Kaaren Carone - Heart Valve Journal

My Journal

Kaaren Caroneposted a journal

2195 days ago

Monica McCaa, Rose Madura, Carlos Banuelos and 10 others reacted to this

All done! New tissue valve a week ago today, no complications. Time to heal. Best wishes to you all.

Jeff Baker Hi Kaaren, glad you had a successful surgery and had no complications.

Marie Myers Congratulations! Now you can rest and heal.

Kirk Bepler Congratulations.....

Kimberley Anchell Glad to hear your recovery is underway - congratulations

Catie B Beautiful news!

Mike Roskowinski Congrats Karen. It is the best thing to get home.

Lena Afanaseva ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😍

Rob Sparling Awesome news! Nothing better than being able to rest at home!

Joy Vera You said it - time to heal. Glad you're home.

Kaaren Caroneposted an update

2216 days ago

Tim Saint , Dan Baltazor, Rob Sparling and 5 others reacted to this

Two weeks from now I will be done waiting and beginning recovery. Can’t get there soon enough, I’m tired of second guessing myself and wondering “what ...Read more

Two weeks from now I will be done waiting and beginning recovery. Can’t get there soon enough, I’m tired of second guessing myself and wondering “what if”. To pass the time happily I am spending a week visiting my only child who is pregnant with her first—a son. He’s due in October so I have lots of incentive to be back in fighting form by then.

Tim Saint No better motivation to power through this difficult time. You will come out the other side with an e ... Read more

Tim Saint No better motivation to power through this difficult time. You will come out the other side with an even greater appreciation for life and improved health and longevity. Enjoy your time with your daughter, get your game face on and put faith in your medical team to get the best outcome possible. All the best.

Rose Madura The waiting is the hardest. At one point, my surgery got postponed and that really threw me for a lo ... Read more

Rose Madura The waiting is the hardest. At one point, my surgery got postponed and that really threw me for a loop. I cried all day and ended up watching a you tube video about JFK's assassination to get my mind off of it. Going to see your daughter is a great idea. Tim is right, once you are recovering, you will have a new appreciation for life, your loved ones and your doctors. Will be praying.

Susan Lynn Kaaren - You're exactly where you should be - mentally prepared to put this behind you. You're goin ... Read more

Susan Lynn Kaaren - You're exactly where you should be - mentally prepared to put this behind you. You're going to do just great and have so much to look forward to! ❤

Ann Crone Dear Kaaren. I can so relate "I’m tired of second guessing myself and wondering “what if”. I ... Read more

Ann Crone Dear Kaaren. I can so relate "I’m tired of second guessing myself and wondering “what if”. I think the medical community could do a better job of acknowledging that the waiting and worrying is very difficult and somehow offer better support. I don't even think my primary physician "gets me" or understands that it is stressful to wait!

Mava Reif I agree! That's why Adam was so wonderful to start this website! Truly there is more support & wisdom ... Read more

Mava Reif I agree! That's why Adam was so wonderful to start this website! Truly there is more support & wisdom here, than I've found anywhere else.

Kaaren Caroneposted a journal

2219 days ago

At last pre surgery surgeon visit today I learned I will be having full sternotomy instead of minimally invasive MVR. My CAT scan was a little more detailed/clear ...Read more

At last pre surgery surgeon visit today I learned I will be having full sternotomy instead of minimally invasive MVR. My CAT scan was a little more detailed/clear than echo and showed presence of interfering calcification where just heart muscle should be. .. Anyway I had thought initially I’d probably have sternotomy due to breast implants, then was pleasantly surprised to be told we could probably do minimally invasive then unpleasantly surprised by calcification issue. (angiogram showed some calcification but no blockages at least). So now I think I’ll research vegan diets....

Marie Myers There are a lot of curve balls, aren’t there? Don’t fear the full sterotomy. I had one , and exp ... Read more

Marie Myers There are a lot of curve balls, aren’t there? Don’t fear the full sterotomy. I had one , and experienced surprisingly little pain.

Mike Roskowinski Karen sorry to hear about the changes in surgery. As Marie said dont fear the sternotomy. It is not ... Read more

Mike Roskowinski Karen sorry to hear about the changes in surgery. As Marie said dont fear the sternotomy. It is not as bad as you would think it is. The waiting game is the worst part of all of this. Plus all the pre-tests and getting ready for the surgery are over whelming at times. You will do great in surgery.

Thomas Brusstar A friend with breast implants just had a sternotomy, although kind of a mini-one. She actually had h ... Read more

Thomas Brusstar A friend with breast implants just had a sternotomy, although kind of a mini-one. She actually had her hospital arrange for a plastic surgeon to be in the vicinity so he could close, making her scar not just small but clean. So if the scar is a major stressor for you, look into a specialty surgeon to close. (At 11 months post, my regular 6.5" sternotomy scar is kind of disappearing. I'll miss it! It's my badge of a great accomplishment.)

Joy Vera Sometimes they need to have a full view of things & it seems that's what they've decided for you. Fo ... Read more

Joy Vera Sometimes they need to have a full view of things & it seems that's what they've decided for you. For my 2010 surgery there was a point where the surgeon thought I could have a minimally invasive procedure, another point when he thought I could have the Ross Procedure. Neither worked out &, as Marie said, lots of curve balls. Things worked out fine in 2010 & it looks like they will do the same with my second surgery that was just completed in May. All the best to you.

Kaaren Caroneposted an update

2227 days ago

Liz Gephart and 5 others reacted to this

What is the one SINGLE thing you were most glad to have taken to the hospital and the one SINGLE thing you wish you had taken but didn’t?

Naomi Gray I was so glad I took my stuffed chicken Puffy to the hospital. We have pet chickens at home, and my s ... Read more

Naomi Gray I was so glad I took my stuffed chicken Puffy to the hospital. We have pet chickens at home, and my stuffed Puffy is like an icon of the real Puffy the chicken. I took many selfies with her for this journal with her. I took her to the doctors' offices with me. It was such a great conversation starter with all the medical stuff. I hugged her often. It helped me to feel less emotional many times.

One thing I wish I had was my tablet to watch movies in my hospital room. When I was in ICU, I was so out of it, sleeping in and out all day (but not well) that I couldn't care less about entertainment. But in my recovery room, I got bored with the selection of the cable TV quickly. If I had my tablet, I could have watched movies, etc. The Wi-fi is decent at the hospital, and that's what I'd do next time.

Susan Lynn Kaaren - Pajama pants and a robe were must haves for me. I was much more comfortable walking the ha ... Read more

Susan Lynn Kaaren - Pajama pants and a robe were must haves for me. I was much more comfortable walking the halls without worrying about those pesky hospital gowns.

I wish I brought a note pad to jot down all the names of my nurses, pt/ot staff, xray techs, etc. I wrote a letter to the hospital about my great experience and had to rely on my memory. It would have been beneficial to chronicle my daily activities, too. I was surprised how much I didn't remember. Have to love that anesthesia brain!

Judy S Kaaren, I love how you are getting yourself prepared--you have the right approach to being healthy go ... Read more

Judy S Kaaren, I love how you are getting yourself prepared--you have the right approach to being healthy going in and armed with the best tools for your stay! I definitely brought my devices--phone and iPad, but I also wish that I had documented things while I was there in terms of progress, activities, etc. I too lost track of when things happened--and I think it would have been a good thing to have focused on while I was there. And, I wouldn't have as many questions now! I also agree with Karen about pjs/robe. There really wasn't anything that I didn't have with me. I'm sure you're also focused on what your set-up will be like when you get home, so make sure you have a recliner or something comparable and things at a lower level so you don't have to reach. One thing I wish I had done differently was not have groups of friends come visit. It was great, but it would have been smarter to have more visits to help when I was first alone (not that I needed help but it would have been a better distraction)!

Peter Eglinton The SINGLE most valuable: my awesome wife. ♥️ She listened to everything doctors, nurses, and ph ... Read more

Peter Eglinton The SINGLE most valuable: my awesome wife. ♥️ She listened to everything doctors, nurses, and physician assistants said and took notes, and advocated on my behalf. I missed having a recliner in the step down unit. Only 12 of something like 38 patients had one, and it would have been so much better to have had it. Not practical to bring one with you. 🙃

Bob Fessler Sure glad I had my ipad for entertainment after ICU. You don’t need much so I can’t think of any ... Read more

Bob Fessler Sure glad I had my ipad for entertainment after ICU. You don’t need much so I can’t think of anything I forgot. BTW.....take some shorts to hide the derrière under the gown.

Rose Madura Other than my wonderful husband, the single most thing I was glad I brought was a travel pillow. It ... Read more

Rose Madura Other than my wonderful husband, the single most thing I was glad I brought was a travel pillow. It came in very handy for all the naps in the recliner. Some I wish I would have brought? Can't think of anything. 😊

Rob Sparling Besides my wife/strategist my best “bring with” was iPad so I could keep up with MyChart, life, e ... Read more

Rob Sparling Besides my wife/strategist my best “bring with” was iPad so I could keep up with MyChart, life, email, news and this forum. Best thing that affected my personal comfort was chapstick. (Other adjustments happened in the recliner, bed, etc. but the room was equipped.) The one thing I didn’t take but wished I had was boxer shorts or PJ bottoms. You don’t need much...walk in cozy and clean and walk out on same clothes but with a new valve looking for a hot shower.

Scott Ainsworth My wife, my daughter and then the iPad! Oh and my Superman T-Shirt lol

Emily Rowley Best thing I took was: Earphones 🎧 (+chargers +good mindset +my Heart Surgery Bra.

Thing I wis ... Read more

Emily Rowley Best thing I took was: Earphones 🎧 (+chargers +good mindset +my Heart Surgery Bra.

Thing I wish I had: full sized proper shampoo for oily hair (happens after surgery) & feminine hygiene products.

Best things I was given: dressing gown, slipers, colouring book (with pencils+sharpener).

It's so sweet the loved ones others have commented on being glad to have. I fully agree, definitely having my family with me (and my Heart Family on here closeby too) and their support was best part along my Heart Journey. ♥️

Pat Bluemel iPad! the thing I forgot, deoderant! Make sure you have all your favorite shower supplies and body ca ... Read more

Pat Bluemel iPad! the thing I forgot, deoderant! Make sure you have all your favorite shower supplies and body care stuff.

Thomas Brusstar I agree bring an iPad/ iPhone/ device, but most importantly make sure you have a super-long charging ... Read more

Thomas Brusstar I agree bring an iPad/ iPhone/ device, but most importantly make sure you have a super-long charging cable for it! You might have to snake the cord from a pretty long way away. 6 feet was long enough for me, but glad I had it. Wish I had brought regular chapstick: I don't like the medicinal blistek stuff they give you if you ask, and who knows how much they charged me. (I didn't care about walking around in their stupid hospital gown. Who cares.)

Rita Savelis Best thing: elastic to tie back my hair.

Barbara Wood Slip-on sneakers - real shoes feel so much nicer than the socks they give you & the more you walk the ... Read more

Barbara Wood Slip-on sneakers - real shoes feel so much nicer than the socks they give you & the more you walk the better!

Scott Ainsworth Barbara nailed it! I wish I had of taken sneakers! Those socks are awful things!

Barb Edmonds I would agree with the iPad but honestly, I wonder how much I would have used it. My vision was a bi ... Read more

Barb Edmonds I would agree with the iPad but honestly, I wonder how much I would have used it. My vision was a bit off for a couple of weeks..... pack it anyway! And best of luck to you.

Michael Kohring there are so many things, but my favorite while in the hospital was a blanket. My wonderful sister ... Read more

Michael Kohring there are so many things, but my favorite while in the hospital was a blanket. My wonderful sister in law gave me a knitted blanket that I used everyday!

Lea Parker Hi Karen -- well, it goes without saying that your family is the most important. I don't know what I ... Read more

Lea Parker Hi Karen -- well, it goes without saying that your family is the most important. I don't know what I would have done without my daughter keeping me upbeat and my husband keeping me relaxed and comfortable....the first voices when I woke up and I knew I had made it through....and then having them with me through hospital recovery meant the world. But, I was happy for a comfy little heart blanket my co-workers had gotten for me -- and probably more important was the leisure bras I bought from Amazon -- I needed support but did not want my normal underwire contraptions so these sleep bras proved to be the perfect thing so I could walk and not have tugging on my incision. Anything I didn't bring, my family went home to get -- I really think the most important things to bring are the things that make you comfortable - a family photo to put in your room, a robe or blanket that makes you feel like you are home - stuff like that....someone mentioned shoes and I was glad I had worn my slip on tennies to the hospital because I did use them to walk laps around the hospital. Wishing you the best in your upcoming surgery -- Lea

Marilyn Borst Agree, bring your smart phone/charger to be able to update family friends.

leslie terjesen My cell phone and charger to stay connected with family and friends. Plus I get messages and emails ... Read more

leslie terjesen My cell phone and charger to stay connected with family and friends. Plus I get messages and emails on it. Also, reading some of the prior comments, I brought slippers and the nurse told me I had to leave on my socks without the slippers. I loved having clean pajamas with me, make sure they button in the front. Don't forget your pillow you sleep on nightly; it was the only thing that made the bed more comfortable. We spent over one thousand dollars on a fancy shmancy recliner that lifts me up, did not need but now have a second recliner in the house. Let me tell you, the bra that you wake up in was really comfortable so no complaints there. It was 4 months two days ago, back to doing everything I was doing and make sure you sign up for cardiac rehab. The whole surgery thing is becoming a distant memory. I really was in good health before the surgery except my aortic valve and was not worried about the surgery and knew I had a great surgeon, Dr. Craig Smith at NY Presbyterian, so hospital stay and recuperation was pretty good. Good luck and stay positive!!!!

William Trankle Make sure you bring a button-down shirt for when you check out--I only had a t-shirt and couldn't put ... Read more

William Trankle Make sure you bring a button-down shirt for when you check out--I only had a t-shirt and couldn't put it on due to my sternotomy. Something to play music with is a must--it can lower your blood pressure dramatically to listen to music you like, even if it's death metal.

Fred Seling A positive attitude! Everything else will follow.

Jeannette McLaughlin Hello! Kaaren - Besides my list of things to bring, I also had a list of questions for the surgeon. I ... Read more

Jeannette McLaughlin Hello! Kaaren - Besides my list of things to bring, I also had a list of questions for the surgeon. I ended up staying in the hospital longer than I thought (10 days) and wish I had brought dry shampoo. I ended up having some kind of dry shampoo treatment (using a hot cap), which was better than none at all. I bought a card (one with a heart on it) to thank the surgeon and especially the staff. I also gave them a box of fine chocolates. I don’t know if many people do this, but it felt good to do it and it didn’t take them long to dig into the box! Best of luck with surgery and recovery,

Dawn Barr Pajamas made me feel better after I had the chest tubes and pace maker removed. The one thing I wish ... Read more

Dawn Barr Pajamas made me feel better after I had the chest tubes and pace maker removed. The one thing I wish I would have taken to the Hospital was a donut to sit on. You will be sitting and laying down lot which I am not used to. My "butt" bone hurt so bad. You will need it at home too!

Adam Pick For me... Ear plugs were key. It can get a bit noisy in hospitals. I wish I would have brought a g ... Read more

Adam Pick For me... Ear plugs were key. It can get a bit noisy in hospitals. I wish I would have brought a great comfy pair of slippers with a little bit of tread on the sole - as I did a whole lot walking during the early recovery in the hospital.

Julie Christofferson An eye mask was especially handy when I moved from ICU to the step-down unit and had to share a room. ... Read more

Julie Christofferson An eye mask was especially handy when I moved from ICU to the step-down unit and had to share a room. My neighbor kept her light on much of the night and the mask really helped me sleep.

Tammy Seigel Pictures of the people who love you; hung them in my room.

Kaaren Carone Thanks everyone for the help—and encouragement! I appreciate you all taking the time to share your ... Read more

Kaaren Carone Thanks everyone for the help—and encouragement! I appreciate you all taking the time to share your experiences.

Tee Ad A little bag that I could leave literally in bed with me or on my tray table that contained my most i ... Read more

Tee Ad A little bag that I could leave literally in bed with me or on my tray table that contained my most important things--like phone, chapstick, charge cord, eye mask. All that stuff gets away from you. A good novel was also vital! (Family being most important, of course).

Lisette Heckathorn My husband! He was THE BEST, so helpful and supportive. As well as a comfy crocheted prayer shawl t ... Read more

Lisette Heckathorn My husband! He was THE BEST, so helpful and supportive. As well as a comfy crocheted prayer shawl that was always around my shoulders - I felt so chilled all the time in the ICU! I also second earbuds for music, I couldn't rest well and that helped. Blessings to you!!!

Todd Slater Bring loose fitting boxer shorts of some kind and something warm as it was freezing at my hospital an ... Read more

Todd Slater Bring loose fitting boxer shorts of some kind and something warm as it was freezing at my hospital and you have little control over settings.

Mava Reif I see you wear glasses, too. Make sure they will be where you can get them after surgery. Not having ... Read more

Mava Reif I see you wear glasses, too. Make sure they will be where you can get them after surgery. Not having mine until the next day (they went home with a family member). Also bring your own pillow if you have a special one. I also needed lip salve, soft lounge pj bottom, slippers, soft robe (also used as a blanket). You will do very well, you have done all the preparing, now trust your surgery team & just take it one day at a time. Blessings for a successful surgery!❤️

jackie Taylor My phone charger. My own hairbrush and my own pajamas

Kaaren Caroneposted a journal

2230 days ago

Rob Sparling, Peter Eglinton, Naomi Gray reacted to this

4 weeks til surgery. Trying to eat healthfully, keep walking and prepare mentally. Cut out all alcohol til after surgery so missing my nightly glass of wine. ...Read more

4 weeks til surgery. Trying to eat healthfully, keep walking and prepare mentally. Cut out all alcohol til after surgery so missing my nightly glass of wine. Already packed a bag after studying all the helpful suggestions here. Planning on music and audiobooks after the many comments about wonky eyesight post-surgery. Fisherman’s Friend coughdrops packed along with extra long charging cord......

Meredith Bray Have you planned a vacation or anything for post-op? We planned a family reunion for 4 months after m ... Read more

Meredith Bray Have you planned a vacation or anything for post-op? We planned a family reunion for 4 months after my surgery. It was nice to have something to look forward to, and I could keep myself busy planning activities and meals for everyone. Having a goal to work toward and look forward to benefited my mental health. And it gave my family something to talk about beside the surgery. (We rode roller coasters, climbed a mountain, and went horseback riding!)

The last 2 weeks before surgery were the worst for me, and having something else to think about/worry about was instrumental in keeping my emotions in check and kept my thoughts from running away with themselves.

Meredith
Holiday, FL

Kaaren Carone Meredith—that’s a great idea, thanks!

Marilyn Borst I have been through it twice now (2011
and 5/16/19), and you have no idea what you are in for (hell f ... Read more

Marilyn Borst I have been through it twice now (2011
and 5/16/19), and you have no idea what you are in for (hell for the first week wanting to kill your self maybe) but then slowly you turn a more positive corner. Good luck.

Rob Sparling Kaaren, positivity is like armor. Keep it polished. Stay prepared, stay focused. Set another goal f ... Read more

Rob Sparling Kaaren, positivity is like armor. Keep it polished. Stay prepared, stay focused. Set another goal for a few weeks out and another beyond that. Get a Fitbit now to set a baseline and count your steps and heart rate before to compare to after. Duct tape some chapstick to your arm for when you awake and get those feet moving ahead! Great idea to stop the alcohol in advance. Reward yourself on the other side!

Carlos Banuelos Hi Kaaren, my surgery is the 16th so looks like we will be going through this at the same time. Good ... Read more

Carlos Banuelos Hi Kaaren, my surgery is the 16th so looks like we will be going through this at the same time. Good idea to cut out alcohol. I too have been trying but admittedly it’s pretty tough. I enjoy a few drinks on the weekend to take the edge off, especially right now! 😀 Interestingly, my preop instructions were clear to stop smoking (easy since I don’t smoke) but said nothing about alcohol.... I’m sure it’s a good idea though. Good luck with everything and I’ll be following your story.

Joy Vera Sounds like you are ready. Best wishes!

Mike Roskowinski Karen it is great to plan ahead. I found somethings that I really needed were a pillow from home caus ... Read more

Mike Roskowinski Karen it is great to plan ahead. I found somethings that I really needed were a pillow from home cause the hospital ones suck. Also the hospital gown I had was not warm. I brought underwear and pants to wear underneath them. I was really cold in the hospital so this helped a lot to keep me warm. Also I did not like the hospital food at all so I found out that they had a fridge where I could bring food in and keep it there. Also they had a microwave to heat up dinners. One thing I wish I did pack was a robe. I don’t know if it was just me but I was super cold in the hospital. It took me a week out (3 weeks post op) to actually feel normal with the temperature. Maybe it was cause I was stuck in the hospital for 2 weeks without leaving the room. As for the alcohol they never said anything to me about stopping. I had a beer the night before surgery with dinner. I just made sure that it was 12 hours before surgery. Good luck since you got a few weeks I will try to think of other stuff.

Naomi Gray Kaaren, your plan sounds very complete. I bet you'll be well prepared for your surgery and hospital s ... Read more

Naomi Gray Kaaren, your plan sounds very complete. I bet you'll be well prepared for your surgery and hospital stay. My doctors didn't mention anything about alcohol consumption. The night before my OHS, my husband and I stayed at our friends' house near the hospital for my OHS, 4 of us had a glass of gin and tonic each, and finished a bottle of wine with dinner. The thing is that after the surgery, I was well medicated at the hospital. Once back home, I was taking several meds that made me nauseous and dizzy, and I never felt like having a sip of beer, wine, or coffee about 4 weeks until I stopped taking all the meds, except for acetaminophen and baby aspirin. Now, after one month, I'm enjoying wine and coffee again. So I wouldn't worry about it.

leslie terjesen Ignore negative comments. I had surgery on 2/19 and my biggest concern was pain when i woke up, espe ... Read more

leslie terjesen Ignore negative comments. I had surgery on 2/19 and my biggest concern was pain when i woke up, especially since I was totally asymptomatic before. My daughter woke me up in ICU and asked how I felt and my hand hurt. Dr. Smith explained it was from positioning during surgery and I finally got feeling back in my pinkie and ring finger. I know everyone is different but maybe sore would be the word I would use, even through my six week recoup. I told my friends that I was not going anywhere for the first six weeks, they were welcome here to hang out but made sure i walked to my mailbox and around outside a bit each day. There was so much flu going around and and even though I had my flu shot did not want to take the chance Go in with an attitude that it will be over, you'll be fine and it's done. I think attitude is one of the most important things for this surgery.

Lori Gray I agree with Leslie. Everybody is different and experiences things differently. I had OHS to repair m ... Read more

Lori Gray I agree with Leslie. Everybody is different and experiences things differently. I had OHS to repair my severely regurgitant mitral valve on 4/2/19. I’m 59 and healthy other wise. Keep walking and exercising before your surgery. Ignore negative comments and horror stories about the surgery. I was so scared pre-op by what I’d read, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had anticipated. The worse thing was the initial back pain, that was unexpected and it’s from the chest tubes. My surgeon prescribed Lidocaine topical patches and that helped a lot. Once the chest tubes were out and I was moved out of ICU I began the recovery process. Walk and move as much as possible, the 1st week home I only needed Tylenol and by week three I was good to go with ups and downs. Be positive and look at this as one step to get where you need to be. You’ll be OK 😊 I live in Colorado and my surgeon was wonderful, I feel very fortunate.

Kaaren Caroneposted a journal

2275 days ago

Valerie Herndon-Vitarella, Shannon Gray, Joy Vera and 5 others reacted to this

Heart Cath yesterday--clean as a whistle despite relatively high cholesterol for many years. Thank goodness--cheese is my favorite food group!

Susan Lynn Great news!

Diane Esposito Hi, Karen, glad to hear that your coronary arteries are clear; mine were too and it was a pleasure to ... Read more

Diane Esposito Hi, Karen, glad to hear that your coronary arteries are clear; mine were too and it was a pleasure to have one less thing to worry about!

Phyllis Petersen Glad to see you found a surgeon close to home that you're happy with. My sister is a cardiac cath nur ... Read more

Phyllis Petersen Glad to see you found a surgeon close to home that you're happy with. My sister is a cardiac cath nurse at Banner here in Tucson and I know she works with some great people. I chose to go out to Cleveland Clinic because I knew I was a good candidate for minimally-invasive robotic surgery and preferred to go that route. When you say you have relatively high cholesterol, is that total or LDL? I have very high HDL (the good stuff), so have a high total but clear arteries. Good luck with the tests!

Kaaren Caroneposted an update

2307 days ago

Are there no heart valve surgical centers in a very large section of the US or just none thatappear in the database on this website? I live in Arizona and there ...Read more

Are there no heart valve surgical centers in a very large section of the US or just none thatappear in the database on this website? I live in Arizona and there is nothing in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, Utah.......seems strange! If I have to travel I will go to CC but it seems odd, anybody out there gone to Mayo in AZ???

Elaine Cutri I had OHS to replace a stenotic aortic valve at Tucson Medical Center in 1993 with Dr. Burt Strug. I ... Read more

Elaine Cutri I had OHS to replace a stenotic aortic valve at Tucson Medical Center in 1993 with Dr. Burt Strug. I have since moved to LA and needed another surgery in 2015 to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. Being the 4th OHS, I found a great surgeon, Dr. Eric Roselli at Cleveland Clinic and had a successful outcome. He repaired the ascending aneurysm through the arch and part of the carotid artery, changed out my 22 year old St. John valve with a larger On-X and implanted an annuloplasty ring around my leaky tricuspid valve (this was discovered in surgery). I am almost 4 years post surgery and very active and work out several times a week. Could not be happier with the time in Cleveland or the outcome. Best wishes.

Marie Myers I think the only listed hospitals are those that might pay a fee to be listed. I am sure that you can ... Read more

Marie Myers I think the only listed hospitals are those that might pay a fee to be listed. I am sure that you can find a great hospital/ surgeon in your area.

Elaine Cutri I found Cleveland and Mayo Clinics through my Internet searches before I joined heartvalvessurgery.co ... Read more

Elaine Cutri I found Cleveland and Mayo Clinics through my Internet searches before I joined heartvalvessurgery.com.

David C Hi Kaaren, I live in Oregon and ended up at Cleveland Clinic as I wanted the people who do OHS every ... Read more

David C Hi Kaaren, I live in Oregon and ended up at Cleveland Clinic as I wanted the people who do OHS every day. Some of the surgeons I talked to out here in Oregon, did about a dozen heart valve replacements a year [artificial]. I was able to have my valve repaired [no blood thinners] in Cleveland. It's a major pain to travel, but I couldn't imagine not doing that, now. I think there's some great places in Los Angeles area, which may be closer to you than the mid-west.