So, it's been a while since I have posted updates. It seems that after surgery, time flies and you get all caught up in recovery mode. As someone mentioned ...Read more
So, it's been a while since I have posted updates. It seems that after surgery, time flies and you get all caught up in recovery mode. As someone mentioned in a previous post this week, post-surgery updates are important for all our friends who have upcoming surgeries and I for one also found all these positive post-surgery updates very reassuring for me prior to my surgery...........so brief update.
I am now 4 weeks post-surgery and things have been going well. My breathing has improved, I am no longer out of breath walking (prior to surgery, I would get out of breath if I walked over a mile) and my scar is healing fantastic. All in all, I am very grateful and thankful on my recovery to-date. I start my cardio-rehab on May 26th and also have my first cardiologist apt on the same day, so I am praying that the echo shows that my new valve is functioning as it should with no issues. I am still trying to follow hospital instructions on walking / lifting things (hard to do, as I want to do more), but will continue on the recommended path until rehab starts (no use rushing things). I hope all is well with my other friends that had surgery when I was going thru mine and pray for positive outcomes for all those with upcoming surgeries. Some questions I do have is (1) when can you start putting stuff on scar and (2), what vitamins should I be taking now (prior to surgery, I took Vitamin C/D, fish oil, Q10, K2, magnesium and multi-vitamin. The fish oil acts like a blood thinner, but currently I am only on 81mg aspirin and 25mg Metoprolol, so not sure if I sure skip the fish oil for a bit (I have a 25mm Perimount Magna Ease tissue valve). Also, I have done some research on K1/K2 and research completed to-date seems to show that high doses of K2 allows calcium to be absorbed in bones vs. going to aorta / valves, thus preserving new valves from early calcification. Has anyone else heard of this and is anyone taking high doses of K2?
Positive thoughts and prayers for all with upcoming surgeries........God bless!
Civita Fahey Great update Henry.. I'm happy all is going well for you.. Im about 2 weeks behind you and doing pret ... Read more
Civita Fahey Great update Henry.. I'm happy all is going well for you.. Im about 2 weeks behind you and doing pretty good myself.. yes, the updates after surgery are important as I found them reassuring before surgery.. can you tell me what is K/K2? I think we have the same valve and I;d love to make it last as long as possible.
Henry Brouwer Hi Civita, very nice to hear from you. I. I am glad to hear that your recovery is going great as well ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Hi Civita, very nice to hear from you. I. I am glad to hear that your recovery is going great as well. I will send some URL links on this in the next day or so.
Barbara Wood Haven't heard about K 2...continued success in your recovery Henry:)
Sean Hunt Henry thanks for your update. It is awesome to hear for those who have had a similar surgery. I have ... Read more
Sean Hunt Henry thanks for your update. It is awesome to hear for those who have had a similar surgery. I have an AVR and ascending aortic aneurysm repair on May 25th. Hope all continues to go well and thanks again for some insight.
Larry Ring Hi Henry...
I've read about vitamin K2 helping to shuttle calcium away from soft tissue and into the ... Read more
Larry Ring Hi Henry...
I've read about vitamin K2 helping to shuttle calcium away from soft tissue and into the bones, where it belongs. I take a K2 supplement by Thorne. Each drop has 1 mg of K2.
That is much more than the micrograms in most supplements.
Wondering...what dosage level have you read about?
Henry Brouwer Its good to hear from all of you. Sean, best wishes and prayers on your upcoming surgery..........Lar ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Its good to hear from all of you. Sean, best wishes and prayers on your upcoming surgery..........Larry, I am looking at my K2 supplement and I take 2 x 100 mcg daily. I am going to look for what you are using. For info on K2, all you need to do is goggle 'does K2 reduce tissue valve calcification' and you will find a wealth of info on Internet. Here is one site that recommends dosage around 200mcg, but not sure if this is enough K2. I also read somewhere that high dosages of K2 has no negative affect on the human body as long as you are not on anticoagulants.(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/19/vitamin-d-vitamin-k2.aspx)..........Cheers all.
Taking vitamin K2 along with vitamin D helps slow the progression of arterial calcification, whereas vitamin D alone cannot.
Larry Ring Hi again, Henry...
There's a good book on the subject written by Kate Rheaume-Bleue called Vitamin K2 ... Read more
Larry Ring Hi again, Henry...
There's a good book on the subject written by Kate Rheaume-Bleue called Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox. Well written and well researched, with scientific papers cited in every chapter.
According to Kate, the dosage depends on the type of Vit K2 you take.
If synthetic, menaquinone-4 (MK-4), the recommended dosage is 45 milligrams (4500 micrograms) divided over three times per day (MK-4 has a short half-life in the body.) If natural (from natto) menaquinonoe-7 (MK-7) the recommended dosage is only 120 micrograms or more, once per day. These dosages are based on the few clinical trials and research that's out there on the anti-calcification qualities of K2.
The Thorne supplement is derived from MK-4, and so on the bottle, the suggest 45 drops (45 milligrams) every day.
I also have a pill form from LIfe Extension. It has 1000 micrograms from MK-4 and 200 micrograms from MK-7, along with 1500 micrograms of K1. For the price and dosages, the Life Extension may be the better way to rolll. I'm with you - if it can help extend the life of my new tissue valve, I'm in!
Henry Brouwer Thx for the info, Larry. So do you take both the Thorne drops and the Life Extension pill or just one ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx for the info, Larry. So do you take both the Thorne drops and the Life Extension pill or just one of them?.............and if only one, how many drops / pills do you take daily? My K2 supplement is Menaquinonoe-7 (MK-7 - from natto) and I take 2 x 100 mcg daily, so not sure if this is enough.
Larry Ring Based on the dosing information in Kate's book (which is based on research...at scant as it may be), ... Read more
Larry Ring Based on the dosing information in Kate's book (which is based on research...at scant as it may be), I am going to take the rest of my Thorne liquid (trying to take 15 drops, three times per day) and then take a new K supplement from Thorne..."3-K Complete" pill that has 90 micrograms of MK-7 in each pill and 5 mg From MK-4...they suggest two pills a day. That's the dosage I plan to take.
That dosage will cost me $24 a month...how's that compare to the supplement you are taking?
Henry Brouwer Thx Larry, my pills contain 100 mcg of K2 (Mk-7 from Natto bean). I will post pics from pill containe ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx Larry, my pills contain 100 mcg of K2 (Mk-7 from Natto bean). I will post pics from pill container. I can't remember the cost. I take 2 of these pills daily.
Prayers and positive thoughts to all that have surgery scheduled this week. (Civita, Terrie, Chiew, Dana and Jim). Here is the one verse of the Bible that I ...Read more
Prayers and positive thoughts to all that have surgery scheduled this week. (Civita, Terrie, Chiew, Dana and Jim). Here is the one verse of the Bible that I actually took a picture of with my phone and read just before going into surgery. Psalm 27, v14 - Wait on the Lord: be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say on the Lord.
Jeff Kirsch Is there any news on your shortness of breath. Also are you still on pain meds?
Henry Brouwer No, Jeff, I am going to call my cardiologist tomorrow to see what he says about the random shortness ... Read more
Henry Brouwer No, Jeff, I am going to call my cardiologist tomorrow to see what he says about the random shortness of breath. I am going to also ask if this could be caused by the Metoprolol I am taking daily.Today is the first day that I have not taken any pain meds and so far, so good.
Terrie Hodges Thanks, Henry...I appreciate the Bible quote...certainly fits...let us know if the issue is the beta ... Read more
Terrie Hodges Thanks, Henry...I appreciate the Bible quote...certainly fits...let us know if the issue is the beta blocker🤗
So a quick question to all................I am still on occasion have shortness of breath issues when I breath in deeply. This goes away quickly and happens ...Read more
So a quick question to all................I am still on occasion have shortness of breath issues when I breath in deeply. This goes away quickly and happens more when I am sitting down vs walking. My aortic valve area was at .7mm before and new valve is 25mm. Is this common after heart surgery as my heart is adapting to new valve and should I get it checked out? I used to have this issue a lot more before surgery, but would have thought that this would be a non-issue after surgery..........thx all.
Enrique K Hello Henry, you should not have shortness of breath issues after surgery. On the contrary I was brea ... Read more
Enrique K Hello Henry, you should not have shortness of breath issues after surgery. On the contrary I was breathing 100% better after my surgery. Go ahead and get it checked out with your cardiologist.
Cathleen Weed What brings on the shortness of breath?
Henry Brouwer just sometimes out of habit from pre-surgery days when I try and take a deep breath........when I am ... Read more
Henry Brouwer just sometimes out of habit from pre-surgery days when I try and take a deep breath........when I am walking, I don't really have any issues.
Cathleen Weed If you don't have it with activity that's a good sign ❤️ It can take a while for the lungs to get ... Read more
Cathleen Weed If you don't have it with activity that's a good sign ❤️ It can take a while for the lungs to get back in shape for deep breathing. That's why they have you use the spirometer as much as possible.
Henry Brouwer Ok, thx Cathleen. I will try and use the spirometer more. I can typically get it up to 2500-3500, but ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Ok, thx Cathleen. I will try and use the spirometer more. I can typically get it up to 2500-3500, but no longer used it on an hourly basis. I guess I should get back to that. I was more worried about fluid build-up around lungs that might be causing this breathing issue. I guess the only way to rule this out would be an x-ray???
So my surgeon just called and pushed my surgery off to Tuesday morning due to an emergency in ICU. I guess this happens all the time, so I am not too worried ...Read more
So my surgeon just called and pushed my surgery off to Tuesday morning due to an emergency in ICU. I guess this happens all the time, so I am not too worried about it..........lol.
So sorry to hear this. A lot of emotion to go through again tomorrow. Thinking about you
Noreen Kitchen I'm sorry that tough when you had yourself all ready to go. Thinking of you and know that you will be ... Read more
Noreen Kitchen I'm sorry that tough when you had yourself all ready to go. Thinking of you and know that you will be just fine.
Melissa Alfred We now share the day! All the very best to you !!!! xoxox
So I am packing necessities for recovery in hospital and emotions running wild..........but I guess that is to be expected. My wife had a bit of a meltdown ...Read more
So I am packing necessities for recovery in hospital and emotions running wild..........but I guess that is to be expected. My wife had a bit of a meltdown this morning and I had to comfort her......Best wishes and prayers to all that have upcoming surgeries. It may be a few days for me to post updates and to all, God bless!
Terrie Hodges will be thinking of you and your family and covering you, the surgeon and team, all involved, equipme ... Read more
Terrie Hodges will be thinking of you and your family and covering you, the surgeon and team, all involved, equipment and meds with prayers💟 Looking forward to post op posts😊
Civita Fahey prayers for a succesful surgery Henry.. positive thinking.. will make you heal faster.
Bob Fessler Good luck Henry. See you on the other side.
Henry Brouwer Thx all for your thoughts and prayers. This community is awesome!!!!
Hi all, I am having conflicting thoughts on my ascending aorta. It was measured at 38mm and the surgeon said when he was going in, he would determine if this ...Read more
Hi all, I am having conflicting thoughts on my ascending aorta. It was measured at 38mm and the surgeon said when he was going in, he would determine if this was going to be replaced by Dacrom sleeve. Does anyone have any feedback how quickly the size could increase and what are the standard measurements that are used for replacement purposes? I would hate to have to have another surgery in a few years to address the ascending aorta issue when this could be completed at the same time as the valve replacement? My surgeon says it adds approx. 20 additional minutes on heart machine. Cathleen, I know you have been thru this as well.
Marie Myers That is a tough question. I am not sure there is any way to know when or if the aorta can enlarge. If ... Read more
Marie Myers That is a tough question. I am not sure there is any way to know when or if the aorta can enlarge. If it were me, I think I would like it replaced at the same time. My aorta grew to 4.8 cm, definitely too big for me. BTW, I did not take amioderone pre op, but every doc has their own routines.
Cathleen Weed Hi, New research has shown that 83% of BAV (bicuspid aortic valve) patients will develop an aortic an ... Read more
Cathleen Weed Hi, New research has shown that 83% of BAV (bicuspid aortic valve) patients will develop an aortic aneurysm (even after the valve is replaced). They also use age, gender, and body type to determine risk. When the aorta develops an aneurysm at a relatively young age (under 75) it is highly probable that a degenerative condition of some kind is affecting the aortic tissue, especially when a bicuspid valve is involved. I don't know your age but most aortic dilations/aneurysms for patients with a bicuspid aortic valve start to present at a mean age of 49, and complications by age 52. If there is also an underlying connective tissue disorder the aneurysm can present earlier (20's) and surgery is needed even younger (30's). I was 33.
You are at 38mm which is 3.8 cm. The normal diameter of the ascending aorta is less than 2.1 cm, much smaller than yours. Aortic dilations start slow, but the bigger they get the faster they grow. When I had my second aortic valve replacement my ascending aorta was 4.2 cm. They didn't fix it because 1) they didn't have the technology 2) they didn't know the risk back then. The aorta continued to dilate (unnoticed by my local cardiologist - had I been going for follow-ups at Cedars Sinai instead it would have been caught sooner) and reached 6 cm which required immediate emergency surgery to replace the ascending aorta with the Dacron graft along with a new bovine valve. The surgery saved my life. With new research, now there is no question that they would do the Dacron graft at your size during an already scheduled bicuspid aortic valve replacement here in Los Angeles because for the thoracic aorta a diameter greater than 3.5 cm is generally considered dilated, and greater than 4.0 cm would be considered aneurysmal. My personal opinion would be that you caught it early and now you can do a preventative Dacron graft and never think about it again. Be sure to ask your surgeon his particular skill level as well.
Amy Steele Wow! That's a great explanation, Cathleen. Henry, I'm with Marie and Cathleen, have it taken care of ... Read more
Amy Steele Wow! That's a great explanation, Cathleen. Henry, I'm with Marie and Cathleen, have it taken care of while you're already having surgery for BAV. I had aortic valve and root replacement 6 months ago and they found that my aorta was dilated to 5.2 cm during pre-op testing. I am currently 52. Unfortunately, with the aortic aneurysm repair, there is no minimally invasive option, so you'll be joining the zipper club!
Henry Brouwer Thx all for your feedback. I am hoping to talk to the surgeon Monday before I go under the knife to c ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx all for your feedback. I am hoping to talk to the surgeon Monday before I go under the knife to clarify all this. Cathleen, how long after your second valve surgery did you have to go in for emergency surgery to get Dacron and replacement valve? I am also 52 years old and the aorta was measured at 3.8 cm back in 2011 as well.
Cathleen Weed Hi Henry, 10 years but most likely at high risk for several years leading up to the discovery. I was ... Read more
Cathleen Weed Hi Henry, 10 years but most likely at high risk for several years leading up to the discovery. I was very lucky. When an echo tech actually noticed it, it was 6 cm. At that point they looked back at my previous echo from six months prior and discovered to their horror that it was 5.5 cm at that point (an example of "the bigger they get the faster they grow"). So off to emergency surgery I went for a third aortic valve replacement and aneurysm repair. When they did my second open heart surgery prior to that to replace the aortic valve they did the Ross procedure so it was expected that the valve would last 25 years or longer. The aneurysm ruined that 😕.
Robert Osmachenko Cathleen, that was an excellent write-up (and well put together) for Henry. Thanks for taking your t ... Read more
Robert Osmachenko Cathleen, that was an excellent write-up (and well put together) for Henry. Thanks for taking your time and giving him the straight goods! Love and light.
So I went for my pre-op today, all the normal stuff that they do and everything looked good. They are having me take Amiodarone for the next 5 days before surgery. ...Read more
So I went for my pre-op today, all the normal stuff that they do and everything looked good. They are having me take Amiodarone for the next 5 days before surgery. What they are telling me is that taking this prior to surgery may help avoid afib after surgery. Did anyone take this prior to surgery?
Keith Heflin I didn't get it till after surgery, and I had an Afib episode on day 3.
Henry Brouwer Thx for all the feedback, I guess I will just run with taking it..........lol.
Barbara Wood Yes, they started me on it about a week before surgery too- told me the same thing- it might prevent ... Read more
Barbara Wood Yes, they started me on it about a week before surgery too- told me the same thing- it might prevent afib after surgery. But my surgery has been moved ahead by 6 weeks due to bronchitis, so I'm off it now.
Henry Brouwer Thx Barbara. I am glad I am not the only one.
Henry Brouwer And I hope you are feeling better as well.
Paul Wells After surgery I was given Magnesium by IV daily. It burns a bit.
Melissa Alfred My pre-op is tomorrow, i'll let you know if I get it too.
Henry Brouwer Thx Melissa. Hi Paul, why did they give you Magnesium?
Barbara Helen Dance Hi Henry, I had my angiogram on 30th March, and have to see the surgeon in regard to having an Aortic ... Read more
Barbara Helen Dance Hi Henry, I had my angiogram on 30th March, and have to see the surgeon in regard to having an Aortic Valve Replacement, my Cardiologist has started me on Amiodarone too,. I haven't seen the surgeon yet, and as I haven't got a date for surgery, I am wondering how long I will be on it?????. I was on Flecanide up until my angiogram with no side effects, and had been put on it, when I went into A.F after a cardiac ablation to find svts. I was also put on Warfarin at the same time. Now, my Warfarin levels and thyroid levels are haywire , since starting the Amiodarone !!!!. I was told the Flecanide was nologer appropriate. My thyroxin was low, and so he increased that to 150 mcg too, I suspect that that is causing my increased heart rate....... or is that yet another side effect of the Amioderone???. x
Barbara Helen Dance All my very best wishes for your surgery on the 10th April ,and a speedy recovery. X
No I didn't take any pre or post op. Best wishes and God Bless !
Melissa Alfred Hi Henry, Finished my pre-op today, they don't have me taking anything but showering with a special s ... Read more
Melissa Alfred Hi Henry, Finished my pre-op today, they don't have me taking anything but showering with a special soap and some nasal ointment to kill any mrsa bacteria in the body.
Henry Brouwer Thx for all your feedback. I am meeting with my surgeon today again and will ask him about this and l ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx for all your feedback. I am meeting with my surgeon today again and will ask him about this and let everyone know. I hear that there are lots of side-affects for Amioderone, so if I don't have to take this, I would prefer not too.
Henry Brouwer Also, thx Barbara and Keith for your best wishes. It's great to have a community like this.
So I have another angiogram yesterday as they had difficulty finding the right coronary in the previous one, but yesterday they found it and happy to say no ...Read more
So I have another angiogram yesterday as they had difficulty finding the right coronary in the previous one, but yesterday they found it and happy to say no blockages in that either, so no bypasses required at time of surgery......I did find out that the surgeon will be looking at my aorta as I have mild dilation of the ascending aorta measuring 38mm. I looked at previous echo's and this was the same measurement as in 2011. Does this mean anything or will the surgeon determine if this needs to be replaced this when he is completing surgery? I wanted to know if there is added risk in completing this at the same time as replacing the aortic valve. Thx all, Henry
Cathleen Weed It does change the surgery because when they have to do that portion of the surgery they have to turn ... Read more
Cathleen Weed It does change the surgery because when they have to do that portion of the surgery they have to turn off the heart/lung bypass machine to replace the ascending aorta. I had that done during my third aortic valve replacement at age 33. It's definitely more complicated. Having said that though, if you need it then do it now.... do not wait. It will only mean another surgery in the future if it continues to dilate. My aorta dilated to 6 cm (and ruined that bovine valve in the process) and that is why I had the emergency third surgery. If you have it replaced now the new dacron graft will last a lifetime. Definitely something to think about. It is very common for people born with a bicuspid aortic valve to develop an aortic aneurysm. That wasn't common knowledge when I was younger.
Henry Brouwer Thx Cathleen, I am not sure what you mean when you say they have to turn off the bypass machine. Does ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx Cathleen, I am not sure what you mean when you say they have to turn off the bypass machine. Does that mean my heart is pumping on it's own when they replace the ascending aorta?
Marie Myers I had my AVR and ascending aorta replaced 1 week ago. My aneurysm was 4.8 cm, which is large for my ... Read more
Marie Myers I had my AVR and ascending aorta replaced 1 week ago. My aneurysm was 4.8 cm, which is large for my 5'5'' 110 lbs body. I was advised by 2 local surgeons to have both done at the same time. As Cathleen said it is actually quite common to develope an aneurysm with a bicuspid valve. Ask your docs what they recommend.
Cathleen Weed Hi Henry,
No, sorry let me clarify that statement. I didn't want to go into detail lol because it ... Read more
Cathleen Weed Hi Henry,
No, sorry let me clarify that statement. I didn't want to go into detail lol because it doesn't sound so great but what they do is they basically set a timer, turn off the heart-lung machine, put your brain on ice, and replace the ascending aorta in a matter of minutes while you are in a hypothermic state with no blood pumping whatsoever.
Henry Brouwer Ah, thx for clarifying Cathleen. You are a wealth of knowledge. Hi Marie, did you surgeon say that t ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Ah, thx for clarifying Cathleen. You are a wealth of knowledge. Hi Marie, did you surgeon say that the risk / complication factor was greater getting both fixed at the same time? Your successful surgery has given me renewed confidence as well.
Marie Myers He probably did say that adding another procedure does increase the time and the possible complicatio ... Read more
Marie Myers He probably did say that adding another procedure does increase the time and the possible complications , but I knew that both things needed to be done. The aneurysm was really the driving factor in my case, since my AV was actually still functioning pretty well. I did not want to risk a repair on my valve, and chose a tissue valve. That was the hardest choice in my whole decision.
Marie Myers My doctor did mention that if I wanted to pursue a repair of the BAV, he recommended a Dr Bavaria (Ph ... Read more
Marie Myers My doctor did mention that if I wanted to pursue a repair of the BAV, he recommended a Dr Bavaria (Philidelphia) and a Dr in Toronto whose names escape me now. Ultimately, I decided not to travel and have the AVR and aneurysm fixed locally. The good news is , there are good doctors everywhere. I had several good references on my surgeon, so I decided to stay local.
DEBORAH Vulpi He did mention the aortic root when we first met...however after the last test he was able to determi ... Read more
DEBORAH Vulpi He did mention the aortic root when we first met...however after the last test he was able to determine that the root is in good shape..we'll see what happens during the surgery..
thanks everyone for all of your continued support...this blog is such a God send to so many people having OHS..
Henry Brouwer Thx Deb, my surgeon said he will make a decision whether he needs to replace it or not when he is com ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx Deb, my surgeon said he will make a decision whether he needs to replace it or not when he is completing the surgery. If minimal additional risk, I would probably prefer to get it all done at once vs. having another surgery in a few years to replace this.
DEBORAH Vulpi I agree....they never can never tell with 100% certainty just based on the tests...nothing compares ... Read more
DEBORAH Vulpi I agree....they never can never tell with 100% certainty just based on the tests...nothing compares to seeing everything up close and personal ,....so to speak..so things could change for me as well...
DEBORAH Vulpi no replacement was needed for my ascending aorta..
So I have another angiogram scheduled for today, as the last angiogram had issues showing the right artery to see if there are any blockages. I have my pre-op ...Read more
So I have another angiogram scheduled for today, as the last angiogram had issues showing the right artery to see if there are any blockages. I have my pre-op scheduled for April 5th and then April 10th surgery...........not sure yet how I feel about all this yet, emotions are all over the place now. Anyone have any calming techniques that may help me in the next week?
Cathleen Weed There's an app on iPhone called Calm. I love it. Great for stress.
Other than that, buckle up becau ... Read more
Cathleen Weed There's an app on iPhone called Calm. I love it. Great for stress.
Other than that, buckle up because it's all going to go really quickly from here. I'm a planner so it helped me to make lists and feel super prepared...but really it's mind over matter and just acceptance that works best.
Prayers for a clear cath today 🙏
Henry Brouwer Thx very much, Cathleen. I am going to download that app today.
Cathleen Weed It's a pretty amazing app 🌟 Hope it helps!
Marie Myers There are lots of great meditations on U Tube for release of anxiety and fear, as well as meditations ... Read more
Marie Myers There are lots of great meditations on U Tube for release of anxiety and fear, as well as meditations on surrender ..Very helpful for me
DEBORAH Vulpi I downloaded that app along with my calming spa type music ...I just love it.
So does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to let my 10 year old son know that I will be having this surgery? I know it will be a difficult time for ...Read more
So does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to let my 10 year old son know that I will be having this surgery? I know it will be a difficult time for him as well, as we do everything together and now I will be out of commission for a while and not able to drive him to hockey practises, games, etc. I don't want to worry him that much. Its a good thing I have my wife to help out, as she will be taking a month off to stay with me.
Cathleen Weed Kids like it when you are direct. 10 year-olds are so smart. It's great to put it into terms that th ... Read more
Cathleen Weed Kids like it when you are direct. 10 year-olds are so smart. It's great to put it into terms that they can understand at their age level without putting adult issues on them. I compare my heart to an engine in a race car. Maybe if you say.... you know how a car has to go in for a tuneup...and sometimes they replace the parts that have gotten worn out? That is what I am having done to my heart so that I have a super strong engine again. I'm sure he will have a lot of questions but if you answer honestly it will bring him comfort. If you make plans now to do something really exciting in a few months after you're healed from surgery it will give him something to look forward to beyond the scariness of the surgery itself. It will also convey your confidence that you will still be here to do that event with him. Your confidence will be his confidence. ❤️🌟
Barbara Wood That is such a great response Cathleen! Henry, my kids are grown & it's been hard enough breaking hea ... Read more
Barbara Wood That is such a great response Cathleen! Henry, my kids are grown & it's been hard enough breaking heart surgery news to them, let alone a 10 year old. I love Cathleens approach...best wishes to you & your family:).
Henry Brouwer Cathleen, that is a fantastic explanation.........I love it. Thx so very much for your response and B ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Cathleen, that is a fantastic explanation.........I love it. Thx so very much for your response and Barbara, yours as well.
Clare Auten My kids were 13, 7 and 4 when I had my surgery. They each handled it in their own way. My mother in l ... Read more
Clare Auten My kids were 13, 7 and 4 when I had my surgery. They each handled it in their own way. My mother in law came and stayed with us while I was in the hospital. According to my 7 year old, she got lunches 90% right. Once I got home, she went back home. Other than not driving, I was able to stay home alone with our 4 year old while my husband went back to work around day 12 post op.
Henry Brouwer Thx Clare, I also have a good support group with 3 brothers who can take my son to all events, mother ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx Clare, I also have a good support group with 3 brothers who can take my son to all events, mother-in-law that will be staying for a few weeks and of course my wife.
Phyllis Petersen I agree with the above. The worst thing you can do is not talk to him about it. It'll be scary and di ... Read more
Phyllis Petersen I agree with the above. The worst thing you can do is not talk to him about it. It'll be scary and difficult, but keeping him in the loop will keep the lines of communication open and let him know that he can be open about his feelings. This may be a better age than when they get older and understand too much.
Peggy Whitecotton You need to prepare him. I took 2 of my adult daughters with me to see the surgeon as he was explaini ... Read more
Peggy Whitecotton You need to prepare him. I took 2 of my adult daughters with me to see the surgeon as he was explaining the surgery one of my daughters became hysterical and run out of the room. I knew then I had to better prepare my family, not only the surgery, but also about how I would have all kinds of wires, chest tubes, IVS, heart monitors beeping... I did not want my family walking into ICU and freaking out. As it turned out my family did fine, my daughter took charge and the OR nurse would text her updates doing my surgery and she kept the out of owners informed. Even my grand kids did well.. But do prepare him.... Best wishes!!
Henry Brouwer Thx Phyllis and Peggy for your feedback.
So I just received a call from the surgeon's office and they have scheduled my surgery for April 10th. Pre-op scheduled for April 5th. Both excited to put this ...Read more
So I just received a call from the surgeon's office and they have scheduled my surgery for April 10th. Pre-op scheduled for April 5th. Both excited to put this behind me, but also some worries as I have a 10 year old boy who still needs his dad. I an just going to have to put my faith in God and surgeon to get me thru this.
Civita Fahey I think we all need to do that Henry..
Civita Fahey your surgery is before mine.. so I hope and pray to see your successful updates.. I think as much as ... Read more
Civita Fahey your surgery is before mine.. so I hope and pray to see your successful updates.. I think as much as I do freak out sometimes especially when alone, my mind goes where its not supposed to go, when I think of how many successful surgeries I see on this site and have talked to so many wonderful people willing to help alleviate my concerns and fears, I truly feel at ease about this.. I know it will come out fine in the end.. God put us here so we can have it fixed.. So many people end up with major issues, some even death when they don't know about their condition.. HE gave US the knowledge and the ability to have it fixed. So, we just need to get over these next few weeks.. it will be the hardest thing we will do.. once the surgery is over, we have that big part behind us.. Lets be thankful we live in the 21st century and the technology is there for us.. Just a mere 100 years or less it would not have been possible for any of us.. Ok. so hopefully I've done enough pep raylling for the both us and lets keep it positive. ;-)
Henry Brouwer Very well written, Civita. I wish I was as good as a writer as you and a number of people on this web ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Very well written, Civita. I wish I was as good as a writer as you and a number of people on this web site. I read each and every one of them and it keeps building my faith that I will have a successful outcome.
Civita Fahey thanks for the compliment, truthfully writing it makes me believe it.. everyone tells me that the day ... Read more
Civita Fahey thanks for the compliment, truthfully writing it makes me believe it.. everyone tells me that the day of surgery they are all pretty peaceful about it. I hope to get there, I should, I've had enough freak out time..
Barbara Wood Exactly what Civita said...we are indeed the lucky ones!
Tony Adgent My surgery is also scheduled for the 10th. A little nervous. Starting to show signs of stress but t ... Read more
Tony Adgent My surgery is also scheduled for the 10th. A little nervous. Starting to show signs of stress but trying to keep it under control.
Henry Brouwer I hear and feel exactly what you are saying, Tony. But as Civita said, we are the fortunate ones that ... Read more
Henry Brouwer I hear and feel exactly what you are saying, Tony. But as Civita said, we are the fortunate ones that have issues that can be 'fixed'. Keep the faith!
So I had my angiogram on Mar 22 (was much easier than I had imagined) and he has some issues seeing the right coronary. The doctor wrote that 'Anomalous origin ...Read more
So I had my angiogram on Mar 22 (was much easier than I had imagined) and he has some issues seeing the right coronary. The doctor wrote that 'Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery with a high takeoff in the ascending aorta above the aortic root'. In layman's terms, my artery was not in the normal spot. He said not to worry about this, as he sees this a lot, but to ensure no blockage in the right artery, he has scheduled a CT angiogram. There were no blockages anywhere else, so he is anticipating no issues with right artery either. Thank the Lord that surgeon does not have to do an added by-pass when he replaces the bicuspid valve. On another note, the surgeon indicated he was going to look at aortic root (it was measured at 38mm) and he might replace this as well if he felt it was necessary. Has anyone else had both the aortic valve and aortic root replaced in the same operation? I would like to understand if there are any added risks for this and/or if we should wait? As per valve selection, I asked the surgeon what he would do if he was in my situation and he said without hesitation that he would go with a tissue valve, so that may be the route I take as well. I have my pre-op booked for April 5th and then surgery date will be scheduled.......getting a lot more nervous, as this is getting 'real' very quickly.
Civita Fahey Good to hear all came out clean Henry.. nervous is part of the game these days.. just try and focus o ... Read more
Civita Fahey Good to hear all came out clean Henry.. nervous is part of the game these days.. just try and focus on happy thoughts.. thats what I' doing!
Steven A Husted i know i was very scared before surgery but after surgery i was fine and i was glad i went with a bov ... Read more
Steven A Husted i know i was very scared before surgery but after surgery i was fine and i was glad i went with a bovine aortic valve also they did a bypass at the same time and i am glad they did
Hi all, anyone have any good questions that I need to ask my surgeon on Tuesday? I have read Adam's book and he has mentioned some very good questions, but ...Read more
Hi all, anyone have any good questions that I need to ask my surgeon on Tuesday? I have read Adam's book and he has mentioned some very good questions, but looking to this forum to add your valuable input as well. Thx all.
Steve Farthing Ask how many of your procedure he/she does per year. Ask if everyone involved accepts your insurance ... Read more
Steve Farthing Ask how many of your procedure he/she does per year. Ask if everyone involved accepts your insurance.
Civita Fahey I asked how many he had done, if mini sternotomy was possible, which valve he would recommend for a p ... Read more
Civita Fahey I asked how many he had done, if mini sternotomy was possible, which valve he would recommend for a person my age (55) and what the chances of having it re done with a TAVR if I chose a tissue, which I did..( he said 95% in his practice most people my age are going with the tissue since TAVR would be gold standard in about 5 years.. so for me the decision was made. this is the Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston.. I did interview two other surgeons and they all said the same thing.. The reason I went with this surgeon is the comfort I felt when I met him and that they mini sternotomy was how they always approach the AVR.. the others did not do the mini, just the standard full.. I know it may sound trivial but its not about the scar size, its the amount of breast bone that needs to be open.. the less open the faster recovery.. at least thats my feeling.. hope you find the right physician for you.. Best of luck.
Judy Midas I don't know if this is a concern for you, but my husband was done at a teaching hospital and he want ... Read more
Judy Midas I don't know if this is a concern for you, but my husband was done at a teaching hospital and he wanted to be certain the surgeon would do the entire procedure.
Barbara Wood If he foresees any possible complications in your particular- individual- case.
Henry Brouwer Hi Steve, I had your question on my list already. Civita, which model of tissue valve did your surgeo ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Hi Steve, I had your question on my list already. Civita, which model of tissue valve did your surgeon use? I also hear that the size of the new tissue valve must be a minimum size to qualify for a future TAVR. Judy, your question was one I was going to ask as I would prefer no 'student' practice on me (if you know what I mean). Barbara, I am going to add your question to my list as well. Thx all for the great feedback.
Civita Fahey Hi Henry.. I haven't had mine yet but he will be using either Carpentier-Edwards Magna Ease Bovine P ... Read more
Civita Fahey Hi Henry.. I haven't had mine yet but he will be using either Carpentier-Edwards Magna Ease Bovine Pericardial Valve or St. Jude Trifecta Bovine Pericardial Valve . Yes there needs to be a minimum size, I guess I will find that out when its time. Though for me, mechanical isn't the way to go. I've heard the ticking, one of our heart sisters sent me a clipping and it would drive me nuts.. I'm just like that..others are fine with it.. it's a personal choice for many reasons, I'm sure you will find the right one for you after speaking with your doctor.
Henry Brouwer Thx Civita, I am also leaning towards the tissue valve, as I am still active in sports and want the r ... Read more
Henry Brouwer Thx Civita, I am also leaning towards the tissue valve, as I am still active in sports and want the reassurance that I won't bleed to death if a baseball hits me or I wipe out water-skiing |(also have a 10 year old son that loves to wrestle....lol). I will let you know what my surgeon says tomorrow. Was the On-X valve an option with your surgeon, as I hear that it has lower INR level requirements and may even get FDA approval for just an Aspirin a day? Would you be able to send me the info on the mechanical valve clicking? That may make my decision very easy if it's too noisy.
Civita Fahey yes, the OnX would have been the one that my surgeon chooses when his patients want the mechanical va ... Read more
Civita Fahey yes, the OnX would have been the one that my surgeon chooses when his patients want the mechanical valve.. I have the valve noise on my phone.. if you want me to send your email I can try and send it that way or if it doesn't work, go on youtube and enter mechanical valve ticking there are plenty out there.. I dont that was an On X, though. I did ask if there was a mechanical one that didn't make noise and he said they all make noise.. so, boom.. I was done lol.. he did say that its not ready yet here in the US for an aspirin.. maybe in a few years.. I think the type of valve is a personal choice.. to be honest at first I was going for mechanical as Im not really a chance taker., and didn't want to have another surgery, but the more I thought about it the more it made me anxious.. the ticking is an issue for me.. the coumadin, IDK, never been on it, so I can't say.. I decided on the tissue when my surgeon said if it were he having this done, he would choose the tissue and take his chances as in 10-15, hopefully 20 years when the valve wears out, the TAVR will be perfected and even if I had to have it open again, same health withstanding, the risk of re do is 2-3% instead of 1%.. so, still pretty small.. we will leave that in the hands of the Lord.. I feel He is giving me the resources to make the right choice for me.. best Civita
Henry Brouwer So I had my angiogram on Mar 22 (was much easier than I had imagined) and he has some issues seeing t ... Read more
Henry Brouwer So I had my angiogram on Mar 22 (was much easier than I had imagined) and he has some issues seeing the right coronary. The doctor wrote that 'Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery with a high takeoff in the ascending aorta above the aortic root'. In layman's terms, my artery was not in the normal spot. He said not to worry about this, as he sees this a lot, but to ensure no blockage in the right artery, he has scheduled a CT angiogram. There were no blockages anywhere else, so he is anticipating no issues with right artery either. Thank the Lord that surgeon does not have to do an added by-pass when he replaces the bicuspid valve. On another note, the surgeon indicated he was going to look at aortic root (it was measured at 38mm) and he might replace this as well if he felt it was necessary. Has anyone else had both the aortic valve and aortic root replaced in the same operation? I would like to understand if there are any added risks for this and/or if we should wait? As per valve selection, I asked the surgeon what he would do if he was in my situation and he said without hesitation that he would go with a tissue valve, so that may be the route I take as well. I have my pre-op booked for April 5th and then surgery date will be scheduled.......getting a lot more nervous, as this is getting 'real' very quickly.
I've read about vitamin K2 helping to shuttle calcium away from soft tissue and into the ... Read more
I've read about vitamin K2 helping to shuttle calcium away from soft tissue and into the bones, where it belongs. I take a K2 supplement by Thorne. Each drop has 1 mg of K2.
That is much more than the micrograms in most supplements.
Wondering...what dosage level have you read about?
There's a good book on the subject written by Kate Rheaume-Bleue called Vitamin K2 ... Read more
There's a good book on the subject written by Kate Rheaume-Bleue called Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox. Well written and well researched, with scientific papers cited in every chapter.
According to Kate, the dosage depends on the type of Vit K2 you take.
If synthetic, menaquinone-4 (MK-4), the recommended dosage is 45 milligrams (4500 micrograms) divided over three times per day (MK-4 has a short half-life in the body.) If natural (from natto) menaquinonoe-7 (MK-7) the recommended dosage is only 120 micrograms or more, once per day. These dosages are based on the few clinical trials and research that's out there on the anti-calcification qualities of K2.
The Thorne supplement is derived from MK-4, and so on the bottle, the suggest 45 drops (45 milligrams) every day.
I also have a pill form from LIfe Extension. It has 1000 micrograms from MK-4 and 200 micrograms from MK-7, along with 1500 micrograms of K1. For the price and dosages, the Life Extension may be the better way to rolll. I'm with you - if it can help extend the life of my new tissue valve, I'm in!
That dosage will cost me $24 a month...how's that compare to the supplement you are taking?