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Well, the good thing is that it can be "fixed"! A few percent of people have valve issues, so it's not so rare 🤷‍♂️

It's a high level of marital harmony!

Wishing you a smooth recovery! You are relatively young for the OHS, so it should be not too difficult. Just out of curiosity, where are you getting it done? Please keep in touch. This forum might well be even more useful after the operation.

Walking should be useful. It is cardio that's easy to moderate to an acceptable degree for your level of fitness, and it can help re-habituate yourself to the post-op recovery process. Now, almost 2 years post-op, I still walk daily (for many reasons). As the fitness level improved, I added...

It's a special privilege, reserved for the family members :) Seriously though, there were a few times when I got VERY valuable insights from talking to doctors in informal settings. IMHO patient's education is useful. It takes (at least) two to tango, and they'd better be (more or less) in step.

"Approved by dogs!" (y)

Well, it might be a good advertisement for the dentist: "My client likes me so much, he doesn't want to leave, ever!"

As I understand it, these are to add/replace "Chordae tendineae". Which are natural "strings" that connect to papillary muscles. That is, the mitral valve's opening/closing is done not just by the pressure difference in its natural state. The muscles help with the motions. In case of the valve...

That makes sense. If you have a blood loss during the surgery, there'd be a transfusion. It usually doesn't include red blood cells, which take 1-2 months to recover.

Much appreciate sharing the experience! I did water-floss in hospital (since they didn't want me to use the regular floss at the time), but got un-used to it since. Maybe I should re-start 🤔 This reminds me of a study published a few years ago, about the effect of the flossing. Apparently it...

The only bridge type I'm aware of is a permanent structure, similar to a crown [1]. You should NOT be able to remove it. You do want to floss under the bridge as a part of the regular teeth cleaning [2]. However, you may want to floss your "regular" teeth anyway, and it's basically the same...

It sounds tough... I would imagine that anything that stresses the heart (by demanding more blood and oxygen) would do that in your condition. Whether it's a physical exercise or a mental stress. Doesn't sound related. A large weight loss if a serious symptom for other conditions, if it is...

Good luck with the appointment! This is golden. Even though she's in a different specialty, I'm sure that, as a professional, she'll be helpful in a big way.

Not much of insight, but I do have either this or a similar condition. It was found a the end of MVr surgery. It's fairly small, about 3-4 mm. At that time I was told that: This should not cause any issues. It's very unlikely to grow. But if it does, there is a transcatheter method they could...

I think it's a very good point. I wonder how often the ring annuloplasty is used with Ozaki or "just" AV repair. I know for MV repair the ring insertion is a standard part of the surgery. It improved the long-term durability significantly.

IMO the best option is the one practiced by the surgeon with most experience and best results. The minimally-invasive and full sternotomy variants require different tools and training. You probably want the surgeon to do what they do "all the time". It sounds like you have a choice, which is...

Reminds me of "surgical glue" that's being used more often these days. (They applied it to me everywhere except for the two drainage tubes openings.) It seems there are OTC versions as well: https://www.amazon.com/New-Skin-Liquid-Bandage-Ounce-Cover/dp/B0017JOF86/

This question does not look simple. The mitral and aortic valves are connected/coupled. So if something is done to AV, then in principle MV could be affected. And, if the heart is enlarged now, then after AV operation it may "reverse-remodel" back, which can help. But I don't know enough to...

Kind of. They should be accounting for the 1-2 mm variability when interpreting the results obtained. Btw, your 2014 number could easily be an underestimate. The echo tests are not as precise as CT, the result depends on the angle of the test wand positioning. In which case your rate of...

Thanks for the update, Gail! Hate to say it, but the numbers might even be consistent. It may depend on how one views/quotes the data. For example, one could hope to live "up to 100", in reality only about 2% of the population gets that old. A typical lifespan is much shorter. Sounds like your...