Clarence's Journal

Year 2 with my Medtronic Avalus 25 MM aortic valve and Medtronic Azure pacemaker and doing well. After 2 years I would have thought that I would have lost interest in this site but no, I keep looking at the newbie’s reading their stories and remembering my own. This site is a community and even if we don’t communicate directly it’s comforting to know that there is support and information to help ease the anxiety.  I wish you all well and God bless!

One year with new heart valve, wow I didn’t think I would make a big deal about my valve replacement everything went well and I feel good. But it is a big deal, we live in a time where medicine and science allows us to use artificial replacement parts and have people who know how to install them safely. To all the newbies out there, use the resources on this website, read the post, connect with others going through the same procedure, and have faith that all will be fine and most likely it will. I hope to post a comment every year God willing, I’m grateful for all the good people in this community that help and support each other and for Adam creating this site, be well!

7 months from aortic valve replacement doing well, I have little pains here and there but nothing major. The pacemaker is the worst thing about the whole process, hurts when I extend, move, bend, twist my left arm and I’m left handed. I walk every day and I am grateful for feeling as good as I do. I know that to most people this is a terrifying time with fear anxiety and doubt, I pray a lot and know that if I wouldn’t of had the valve replaced I probably wouldn’t be here. To all out there having a heart procedure or any procedure educate yourself and stay positive, the odds of you making it through are good!

What an experience, the valve surgery appeared to be a straightforward procedure and it pretty well went that way, textbook. I woke in the ICU and thought that the tube down my throat was the worst thing, well it’s not. The most relief was when they removed two of the chest tubes, game changer,instant relief and I figured smooth sailing from here out. Well it seems that my valve was is worst shape than I knew, more area had to remove and used a larger valve 25mm Avalus by Medtronic’s. Day two or recover doctor told me that I would need a pacemaker installed, something called AV block. Well an additional day added and pacemaker installed went home.

Yesterday I went to the hospital to pre register and do COVID test, blood work and meet with the anesthesiologist, all results were good. Tomorrow is the big day, I’m ready!

Wow, just got off the phone with my surgeon, he has me scheduled for Wednesday 3 March 2021. Sort of caught me off guard I wasn’t expecting it to come up so soon, my symptoms have increased and it probably a good thing to do it now.

Yesterday I awoke not feeling to good, a little lightheaded. I looked at my Apple Watch that has heart monitoring and had 6 notifications of A-Fib. I have been sleeping with my watch for months and have never had an indication of a problem. I did another ECG and it showed A-Fib It finally cleared around 7PM, I will make an appointment on Monday. Not good!

Well, I opened an email about heart valve surgery, Adams page what a godsend. To tell you the truth, when my current doctor told me that the echo wasn’t that good and I needed to plan to have the valve replaced it shocked me, in my mind that was a death sentence. But after doing research and looking at all the info on Adams page and reading everyone’s blogs I started to get a little comfort and relaxed a little. My cardiologist recommended a few surgeons at Emory Atlanta and I researched and picked Dr. Edward Chen. Unfortunately for me he took another job at Duke University and recommended two of his colleagues, I researched again and picked Dr. Bradley Leshnower. I researched the three Emory hospitals not sure where but after meeting with Dr. Leshnower he uses the university hospital. We plan to get this done in April.

When doing my Army exit physical the doctor heard a click and suggested I see a cardiologist, that was in Oct. 98. Diagnosis bicuspid aortic valve. I have over 20 years with no symptoms, I get checked every 6 mo.