Guestbook of Meredith Bray

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Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

40 days ago

Meredith Bray, Stephanie Cole, Daneen Douglas reacted to this

Ruth joy posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hi Meredith ,
Congratulations on your ten year anniversary !!!

Stephanie Cole Congratulations!! What a blessing

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

40 days ago

Meredith Bray reacted to this

Dan Sinclair posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hey Meredith,

So glad you are doing well!

Take Care, Enjoy Life!

Dan

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

411 days ago

Ruth joy posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hi Meredith ,
Congratulations on your eight year anniversary !!! I hope you had fun celebrating

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

415 days ago

Jason Hyrup posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hi Meredith.

Can i ask you a few questions about the on X Mechinical Valve.
8 years is a nice milestone. You Just have 50+ more to go.

Dose ...Read more

Hi Meredith.

Can i ask you a few questions about the on X Mechinical Valve.
8 years is a nice milestone. You Just have 50+ more to go.

Dose the Valve Noise, if any... bother you?

How long, was the recovery, from your surgery? Did you ever feel you recovered 100%.

(INR ) Any blood thinner issues you may have had. What Adjustments to (life style and diet), you had to make, to manage your INR?
What is your INR # goal.. 1.5 to 2.0?

Did you have any emotional issues from the valve replacement? I have heard some people do. Is it... or Was it... a concern?

Thanks for any advise, and comments, that you, (or any other heart patients on this site) could leave concerning these questions.

Please feel free to leave any other important info you think i should know concerning the on X Aorta valve replacement.

I really think the On X is going to be my valve selection going foward. So Anything i sould know before my selection would be awesome!

Thanks

Meredith Bray Hi Jason! Thanks for reaching out - I remember how hard it was to ask questions.
VALVE TICKING: I find the clicking to be comforting. Most of the time I can't hear it. Even in a silent room, it can be tough to hear if my body is in a specific position. Have you ever been underwater and hear someone knocking two rocks together underwater for maybe 20 yards away? Oddly specific I know, but that's what it sounds like to me. My husband can hear it sometimes.

RECOVERY TIMELINE - Everyone is different. I was sitting up in a chair within a few hours of waking up after surgery, and went for my first walk later that day (it was only a few steps, but there I was). I was a bus driver then, I went back to work after 12 weeks and felt fine. (I rode roller coasters before I went back to work). I would say that 9 years later I'm at 99%. Something weird that I cane out of recovery with is I really can't roll over in bed without looking like a floppy fish, and I did not have that issue before.

INR- I took about 6 months to settle in to a dosage that kept me in the typical valve replacement range of 2.5-3.5. I had a lot of bruising. I've never had a bleeding issue. About 2 years after surgery I received a letter from FDA stating the On-X valve had been approved for a lower INR. I took the letter to my doctor, and we changed my range to 1.5-2.5. I go to the "coumadin clinic" nurse at my cardiologist office about every 6 weeks. I take several other maintenance medications, so adding another daily pill wasn't a big deal for me. I have absolutely NOT changed my diet or lifestyle because of the medication. I just can't eat 5 servings of kale in a week (thank goodness!)

EMOTIONAL ISSUES I'm not sure. I mean I was a complete wreck for about a month prior to surgery. I came out of the hospital with a positive outlook - we planned a vacation for 4 months post op and I was really looking forward to it. I know some people have difficulty, and the best advise I can give is to have something to look forward to.

VALVE SELECTION My cardio wanted me to get a bio valve, and my surgeon wanted to give me the On-X valve, and both were very upfront about going along with whichever choice I made. I trusted them and did not research other options.

ADVISE - you'll feel better when you have a surgery date instead of waiting. The waiting is the hardest part, in my opinion. Get a travel pillow to hold your head up when you're sleeping in your recliner. Practice standing up from a chair without using your arms. Get something to sit on in the shower. You'll need a lot of rest - here's how to get good rest instead of waking up in the recliner with sore shoulders: Use your travel pillow for your neck. Get 2 bed pillows and use them to support your arms. Get another pillow and put it under your knees. I slept in the recliner a lot for about 3 weeks because I couldn't get out of bed on my own and didn't want to wake someone up every time I needed to walk or go to the bathroom.

POSTURE - practice excellent posture! It's natural to lean over and protect your chest area post-op. Stand up as straight as you can, hold your head up high. Get those core muscles back in shape. You'll have a lot of back and shoulder pain from the operating position and the drain tubes. Make sure you get up and stand up tall like a king/queen/giant dragon/whatever every time you use your breathing therapy device. It WILL help with your back pain and recovery.

I could write forever about my recovery. Feel free to read through my journal. Ask more questions!

Meredith

Oak Ridge TN (formerly Clearwater FL)

PS keep a sense of humor and lose your modesty for the hospital, lol

Greg Lewis Great response, Meredith! My Dad taught me, " you hang your dignity by the door on your way in, and p ... Read more

Greg Lewis Great response, Meredith! My Dad taught me, " you hang your dignity by the door on your way in, and pick it up when you leave " 😁

Jason Hyrup Thanks Meredith for responding so fast. Your reply will help me, and maybe others here. I will check ... Read more

Jason Hyrup Thanks Meredith for responding so fast. Your reply will help me, and maybe others here. I will check your journal ASAP.
Again thanks

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

877 days ago

Meredith Bray reacted to this

Lauren posted a note for Meredith that says:

Thank you so much. Your experience was truly helpful. Appreciate you sharing it helped ease the stress .

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

878 days ago

Lauren Bongiovanni posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hi Meredith, thank you so much for reporting ding to my question on dealing with sleep apnea. The added complication just scares the hell out of me. Your ...Read more

Hi Meredith, thank you so much for reporting ding to my question on dealing with sleep apnea. The added complication just scares the hell out of me. Your comments were quite comforting. I did have a couple of questions regarding your experience with them setting up your CPAP if you would not mind answering. I assume you were on a breathing tube - respirator coming out of surgery so what was the timing of you using the CPAP. We’re they able to remove the breathing tube earlier and replace it with the oxygen enhanced CPAP? How long before you were able to use the CPAP without the oxygen? I am hoping to use your good experience to setup something similar. Thank you for all your posts And insights. Iam sure they are helpful to many more that fear their surgeries. Thank you. Lauren

Meredith Bray Hi Lauren,
The ventilator tube was removed before I woke up - I have no recollection of it at all (ve ... Read more

Meredith Bray Hi Lauren,
The ventilator tube was removed before I woke up - I have no recollection of it at all (very thankful - hope it works that way for you as well!) When I woke up I only had the oxygen in my nose. The guy put the cpap on me after dinner-time (I don't think I ate anything). I think there was oxygen on the cpap for the first 3 nights? The reason the guy put my mask on for me was because I couldn't lift my arms up over my shoulders. Surgery was on Wednesday morning, and I put it on myself for my Friday afternoon nap.
The waiting is the worst part of all because you don't know what to expect. Recovery was far less scarier than I imagined it would be. FAR less.

You're in great hands at CC, and you have youth on your side :)

Meredith
Clearwater, Florida

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

1257 days ago

11/8/20 This is all a bit too new for me to feel in control of it or have my mind wrapped around it... but I loved your post and will re-read it multiple times! ...Read more

11/8/20 This is all a bit too new for me to feel in control of it or have my mind wrapped around it... but I loved your post and will re-read it multiple times! Thanks!

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

1333 days ago

Kevin Bell posted a note for Meredith that says:

Hey Meredith Thanx , Being Totally Alone @ this Time is Tough. Kinnda funny Ur 1st Surgery was on My Aunt's B-Day,(3-5) 1 yr Later Ur post on 3-6 was My B-Day ...Read more

Hey Meredith Thanx , Being Totally Alone @ this Time is Tough. Kinnda funny Ur 1st Surgery was on My Aunt's B-Day,(3-5) 1 yr Later Ur post on 3-6 was My B-Day . The Lord Work's in Mysterious Way's. as for My story that was just the Tip of an Iceberg! LOL Being krazy is My Best ADD Trait . ( Robin William's is our Poster Child. ( Heck found him again in The Surgery Book ) LOL I have 2 Live Just to Tell The Rest of The Story ! Other than Living It -- It's hard 2 Believe other than God has a Plan. Still Trying to navigate this Site + anyhoo It's All GOoD ! ck out My Facebook Page Kevinwmbell lansing MI . p.s. ( my Echo was on My Mom's B-Day - Glad 2 know she is in Heaven. ) luvK

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

1572 days ago

Meredith Bray reacted to this

Lori posted a note for Meredith that says:

Thanks for your reply Meridith. The surgeon I met with was Dr. Heric, whom I really liked. I am going to talk to my cardiologist Tues when I get my Cath to ...Read more

Thanks for your reply Meridith. The surgeon I met with was Dr. Heric, whom I really liked. I am going to talk to my cardiologist Tues when I get my Cath to see about getting a second opinion as I still have So much uncertainty & anxiety.

Meredith Bray Absolutely! If you feel you'd like a second opinion, by all means go for it! It looks like Heric is i ... Read more

Meredith Bray Absolutely! If you feel you'd like a second opinion, by all means go for it! It looks like Heric is in the same office as Rovin & Ofenloch. I know it sounds weird, but the worst part for me was the waiting. Once I had my surgery date I calmed down a lot. The day before my surgery, I almost drove myself to the hospital to see if they could get an earlier start. Everything will be so much easier once you have the date, and then once the actual surgery is over and you can focus on recovery.

Meredith Braygot a new guestbook post

1578 days ago

Lori posted a note for Meredith that says:

Omg .. your a breath of fresh air. I live in Newport Richey FL and like you will be having my surgery done @ Morton Plant. I am 56 & very Healthy aside from ...Read more

Omg .. your a breath of fresh air. I live in Newport Richey FL and like you will be having my surgery done @ Morton Plant. I am 56 & very Healthy aside from having a bicuspid aorta valve. I met with my surgeon on 12/31 and my cardiologist will be doing a carb on 12/31. So many fears and right now my biggest concern is choosing the right valve for me. My surgeon recommends a newer bovine valve to avoid blood thinners but I Then become faced with a potential 2nd surgery @ some point. I am not a candidate now for TAVR but should a 2nd surgery be needed I could do. I think if I can choose a valve And be 100% sure of my choice I can Hopefully work through some of what I’m feeling. Your story gives me hope and so fantastic how well your doing and how positive and upbeat you have remained. I am thankful to have run across your journey and knowing you had it done in Clearwater. Have a Terrific holiday 🎅🏻

Meredith Bray Thanks for posting, Lori! I am incredibly thankful for having my surgery done at Morton Plant! The st ... Read more

Meredith Bray Thanks for posting, Lori! I am incredibly thankful for having my surgery done at Morton Plant! The staff there is amazing, and the food is decent too, ha! Just an FYI - 5 of my coworkers (that I am aware of) have also had valve work done at Morton Plant by Rovin and/or Ofenloch.

Also, whichever valve you choose will be the perfect one for you. My cardiologist suggest one type and my surgeon suggested the other, I did my research and choose what I thought suited me best, and discussed it with both doctors - who then discussed it with each other - and that's what I got. There is no right or wrong choice.

I hope you enjoy your waking up as much as I did!

Meredith
Clearwater, FL