Jeff's Profile

I'm 52 years old and have a bicuspid aortic valve with severe regurgitation. My ascending aorta is enlarged and needs to be replaced as well. I was diagnosed with leaky aortic valve approx. 20-years ago at age 30 and was told that someday I would likely need to have the valve replaced. This worried me at first, but I quickly decided to go on with my life as normal and have annual checkups to monitor for changes that would indicate that the time had come for surgery. In February of this year, I was surprised to learn that the time had come. Prior to learning the time had come, I had performed no research regarding my options — I guess if I didn't think about it, it wouldn't really happen. We all know how that works out. Seriously though, this coping mechanism actually worked fairly well as I was able to get on with my life without worrying about what I could not control. Now that the surgery is necessary, I am working through the facts and trying to make the best choices possible. I ran across this site and have found it to be an incredible source for information and support. I have decided to have the surgery at UCSD Medical Center in La Jolla, California. The surgery is scheduled for June 12th, but I've not decided yet on a tissue or mechanical valve and am hoping to get some advice from folks who have been there, done that.