Matthew's Journal

Peggy Bennett  Congrats and good luck with your recovery! Patience is not easy, but it's important (as I'm still learning 2 months post op).

Peggy Bennett  I just saw that you also had Dr. Chikwe — she's the best!! (And Vivian ❤️) Did you have robotic surgery? Mine was Feb. 4. I'm finally feeling really good now. Wishing you all the best!

Robert Miller  It sounds like you are recovering well. But take it easy for the next 3 months. Don't overdue lifting and other things that put stress on your chest even if you feel great. 

Kathy Blank  That is great news Matthew! Hope your recovery goes well. Remember to allow yourself time to rest during recovery! Hope you are able to have some time off to
allow yourself to heal!

J Alexander Lassally  I am curious if you will have arrythmias develop post surgery. Many a robot patient do. Sometimes delayed.  Let us know. 

Robert Miller  I have not but if you would be willing to travel to Northern CA, Dr. Castro is excellent. Very highly rated. And when I went for a consultation with him, he took all the time I needed. I went in with a list of question printed on paper. It was a casual conversation (as casual as discussing heart surgery can be) and at the end, he asked me if he could look at my list of question, just to make sure we covered everything. The staff was also very friendly. If you look for minimal invasive surgery, Dr. Gillinov is highly rated but I found him hard to reach. 

Valerie Allen  Go to the SurgeonFinder on the top right menu and read her reviews. She has been positively mentioned on here.

Robert Miller  Looks beautiful. Being out in nature is always the best. Just came back from Italy, San Marino and Switzerland (carnival time in Luzern is the best). Going to a couple of countries in Asia in a couple of weeks. Then a heart monitor before going to Switzerland. And then maybe Japan and Switzerland later in the year... I love the mountains...

Fidel Martínez Ruiz  Beautiful landscape. Rocky Mountains perhaps? I love mountains as well. Every saturday a group of friends here go hiking in the mountains around Madrid (Spain) and three times a year go to the Pyrenees or Sierra Nevada to spend four or five days hiking. I think that walking at free air in nature is the best for our heart, in addition very gratifying for mental well being. There you have a lot of mountains in many states and must be great.

Robert Miller  San Gabriel Mountains in SoCal. Not much snow on the West coast this year but still beautiful. @Fidel I used to ski in the Sierra Nevada for many years. Thinking about it, it's actually when I had the first signs. I used to be able to keep up with teenagers but suddenly couldn't. I thought I am just getting old...

Fidel Martínez Ruiz  Thanks Robert, I also used to ski but stopped because a meniscus-ligaments injury and then I began with hiking. Every one here have own our stories. In my case, symptoms appeared suddenly but very very subtly (endocarditis), with slight fever and mild tiredness. GP prescribed a general antibiotic thinking it was a common cold and then I kept on with my mountain hikes but in one week, signs returned and I even couldn´t stand up from the armchair. I went with my wife to the ER and stayed in the hospital two weeks and other two weeks at home with antibiotics (against the streptoccocus viridans). Three months later, I had the valve replacement. After my recovery, I found this unique and great page and people.

J Alexander Lassally  Great mountain scene. Where exactly is this - Wyoming?  Secondly, I am curious why you want Cedars?  They were incredibly rude and "flaky" to me as an out of state patient when I explored that institution - complete with factually incorrect insurance information.  I quickly moved on. Maybe you will have a better experience. It is all about easy insurance reimbursement and money to them ! 

Matthew Boyer  The photo is just north of Las Vegas by Charleston Peak.  My experience was completely different.  They were very helpful.  However, I called every other day to make sure it was going smoothly.  I did have some difficulty getting my images sent to them, but that was more with my local hospital.  I researched several places and watched numerous videos and felt Dr. Chikwe and I had similar views on how we treat patients. I am scheduled for surgery April 1st.  I will let you know how it goes.  

Robert Miller  That sounds pretty familiar. If you have time, get a couple of opinions and look into minimal invasive surgery Also check the learning center https://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/learning-center.php

Vincent Kohne  Good luck! Matthew. It's always scary when you know you have heart surgery coming up. I'm headed for my third aortic valve replacement.