Caregiver's Guestbook

Praise the Lord! We were very concerned when no word came out on Eleanor post-op. Finally put out an APB for anyone who had possibly heard from or of her. We have been steadily praying and waiting for news, and the news is fantastic!!! Just wish it could have come sooner. I know Gigi (Geri) would have liked to know that Eleanor is doing fine before Gigi went into surgery today. Now she can know and take that concern off her list. Thank you for posting on behalf of your mother. Please let her know how much she is loved and that prayers continue for healing. Bless you all!

Erica and Eleanor- Very important! I don't know if Geri will get this wonderful news in time(hope so) as She is scheduled for Her surgery this morning at 7:00a.m. Virginia time! Praying even now here in California Thank you God for all of your Blessings. Universe your are Awesome. God Bless one and all in Heartland and the World!

Dear Daughter Erica and Mom Eleanor! FANTASTIC NEWS THIS MORNING! Greatest of ways to greet the morning today as we have all been excited and getting a little concerned. You did a good thing daughter! We have been thinking(Gary and I as of last night that your Mom was going to sail through this and get home and surprise us all with a very detailed and thorough account of her own personal journey! Gary also thought you might not have had time due to the timing to get to a computer easily. Little did we know she was doing so well. A Grand Community of Hearts are lightened by this wonderful news. Very sorry about the pain medication and glad it got sorted out in time to go home! Glad the chair is working out as well as I have been practicing on mine for my event. Please tell your Mom how very proud of her I am that She has done nothing but show strength and Faith from the beginning of her Journey and is such a role model Patient we will have to find a way to reward her, chuckle. I think an "Academy of Hearts is in order! Love to you both! I guess Ginger will have to take off the APB she had out on your Mother. Oh my, the relief of knowing She is already home and you are with her.... What a beautiful sight to imagine! Tell her to take it easy and that I am sending love and healing prayers. So Happy. Gary is relieved as well as He has heard nothing but "wish we would hear from Erica and Eleanor all week! Take care you two! Love!

thank you Erica and Eleanor, I never realized a rental place for medical supplies. I will also check with Medicare to see if they will cover medical supplies needed, wedge pillows, recliner,etc. will keep you informed best wishes Geri

I'm curious heart valve conspirators, my blood pressure has always been normal, on the low side, lately very low, 70/66 and I don't feel as stable as previously, meaning sometimes I feel inclined to lean with some balance problem, is the low b.p. related to the stenosis aortic valve? I will send my cardiologist a note and ask

thanks Eleanor for the website, very insightful info, I will attempt getting some meditation lessons, it may aide in the bumpy road, possible depression post of

thanks Eleanor, I ordered the Adam Pick book, should arrive soon, I will go over to Preston's in the neighborhood to see what items they have, also CVS. I can really feel the drag on my heart when going outdoors in this heavy heat and humidity weather to do simple things like emptying the garbage, delayed having the surgery for several years, I hope and pray the damage to heart muscles is minimal. I tend to over research, analysis/paralysis but best to be prepared I will recall nursing/rehab facilities next week to check on availabilities both my sons will visit at different times soon after the surgery so I won't feel completely abandoned! will get some wedge pillows and possibly a recliner chair, I found one online at Macy's but stores don't have it in stock, will check out some other places (also) Is Dr. Speir intending for your surgery the full sternum cut or the abbreviated, hopefully he thought I could get the abbreviated cut, faster recovery time. thanks for the additional website, I will look into it. my pre surgical physicals are Friday 7/11 at two places, are yours the same day or earlier date? Happy 4th and thanks for all your kind help

Hi Eleanor. At 69 you are still considered young by most of the surgeons. Being 65 I am a spring chicken! I have to say that I, too, knew nothing about valve problems in the heart world and boy, you are right that there is another world of eye-opening things to learn about this wonderful and amazing part of us. I attributed my beginning symptoms to being out in the 113 degree heat where I was living at the time and going to much outdoors in combination with just being in my 60"s. Just as surprised once the education of Valve Stenosis came into light! About the tissue valve we will be getting in our surgeries. I will be happy if the tissue valve is a good fit and have confidence in the surgeon that He is successful in placing it! I am, like you ready to get the show on the road. We will be patient and have nothing but positive thoughts that we will all be great and that it will be successful, OK? Love and a hug to Erica. I am looking at a lift chair this weekend and not sure if we will buy or rent with the 4th of July sales going on! Have a great 4th of July and stay safe!

Hi Eleanor and Erika, it is so comforting to know about this heart valve journal, I just sent Jaime,  Dr.Speir's nurse practitioner assistant an email and asked about the selection of the tissue valve, she said it is determined at time of surgery by Dr. Speir, also she asked that I send her the link to this Heart Valve Surgery site which I just did. I am learning so much from this site and thank everyone for their kindness and caring feeling with sharing thoughts. I am not fortunate to have close by family members, I will hopefully seem them post surgery , this site is strengthening my focus and positive feelings in having the surgery, I was told several years ago to have it but hoped that the new less invasive surgery would be an option, at present only to high risk patients, while I delayed the surgery my heart muscles will weaken so hoping to get it over with asap.

Nice to meet you Eleanor! I will be interested in what your Dr.s have to say about the tissue valves. My surgeon just said that they seem to be using the bovine and after looking at the mechanical and bovine "sample's he had to show me on his desk just happy they have a way of replacing the new one with the old! It is amazing! Isn't it? You keep reading on this site we are blessed to have been born at a time this is available to us to save our lives and it just has to make you feel gratitude and very, very lucky. Before I learned about Aortic Stenosis I had no idea how many people had valve problems like we all do. More and more people are coming to this site to join us in this adventure. It is comforting in a way. I hope you and Erica continue to post in your journal so we know how things are going and can add support to you along the way and into your recovery. Say hello to Erica and have a great day today!

Good morning Ladies. Terrie here. Good to hear back. I have been out watering as it will hit 108 here today and I have to stay indoors with "Hunter" my dog. I see the two of you have hit the typical stages of dealing with the diagnosis. Not real easy but something you learn to get through. The education and learning time is pretty amazing! I have also read Adam's book on Heart Valve Surgery(It was the first thing I read in order to prepare myself and get over the reality that I was really heading for surgery. I will check out the sites you suggested as it is one of them that I missed. Thanks for pointing it out as I am interested in the "Tips"!. I am also going to rent a recliner for home and appreciated the mention as it was something I hadn't checked into. It would seem especially helpful. I hope things will go smoothly as you continue up the path we are heading "Mom" and really glad to see how involved Erica is in your life. Not meaning to be disrespectful with the "Mom" but we do not have a name for her yet! My husband Gary and a few good neighbors are pitching in with helping out and letting Hunter in and out, feeding while Gary is away with me during the surgery time and after I come home. It is nice to have the help and especially a family member who cares so deeply! Blessings be to all the caregivers out there! Let us keep in touch as we go forward and I look forward to being a part of your lives as so many of us do become on this site! I have to head outside a few minutes so I will leave you with good thoughts, best wishes and peace!

Hi again, I see you reside in Falls Church, I reside in Arlington near Marymount college. My husband passed 12 years ago , he was a stroke patient and also Parkinsons', the blood thinner Cumidin used at that time may save one from stroke but thins blood and may cause death, he was falling a lot and developed a hematoma (injury to brain) reason I write this is I DO NOT WANT TO GET BLOOD THINNER for remainder of life, so do not opt for the mechanical valve, I use a baby aspirin daily , even that causes bruising

Hi, I just discovered this site by chance, I am having aortic valve surgery at INOVA FAIRFAX on July 16 and saw your guestbook, I live alone so am visiting nursing/rehab centers for after surgery, I think your Mom and I will have the same surgeon, Dr.A.Speir ? if so, very interesting. I was told either bovine or porcine valve will be used for me, I will try to learn more, God Bless and good luck to your Mom

Hello Erica and "Mom"! Just read your response and will write in the morning as I am headed for bed at 10:30 here and up at 2:30 a.m. most mornings! Look forward to adding on to this post in the morning. Be in touch-

Hello both of you! I just read your post this morning. Welcome to the site where I hope you will find the support you/we all need! My name is Terrie and I am 66yrs. old and lined up with Aortic Valve Surgery on Aug. 20th. I see the date for your Mom has been set for July 14th. which I am sure is a good reason for your insomnia and loneliness. I am sure that there are many patients on this site with caregivers who know best how to reply to your questions and hope they come forward to give you support. My husband will be taking the roll of caregiver for me and has(like I am sure you are)been the most important person in my life as we move forward towards surgery. You say you are an only child which must make it harder not having the added support system. I can relate as it is just my husband and I and now friends I am making online that have been a blessing to me and can be a blessing for you both. The most important thing is that you have reached out(like I did not too long ago)to people both patients and caregivers with experiences that can be shared and helpful as you both make your way on this journey to better life and a healthy heart! So I will address the heart valve choice as a patient and say that my question is whether or not you have spoken with your surgeon about this choice. This is where I feel the best information can come from and also it is important that your surgeon is telling you what He She believes is the best choice of valves for you and why. If you already have that information and are leaning towards one or the other then I will just tell you what I have chosen and why. First my surgeon and I decided on the Bovine tissue valve for me. One reason is my age is 65 yrs. I am fairly active in that I swim, bike, garden and up until a couple of years ago kayaked. Of course because of the stenosis these things changed with the onset of symptoms of the valve getting "sicker". The tissue valve itself has a life expectancy and needs to be considered that depending on your Mom's age could require another surgery down the line. The upside to me is that it does not require the blood thinners for the rest of her life that the mechanical valve would. There are many people who, again ill hopefully step in and post their own experiences with both valves which may help you in making this decision easier for you. I hope you hear from them(patients)soon as you can hear from them how they are doing after surgery as well as why they made their decisions. Please know too that with the time coming so quickly both of your emotions will be and have probably been put to the test which will cause your insomnia and loneliness. It is common.. But I encourage you to realize again that you are two of many going through the same things and that taking the attitude that Mom will be better for having this surgery and that You Both will get through this together! It is time to focus on the strength of the love and Faith you have with each other/for one another and how much better Your Mom will be when this is over with. Yes, right now in the moment it is frightening but if you help each other understand that fear isn't good for you both and look at the alternatives this surgery provides, you will be able to focus more on the day to day issues. Making the valve choice is going to take one more big step and again, keep in touch with your surgeon with any questions or fears you have as that is what they expect from you too. They want you to come to them sure and confident that you will receive the best treatment and outcome possible. So no question is a dumb question and you will feel better with having the answers that will also make the anxiety lessen. Less anxiety=better sleep! I imagine that you are very close and that the two of you will be the best thing possible to get your Mom through what lies ahead. Your love and support will be a bonus in re-couping after surgery to say the least. Please stay positive and believe that all will go well. I will keep looking for your posts and hope that you continue to gain strength together while your journey continues. You will have the love and prayers from many of us on this site as you go. Hopefully you will get the information you need especially from caregivers and patients that have the best experiences to share and of course from those of us who are like your Mom, headed for our own surgeries. We have all been where you both are as patients, families, caregivers. so bottom line you are not alone. It would be nice to have a name or nickname to reply to you both! Good Day!