Aortic and Mitral valvereplacement

[brokenheart44]

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Hi To All

This is my first post on this forum so please bear with me. My husband is having surgery to replace his aortic valve and mitral valve on Wednesday, August 25, 2004. Tuesday, he is scheduled for a cath. I have gotten so much information from you wonderful people and it has been most helpful. Please remember us in your prayers. I will post again after the surgery. God bless all.

Judy

 

[brokenheart44]

I forgot to tell something else.

I forgot to tell something else.

Hi All

Like I said I'm new to this. I forgot to add that he also has Rheumatoid arthritis which complicates things because of all the meds he takes. He's a remarkable guy, very active for 60, with a very positive attitude. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks again and please pray.
When I get more proficient at this, I will add pics and quotes.

Judy

 

[Harrybaby666]

Hi There Judy

Hi There Judy

Hi Judy,
I regretfully cannot give you any advice, but I would like to wish you and your husband ease of recovery, peace and rest and the best of luck on Wednesday, and that he has a speedy recovery as well. Take Care, Harrybaby666

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Judy and hubby -

I'm glad you found this site! Please tell your husband that he has many "new friends" rooting for him and for you. Best wishes.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Judy and hubby


I will immediately put you in my prayers----you've found a very powerful site here at VR.....lots of good people with great advice. I know he'll be fine. Please post and let us know post op.....

Evelyn

 

[tobagotwo]

Judy,

You will find a wealth of suggestions in the Post-surgery forum. There are many helpful ideas, and discussions of post-surgical complaints. Nearly everyone receives the same base advice on returning home: walk, breathe, rest with legs up.

I hope your husband is able to walk with his arthritis, as it is very helpful to recovery.

I wish you peace of mind, and your husband a speedy recovery. He is still young, and is likely to tolerate the surgery well in that sense. Have confidence in his surgeons and in his strong character.

You will both be in our thoughts during this time. We will be here, and will be waiting for his return home. Please freely post for any questions or support we can give you.

Best wishes,

 

[catwoman]

Judy:

I will have your husband in my prayers this week -- and the rest of your family.

 

[bvdr]

Thanks for posting, Judy. I will have your family in my prayers.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

Hi Judy - from one 2-valver to a future one, my best wishes for your husband on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here's hoping for a smooth procedure and recovery!

 

[d and d]

Judy,

My hubby is having his MV surgery on the same day -- we can practice synchronized hand-wringing from our respective waiting rooms on Wed . I surely know how worried you are and I will pray for both of you. I look forward to your reports of his remarkably fast recovery .

D

 

[tobagotwo]

I certainly hope for smooth sailing (as these things go) for both your husbands. They have quite a lot of support waiting for them when they get back, and that's got to help.

Be nice, as I know you will, but don't let them sit around too much. They need to be up and walking. Not marathons at first - just short hops. They may not feel like it in the beginning, but the more they do, the better it will feel to them.

Handwringing gets painful after a few minutes. Try to find something to distract yourself while it's going on. There's nothing you can actually do at that point, and you can only trust in the professionals you have chosen

May you both be pleased by the results.

Best wishes,

 

[Glenda]

Judy & D, both your husband will be at the top of my prayer list today. There are wonderful people on this web site and very caring. Just ask questions and someone will answer. Remember to take care of yourselves too because your husbands will need you when they come home. Let us know how everything goes.

 

[brokenheart44]

Thanks for the encouragement and prayers.

Thanks for the encouragement and prayers.

Hi,
Gary, my husband, had his heart cath on August 24th. His arteries were okay but the doctor said his hematocrit level was low so the valve replacements were posponed. He was referred to a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy to be done the next day. He had a small perforation in his stomach due to the meds he was taking, but everything else was okay. Then he went to another hospital--this is the third in three days--to be transfused with two units of blood because he was anemic. The surgery was rescheduled for this past Thursday--September 2nd. All went well and the aorta valve and mitral valve were replaced with St. Jude's.
He was sent home today, September 5th. He's still very fatigued and has swelling in his legs and feet. We have been told this will subside. I hope so!
I sincerely thank all who prayed for us and gave us upbeat and encouraging info. You are truly an amazing group and I'm proud to be a registered member.
I forgot to mention that we live in San Antonio, Texas, and his surgery was performed by Dr. Lawrence Hamner at the Texan Heart Hospital. It is a new hospital owned by about 70 heart doctors, but I kind of wish we lived in Cleveland.
Bye All
Judy

 

[jenlynn72]

Wow, I can't believe he is home already! He must be doing great!
Glad that everything went so well. I can relate to your husband, I have rheumtoid arthritis too and was on meds for that before my surgery as well. Had to stop the vioxx two weeks before surgery but continued to take methotrexate along with the folic acid. I started the vioxx again about 3 weeks after surgery but have to really watch my INR. The pain and stiffness in my feet and hands was nothing compared to the pain in my chest! Keep an eye on the swelling in his legs. He was sent home with those compression socks right?

You are right about the people on this site, they are amazing. It is a wonderful place to get information or just talk to someone going through the same thing.

I wish your husband continued improvement and hope you both are getting plenty of rest.

 

[Karlynn]

I'm so glad things went well. It will take quite a while for him to get his energy back. His job now is to breath, sleep, eat and walk.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Well, hello neighbor

Well, hello neighbor

Hi Gary and Judy,
We've got a few things in common...

Larry Hamner also performed my surgery although at the Metropolitan Methodist as the new heart hospital wasn't open then. That was in October of 1999, so I'm coming up on my five year anniversary! I was 55 years old then, but now I'm 60 -- just like Gary. Now it's really going to be ironic if we have the same cardiologist...

Gary takes the prize with the most valves though because I've only got the aortic. I'll let him win that one...

If y'all want to compare war stories, just send me an e-mail or PM through this site and then we'll go from there.

Yep, Gary will be really tired for a while -- it takes it out of you for sure. Just lots of rest combined with walking and breathing and then cardiac rehab. Rehab was a wonder -- don't let him miss out on it.

 

[skimomck]

Wow, home so soon. I'm very happy everything went well. Both of you get plenty of rest and you will be in our thoughts and prayers. Hopefully every day he will have continued improvement.
Take care

 

[Susan BAV]

Glad things are going so well; hope it continues!

 

[bvdr]

I'm glad that he is home again and the surgery is behind him. The swelling is very common. Really, really watch his salt intake! Follow the instructions he was given carefully but don't hesitate to call and ask for clarification or advice if something doesn't seem right or causes you concern. At this early post-op period some calls are expected so if you are wondering whether or not to call.........call!

Keep us updated on his progress and I hope you stick around!

 

[Susan BAV]

What Betty said reminded me that my surgeon and/or cardiologist didn't want me to consume more than one quart of fluid a day, for the first month, I think it was. Then he allowed me two quarts. That was ALL the fluid... including water to choke down all the pills, and any soup, and anything I drank at all, it couldn't total more than a quart! The first few weeks, it took the whole quart to just choke down all of my pills! I really think that the spirometer exercises helped me a lot too, if your husband has been instructed to work with that. The last time I saw the cardio, nearly a month ago which would have been ten months post-op, he told me to continue to consume a low sodium diet. He's opposed to caffiene consumption too for heart patients. And here I am scheming about how to get my latte' today, because the local restaurants are closed today. I may have to trot into town and find an open [Starbucks]...