2 weeks

[jane v]

Hello everyone,
I have been reading a lot of your words of encouragement to all who are on this journey. I am scheduled for mitral valve replacement(St. Judes) on May 16, just found out today!! Background 41, mom of 8 and 12 year old, married 17 years. Hodgkins 1990, radiation, most likely Hodgkins 1991, chemo. Found out about the regurg in 3 valves 2 years ago, and now it is time.
jane v

 

[geebee]

Hi Jane and welcome.
We have a few members who have had valve problems after radiation for Hodgkins. Is that what they think caused your problem?
You are getting a great valve. I have had my St. Jude for 12 years and it is going strong. I expect it to be with me for the next 50 years or so.
Please let us know how we can help.
I have added you to our calendar.

 

[blessed1416]

Wishng you the very best!!

Wishng you the very best!!

You've got a very busy 2 weeks ahead of you. This is a good thing because the waiting seems to be the worst part and you won't have much time to worry. Spend lots of time with your two precious children, lots of hugs and kisses! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[jane v]

Hi Gina, thank you for the warm welcome. Radiation or chemo caused the damage to the valves. Good to hear your years with your valve. And as many of you say, whatever decision you make, it the right one.
Does anyone know, what is the longest time a mitral mechanical has been in a patient? I have read so much in the last two months, but I can't remember seeing that number.
jane v

 

[geebee]

I think the longest implanted valve is something like 35 years but I am not positive. Our member, twinmaker (Linda) has had her St. Jude for 25 years and I think that is the longest on this website (again, I could be wrong).

 

[Marguerite53]

Welcome to this wonderful community, Jane. I just had my aortic valve replaced 2 weeks ago and am doing very, very well! I got so much information and support from this site......I am certain that it made my journey easier.

Please feel free to ask any questions of us. Wishing you the very best!

Marguerite

 

[lisa jeanne]

Hi Jane all the best

Hi Jane all the best

Hi all,

Just wanted to introduce myself to the forum. My name is Lisa. I am 36 years old and scheduled for mitral valve repair/replace on June 20. I have known about my condition for 15 years. My mitral valve has had severe leakage all this time, and now my left atrium is dilated....so its Time to go for surgery. I am anxious but ready. This is a great place for me to be!!!!! All the best to Jane for a super outcome and better health!!!! I hate to leave my dogs to go to the hospital!! I have a beagle named Snoopy and a husky named Riley. Ok, well can't wait to talk to you all soon.

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Kristy]

Hang in there

Hang in there

Hi Jane,
I am 3 weeks post op right now (aortic valve replaced) and doing well. The hardest time for me was when I was pre-op and waiting....so be gentle with yourself and know that you can do this. A hard lesson for me was figuring out how to gracefully accept help - but if ever there is a time that you will need the support of others, it is now and post-operatively.

Sending prayers for an uneventful surgery and complete recovery.
Kristy

 

[Phyllis]

Welcome, Jane. I'm sure you will find all the support you need right here and we just want to wish you the best on the 16th.

 

[Phyllis]

Hi all,

Just wanted to introduce myself to the forum. My name is Lisa. I am 36 years old and scheduled for mitral valve repair/replace on June 20. I have known about my condition for 15 years. My mitral valve has had severe leakage all this time, and now my left atrium is dilated....so its Time to go for surgery. I am anxious but ready. This is a great place for me to be!!!!! All the best to Jane for a super outcome and better health!!!! I hate to leave my dogs to go to the hospital!! I have a beagle named Snoopy and a husky named Riley. Ok, well can't wait to talk to you all soon.

Thanks,
Lisa

Welcome, Lisa Jeanne. I added you to the calendar for June 20th. We hope you find the forum helpful and we wish you the best.

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome Jane!

I had my mitral valve replaced with a St. Jude over 14 years ago. My children were 5 & 7 at the time. Time flies and life is good, because now they are graduating from college. With your medical history, you are no stranger to the struggles that this type of thing can bring. I would wager that your Hodgkins struggle will be looked at as being much, much harder than your valve replacement when all is said and done.

You have come to a valuable place for someone who will be required to take Coumadin. Our esteemed member Al Lodwick has his own site that I encourage you to visit and bookmark. www.warfarinfo.com Many of us home test our INR and some of us even do our own dosing. Coumadin is a serious drug, but it is not the lifestyle ending drug that some in the medical field would lead you to believe. When someone joins here we never know just how much correct information they've been told about living their life on Coumadin and how much myth and misinformation they've been given. I'm hoping that you are the former and not the latter, because your learning curve will not be as large.

I'm glad you found us. Ask any and all questions - there's no such thing as a stupid one.

 

[susieq14]

Good Luck Jane and LisaJeanne

Good Luck Jane and LisaJeanne

Hello and Welcome!

Can't offer any first hand experience about the surgery since I'm still in the "waiting room" but I did want to offer both of you my prayers and best wishes as you prepare for your surgery.

Sue

 

[Sona]

Hello Jane,

Welcome to the forum!! I am also waiting for my surgery ( Scheduled 18th May ). I am spending most of time enjoying life , playing with my daughter (3 1/2 years), and doing everything else I like to do the most . You will be in our thoughts and prayers.


Best Wishes !!!

-----
Sona
Mitral Valve Replacement scheduled (18th May)

 

[jane v]

thanks

thanks

Thank you for all your encouragement. I am making list of all the things I might need to do one week before surgery. Any suggestions? Friends at the kids school already said they have 30 families wanting to bring by meals!! I will check a prior post on what to bring to the hospital.. Are the docs really serious about the no driving for 6 weeks??
jane v

 

[Marguerite53]

How wonderful that you have all those meals lined up! For me, that has been the best part! Cooking takes concentration and planning which is hard to do the first week home (even planning to get a box out of the freezer!!) and so often I wasnt' really hungry when everyone else was. WONDERFUL to have food brought by others.....take it with a huge smile!!

I was told no driving for 4 weeks. You will have appointments scheduled during that time, Rx to pick up, etc., so please line someone up to help drivie you places and stay with your children while you are gone, if need be. I have my first post-op with the surgeon tomorrow (5/8) which is 3 weeeks post surgery, and will see what he says about my healing status and driving. Also, very important, you cannot lift anything which weighs more that 8-10 pounds for a month or more. And not much reaching around to high shelves, or stretching, etc.. Good time before surgery to bring things down in the kitchen or closet which you use often so that you don't have to do much reaching (or asking). Great time to teach your children (if they aren't already proficient) how to do laundry, as pulling wet things out of a washer and leaning over isn't much fun for awhile, either. It will also give them a great sense that they are helping you.

Hope this helps.

Marguerite

 

[Georgia]

You also need to ride in the back seat for 4 weeks - that whole airbag thing is an issue. Understand that if you start driving at 4 weeks (I think many folks here were told not to drive until 6 weeks out) you do NOT want your children to ride with you until you decide if you are capable of driving. Your concentration will be faulty; I drove at 4 weeks and would not have tried to go out of town or on a high-speed road - I toodled to Cardiac Rehab and the grocery store and that was hard enough for a couple weeks. The distraction of having kids in the car would have been problematic for me; so play it very conservatively.

Try to write all your bills before surgery and have someone reliable mail them for you on dates you put on the envelopes. Post-ohs is NOT a good time to use a checkbook. I have personal experience with this - a BAD personal experience (thank God for overdraft protection).

You'll be quite amazed at the concentration and memory deficits you'll experience - you might want to sit down with your kids and let them know that you'll need their help remembering to do things for a few weeks. This is normal, and it may scare them if you don't give them a heads-up.

You need to have updated wills, living will/durable power of attorney.

Let your friends know that you won't be "entertaining" for a few weeks. I found that a couple of friends for an hour wore me out for the day. Chatting and noise are hard on you.

Recovery from this surgery is unlike any other; although it's not particularly painful (except if you lift something too heavy, or stretch too far, or have a dog pull on a leash, or have something hit you in your incision, or heaven forfend, sneeze), it's very debilitating. You'll be tired more often than not, and still have trouble sleeping. You'll have trouble following a conversation, or TV show, or book. You'll need to participate in your recovery by walking and using your spirometer. You may become depressed - very common. But it's all an investment in your future and things will get better, in fits and starts.

Treat yourself and your family during this last week before surgery - good food, good drink, a day spa, movies, shopping. It'll be a while before you'll be able to enjoy such things.