Guestbook of Thalia Faunt

My Guestbook

On February 23, 2010...

Hi Thalia

I live in Melbourne. I have had 2 lots of mitral valve surgery, both in Brisbane and neither were replacements. The didn't enter via the sternum either time (had to leave it open for later surgery). I am in my mid 40s, so still consider myself quite young.

I find out my next steps though on Thursday, and for the first time in many many years I am anxious.

I wish you well with your surgery. If you need the support of someone who has been through something similar please feel free to ask, and I would be happy to visit you. It is only a tram ride away.

Things I found out and wish I knew before hand.

I needed someone close for support who understood that I didn't necessarily mean everything I said. I was very fortunate, my mum sat by my bed and helped me through. It was only after she passed away that I understood how difficult I had been.

Magazines are good - something light that you can flick and don't require much concentration. I went in with great intentions for reading, etc - but it just doesn't happen.

Take it easy (easier said than done), I over did it when I came out and this made recovery a lengthier process.

Laughter is good but one night the head nurse had send all guests home because we were all laughing so hard they were concerned about the pain that might follow (a good thing, I thought), don't be scared to say 'no' to guests (it is your time, not theirs).

I made sure that I had nighties with buttons down the front to allow easy access to the doctors for testing / check up, this is not easy to find but was worth the effort, particularly because your chest area can be quite tender depending on how they go in. It can get quite difficult to lift a knee or fuller length nightie if you are in pain and sleepy.

You sound like you have given yourself a treat, I went to a concert the night before I went in so that I was concentrating on something fun and different.

I also made sure I had a full wax, I didn't want to risk having to put up with prickly legs while I was recovering (however, I think they may have relaxed that part of the preparation - my last surgery was in 1994). Sometimes I think that the full leg wax before the surgery in 1987 was worse than the surgery - but both are things that I am very happy I did. This is a very personal thing, and really depends on what is important to you.

Again, I don't know if this is still the case, but mum warned me that women often have their periods after they have been on anesthetic. I was grateful that I was prepared for this. There are so many advancements in this area, so it may not happen; but I was grateful to know so that I was prepared in my head space.

I also found having one of those triangle pillows when I returned home was very useful. I don't use them normally. I have also wondered whether the full body pillow would be helpful to sleep when I get home.

One other thing I would have found useful to know before hand is - if you have a physio, go and talk to them. I don't know if they still do it, but I started physio (very gentle) the day after the surgery. I wasn't really ready for it. I think if I had understood the types of exercises that they were going to ask and how to do them before hand it would have better prepared me when I got in.

Good luck, it is much better afterwards. I hope I haven't overwhelmed you - none of these are essential, just things that you may like to consider or ask a family member to help out with.

My thoughts will be with you even though I have never met you.

Heather