Duane's Guestbook

Duane Beeman  Just checked in for the first time in a while. Glad you enjoyed the post. If I didn't laugh, I'd cry. It's not always easy but it sure beats the alternative.

Duane Beeman  Just checked in. So happy for you....and for your dad. Now go live your new life....it' a good one.

Duane Beeman  He's in Brandon......he hates me. Just kidding !!! Muhammad Ali once observed that, "a man who looks at life at 50, the same way he did at 20. has wasted 30 years of his life." I feel the same way about heart surgery !! Every day from here on out is a gift....pure, simple and undeniable.

Duane Beeman  My adventure was the exception to the rule. I believe it can't get much worse than what I went through, so you SHOULD be encouraged. They replaced my ascending aorta with dacron, threw in a heart valve and sent me to ICU in "extremely critical condition". Then the fight really got started !! Civita....I promise you that you'll be sitting in the sunshine two months from now and all will be well with your world.

Duane Beeman  Bovine valve Peter. I did not visit the lab as I didn't think it would make any difference in my decision. I think the longevity of each valve differs based upon the age, make-up and lifestyle of the recipient. I am glad you are well. I know people that are on year number 14

Duane Beeman  Life is an unknown, eh ?. You buy your ticket and take your chances. I don't worry about it. I just get up every day and understand that if this happened forty years ago I'd probably be a dead man. I consider each day going forward a gift of medical science

Duane Beeman  I was born and raised in Traverse City but now live Hubbard Lake near Alpena Michigan. I went from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron !!

Duane Beeman  Larry: That food was worse than they feed people in jail !! I ate a steak tonight and I'm heading for the ice cream soon, My Michigan Wolverines lost by a point so I'm pouting....it's ALL good brother. We'd be headstones if this would have happened to us fifty years ago ! Suck up all the air you can, cause I'm breathing deep. Take care

Larry Ring  Too funny that we have such parallel tracks. I'm an attorney too...(hated to admit that to the medical team that supported me through this journey)...
Back to work in five weeks....my youngest daughter is finishing nursing school so retirement isn't in the cards...LOL...
Sole practitioner, so definitely honing down the stress levels at work.
So you've stopped drinking completely? If so...good for you! But now...do you wish you'd opted for mechanical? LOL...
I, too, have a bovine valve...left the choice up to my surgeon who assured me (like yours) that he would select the best option once he "saw" the valve area.
I am banking on TAVR in 15-20 years if the cow valve needs replacing.
I am thankful that I don't have to take warfarin for the rest of my life...don't have to worry about what/how I eat...and can have the occasional binge night...LOL
So great to connect with you.

Duane Beeman  Wow. What a coincidence. You think the practice contributed to our current circumstances ? I was fortunate that I had some good years before this happened and paid all my debt off before the steam roller hit me. Practiced in the Detroit Metro area most of my career. Also, I'm VERY lucky that I had a long term disability policy in place. It covers me until I'm 65 and then I'm on my own I guess. It's not the heart valve replacement that took me out of circulation or rendered me "disabled". It's the aortic dissection. I have to take 850 milligrams of blood pressure meds every day to maintain a satisfactory level and to keep the dissection stable. That alone makes it pretty tough to function at times. I just have to take everything slow now. Sometimes when I stand up I have to close my eyes and compose myself for 10 seconds to make the dizziness go away. I also had a stroke during surgery that has impacted my ability to focus at times. Not a good trait for an attorney. As far as drinking, I will swear under oath that I have not had a drop of hard liquor since my surgery......and I was a pro back in the day. I do have an occasional glass of wine and I will have a beer but I ain't even on the charts compared to what I did back in the day. Should have done this years ago, but it seemed like a good idea at the time !! You're not kidding about re-thinking the mechanical valve thing. I'm scared to death of replacement surgery. But I am truthfully living a simple life now. I loved the practice and the fight at the time, but in retrospect, it was all bullshit. I'm enjoying this "no stress" life more than you can imagine. I would have NEVER have quit practicing but for this physical problem, but I have no regrets. I'm loving the forced relaxation. I was steelhead fishing on the AuSable River last week on a sunny Tuesday morning, thinking about the poor bastards sitting in a courtroom or office somewhere, selling their heartbeats for a dollar. I just smiled and thanked God for kicking my ass and giving me this opportunity to live like a man should.

Larry Ring  I had a bicuspid aortic valve...congenital defect...and the sequela of events (calcification...stenosis...aneurysm) seems to be quite common. When the bad valve was first found (10 years ago), my cardiolgist said I had a 50/50 chance of needing replacement surgery by the time I was 70. I drew the short straw and needed it at 59. LOL....
I have kept my stress level as low as possible since opening my own practice. So, no...I don't think it contributed...
Now trying to lower stress levels even further...LOL...we shall see.

Duane Beeman  I was two years from diagnosis to replacement. At least I didn't have long to agonize over it. Bicuspid aortic valve just like you....

Duane Beeman  Thanks Cynthia. It's been the battle of my life, but it has CHANGED my life. I'm still the same "tell it like it is" guy, but I'm a lot more humble in the process. I found out just how tenuous our grasp on this planet really is. I'm devoted to enjoying every second of it I have left. Best of luck to your sister, if she needs somebody to correspond with, give her my name.

Lilly Black  Duane, I requested information and didn't receive anything. How can I attend the patient day? Do you know?

Adam Pick  Hey everybody, Here's some information about 2016 Patient Day. http://www.edwards.com/aboutus/patientday

Duane Beeman  Actually I've been up north at my cabin getting some things done. I have no internet access up there, but I'm OK with that. Thanks for writing. I appreciate it. And one of these days I will share that joke.....if I ever remember what we were talking about !!

Duane Beeman  Beaumont or Ann Arbor are the only two places to be, in my humble opinion. Beaumont was my final choice.

Duane Beeman  I am pretty involved in the Beaumont System, given that my cardiologist is also part of that system. Also, doctor Sakwa (Beaumont) specializes in minimally invasive surgery. Finally, in the recent U.S News and World Report rankings of cardiac centers Beaumont was ranked 25th in the nation in contrast to Ann Arbor's Frankel Center, which was ranked 50th. At the end of the day they are both outstanding heart centers. No other Michigan hospital was ranked anywhere near those two.

Jean Raber  Duane, thanks. If you don't mind question bombardo, what was your experience with staff, nurses (other than wanting to throttle the one who kept bringing you the heart healthy gruel)? Did the hospital get records to your regular doc in a timely fashion? Did the hospital lose records or were there scheduling screw-ups along the way?

Not persuaded that I shouldn't have my MV repair done at the regional hospital, which I have fond feelings for. But Beaumont would be cheaper and closer than Cleveland Clinic given current insurance situation.

Duane Beeman  Cleveland Clinic is, no doubt, the top dog. As far as staff at Beaumont, I could not have asked for better care. All records were on line and accessible to those whom I permitted access. My primary care physician and cardiologist were timely informed of all developments

Jeanette Davidson   Thx Barry that is good to hear. I think I missed that announcement. I believe it was probably around the time of my surgery.

Nancy D  I am still seeing progress at 10.5 months, much more subtle than before, but I think NEW normal will be 12 months.... Celebrate the little progresses as they add up quicker than the big ones!! The days your body says NO, rest and deep breathe often and those days will space out further and further! Forward progress!!! Take good care!

Mary Myers  Welcome home Duane, It is so nice having you back. Home sweet home is the best! Remember to take baby steps and sleep when your body needs it! Healthy hugs!

Cheryl Batzing  Duane--what Tammy said! Hope you are recovering well and can't wait until you feel up to posting again.