Coming in From the Shadows

[MomOfThree]

Hi Steve!

Hi Steve!

Hi Steve and welcome from another fellow New Jerseyian (sp?)! Nice to have you aboard. I too had my surgery, AVR, in New York, in December. I chose NYU, but there's lots of great surgeons around.

Don't worry so much about the breathing tube. I did and I think I scared myself more than I had too. It's there, you wake up a couple of times, then they take it out - after all is said and done, it's not a big deal, just one of the many things that we go through with surgery.

Stay in touch and welcome!

Martha

 

[Central Jersey Steve]

Thank you all for your reponses.

You have all been reassuring, especially in the area of the dreaded breathing tube.

Yes, Nancy, I have been semi lurking since 2000. You guys are not scary, it's the (prospect of) surgery that is. It's being in limbo that is starting to weigh on me. The knowledge that the surgery will be needed w/the waiting for the time when it will actually be needed. Besides the avr and possible mvr (or repair), there is also the ascending aortic aneurysm (at around 5.3 - 5.4) and all the threads here as to how long to wait vs possible irreversable damage, etc.

My cardio at Columbia-Presbyterian says I am ok now and can wait, so that is what I am doing, but again the cloud over my head seems to be getting bigger and bigger.

It's good to hear from folks that have had this done and can relate to me their experiences in all facets of the process, especially, those, like Dawn, that had their surgery done where I will most likely have mine done, Columbia.

 

[dawnwit15]

Almost forgot

Almost forgot

I almost forgot to tell you. When it does come time for your surgery and if you elect to have it at Columbia, they actually have hotel rooms inside of the hospital so if you have surgery 1st thing in the morning, you can stay at the hotel with family instead of worrying about commuting into the city in the early hours of the morning before surgery. Don't get too excited, it's no Four Seasons but it sure beats the stress of having to get up even earlier to drive in. My parents and husband were able to stay with me the night before so that helped. Something to keep in the back of your mind. Weather is finally nice here in Jersey today, I think we hit 70 degrees! Enjoy it while it lasts.
Dawn