Arif's Photos

Gina Hume  Hi Arif, I am having aortic valve replacement surgery 3/27/17. Dr. Speir is my surgeon, too. Nice to see a fellow traveller. I know that I am in good hands just as you were. May God continue to see you through your recovery.

Arif Butt  Gina, he is as good as they get! His team is awesome. Referred to has the " The Bomb"! By the medical community. He was a part of the original team of 7 doctors that did my original Aortic valve replacement in 1991. ( I was really young for the surgery, but got a donor valve .... lasted 26 years! You are in good hands . Good luck.

Arif Butt  Gina, is he doing the TAVR procedure to replace the valve ? It's the gold standard , using a catheter to go in through side of chest or the leg. Less invasive, and fast recovery. I had no choice , as it involved three procedures , still had to cut along old cut from 1991.

Arif Butt  We live in leesburg, but my family did fly in from London for 3-4 weeks to be here with my wife , it was a great support team!

Gina Hume  Arif, Dr. Speir is doing a minimally invasive AVR. I am not a candidate for TAVR b/c I don't have coronary artery disease or carotid stenosis, only a severely stenotic bicuspid aortic valve. I am good with this approach. I am 62 and am hopeful that my new biological valve will last me at least 15 years. Best to you. BTW I live in Herndon.

Jeannette McLaughlin  Ah! cute. Being surrounded by our furry companions is the best remedy on the planet! They will sense that you need some TLC at this particular time. Wishing you all the best, Arif, during your recovery and beyond.

Arif Butt  Progressing really well. The valve replacement in 1991 was easier to recover from , but 26 years later and the additional survey added to recovery. But amazing how the human body heals. It's mind over matter, and leave the ego and stress coats at the door! Can not say enough on the awesome job Dr Alan Speir did. Amazing team.

Larry Ring  Arif...thanks for sharing/posting this. I love it. It really says it all...

Glad to hear the recovery is progressing forward!
Were you not an acceptable candidate for TAVR because of the aneurisms that need repair along with the valve replacement? Just wondering...

Arif Butt  Larry, Dr Alan Speir, ruled out TAVR because it very effective for just a straight valve repair or replacement. Mine was a Redo , the single bypass, aneurysm romovel & the Aortic. Alive hhsd to be replaced, I had a human donor valve in 1991. The stage 3/4 Renal diease did not make things easy! But he had to still cut along the same chest this time.
I did go into cardiac arrest , when Dr Speir had to be brought back, to use the electric peddles to shock me back to life! But all in all I feel better, and everyday it's getting better. The great news was that my kidneys did not take a hit as expected, they are still at my baseline pre surgery! Larry, it's really mind over matter, I had a issue, and they fixed it , so my mindset is, life will get better...... more energy , my colour is better from what people tell me. I hope you are recovering well, time heals all things.

Arif Butt  It's healing nicely, thank you for the kind words , always taken to heart. Quick question if anyone has a answer, I am itching all over , legs, sides of stomach, calfs arms! Dry skin? My first res Atkin was oh gosh is this something. Bad? See my Nephrologist next week, all my kidney stats looked fine, so I'm thinking it has to be from the dry skinned!