Barring anything unforseen

[bbuck]

Does anyone out there think it would be a bad Idea to go on the cruise I have planned and paid for already, say 1 to 2 months after OHS?
My only other option is to delay the surgery until after we get back, wich is what I'm leaning towards, not sure if I could get on the schedule befor the end of april anyhow. But if I have the option of right away or waiting till early may I was wondering what you peeps on here thought.

Thanks for the input

 

[ChicagoMammy]

I would not have been up to it at 2 months post surgery. I don't know your age, but I was 28 and really not back to myself until 3 months out. At 1 month I was still walking very slowly and getting winded. At 2 months I was taking the bus myself and driving but barely. I really would not do it. You may be fine. Lots of people have smoother faster recoveries but it is unlikely you will enjoy it.

 

[Mentu]

If you careful to manage the early weeks of your recovery, by eight weeks you might well expect to be moving about easily and doing normal things although that is still too early for any heavy lifting. If you have been walking frequently each day from the time you return home from the hospital, by eight weeks you should be able to walk a significant distance. For me, by eight weeks, I could walk two or three miles without any issue and I no longer needed to take a nap when I finished although sitting down for awhile was nice. You just have to keep in mind that how you feel is contingent upon what comes before. At six to eight weeks, a lot of people return to work. You have a lot of control over your recovery but there can still be unanticipated things that happen which can alter your time table. As for waiting until after your return, the best thing to do is ask your surgeon that question. If you don't have an appointment, call his office and ask about sending your questions in a fax.

Larry

 

[Jkm7]

We cruise a lot and have for years. My cardio knows it and has been very permissive with me.
When I scheduled my second OHS, we had a cruise scheduled for what would be 9 weeks post op and my cardio gave it serious thought before giving me his thoughts about my going. He knew I recovered smoothly and well from my first OHS four years prior, he knows I'm highly motivated, do the required walking, eat healthy blah blah blah but, he could not approve my going. Wow, was he right. I was not ready to cruise at 9 weeks.

I had a totally bump free recovery and did well but I was not ready to cruise. I was walking more than 2 miles daily and driving for short, nearby errands.
He and my surgeon approved our going to a land resort for a week as it was an easy non-stop flight to a hotel where we had friends of many years and access to fine hospitals should the need arise.
That worked out very well and I fully enjoyed myself.

Please rethink about cruising so soon.
I would have had a hard time and would have regretted going especially if you need to fly to get there.

 

[Mom2izzy]

The soonest I could get in for surgery was 3months from my initial appointment with the surgeon. Best to talk to them about how long they think you should/could postpone surgery. I scheduled mine after a trip I already had planned, so I can spend some quality time with my 3year old before surgery.

 

[Boston Tiger]

I delayed my surgery several months from when it was first recommended (February to June), in part because I had booked (and paid for) a vacation right around the time I could have first gone in. But we did that after talking to the cardiologist and the surgeons to make sure that the delay wouldn't be a problem. It was nice to be able to wrap everything up before going in, but the downside of that was that I had a couple more months in the waiting room, which is the toughest part of the whole deal.

 

[nngbwh]

you may have to play it by ear. At 2 months I was still in a twilight zone.

 

[ottagal]

Another thought...I wasn't medically insurable to go out of country until I was deemed 'stable' for a 3 month period post surgery which included no change in medication. You may want to check into this as it's best to be safe than sorry. This may be different in your case with your insurance company.

However, a cruise certainly sounds like something to look forward to after surgery.

 

[normofthenorth]

FWIW, I spent a week downhill skiing in Whistler less than 2 months post-AVR. I skied slowly and carefully, wearing a heart monitor, but I got out and had great fun, no harm done. The only part that turned my cardiologist's liver black was that I was on Warfarin (for 3 months post-op). I've never cruised, but I wouldn't expect it to be more strenuous than skiing. (I thought cruises were mostly about eating and drinking and walking about on the deck!)

If I hadn't been up to it, I just would have stayed home while my wife went off to ski (and stay in our timeshare) without me, not much penalty. (That's what happened after both of my Achilles tendon ruptures, about the same time of year.)

I think a key question is whether you can "hang loose" 'til near cruise time, and go if you feel up to it, but back out if you don't, without losing your shirt. We're all different, there are no guarantees, every recovery is different, etc., etc.

 

[bbuck]

FWIW, I spent a week downhill skiing in Whistler less than 2 months post-AVR. I skied slowly and carefully, wearing a heart monitor, but I got out and had great fun, no harm done. The only part that turned my cardiologist's liver black was that I was on Warfarin (for 3 months post-op). I've never cruised, but I wouldn't expect it to be more strenuous than skiing. (I thought cruises were mostly about eating and drinking and walking about on the deck!)

If I hadn't been up to it, I just would have stayed home while my wife went off to ski (and stay in our timeshare) without me, not much penalty. (That's what happened after both of my Achilles tendon ruptures, about the same time of year.)

I think a key question is whether you can "hang loose" 'til near cruise time, and go if you feel up to it, but back out if you don't, without losing your shirt. We're all different, there are no guarantees, every recovery is different, etc., etc.

Hey Norm,
Well, I bought the cruise tickets and plane tickes on the super saver plan, befor I found out I had a BAV. If I dont go on the trip it costs us about 2700. I can delay the trip only for a short time, wich puts us in huricane season... I may not have a choice on waiting tho, had a mini stroke last night they tell me. So surgery is going to come first of course. We do alot of activities while on the cruise, but there's nothing that says I cant just relax and and enjoy the scenery either. So, if I have to have the surgery right away, then if all is well, we go on cruise. if all isnt well, we lose some cash...
Dang tho, Skiing? I'm not much of a skiier even without a prior surgery, lol,, glad you had a good time tho. Life's too short not to enjoy the ride eh

 

[Lynlw]

Hey Norm,
Well, I bought the cruise tickets and plane tickes on the super saver plan, befor I found out I had a BAV. If I dont go on the trip it costs us about 2700. I can delay the trip only for a short time, wich puts us in huricane season... I may not have a choice on waiting tho, had a mini stroke last night they tell me. So surgery is going to come first of course. We do alot of activities while on the cruise, but there's nothing that says I cant just relax and and enjoy the scenery either. So, if I have to have the surgery right away, then if all is well, we go on cruise. if all isnt well, we lose some cash...
Dang tho, Skiing? I'm not much of a skiier even without a prior surgery, lol,, glad you had a good time tho. Life's too short not to enjoy the ride eh

Sorry to hear about the stroke. Even tho you got it on a saving deal, is there any way you can get out of it for medical reasons? its worth a shot, I always say.

 

[bbuck]

Sorry to hear about the stroke. Even tho you got it on a saving deal, is there any way you can get out of it for medical reasons? its worth a shot, I always say.

Yea Lyn thats what we're working on. Not sure yet, according to the web site it dont look good, but I'm going to call and talk to someone shortly.

 

[SusQ]

...is there any way you can get out of it for medical reasons? its worth a shot, I always say.

I'm hoping they will work with us due to the extenuating circumstances. I talked to the surgeon's nurse today and they have absolutely no qualms about writing a letter or whatever we need to help our case.

The mini stroke definitely freaked me out. Was it a sign that the valve is more urgent than we expected? Not sure. But just in case we also bumped bbuck's appointments with the surgeon up to next week instead of the following week like we'd initially scheduled.

 

[Michelle D]

I was like ChicagoMom, 28 years old and I wouldn't have been up for it. Maybe having your surgery sooner is an option.