W.'s Photos

W. Carter  Dr. Harrell O. Lightfoot, an Unsung Hero of Heart Surgery in Dallas, Tx. He saved my life just like he saves lives daily at 4 of the biggest Hospitals in Dallas performing Bypass, Heart Valves, Aneurysm Repair, and Heart Transplant, etc. God bless all the unsung heroes on the front lines that save countless lives daily but don't get mentioned in forums like this.

Dr. Harrell O. Lightfoot graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill in 2008. He works in Dallas, TX and specializes in Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Lightfoot is affiliated with Childrens Health, Dallas VA Medical Center, Parkland Memorial Hospital and UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Anna Jones  W. Carter, what a wonderful tribute to your surgeon. I, too, am thankful that he saved your life and that you are here to help all of us facing surgery.

W. Carter  Anna you will make it just fine. My advice to anyone on the fence about surgery whether it is the kind of valve or whatever. Find a good Cardiothoracic Surgeon and listen to him or her. They do know what is best for you by your medical records, age, and physical fitness level at the time of surgery. People ("Keyboard Doctors") here or other forums aren't privy to all that information that try to steer you one way or the other. Also would it be alright if I get reincarnated to come back as your dog. He has it made. :-)

Flo Em  I like this a lot...especially at this time that I'm facing another open heart surgery in the near future as my symptoms are getting worse. This is a great reminder for me. Thanks for sharing.

W. Carter  Your welcome, that's why our mother's and father's were so tough, surviving world war 2 and the great depression. Advesity builds character and strength.

W. Carter  Tina, I found the red and blue heart on the web, added the text and border and wha la! Feel free to copy and use it.

W. Carter  Thanks to all of you and God Bless you on upcoming surgeries and recoveries. I can tell you this, when you make the 1 year mark its like getting the monkey off your back. Also you will feel better than you have in years.

Kathleen F.  It's so nice to have this community who "gets it." My one-year anniversary is tomorrow and I may borrow your logo! It does feel like a monkey off my back. Happy New Year to us! Thanks and wishing you continued good health!

Jean Raber  Sophia, I'm looking for an older dog as a walk buddy, too! Has to be one who will put up with two very spoiled cats, though. W's is a dead ringer for a friend's rattie, Lula. I'm knitting her a little sweater for Christmas because she gets chilly up here in Michigan!

Sophia Ridley  Bless her, I think Lula will be very proud of her new sweater. Maybe she'll manage your cats?
Next door's is 12yr I think, so hopefully we'll be well matched for pace!

Don't think either of us will be matching W's 9 miles for quite a while! That's great going!

W. Carter  God bless all of you! Missy is my third Rat Terrier that I have had and has become my favorite. They just have strong personalities that are unique. :-)

Eddie Patton  Great! I had a buddy helping me through it as well. He really was a godsend. A few months after surgery he passed. Maybe getting me past this was the reason he was here.

W. Carter  Eddie sorry to hear of your loss. Some people just don't realize how attached we become to our pets. They are family!

Jean Raber  Eddie, I'm so sorry. But I like your idea that God sends us these creatures as friends and helpers because he loves us. And them.

Emily Rowley 
Also after Open-Heart Surgery, I was offered treatment to try minimize/remove/cover up my scarring. However I said "No thanks, I will wear my scar with pride. It shows the journey I have been on and will stay with me".
Emily :) <3

W. Carter  Amen Emily, I wear all of my surgical scars with pride also. They just show that we are overcomers and survivors. If they are alright with Ol' Blue Eyes they are alright with me. :-)

Charles Haas  Amusing story. Went to my cardiologist this past week (will be 7 weeks post MV repair on Monday). My main scar is healing well. Was told that very often they have residents who are also training in plastic surgery do the final close!!

Samantha Vargas  My sister (who is good hearted really and means well) asked if I wanted to cover my scar before we took a family photo. I said absolutely not. My scar is my reminder of how lucky and strong I am. I will always be proud of it and I hope everyone else is as well!

W. Carter  I'll get the party started, I blame my parents for my bad genes and congenital heart disease. (Although I drank enough whiskey to sink a battle ship, and smoked for 35 yrs.) Blah Blah Blah.

Bill Cherry  Hello, my name is Bill Cherry. I am a victim of androgen paradox........ whine, whine :)
(deposit .02 ₵ for more whining)

W. Carter  Thanks! Ya, thats for all us old fogeys with white beards. You can have a neat beard that doesn't look like a homeless person looking for his bottle of Wild Irish Rose, or Santa Claus.

Jean Raber  Wow, Wild Irish Rose. Whatever happened to Mad Dog 20-20 or that cheap muscatel we drank in college? Or, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Ripple? Speaking of which, what are the doctors telling people about drinking after surgery. Moot for me because I'm a tee-totaller now, but worry about my mother "tippling" on all those meds she's been on since her surgery two years ago.

W. Carter  Jean, you almost got there. I can see you're not a connoisseur of the gutter such as I.. How bout some THUNDERBIRD! :-)

Jean Raber  What's the word? Thunderbird. What's the price? 99 twice. Oh, I might not have been a permanent denizen, but I visited frequently.

Jean Raber  Aww. A friend has one of these named Lulu. She has a little red sweater for walks in wintertime. Otherwise, she gets shivery.

Jim Kelly-Evans  I have the tissue valve equivalent. The pre-assembled conduit/valve combo is not available for tissue valves so the surgeon has to make it up during the procedure. I also have a 29mm valve which the surgeon installed into a dacron graft. I asked about problems with these appliances down the road but they told me that any problems would be apparent at the time of or right after surgery, usually not down the road. So yes, I suppose they are "bullet-proof" as you suggest.