Hey Rebecca good luck with your surgery today. You will soon be on the recovery side and ready to get better! Thoughts and prayers with you and your family. ...Read more
Hey Rebecca good luck with your surgery today. You will soon be on the recovery side and ready to get better! Thoughts and prayers with you and your family.
Susan Lynn Thinking of you, today, Rebecca! We'll be here to welcome you to recovery! ❤
Hi Rebecca, I'm glad you joined this site. These people are amazing on here! I understand your shock with having surgery so soon with you only being in your ...Read more
Hi Rebecca, I'm glad you joined this site. These people are amazing on here! I understand your shock with having surgery so soon with you only being in your 30's. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for how quickly things progress in one person but more slowly than another. Heck, I'm 53 and still think I'm too young! LOL! All I keep thinking is that we have to feel better after the surgery with a fully (correctly) functioning heart. I'll be thinking of you on the 28th and sending good vibes your way!
Arlene VanNorstrand Hello Rebecca, Prayers and best wishes to you as you have surgery this week. This site has given me ... Read more
Arlene VanNorstrand Hello Rebecca, Prayers and best wishes to you as you have surgery this week. This site has given me so much information, support, comfort, and courage to do what I didn’t want to have to do. I had my surgery 9 days ago and cannot believe how fast my body is healing. You can do this.
Rebecca prayers are with you and from this community of the most uplifting individuals I've ever experienced. Reach out to the community if you have any questions. ...Read more
Rebecca prayers are with you and from this community of the most uplifting individuals I've ever experienced. Reach out to the community if you have any questions. I know I did as it got closer. Someone has probably experienced or has had the same question that you have. You are not travelling this journey alone.
Welcome Rebecca! I am 31 and will be having my surgery in December hopefully. We are in this together and we will get through this together! Adam's book ...Read more
Welcome Rebecca! I am 31 and will be having my surgery in December hopefully. We are in this together and we will get through this together! Adam's book was really informative and helped me come up with a list of questions. I meet with my surgeon on Tuesday and will hopefully get more concrete surgery information at that time. Stay positive and don't get sucked too far into the future of unknowns, be prepared and informed, research your surgeons, hospitals, and all your choices. Advocate for your health! The waiting sucks but this is a marathon, not a sprint. I will be praying for you on this journey!
Hi Rebecca,
I also was born with a bicuspid aortic valve -- I had open heart surgery in 2016 to replace my aortic valve and also have an aneurysm repair. ...Read more
Hi Rebecca,
I also was born with a bicuspid aortic valve -- I had open heart surgery in 2016 to replace my aortic valve and also have an aneurysm repair. I was 52. The good news to having this done when you are young: you will recover faster. I was the "young one" on my surgical floor making laps around the other patients as I walked -- don't be fooled -- I was still using a walker at first and hunched over like an old lady....but each day, my strength and endurance improved. I went home after only 4 days in the hospital. But, the recovery (even for a young person) requires patience. You will want to walk each day, but you can't do too much or your body will tell you to slow down. You will be anxious to get back "to normal" but normal is that you will always be a heart patient and have to follow up and pay attention to your health. Because you are young, there will be many considerations on the type of valve -- this is a discussion you really need to have with your surgeon. Do some research first. I did not want to be on blood thinners and so I opted for the bio-prosthetic valve (bovine tissue). I even was invited to Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, CA to see how they make heart valves (Patient Day)….google or look it up on YouTube. Go to Edwards website and look at some of the valve options. I am happy with my choice of valves, but you have to choose what is best for you since you are so young. For me, the idea that my next valve could possibly be done through a TAVR (a catheter instead of open heart) is a plus.....but even if my second valve required OHS, I know I could do it again.....it is a big deal, but I did feel a lot better after recovery....I had not even realized how out of breath I was getting or how hard it was for me to climb a flight of stairs. Wishing you the best -- as your surgery approaches, if you need to reach out -- please feel free. The waiting can be hard....blessings to you!
Lea
Houston, Texas
Great post Lea, thank you. I will also get a bovine tissue valve. Can’t wait to be on this side of ... Read more
Great post Lea, thank you. I will also get a bovine tissue valve. Can’t wait to be on this side of recovery. God bless you