11 days to go; anybody know Dr Chen (Atl)

[WarmHeart]

Hi

I am pre-surgery 11 days....AVR...as a result of AS. I have chosen Dr Ed Chen at Emory U. Hospital in Atlanta to implant the Medtronic freestyle valve. I am a bit anxious and still questioning if I have the right Dr and the right hospital, etc.....I hope that is normal. Dr Chen has done a couple hundred of these Freestyle valve and has a fellowship in aortic surgery, so I feel that he is a good choice to do the surgery.

Any tips on preparing for surgery and staying calm would help as well as any helpful post-op hints.

Mostly just nerved up....so any comments would be appreciated

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to the VR.com community. I don't know of Dr. Chen but perhaps someone will come along who does.

I tried to stay calm by keeping busy and keeping to my normal routine. It's also a good idea to prepare your home for your post-op recovery. Here's a thread on the subject with some ideas....

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19034&highlight=prepare

Here's another good thread on preparing your stay in the hospital...

http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13283

Good luck.

 

[StretchL]

Hi, Chuck.

As I started typing I thought about pulling your leg and saying that none of us here had any butterflies in the tummy pre-op, but I thought that would be a bit cruel, even if in good humor.

I'm sure plenty of folks will post with their own experiences, because there are plenty here that felt exactly the same way that you're feeling now. Almost to a person, they'll tell you that as the date/hour of surgery approached, they began to feel more at ease with all the decisions that had led them up to that moment.

I will say that my experience was a bit different, in that my absence of nerves was such that the nurse practitioner who took my bp at pre-op said what a weirdo I must be because it was textbook normal! Again, in jest of course.

If you're one who thinks, as I do, that knowledge is power and fear often springs from the unknown, you might want to check out the link below to the very detailed photojournal of my recent exerience with aortic valve replacement surgery.

If actually seeing an open chest and a surgeon working his way around in it is not your cup of tea, you might want to stop after the first page of images. We show the entire journey, without blinking.

Anyway... like I said... many here have had the same nerves you have now... they'll chime in soon.

Welcome to the site, btw!

 

[Granbonny]

Hi Chuck

Hi Chuck

Welcome to our site from another Georgia member. We have several Georgia members. I had my surgery at St. Joseph's..( I'm thinking maybe abour 4 of us there).. Maybe someone who had their surgery at Emory will chime in......Emory is a wonderful hospital..You will do fine..You need to prepare for your coming home....Most need a recliner to sleep in for first week..near the bathroom. you will also need someone with you the first week..at home to help with your meds meals, ect...You will be weak....for awhile.. need to try to walk around in the house the first week..hopefully, our bad weather that we have had in Georgia will be gone by then....and you can get outside the 2nd week for a walk around the yard, ect...You will come home with pain meds..take them..they help with your walking, ect..Walking gets the nasty drugs out of you..... Bonnie

 

[WayneGM]

Something I forgot to mention, this site has some pretty good downloadable booklets and videos to prepare pre-op and post-op.

http://www.uhn.ca/About_UHN/programs/cardiovascular_surgery/cv_pt_info.asp

I found the videos were particularly good to show my family so they knew what to expect in order for them prepare. Sometimes I think it harder for them than the patient.

Cheers,

 

[Phyllis]

Welcome, Chuck. Glad you found us before surgery. You should have plenty of reading on this site to occupy your time between now and then. Is the surgery the 27th or the 28th?- I would like to put you on the calendar. Best wishes to you.
Phyllis

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Chuck and welcome to VR.COM! Here is where I read a good idea: to find an excellent and highly recommended surgeon and ask him/her what valve he recommends for you. I think it's also a good idea to ask them what valve they would want if they were in your place. Sounds like you may have already done that?

Nerves? I think it was Churchill who said it was alright to have butterflies in your stomach; but you just need to get them to fly in formation.

There are lots of practical things you can do to prepare. Many have found that taking someone supportive, such as a spouse or reliable family member or friend, to the hospital is helpful in a lot of practical ways, during and following the surgery.

I read here also from one guy to "not whine." I focused on not whining and it helped me face some of the post-op challenges with more poise and dignity, and thus control. My tendency is to think out loud. So that focus (on not whining) kept me from incessantly vocalizing any frustrations.

You'll want your home in order and your bills and such because you're not going to be up to much for perhaps a few weeks or more post-op. You may need to sleep in a recliner or on lots of pillows for a few weeks post-op. My surgeon told me not to push or pull or lift over 5 pounds for 8 weeks and he told me not to drive for 8 weeks either. This was longer than some here were told by their surgeons though. Also, it seems to me that maybe up to half of the valve patients here have had a post-op complication that necessitated another hospital visit, although the percentage may not be that high in actuality.

Some links were posted for you. You may find them extremely helpful. Take care and post again! There are no dumb questions here. And many here might be able to relate to whatever worries that you may have.

 

[DeWayne]

Just to put some at ease I talked to Chuck this weekend to give him what I know about Dr. Chen, since he did my surgery 6 months ago.
Dr. Chen is excellent, and the right guy when the aorta is involved!