Baila's Journal

Robert DeVita  Baila.., I am not sure if this is the same situation as yours but I was on Warfarin in 2017 and had a laser surgery on my eye and a blood vessel broke leaving me 100% blind in that eye. I could not see if it was day or nigh but the eye did not show "blackness" it was more white thick clouds that I could not even recognize light through. Anyway, I went and saw Dr Vaavas at Massachusetts's Eye and Ear in Boston and he did an eye surgery that I honestly never felt a thing. That night 80% of my vision was back and the next morning 100%. I had to wear glasses for distance before the vessel broke and now I do not wear glasses ! The man is a genuis !

Baila Brecher  Thank you both for taking the time to answer. My vision has not returned and it is my understanding that there is no chance of it returning as the Retina has been irreversibly damaged, according to some of the top experts here in Israel where I live. I have been learning to live with it, am even able to drive. What is scary for me is not knowing exactly why this happened and how to prevent it, or something worse, from happening again.

Robert DeVita  Well, in my case during the first eye surgery I had in Florida the eye Dr asked me to check my INR before he repaired a torn retina. He said if the INR was under 2.8 he could conduct the laser surgery safely. My cardiologist at the time tested my INR with what I now know to be a cheap handheld device and said it was 2.1 so we proceeded. The morning after the laser surgery I woke up not being able to see a thing from that eye. I went to a hospital to get my INR tested through a vein in my forearm and the result came back at 4.1 !  
So, what had happened was that the blood was so thin that the laser caused a rupture in the vein and blood leaked over my eye rendering it useless to even recognize the sun was shining. I went to see Dr Vaavas (office phone number- 1-617-573-6874) and he said he could fix it very easily. He put three tiny holes in my eye: One he inserted a tiny hose that "puffed" the eye casing out so he could remove the blood, the second hole was to insert a tiny camera, the third was to insert a small scalpel like device that he scraped the blood away with. I was in twilight anesthesia throughout all of this and was listening and answering questions but could not feel a thing. It was like I was listening to them perform this procedure on someone else! Anyway, an hour later I went home with an eye patch, took it off that night and had 80% of my vision, by the next day I had 100% of my vision back.., just like he said I would. 

Baila, I swear to you, I never even felt the discomfort of an eyelash in my eye.., nothing at all for discomfort, it was amazing. Dr Vaavas did say that in a couple years or so, I would need to have a cataracts lense put in the eye because once it is exposed to the procedure the natural lense I was born with will "cloud" and effect my eyesight slightly at night. to that point I needed to wear glasses for distance. Well, as he said, two years later I had the cataracts lense put in and they put in the prescription cataracts lense that eliminated my need for glasses for distance ! The procedure for the cataracts lense took all of 15 minutes in a chair in the office and a never felt a thing.
I only share this to provide hope for you that technology is advancing so rapidly we all have a chance to regain the quality of life which may have been taken from us prematurely as in your case. A few years back, Dr Vaavas and team grew a retina and put it in a 12 year old boy and he can now see.., so please continue to search for your good news! You can also follow the Massachussetts Eye and ear at: https://doctors.masseyeandear.org/details/146/demetrios-vavvas-ophthalmology-boston
Best of luck and please reach out if you have any further questions!

Gail Magnus  Hi Baila, if you read "my story" and "my journal" that's THE BIGGEST thing I struggled with...tissue or mechanical. My cardiologist and my previous Cardiothoracic Surgeon (I had already had one OHS when I was 30 yrs old and had the ROSS procedure which is a human cadaver valve) recommended mechanical. My current surgeon left the decision entirely up to me and said it was a personal choice. My Ross lasted 16 years. So at 46 yrs old I was faced with tissue or mechanical. Ultimately I decided to leave the choice in the hands of my surgeon...a game day decision, if you will. I felt there were pieces of the decision I couldn't make until he got in there and saw my heart/valve. He knew my preference...tissue. However, I was fully prepared to wake up with a mechanical valve. I woke up and found out I had a tissue valve. I'm banking on technology and that I'll be a candidate for valve-in-valve when my tissue valve needs replacing. I really struggled with the thought of life long Coumadin...couldn't wrap my brain around it UNLESS my surgeon thought it was the safest option for me. There's obviously a HUGE trade off...tissue valve means no Coumadin, but we know it won't last forever. Mechanical valve means Coumadin forever, but also no more procedures. I hope this helps and if you have any follow up questions, feel free to ask me anything. I went into detail thinking maybe my thought process can help you decide.

Meredith Bray  It's a HUGE decision! I opted for mechanical two years ago (I was 42). Here are the unresolved problems I've had with coumidin:
0!
I haven't changed my diet or my lifestyle. I was already taking another maintenance medication, so it was no big deal to add another pill. I did notice that bruises lasted maybe a few days longer when I was working in the warehouse, but I have fewer bruises now. I carried around a "bleeding kit" for a few years, but never used it. I never noticed bleeding lasting any longer, or my blood seeming "thin." I choose mechanical because I wanted to eliminate the guarantee of a second surgery down the road. I know nothing is guaranteed with any valve, but it just seemed more likely that I would have additional surgeries if I opted for tissue over mechanical.
All that being said, there is the perfect valve for each person, and no matter what you choose, it will be the right valve for you. Collect all your information, make your decision, and go with it!
-Meredith

Gail Magnus  That's awesome, Meredith! You're right it's a MAJOR decision. Baila you will make the right choice for you.

Rita Savelis  You are very young to get a tissue valve because you would definitely need surgery again. I have 2 mechanical valves and I hated the thought of having to take a pill but it's really okay. It definitely takes a fe w months to get stabilised. Every body is different and every liver is different, but after that you carry on, with less fear about a valve giving out.

Baila Brecher  Thanks everyone. It's comforting to hear that people do well with either decision. I'm definitely leaning towards mechanical. I know there's no guarantee, but I think I'm more afraid of another surgery than the coumedin.

Rita Savelis  I just saw that you had Hodgkin's disease, Baila. I also had Hodgkin's as an adolescent and the ensuing radiation treatment which caused my heart valve damage years later. The scar tissue on patients like us and the way our valves have been damaged by radiation tends to make surgeons recommend mechanical valves. Living with mechanical valves has turned out to be okay. I was also very nervous about coumadin and then I slowly allowed myself to adapt and be okay with it.

Mary K  Welcome Baiia, you have found the right place. Many if us have had the same surgery.

It is a scary time now for you, most all of us were scared, and if you read through people's blogs here, you will find lots of good suggestions. I found this site to be so valuable before my surgery. Unless one has gone through open heart surgery, it is had to understand. We all "get it" here.

All the best to you.

Wanda Mroz  Welcome... Read through the blogs here and ask questions.... Everyone here was terrified and has been through something. Best wishes to you....

Ed Miskovic  Hello Baila, On Feb 5th, I had Aortic Valve Replacement surgery. Here are a few of the things that I did that were useful. I prepared myself by listening to a 20 minute guided meditation two or three times per day. I accepted offers of prayers from friends and associates. I prepared my family by inviting them to meet with a Health Psychologist to help all of us realize who we are in terms of how each person faces such things differently. I asked my cardiologist questions via the hospital patient portal. My wife and I visited to the hospital the day before surgery and did a trial/practice run from floor to floor. I stayed true to my personality and planned out things I could do in the hospital such as using mental imagery of exercises in case I wouldn't be able to do them for awhile. When in the hospital I was very supportive to the nurses & other staff, so that they would see me more than a part of their work. While there I saw a member of the Chaplain's department and a Health Psychologist. When I had a concern, I voiced it until I was satisfied. In short, I tried to by myself before, during and now two weeks after. This journey is just a blip in a much longer journey. Peace to you.