Wiliam's Guestbook

Wiliam Height  Hi Kath, yes back to normal, but not sure normal is good. Biking all over and fulfilled a dream of returning to Europe for a weeklong trip 550 miles! Rehaping a broken clavicle at the moment. :(. But everything is great, saw my cardio yesterday and he likes everything. Two people close to me will be going through the procedure within the year and helping them through it. How are you--hope you are feeling great and living one day at a time to the fullest!

Wiliam Height  I am 8 weeks post op Friday and feel good. I have no murmur and I don't feel my heart pounding and overworking. Looking forward to some excersize in coming weeks. I found the whole process incredible.

Wiliam Height  Recovery is going well, really trying to take easy and make sure my chest heals--running my fingers over the incision site and feeling the breastbone is an usual feeling. I am 8 weeks this Friday and want to start ramping up my excersize and getting my heart rate up in a controlled setting. Overall, the whole experience was incredible! The testing, the research, my focus, the emotion, meeting people here, the days leading up to surgery, the days after surgery, the weeks after surgery. Being on the other side feels great and I feel the difference the surgery made. Best of luck to you--you will be fine.

Wiliam Height  Thanks Jim! So far so good. As much as I want to move on at my slow recovery pace, I have a couple of lingering questions regarding post-op which I will take up with cardiologist. How's the running going? BTW, they used a 38 ring to fix my Barlow valve.

Jim Jones  Good luck with your cardiologist. I am running well but indoors on the treadmill now due to snow. My race was cancelled today. I have a walking routine to warm up the heart, then I run, then walk to warm down. The heart reacts differently post-op which somewhat changes the running routine. I can share more details as you progress. I would have to check my notes but I think they used a 40 ring on me. I guess a hula hoop was not available! Have a great healing week!

Wiliam Height  Bill, I agree--I always thought a lot of hard exercise like work was good, but maybe too much or too strenuous is not. Thank you and you do the same.

Wiliam Height  I will Don--certainly not doing any more research or letting this keep me up at night. The time is coming and I'm ready. It's been cold and nasty in the NE and looking forward to a good nap, resting, and watching the Super Bowl. The hardest part up until now is control of the mind because it gets the best of us and makes a lot of noise. Every seems to have their own experience and I'll have mine and you'll have yours. I am finding the positive in everything and grateful this was discovered, I had the choice of surgeon/timing, I have insurance, work is accommodating, I found this site, my support system is strong and prepared, this surgery is changing me in other more profound ways as it brings you to the edge. The breathing tube will be uncomfortable but it will be my life support and I welcome it, the pain will hurt but it will fade. I feel guilty for what everyone around me is going through and I want to recover and get better to help others. Maybe go on a well deserved vacation too :).

Wiliam Height  Thanks Don! I had heart cath on Thursday and it gave me a sense of a test run for what's to come. Surgical paperwork, health care proxy, going through the "doors" to lab had me mentally preparing for 1/30. I was in twilight sleep and aware during the procedure, which frankly had me a little nervous--but lately I have been doing my best to take control of my mind, "wise mind", mindfulness and take charge of those thoughts that what to keep coming in and make me fearful/anxious. I did have one anxious moment when I was getting ready to leave the vein hadn't clotted and I had a knot and the warm sensation of blood draining inside my leg. Had to stay in hospital a little looking, but everything worked out, like it will for us! Step 1 complete no CABG. Next Friday is pre-op. Trying to focus and start diving in to come out the other side. Avoiding sick people and getting my affairs in order.

Don LaPorte  That is good news about having more information on what to expect, and not blockage issues. I will not know this for sure until 1 day before my surgery when I am doing my pre-op, but in some ways I am finding I may be better off not having too much time to think about it, as I cannot control the results and I am in good hands. : )

Wiliam Height  Thanks Adam! I couldn't find a better place to be than right here! I am still amazed at the number of people having heart valve issues and seeing the scheduled surgeries each day here, I am happy to join this community and club.

Wiliam Height  Hi Jim! We sound similar and are probably around same stage in this MV disease. It took me around 45 days to see Dr Adams and a pretty long wait in the waiting room BUT I met with his assistant surgeon Dr Boetang first and then he and Dr Adams together and they gave me all the time I needed. Dr Adams is very confident is what he does and methodical in when / why. He walked my wife through a larger chart than he presented a couple of weeks ago on where my disease was. I also have similar anterior/posterior leaflet damage that he thought was Barlow valve and based on my age 50. I know this is a more difficult repair and inquired whether he would need to call an audible and he said he will repair it. He said hospital/surgery center make more money on replacements but he is an advocate for repair. He really looks for the best outcomes and felt he puts himself in our position--I believe his mentor is same. Couple of other things, he does a TEE on surgery day and not prior to keep things as less risky as possible and I was told by Dr Boetang, who does most of the incision/sewing that the cut would be no more than 10cm or 4". Lastly, some of the insights Dr Adams reviewed with us is not so much the echo numbers but the echo disk that he will review with you and your jet. I wanted to put this off until March due to work obligations but he said after "seeing" the MVR it best to move up for him to repair v replace down the road and or risk afib, possible stroke, complications, etc.

Jim Hernandez  Ty very much for this great insight! I have my first surgical consult this week in Boston but look forward to my meeting with dr adams. When were you originally scheduled for surgery and how far up did he move the date?

Wiliam Height  Jim, my Sept echo revealed a move in numbers over baseline but was still asymptomatic and thought I could consult in Nov and get my affairs in order and schedule on my terms in March but he suggested I not wait so I'm not. Kinda like a great baseball manager knows when to make the right moves based on statistics and playing the percentages, there is risk to waiting. No one told what I wanted to hear, which was your fine keep watchful waiting. I've done my research and Dr. Adams webinar only reinforced timing is critical for repair which is what I want--keep the pump intact. The last few weeks I've really been tuned into my body and feel it my heart working harder.