Bethany's Guestbook

Hi Bethany! Just checking in with you. From your last post looks like you are doing great. I know we are both so happy to have this behind us and I feel like we share a very special anniversary date! Continued successful recovery and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Hi Bethany, Glad to see you are doing well and looking great. Onwards and upwards from here. I to will be needing the surgery at some stage I am at the moderate stage of bicuspid aortic stenosis. Take care Michelle from Australia. xxxxx

Hi Bethany, Glad to see you are doing well and looking good. The worst is now over and it's onwards and upwards from here. I am in the moderate stage with a bicuspid aortic valve and will at some stage need the surgery. I am hoping later than sooner. Take care from Michelle in Australia. xxxx

Hi Bethany, my thoughts & prayers will be with you tomorrow as you go into surgery. My surgery was a week before yours. I'm back home again & working on my recovery. You'll have this behind you before you know it. Trust in God & everything will be fine.

Bethany I hsd a bovine valve put in at 67 and now at 73 I still work out 6 days a week. I know it is hard to pick out which valve but what valve did you choose. Bethany you are young so which ever valve you choose you will do great.

Hi Bethany, I'm now going on 6 years with a porcine aortic valve and aortic root replacement surgery. Feel great. I was 55 at the time of the surgery and have honestly never felt better. I didn't realize how run down I was. For me there was very little pain after surgery and I resumed my normal routine within about 2 months. I was driving about 2 weeks after my surgery. At your age your body will heal quickly and you will start to feel good a couple weeks after your surgery. Diet and exercise are key to your recovery. Good luck and stay positive. David Belisle

Hi Bethany, I had heart surgery at Northwestern Hospital almost 1 year ago, (at the ripe old age of 41) October 27, 2014. The doctors, nurses and surgeons at Northwestern are amazing and you are in very good hands! I am happy to answer any questions that you might have!

Bethany - I know the anxiety - it's normal. I had a bovine aortic valve replacement 21/2 years ago. I too was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, but mine held out until I was 70. The thing that got to me was shortness of breadth. I am in great shape - I have weighed 145 lbs for 30 years, spread over a 5'8" frame. I worked out hard the months up to my surgery - I paid attention to my legs & abs. It paid off - I was able to sit up right away & drove the nurses crazy with the pace of my walking. Walking after surgery is key - I had the surgery in Feb, 2013 and by July I was helping a friend build a house. I went back to teaching and am in my 3rd year back. You're young - your recovery will be faster than mine - the whole thing is not a walk in the park, but after 3 days it's not bad. Good luck to you - for the surgeons it's routine. For us it's not.

Bethany, Nearly 21 years ago, when I was 42 years old, I had my bicuspid aortic valve replaced with a St. Jude's prosthetic valve. Within a few weeks, I felt better than I had in years. Lawrence Cohn from Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston performed my surgery. My symptoms were quite severe by the time I had my surgery. I did not know how sick I was until I recovered. My surgery allowed me to raise my children into adulthood. I still work full-time and now have grandchildren to enjoy. I knew from childhood that I had a problem with my heart, but I did not know exactly what it was until years later when medical technology advanced enough to see the valve with an echocardiogram. I can honestly say that I have more energy now than I did before my valve replacement surgery. Good luck with your surgery. Hopefully, your outcome will be as good as mine was.

Bethany- I had AVR surgery for a biscuspid valve as well, in November 2013. My surgeon was Dr. Luis Castro at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, CA (that's basically at Stanford in San Francisco). It worked out great and it was much less of an event than I expected it to be. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went. Do not be afraid, you have a great surgeon. I had a mini-sternotomy and chose a porcine tissue valve. You will find the recovery process is mainly and orthopedic one! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Bill, Reno, NV

Don't worry Bethany, you will do great. You are young so in all likelihood you will recover quickly. Meditation and breathing exercises can be useful to help you be calm while you wait. I think a tissue valve is the way to go. No drugs, no ticking. I wish you all the very best. Scott

Hi Bethany, First my prayers go out to you and your family regarding your upcoming surgery! I know it is a scary thing to think about. I had my bicuspid aortic valve replaced in Nov. 2013 at the age of 46 at Vanderbilt. (They never found my BAV until after the birth of my second child around age 32!) I, too, decided to go with a tissue valve and did the Trifecta bovine valve. I carry the genetic haplotypes that don't allow me to process mold or chemicals (making me very sensitive to a lot of medications, etc.) -- so I knew that coumadin could be life-threatening for me and would probably cause more problems than having to do a re-op 10-15 years down the road. I've always been very active -- and love to exercise, etc. Once you get through the initial recovery of the sternum -- things get a lot easier. I still have occasional aches in my ribs -- but physiotherapy has helped tremendously (recommend this for ALL heart patients, but you have to wait at least 6 months after surgery...) Again, will keep you and your family in our prayers! My boys were a little older when I had surgery (teenagers) -- so they were able to help along with my incredible husband. Just know that the first month or so is rough -- but sounds like you should do great -- and will be good to go for awhile! I'd be glad to answer any questions about my experience! Blessings, Maureen

hey Bethany. i recently had the Ross procedure with Dr. Stelzer in Mt. Sinai. I'm extremely pleased with the outcome. I'm available if you need any support