I had a wide selection of things to do to pass the time and to "rehab" my brain - several books, magazines, puzzles to work, audio books. Didn't use television at all in the room (presence of roommates being one reason).

I'll be praying for you on Monday.
- Jim Smith

Kate, Good luck during your operation an recovery. We will be thinking of you. Biggest advise I can give is just to relax. Hard as that might be....It is basically all you can do because everyone is going to be working for you. Bring some ear plugs or ask for some if you can't sleep at night. It gets noisy in the ICU. LOL...Sleep...Yeah right!
God Bless
Paul G.

Hi Kate,
I know it's a lot to deal with and that surgery can be a bit scary, but you have a great medical team and a great support system thinking of you and praying for you! Try to stay positive and relaxed this weekend. As someone once told me, "the only way out is through." And you will get through and you will ultimately feel so much better!! Hugs, love, and prayers,
Sharon, Matt, and Daniela

Kate- My prayers and thoughts are with you! Hang in there! Just imagine how much better you will feel when you recover. Love you and God bless you Kate-Love Jean Zwahr

Hi Kate, Stacey helped me negotiate this journal site, being the inept computer person I am I needed help, but here I am sending you loads of hugs and kisses. Of course this won't be easy, but it will be so great in some months from now when you are feeling so much better and its all over. We are thinking of you all the time and are confident you will be fine. You just have to get thru it. The hospital is the best and so is the surgeon and you will have amazing people there taking care of you. You know you are in our hearts. Love, Susan

Hi Kate, I'm sure things are pretty overwhelming for you as it looks like things are happening fast for you! I thought I had cried all my tears before the surgery day, but the morning of surgery as we were walking up to the admissions desk it all became so real and the tears just started. I wanted to be strong for my family, so they didn't last long, but it's like my body and mind needed that last "release" before heading in to surgery. It is also true that you will experience that calm before the big day. I will be following your journey and you are in my prayers!
Holly P

Hi Kate-
My name is Karen and I too was recently diagnosed. My surgery consult is Monday the day of your surgery.
I have an 11 year old son so I understand your wondering how to handle this with him. I tried to talk to him yesterday and he played the tough little guy reminding me everything was going to be OK and he didn't need to talk to his teacher, guidance counseler or friends. However; I did find he talked with his older sister so at least he has an outlet. Did you contact your son's school to let them know what was going on? This has all happened so fast as I was told at 3am Tuesday morn that I am in severe congestive heart failure and need my valve repaired. I called his teacher this am just to keep her in the loop as to what is going on and asked that she not approach him unless she noted behavorial changes or he approached her. We are a close family and he will come to the hospital on surgery day to wait with my husband and his sister. I wish you all the best Monday. You will be in my thoughts and I will say a prayer for you and continue to look for updates about your recovery. Karen

Hi Kate,
Glad your pre op went well. It is a long day, especially when you have to travel.
Best of luck next week. I will be anxiously awaiting for good new post op.

Nancy B

Katie!

I'm so glad that you're taking advantage of this amazing site; all of this encouragement must feel so comforting at this stressful time.

I'm thinking about you every day and, I've said this to you already, I'm looking forward to your feeling better.

See you Tuesday.

Love,
Stace

You will do just fine.

By this time this week you will be well on your way in recovery and getting ready to head home.

Best wishes,

Jerry Vernhout

Hi Kate, Welcome to HVJ you have come to a great place!!! I think for your son as long as you are calm about it he will be too. For me all my kids are already older (18 ,21 and 24) so a bit easier and I've had a heart problem forever so this was not a big surprise for them. You are going to do great and it sounds like a lot of people have gone to Dr. Adams so you are in great hands.

Will check for your updates, take care of yourself!!!

Cindy Pastrano

Kate I think your in good hands with the Doc I like his staff and style. for such a time we are blessed Yea and like 'Selma I think we should have a parade. keep looking up he's looking down

Hi Kate - I did. I drew them pictures as well. I know corny but they loved it. The other thing I did we did was not to bring them to the hospital. I didn't want them to see me with all those thing sticking out of me. It was easier when I came home as they weren't scared of me.

They loved coming to get me at the hospital to come home.

I am 10 weeks post op now. I am doing great. Running 2-5 miles a day. Energy level is high. Enjoying life.

Good luck!!

Jimmy Johnson

Hi Kate,
Welcome to HVJ!
I, too am a mitral valve regurgitator.
I'm beginning to feel left out of the Dr. Adams club! I'm having my surgery on June 4th at Yale University Hospital via mini thoracotomy.
It should be reassuring for you to know others from this board will be joining you. I wish I could find a buddy having surgery along with me!
As far as your son goes, if you are confident, he will act like your surgery is no big deal. I think that's best for kids...no need to worry them. My boys are 20 and 23...not really boys anymore. Part of me wants them to worry because this is a big deal! If something were to happen, I want them to know how much I love them. Yet acting like you may not come back is not very reassuring or realistic. I have every intention to make their lives miserable for many years to come! :)
Take care,

Nancy B

Hi, Kate. You have come to the right place! We have the same diagnosis, the same doctor, and we'll be in the same hospital at the same time.

I'm down for May 11th with Dr. Adams (isn't he great??). Regina Greem is scheduled for the same day, and Bob Spath will be a few days before me. We can have an HVJ parade when we walk the halls of the cardiac unit! I hope you can check out our journals and "get to know us" so when we all meet up at the hospital, we'll be old friends.

I'm having my pre-op tomorrow. There are a whole slew of us having our surgeries next week and the week after, so you'll be in excellent company.

Feel free to be in touch if you have any questions or just need to vent. I look forward to meeting you!
Selma Kaplan

Hi Kate,

You have come to the right spot. I have 3 little ones 6 and under and I was worried how they would respond when I told them. The were actually pretty good. I tried not to let them see I was scared but I was honest and answered any question they had.

I am doing well now. You may want to check out my Journal as it may be helpful..

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions at all.

Jimmy Johnson AVR 2/20/12

Hi Kate,

Welcome to Heart Valve Journals!

You are in great hands with Dr. Adams.

Let me know if you need anything!

Keep on tickin!
Adam Pick