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Isn’t it amazing how the universe puts things into place for us and our lives are saved?! Wishing you a great recovery!

My 1st AVR and ascending aortic graft surgery, mitral was mildly leaking and left alone. Eleven years later, mitral was at moderate, but surgeon chose to leave it alone, saying it looked odd like it was congenitally deformed, just replaced aortic valve w mechanical and thought he would go thru...

My INR was 2-3 after my 3rd surgery with a top hat Carbomedic valve. But, it was raised to 2.5-3.5 when I went into chronic a-fib in 2014 and that’s where I’ve stayed.

After recovering from bacterial endocarditis just 8.5 yrs after my 2nd surgery, I was told I needed another surgery to replace everything that was done in #1,2 and repair my mitral valve. I had no choice, I got the same great surgeon from #2, and made the appointment. I wasn’t worrying too much...

Glad you’re recovering! I found that I could ask for the type of food I could eat since hospital food isn’t the best. I would get pudding, frozen ice cream or yogurt an apple and they’d bring me ensure. It was hard for me to eat the warm food. I had nausea for a few days and phenergan helped.

Thanks for the responses all! Yes, I’m 24 miles from Cedars Sinai and that’s where the interventional cardiologist does his work as well as the surgeon I’ve seen. The NP said that cardiologist is terrific. He’s very particular about pre screening patients, making sure they qualify for his...

I saw the surgeon on Tuesday. I didn’t need any of the questions I had planned to ask him. He had looked at my TEE, and said if he was me he would go with the TMVR. He’s done thousands of surgeries and felt my case was very high risk for problems like stroke. Also, going through the ribs...

Thanks, Tom and glad you like the flute pieces. However, I play the clarinet! Once, after I performed at a wedding in a clarinet duet, one of the guests asked me if I played the flute! I have often been mistaken as a flutist. Just one of life’s mysteries!

Third surgery entailed 3 hours just to get thru scar tissue. This surgeon would enter on right, hopefully avoiding the scar tissue mess. Of course I’ll get more from him at my appointment. Plus the CT shows whether this is feasible for me.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. I am definitely leaning towards the robotic replacement with a mechanical valve if possible. I will have my questions for my appointment with the surgeon about that.

I appreciate the kind, thoughtful replies. Unfortunately, after the TEE was done, the interventional cardiologist said I’m not a candidate for the mitraclip. This is why he said I would now be a candidate for a TMVR.

I spoke w my cardiologist and I will need another procedure to replace my severely leaking mitral valve. He said it’s better to do it sooner than later. When I told him that the interventional cardiologist’s nurse said the TMVR valve lasted 5-7 years and they have patients at 10 years, he was...

We were discussing a mitral valve replacement for me and I had said the surgeon suggested bovine but I wondered about a mechanical since I already have an aortic mechanical. I’m not sure if I was specifically asking about how long bovine would last and related it to that test, or if I just asked...

Last week I saw my cardiologist and asked him about this Lp(a) testing and if I should have it done. His opinion was that the research isn’t there and so he didn’t order this for me. He’s a well respected, recommended cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai.

I never remembered to ask why my incision was longer with each surgery. It is 10” long after the 3rd surgery. A lot was done and 3 hrs of cutting thru scar tissue. Maybe they just know it needs to be a longer incision or the dr doing the incision knows it needs to be longer than the last. I...

The more surgeries the more scar tissue in there. Also, some of us have had endocarditis after 2 surgeries requiring a 3rd we weren’t expecting. Be open for another surgery or 2 down the road. You never know. Taking warfarin is just another pill and a self test once a week. Plus, I got chronic...

My incision got longer with each of my 3 surgeries. I also had more chest tubes with each, 2,3,4. I never concerned myself with the length of my incisions. My surgeon knew what was needed to do the job.

It seems most that have mechanical valves say they don’t hear it or it’s just in the background of everyday living. I have a Carbomedic top hat aortic valve that’s 15. It’s loud and I do hear it. Over time, I’ve gotten used to it but it’s always present. I’m thin, so maybe that affects the...

My wonderful, big shot surgeon saw me before surgery. After that 3rd surgery, the chief surgical resident who was the 2nd on my two surgeon job, came to chat when I was awake in icu. He was very kind with a good bedside manner. My big shot surgeon, (who is now retired), went to talk to my...

It’s always a good feeling to find a reason when our dog companions start having symptoms like peeing when they used to be fastidious about going out. Just a couple months ago, I found that my smooth fox terrier has gone completely deaf. It’s old age, as she’ll be 14 in May. This is a learning...