Cathy's Journal

Hi all! It’s been a while. I am coming up in my 5 year anniversary of my mitral valve replacement with a bovine valve. I first want to say I wish you all a quick recovery with all of you that are having or had surgery. Second I wanted to ask some opinions. I work in the Emergency Room and have been dealing with Covid patients since March. This week the hospital wants to vaccinate us front line workers. Should I get it done? Have any of you heard anything about the vaccine and heart valve replacement? I am just nervous. I do not want covid and if this will prevent it I am all for it but need some opinions from people like me with heart valve surgery . If you were me what would you do?

Has anyone ever had issue with afib after receiving the flu shot after they had heart surgery? Also, has anyone ever received the flu shot while they were actively sick, sore throat, congestion, and cough?

First off its been a while since I have been on and I wanted to send my prayers with all the people with upcoming surgeries and bless the hands of the doctor's performing them. Today, it's been almost 10 months since my name has been on that list. I remember seeing it there and I thought omg this could be my last day here on earth, omg this is absolutely crazy me 38 years old needing heart surgery. To those of you whom I have not met yet on here. I was pregnant when I found out I had rhematic heart disease. My baby was taken 8 weeks early due to my pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure. Delivery was good and I have a healthy 14 month old now who is into everything lol. I gave birth in August of 2015 and they scheduled my heart surgery for Jan 25 2016 to give my body a rest from running to circulatory sysytems. Getting back to that dreadful, terrifying day seeing my name on the upcoming surgery dates was surreal to me. The emotions that you encounter only my fellow peers of this group would understand. Today I had an echo done to see how my heart is doing after my mitral valve replacement. I opted for a bovine valve. The thought of Coumadin terrified me. I am 38 an active motocross rider, mom of 3 who is constantly on the go. Can't even remember what I did with my car keys nevermore take a pill on time everyday. So yes I did my research I asked questions and went against my surgeons advice and opted for a bovine. My surgeon who I must add saved my life and he will forever be in my debt. I spoke with him numerous amounts of times regarding mechanical and bovine. I don't know how long this valve will last but I am prepared to do this again to live a normal life a life with no pills and needle sticks. Normal for me. I am happy with my choice and confident in my Edward's sciences bovine valve. So back to my echo that I had today. It was the same woman who performed my first echo when I was pregnant and feeling so awful. When she was doing the test it was so quiet all you could hear was the pressing and scrolling of the ultrasound machine. My nerves were going crazy anxiety through the roof. All I could think about was what if the valve failed already, what If another valve went bad. So many what ifs. The test came to an end and she looked at me and said I can't believe the transformation your heart went to. Your heart was so enlarged last time and now it looks completely normal and your valve looks amazing! I just started to cry. Thank you Jesus after all I have been through, almost loosing my baby, and my life I finally received good news! So to all the people who are scheduled for surgery I will speak to you on the other side of your new life. The day I received my new valve marks a new birthday for me and after you receive your new valve it will be a birthday a new chapter in your book. I pray for all of you. Thanks for listening and God bless.

Wow can't believe that I am 5 weeks post op already! I have been going to cardiac rehab 3 times a week and got the OK to go back to the gym! I never got the chance to loose the baby weight after my son because of all my heart issues so I was so excited to hear this. I have to say I feel good. A few days ago I had pvcs when resting so I called the Dr and today I have a Holter monitor for 24 hours. Didn't miss this thing but it's only for 24 hours. Besides this everything is going well and I pray all of you are doing well also. For those going into surgery you are all in my thoughts and prayers. I am at ease with my valve choice and I can say I am happy I went with a bovine vs mechanical. I finally after 1 year of hell feel I am getting my life back and I couldn't be happier!!! Next is to loose these 15 lbs so I can get back down to my weight before baby!

Today I am 24 days post op. I started Cardiac Rehab this morning. I have to say it felt really good to finally exercise! I am looking forward to my next appt which is tomorrow morning! I can't wait to be able to go back to intense workouts on my own at the gym! As far as my recovery goes I still am having pain on the right side and have that numb feeling. Everyday it gets better. Hopefully soon I will be able to sleep on my side I am so looking forward to that! Other than being tired everything seems to be ok. I hope all of you are doing well.

So yesterday went for echo blood work and chest xray. Iron levels are improving little fluid around my lungs but they are not worried about it. I am dehydrated from the lasix. Well in the echo I seen my new valve in action but apparently the cardiologist had some concerns. From the echo it looks like there is an obstruction from my new valve to my aortic valve. Basically it looks like the two poles (not sure how to explain this ) it's sewn into are longer and by the echo looks like it's obstructing the blood flow from my aortic valve. So they called my surgeon and he said during the surgery they used a tee and the echo view is not accurate and there is no obstructuon. So needless to say I was freaking out. I see him March 8th so I will have alot of questions. My cardiologist said they may do another tee to confirm but my surgeon said it fine had anyone else had this happen?

I am experiencing extreme tiredness today. I slept most of the day today I am obviously awake now but feel I could sleep again. Tomorrow will be a week I have been home. Yesterday I went to the grocery store and I am just wiped out. Maybe I over did it? Has anyone been so tired after surgery?

9 days ago I was in surgery. Today I am home and in alot of pain. I have never experienced this much pain before. I am constantly either sweating profusely or freezing. I get caught up on what I want to say when I am talking all the time. It hurts to breathe my right side hurts so bad it feel like I got hit by a bus! I give each and one of you credit for going through with this. The one thing I am is grateful for is my life to spend with my family. They have been my rock since I got home and also in the hospital. So anyone who had minimal invasive how long where you in pain for? How long till you could lay on your side to sleep? How long till the real you came back? When will I be able to speak wothoit feeling like I forgot what I was gonna say? To everyone gping for surgery I am praying for you and to those who are recovering I am praying for all of you.

So I am home since yesterday. I am in quite a bit of pain and I have numbness around my right breast and surgical site. I had minimal invasive mitral valve relacement. I am one big huge bruise amd just sore. How long did this soreness last. I get tired easily I can't lift my arm very mch. Just wanted to see what everyone's time Fram was for recovery. I am just misrable

So I was told that tomorrow morning I can go home! This has been such an emotional roller coaster and those words made me breakdown. Last week at this time I thought I was saying goodnight to my kids for the lasttime. I thought that was the last night I would sleep in my bed. I got myself so worked up last Sunday night and cried myself to sleep for the 3 hours before I had to get up to face this surgery head on.

Just finally had a shower! That was the best! ! They may kick me out tomorrow. I am going in between heart block 1 and 2. They think the swelling around my heart is decreasing so it should go back to normal sinus soon. When I got up to take a shower I noticed that I am so swollen in my belly. Has anyone experienced belly bloat?

Just got moved yesterday from icu to step down unit. I am still in 2nd degree av block. Being monitored closely. In a tremendous amount of pain but getting through each day thanking god I am still here. My kids came to see me last night and pushed me to walk around the floor 4 times. They are ready for me to come home and I miss them terribly

Just a quick update. Went through surgery in the 25th they kept me on the tube till the following day because I was bleeding. I received 3 blood transfusiins. I hade a minimal invasive done aND the pain is bad to say the least. I am still I'm icu and feel like I got hit by a bus. My heart is in av block and I can't stand it. They said it should subside in a few days. To everyone who is on deck I am praying for you all.all of you been on my mind .

Well tomorrow is the day. Emotons are in full force today. Keeping my family close and praying everything will be ok. Thanks to this group for helping me through this tough time in my life. All of you have hearts of gold and I appreciate all of you ! See you on the recovery side!

Well tomorrow is the day. Emotons are in full force today. Keeping my family close and praying everything will be ok. Thanks to this group for helping me through this tough time in my life. All of you have hearts of gold and I appreciate all of you ! See you on the recovery side!

Well tomorrow is the day. Emotons are in full force today. Keeping my family close and praying everything will be ok. Thanks to this group for helping me through this tough time in my life. All of you have hearts of gold and I appreciate all of you ! See you on the recovery side!

How does everyone cope with the anxiety of upcoming surgery? I find myself one minute I'm ok and ready the next I'm crying. I am trying to keep myself busy. The freak out has really really set in and at this point feeling very worried and I have so much anxiety. I can't help but to think that something terrible can happen and my kids will be left without a mom. I know I am in good hands and the odds are in my favor bit still can't help to think that way. Thanks for listening this moring.

How does everyone cope with the anxiety of upcoming surgery? I find myself one minute I'm ok and ready the next I'm crying. I am trying to keep myself busy. The freak out has really really set in and at this point feeling very worried and I have so much anxiety. I can't help but to think that something terrible can happen and my kids will be left without a mom. I know I am in good hands and the odds are in my favor bit still can't help to think that way. Thanks for listening this moring.

So the last couple of days I have been back and forth with the decision of participating in this trial valve for my bovine tissue valve. So when I went on Monday the woman could not answer any of my questions. She told me she would get back to me. The following day I spoke to her and I asked questions such as: How many people are participating? How long has this trial been active? Has there been any complications? The answers I received I was not comfortable with. First there is only 58 people participants as of now. There has been 12 people with complications but deemed the valve had nothing to do with it. This trial has been going on since December 2012. From the answers I received I do not feel comfortable with signing on the dotted line. I opted not to participate. If anyone wanted to look up this trial this is the website they gave me which really doesn't say much. Www.clinicaltrials.gov. the trial is being run by Edward Sciences and it's called the Edwards pericardial aortic and mitral bioprostheses with a new tissue treatment platform ..Commence trial. Anyone have any thoughts as to this? The while trial is based on not soaking the tissue valve in the solution and no sterilization before inplantanting it.

So today I was contacted by my surgeons office. They told me since I am now getting a tissue valve I am a candidate to participate in the Commence Trial run by Edward Sciences. What they are doing is taking the valve and instead of soaking it in a solution it is not. I really do not know much they would like me to meet with the trial people on Monday. Apparently they are trying to design a tissue valve that lasts longer. My question is would any of you consider this ? Now once again I I have to make another decision.

Thanks to all of your support I have finally made my decision as to which valve I am going with. I am getting a tissue valve. I called the surgeon today after my pre op appointment and let them know in changed my mind and sealed the deal. I feel alot better today woth this and hopefully will be able to get some sleep tonight. Thank you all again!

Ok as my surgery gets closer I am worried about my life after surgery. Will I be able to live my life like I've had before surguery? It's really starting to freak me out and i am flooding myself with questions on how my life will be. I am getting a mechanical valve I will be a blood thinners. Will I be able to work out at the gym and do martial arts ride motocross and chase my kids around in our pool? Will I be able to live a normal life with this mechanical valve? I am starting to doubt all of this and wish this would just all go away. I'm scared and have never in my life been so scared of something. Did anybody else have these thoughts and feelings?

Ok as my surgery gets closer I am worried about my life after surgery. Will I be able to live my life like I've had before surguery? It's really starting to freak me out and i am flooding myself with questions on how my life will be. I am getting a mechanical valve I will be a blood thinners. Will I be able to work out at the gym and do martial arts ride motocross and chase my kids around in our pool? Will I be able to live a normal life with this mechanical valve? I am starting to doubt all of this and wish this would just all go away. I'm scared and have never in my life been so scared of something. Did anybody else have these thoughts and feelings?

So another month closer to my mv replacement. I have to say I am on this emotional roller coaster. Every time I get nervous I read how people in here went through surgery and survived and it puts my thoughts back into perspective. Thank you all for all of your stories without those I would be even a bigger mess

Hello everyone, new to this so please bare with me. So I was 23 weeks pregnant and was having such bad heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Was sent to the ER was scheduled an out patient echo and went home. The next week I never knew that my life would change the way it did. They found that I have rheumatic heart disease and need a complete replacement but I am pregnant and obviously they cannot do that while I am. So the weeks upcoming my symptoms have gotten worse. I had an app with my cardiologist when I was 34 weeks pregnant. Earlier that day I had an echo and met with the dr later that day to discuss the results. My pulmonary pressure was high and sent to the hospital and little did I know I would give birth 6 weeks early to a baby boy. He spent a week in the NICU and is now home with us. So now the next step into my heart disease is surgery. I have scheduled surgery Jan 25th and I am scared out of myour mind. I am a 37 year old with 3 beautiful kids and an incredible man that all need me very much. My surgeon said I need a complete replacement so my question is what kind of valve should a 37 year old get? I am leaning toward a mechanical valve but the thought of coumadin scared me. This whole surgery scares me I have too much to live for I don't want to die. That is my biggest fear. Did any of you have these thoughts? How do I get passed these thoughts? From what I hear my surgeon is great and top notch. Everyone keeps saying you will be fine but I get so upset because it's not them that this is happening too! So many emotions. Happy I found this site and hoping to hear from others with the same situation. Thanks!