Marian's Posts

There are sternal plates that are sometimes used in addition to or possibly instead of wires but it must depend on the surgeon and on your type of procedure. You could inquire what the surgeons you are looking at use. For mine they said they use some of both. But I am having a different procedure.

Marian - I had mitral valve repair via a minimally-invasive mini-thoracotomy. As far as I know, I didn't have any wires. I don't know in what part of NJ you reside, but you may want to check out Dr. Scott Goldman at Lankenau's Heart Pavilion in Wynnewood, PA. I highly recommend him and his whole team. ❤️

Hello Marian. I had my first surgery few years ago for my shoulder (clavicle ?) and was not very comfortable with having foreign objects for life in my body... so I think I see what you mean. Good news is that after maybe 3 days, they were completely forgotten. The only reminder is when I do a XRay. Don't worry for theses wires :-) (sorry for approximate english)

The reason I am asking is because I have.a long term relationship with Lyme Disease and co-infections. Part of the treatment over the years has been to detox my body from metals and such stuff. I had all metal fillings removed and am finally getting to a decent place. My body does not do well with processing stuff. Statins, blood thinners, beta-blockers all have side effects. I can't imagine now introducing more metal to my body that has been compromised over time. This is why I am concerned. Thank you for allowing a place to vent and process all this.

Hi Marian-I am originally from NJ too! You will probably get some personal recommendations but there is a surgeon finder tool via the menu in the top right. Scroll down to By State New Jersey. Of course you also have the benefit of some excellent NYC hospitals that have been used by many on here. Welcome!

Welcome Marian. That is very cool that you grew up hearing so much about heart surgery thru your family. I have found, learning more thru Adam's blog, even more so, how amazing our bodies and hearts are. Wishing you well. The more you use this site for research and follow where it leads you, the more confident you will be in your decision. Get several opinions if you have the time ❤️

Yes, my surgery was on September 12, 2023. I am 9 weeks out. That would be comforting to be able to discuss your situation with your mother. I'm sorry to hear she has dementia. That is difficult. Another thing I found comforting when I found this website was clicking on other people's names and reading their journals, I was able to gather more information, gain insight into the process, and read about people's experiences that had similar heart issues.