Tim 's Guestbook

Tim Saint   Hi Emily, I am on a farm in between Meningie and Coonalpyn SA. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur at birth due to a bicuspid aortic valve. At age 10 back in 1978, I had my first ohs a valveotomy for severe stenosis. 2006 ohs #2 to replace my diseased bicuspid aortic valve with a st jude medical heart valve. Within months of the surgery echo showed it was leaking so a reoperation was carried out in 2007. The leak was due to a failure in stitching of replacement valve and native tissue which is extremely calcified. Unfortunately after the reoperation it continued to leak mildly initially and has progressively worsened to a point where it is now severe. I was referred to a surgeon a couple of months ago to plan ohs#4 so in the last couple of weeks did CT, TOE & coronary angiogram. The results showed that the leak is paravalular like before ie. failure in stitching. As reoperation is high risk and technology has improved where they can attempt to plug the leak (8mm×4mm) via transcatheter. I met with the interventional cardiologist today and he has only carried out this procedure 12 times, which is more than any other Dr in SA, 2 of those unsuccessful as the plugs came out. The 6th of July has been booked for the procedure so we'll see how it goes. I read your journal and have total respect for how you have prevailed through all you have been through and continue to inspire people on this awesome site. Thanks for the post and continued good health to you and all others on this site.

Emily Rowley  Haha yes Scott indeed an Aussie Invasion on here 👍😉😁

Tim, it sounds like a lovely place to live. I'd imagine you would need to travel quite far for specialised health services, would that be correct? I live in the farming area of the Hunter Valley in NSW (it's lovely and peaceful here). Thank you for your nice message about how inspiring to others, but if anyone is inspiring it is you and what you've been through boy heading into procedure no 4! I do wonder how many OHS can be performed on 1 patient, due to scar tissue build up. A Cardiologist I had recently in Hospital told me about all the dodgy stitching with valves and rings etc he has seen which fall apart quite quickly post surgery. Did you have the same Surgeon for all your procedures? It's amazibg how long our bodies can hold up after surgery when children or even congenital defects hold up until they become problamatic later in adulthood! How long time period between when your mild to now severe leak? Reason why I ask is also because I had a couple of year the first time where my mitral valve became mild to severe leaking and now I'm wondering how long it will take (exercise has exasperated my condition) - I'm going to ask my Cardiologist when I go for another Echo soon. I'm wishing you all the best for your upsoming trans procedure, please keep us update, I'd very much like to hear how you go, take care. Your Heart Sister from NSW ❤️

Tim Saint   Thanks for taking the time Marie for the kind reassuring words. They are appreciated. All the best to you, thank you.

Susan Lynn  Wow! Tim - you may be the biggest heart warrior on this site going into your fourth procedure. You are living proof that medical advances make all of our surgeries possible and allow us to live active, full lives. You've done it before - you'll do it again! You are a total rock star! Please keep us posted on your progress. All the best!