Cary's Journal

Tomorrow I head to UCLA for pre-surgery lab work. My surgery is early Monday morning. I have to arrive at the hospital prior to 5 AM, for the 7AM surgery. I would be lying if I said that I have no apprehensions. I will have my mother and sister coming in from Phoenix, as well as my girlfriend and another friend there to support me. I also have many people preying for me. I have to admit that I am not crazy about the idea of the sternal operation, or the recovery and scar that follow. I am considering a super hero tattoo that could cover the scar. Suggestions? I had to give myself two Lovenox (blood thinner) injections today, and I have one more to do in the morning. I cannot say that this is been an enjoyable experience. While it is a subcutaneous injection, the medication burns after it is injected. At this moment this is my least favorite part of the process so far. I'm looking forward to getting the last one over with in the morning. UCLA is approximately 1 1/2 hours from my home. I have rented a two bedroom Airbnb for my family and girlfriend to stay in while I am in the hospital. I am hopeful that this is comfortable and convenient for everyone. The unit is only a few blocks away from the hospital, and there are grocery stores nearby. I am almost more concerned about my mother, sister and girlfriend, than I am myself and what I am going to be going through. Crazy! I had taken the last two days off work, so that I could do housework, and wash my dogs before the surgery. Just a few less things to worry about. I suppose we all deal with pre-surgery stress differently. I am praying that God is present during my surgery, and that he is guiding the surgeon to perform an efficient and successful surgery. I am also accepting any and all prayers from others.🙂 Thank you to anyone who reads this.

I had initially posted in my Valve Journal that in Nov 2015 I had under gone minimally invasive mitral valve repair surgery, and a Maze procedure to stop my A Fib. Unfortunately the repair didn't last, and the Maze didn't stop my A Fib. In addition I had a stroke while I was in recovery from the surgery. This surgery was performed ar UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center by Dr. Shemin. I wasn't sure where I should have the second surgery performed. I met with Dr. Starnes at USC, and again with Dr. Shemin. I know that some may say I should go to a different surgeon for the second surgery, but for many reasons I am going Back to Dr. Shemin. I don't feel it is in any way his fault that I didn't have better results from the repair, or that I had the stroke. Yes it's unfortunate, but I don't feel there is blame to be laid at anyone's feet. Dr. Shemin spent a full hour with me reviewing my case, past and present. He allowed me the time to ask all of my questions, and he answered them all. He even called several days later to answer more questions. He is a very caring and talented surgeon, and I have every confidence in him. I also thought the nursing staff at UCLA was fantastic. Once they realized that I may have had a stroke, they had staff involved within hours making evaluations and ordering an MRI. They also treated my family wonderfully. The next surgery will be through the sternum for a tissue valve replacement and a full Maze procedure with the intention to get me off of the Warfarin. I am a healthy individual, and I expect to be released from the hospital I 4-5 days to recover fully at home. I admit that I initially had a lot of fear going into this next surgery. But I am now looking forward getting it done, feeling better and getting back to life. Cary

I discovered that I had a heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse) approx. 19 years ago. My cardiologist has been doing regular echos for the past five years. Finally the regurgitation had become severe enough that I needed surgery. On November 13, 2015 I under went mitral valve repair and a Maze procedure (I also have A Fib. The doctor performed the surgery minimally invasive using the Davinci robot. While waking in recovery, I noticed that my left hand was weak and that I couldn't close it. I also noticed that my vision wasn't right. The doctor immediately had an opthomologist evaluate me, and it was determined that my eyes were fine. The conclusion was that I had had a stroke. I ended up spending Thanksgiving in a rehab facility to help me deal with my loss of 25% of my vision (lower left quadrant), and Left hand weakness. The effects of the stroke are still present today, and it has dramatically affected my life. About two months ago I found out that the valve repair didn't last. Now I am faced with another mitral valve surgery. As a result of this news, I am having anxiety and fear that another surgery will result in me having another stroke. I am scheduled to meet with the original surgeon, and a second surgeon in a week. Y biggest question for each of them is... What can be done to protect me from having a second stroke? At age 55, am I a candidate for the Mitraclip procedure because of my history of stroke? If not, what type of surgery is the best option for my case. Minimally invasive again, or open heart? Can the Sentinel system be used in my surgery? If I have a valve replacement, I assume the best option for someone my age is a mechanical valve. At this time I am already on blood thinners to protect me from strode due to my A Fib. Oh yeah, the Maze procedure didn't work either.) I would appreciate anyone's insight, or advice. I am open to any ideas.