Neil's Journal

Frances Halley  I did and it worked wonders! I am a nurse and I came up with my own concoction that consisted of one part Tea Tree Oil, four parts witch hazel and three parts pure aloe. It worked very well for cleansing, healing and soothing the incision.

Cathleen DeWitt  p.s. if it's a keloid scar you can get cortisone injections to reduce the inflammation and flatten the scar...any dermatologist.

Wanda Mroz  I wouldn't pull it myself. I'd just leave it be and ask the Drs office. I didn't have sutures that far out but I wouldn't pull on it.

Neil Collins  They were all removed but it "grew out" this morning. It must have been leftover from the week after surgery.

  I just had one pop up this past week (7 weeks postop). I believe it was part of the dissolvable stitches and it didn't dissolve. I agree with Wanda that you should at least ask your doctor/surgeon about it before you do anything, but I was ignorant and pulled it out with a pair of tweezers and then chased my kids around with it. :) Best wishes!

Michael Shaughnessy  It's probably a piece of dissolvable vicryl. Clean with betadine or iodine and should pull out easily. If it feels tethered to something dont pull harder go see your doc.

Elaine Cutri  It takes a few months before coughing, sneezing ad hiccups are a minor event. 😯 Go easy for a few more weeks.

Sophia Ridley  Sneezing - ouch! That's not to be repeated! I now hold my nose at first sign of a tickle. Pain seems to have got worse since I had the dressing removed and the more irritating thing is that it spikes my pulse. Hadn't even considered hiccups, they must be worse :(

Wanda Mroz  LOL... the narcotics are something else aren't they? I thought the nursing staff was plotting to kill me my 2nd night in ICU! But some rational part of me kept telling me "relax, it's just the drugs". Best wishes for a speedy and good recovery!

Jason Leber  Great news! I was going to come visit today but I'm pleased that you're on your way home. Robots in dreams is too funny.....I had the same images! I'll catch up with you over the next few weeks.

Doran Herritt  Btw. I didn't use the narcotics either. Took them back to the pharmacy. Didn't want them around my three teenage girls. They are the entry drug to heroin. The worlds a dangerous place. Those of you taking narcotics. Make sure they are away. Kids these days get hooked on them all the time. It's an epidemic! Take care. Sorry for being a downer. Drn

Christine Oliva  Good luck with your surgery and best wishes for your recovery. It will start speeding up once you get past two weeks. I'm 5+ weeks out now and the last couple of weeks have started to fly. You will do the same as you start picking up on your recovery. Blessings to you and your family.

Charles Haas  I was wheeled into the OR, and as soon as they slid me into the table, I think they started the IV sedation then I was out cold.

Doran Herritt  Here's how it worked in philly. Walk into the hospital. Check in at desk. Walk to a pre op room. Get changed. Lay down on cart. Anesthesia group will get an iv port in. Lots of questions through the process. Wheeled to operating room. Move from wheeled bed to operating table. More questions. They start the iv. You are out. 4-5 hours later. Wake up. Get on with your life.....I think they asked me if I wanted anything for anxiety in the changing room. The whole process of getting ready was unbelievably quick. I want to say that I arrived at the 6:45 and was asleep by 7:15, 7:30, or so. My advice would b to not arrive to early. No sense having more time to think. You will do great! Prayers coming your way. Take care. Drn

Neil Collins  Thanks. We're staying at a hotel a block from the hospital so we should be right on time. Seemed weird that I'd walk in and lie down on the table. I'll try to resist the urge to run!

Steven A Husted  from what i can remember mine was close to the same as Doran only when i woke up after surgery they were wheeling me down a hall and i said to the nurse standing next to me when are they going to start and she said you are all done and then i fell back to sleep and woke up the next morning and they were proding and asking a whole lot of questions

Christine Oliva  I remember very little pre-op. Once they got me in the gown, I just waited for the doctor, nurse and the guy who puts you to sleep talk to me. I was kind of nervous, but my hubby helped. Once they rolled me in the operating room down the hall, I only saw a quick peak & lots people with masks and then I fell asleep for 5.5 hours plus 4-5hrs. I don't remember anything but my husband said I waved to him a couple of times that night. I slept the next day, talked a few times which I don't remember. It wasn't until the 3rd day I start remembering.

Remember everyone is different so if you do feel pain go ahead and ask for the medicine. I felt pain, not discomfort and yes the medicine helped a lot. This is not to scare you, but some people like to be prepared so they can go ahead and conquer it. You can do it like so many of us and will do it. Good luck kiddo!

Doran Herritt  One other thing I should mention so if you go through it it won't freak you out....when I first came out of the anesthesia I could hear what people were saying but couldn't open my eyes, talk, or move. I was trying to wave to them to let them know I could hear, but then I fell back to sleep. I don't know if everyone experiences this but it was weird. Not scary, just weird.

Emily Rowley 
Hi Neil,
When I arrived at the Hospital in the early morning hours, I had to wash so many times with special antiseptic soap. Then I was given anesthetic slowly injected into my arm. I had to wait til the Surgeon was ready (apparently the guy before me had complications). My gear went into a marked hospital plastic bag under my bed, given blankets to keep warm (very cold at Theatre!) and wheeled via bed (still awake). Waited for ages behind the surgery doors for around 1/2-1hr (felt like forever), I could hear them cleaning the tools and I was feeling ill, get grumpy "When will I go to sleep, can't they just hurry up, where is everyone?". Then once they pushed my bed through, they counted 1, 2, 3, Lift to transfer me onto the operating table. Once on there, placed sleepy mask onto me and all grouped around me saying I could count down from 100, I already began counting down from 10-made it all the way and feel off to sleep.

Clare Auten  I found it hard to focus on reading at the hospital so I enjoyed magazines more, short articles with lots of pictures. I don't think my hospital room had a dvd player but if so that would be good, although I have been known to sleep through a movie. Get a good Playlist going of music you enjoy and a good set of headphones or ear buds. Packing a phone charger with a long cord is also a good idea because you can't be sure where the nearest outlet will be.

Doran Herritt  Me too. I thought I would read more, but found myself clicking on the tv and closing my eyes and dosing on and off. I would still bring a book and some magazines just in case. I spent some time on my iPad too. Keeping up to date with the world outside and wasting time on clash of clans. I also was blessed to have a great roomate and we talked a lot about our health and family. Praying for you. Take care.
Drn

Steven A Husted  i think they have pretty much every thing you need tv reading and sleeping the less you take with you the less you have to take home when you leave most of what i did was tv and sleep even at the rehab hospital i exercise twice a day and watch tv and sleep

Michael Meyer  Neil:
Bring what you enjoy, but as others have suggested you are going to do a lot of napping. Some drug induced, others just part of the healing process. You will also do lots of walking to get you out of the bed.

W. Carter  That's not as bad as mine. I got a call on Monday from the coordinator over thoracic surgery at the V.A. Hospital. She asked me if I could check in Thursday of the same week to have surgery Friday morning. I had been waiting over a year and a half so I said hell ya. 3 days notice, 1 week before Christmas. LOL Keep your chin up, there's nothing to worry about. Open heart surgery is extremely safe these days.

susan kotansky  Waiting was by far the worst part for me, it's normal. But you can have total faith that it's just another day at the office for your surgeon and all will be wonderful. Stay busy, distract yourself, meditate...it will be here and done before you know it.

Enrique K  It should make you feel better. Just think how well you will feel after a couple of weeks of your surgery. I'm in my 2nd week post op and feel great. Take it week by week not day by day.

Ginger Marine  Waiting is difficult, but it provided a contrast for me--after the waiting was over I feel SO MUCH better!

Doran Herritt  Stay busy. Visit with family and friends. Focus on fun. Surgery day will get here soon enough. Sounds like you have a plan. Trust it and move forward. Praying for your peace leading to surgery. Take care. You'll b fixed and on your way living in no time. Drn

Elaine Cutri  It sounds like you came up with a decision you can live with. The tissue valve will give you a decade of a great quality of life. Ten years from now, more advanced procedures will be available.

Steven A Husted  every person is different there have been patients who have had a tissue valve for 31 years and then had a TAVR so i am glad i chose a bovine tissue valve i am 1 year out and doing fine with no problems and doing phase 3 of cardio rehab every week i think you will do fine with a tissue valve and even if you need a second ohs it was really not that bad so many others have had it done 3 and 4 times and are doing fine

Pat Bluemel  I'm 43 and have a Trifecta valve, quite pleased with everything 8 months out. You are doing the right thing for you. Don't look back.

Neil Collins  Thanks. It feels so much better now that I've made the decision. I feel like I can now start to prepare myself for the surgery. Went on a 13km run today....hoping I can continue by next summer.

Elaine Cutri  Wow, great run. I'm not a runner, but seeing the stories around here, I think you'll be running before Spring is here!

Ash Berryman  Hah, I should have been braver! Good choice for your job, great choice all round. Good luck Neil #jealous

Kathleen F.  That's awesome. If Dr. Stelzer hadn't been available to do the Ross I was leaning toward tissue too. Smarter brains than ours are working on valve solutions; thank goodness! Looking forward to reading about your great recovery soon!

Gregg Nissly  Hi Neil, Thanks for sharing your decision and rationale. I know you made the right choice.

I'm 54 and facing the same choice as you. I've been leaning towards tissue for the last week, but I'm not firm - I little bit more on the fence the last two days. One thing that I've really started to think about lately is that I've gone on 7 to 10 day back country backpacking trips with my three older boys and now it is my youngest son's turn. On these trips I would be at least 24 hours from a hospital in case of emergency. That is making me think that the mechanical valve might be too risky with the Warfarin. I'm sure that I can live with the ticking of the mechanical, the daily pills, the diet adjustment and blood testing, but this one factor is really working to sway me towards Tissue. I still have time to decide since my Surgery is December 4. I'm setting my decision date at November 17, which is my next appointment with my surgeon.

I pray for wisdom.

Gregg

LETICIA DE LA ROSA-CREASEY  I'm on the same train of thought. Make sure valve is big enough to accommodate a less invasive procedure like tavr down the road. And in those 10 to 15 years live a wonderful full life :)

Adam Pick  Hi Neil, Welcome to the site. I'm hopeful the people and information here will help you along your journey. Fyi, I had the Ross Procedure done almost 10 years ago. I'll post some links below to help you get familiar with the Ross. Adam

Adam Pick  Overview of the Ross and a patient story I filmed with Peter Woglom - http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/ross-procedure-statistics.php.

Adam Pick  Free Ross Procedure eBook - http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/ebook-ross-procedure-download-webinar.php.

Adam Pick  Some patient questions about the Ross - http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2009/07/20/ross-procedure-autograft-homograft-failure/

Adam Pick  All about Autograft wrapping techniques - http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-surgery-blog/2012/08/24/autograft-valve-wrapping-ross-procedure/

Terrie Syvertsen  Great "Job" and information Adam! You "Be" THE MAN! (Haven't bugged you in awhile so I thought I would pop up and applaud you for once again, being there with information! Knowledge is Power.....

Neil Collins  Thanks Adam.....I know from reading your book (which I can't thank you enough for writing and telling your story) that you are a Ross success story. Thanks for the links. Trying to go into the surgery consult as informed as I can. Just got the last report and my aortic valve is 0.7cm and I was just about to do an Olympic distance triathlon.

Kenny Knox  Hey Neil, I had the Ross at a younger age (15). It served me very well and I had no complications with it. I was very active afterwards and the valves lasted me 18 years!

Kathleen F.  Take a look at my journal; I'm 7 months post-Ross with Dr. Stelzer and just getting ready to leave for the weekend for a triathlon I'm doing on Sunday. Highly recommend Dr. Stelzer!

Kathleen F.  I viewed the whole thing as if it were an endurance event. My bivalvathon. No complications at all. I was on the heart-lung bypass machine just under 4 hours, which is similar to my best marathon time (3:55 at age 40), but it is a 7 hour surgery overall. I was diagnosed exactly a year ago today with severe aortic stenosis, and am very happy that I didn't wait too long to address the problem. Dr. Stelzer and Mount Sinai Hospital were amazing. I am fine now, everything is normal and I'm exercising just as much as before. The scar is the only external indication of what I went through this past year. The hardest part was deciding to do it. Which is the case with any great undertaking, I believe. Best of luck...

Kathleen F.  Take a look at Amy DiGiovanni Noack's journal too - she's also Canadian and had the Ross not too long ago.

Neil Collins  Thanks Kathleen. Your blog gives me so much inspiration. Great time on the marathon before your surgery! 3:55. I did my first last year in 4:05 and was going to try and beat 4 this year. Good luck on the Tri....and I'll check out the links.

Michael Donohoe  You have this Neil. I am at week four today, 47 years with a bicuspid aortic valve and replaced with an On-X valve as well. Forgive yourself now for taking recovery time, and understand getting the blood thinners will take time, but you will be better than ever. Praying for you brother.

Clare Auten  I don't really consider myself an athlete but I ran 7 or 8 half and a whole before surgery. Since surgery 18 months ago I have done 2 half marathons using a walk/run approach. As a slightly overweight middle aged woman who had heart surgery, I will take any finish I can get. I am 47 and have an On-X valve.

Neil Collins  Anyone who can run a mile is an athlete in my book. Did you consider the Ross procedure. Pretty sure that tissue isn't what I'm looking for. It's been like watching and waiting for many years and I'd like to move on.

Carlie Lyndoe  I have heard from numerous cardiologists and from first hand experience, that tissue valves are known to age even faster when you're active. They said any where from 3-7 years if you're lucky.

We have a 35 yr. Old (?) friend who had a pig valve that only lasted 3 years. He's one of the most active people we know. He runs, cycles, swims, skis, etc. He decided to get a mechanical valve the 2nd OHS, and he's still just as active, if not more. He said after he got the mechanical valve put in, he didn't realize how terrible he felt before with the pig valve. He can run even farther and faster times and has better endurance with the mechanical. He also says he doesn't feel sluggish or tired anymore at all.

Good luck on your decision. You will make the right one :)