Date for 2nd AVR with Dr. Bove

[JodyC]

I just got a call from Dr. Bove in Michigan with a date for my second OHS to replace my aortic valve. I have a pre-op on June 20th and my surgery in June23rd. I am trying to stay positive but I admit to crying when I got off the phone. The hospital in Ann Arbor Michigan will be about a three hour drive for my family so my mom is going to try to find somewhere nearby to stay so she can be with me that week. It will be cheaper and less stressful for her than driving. I am scared because I don't know much about the procedure Dr. Bove is going to do and I don't even know which type of mechanical valve I will get. A nurse practitioner is supposed to call me and go over some information with me this week. It feels much scarier this time and I can't believe I have to do this twice in one month. Is it any easier the second time?

 

[Jkm7]

Jody..... My heart aches for you. To have to do this twice in a month is simply not fair. BUT, how lucky are we that we have the choice and ability to have our hearts fixed in this way. Not so long ago, it was not an option. No one ever promised us fair.

And, speaking only for myself......my second OHS in four years was easier on me than the first.

I so wish one of your doctors had prescribed something to help you through this very difficult time. Can you call one of your doctors and ask for some an Rx to take when it all seems overwhelming. It is situations like this for which these meds were developed.

We ALL will be waiting to hear from you and send our prays and good thoughts along with you to Michigan.

You CAN do this and you WILL do fine.

 

[Bina]

I would be asking for anti-anxiety meds. Ativan (.5mg) is a very low dose and will just take the edge off.
Take care of yourself!

 

[Cooker]

I don?t have any answers. I?m just wishing you the best?..I did not know the brand of my mechanical valve either?.I was kind of blind going in?trusting my doctors?.it work out for me and I?m sure it will for you too?.Godspeed.

 

[WayneGM]

Sorry you have to go through OHS again. Best wishes for a successful surgery and smooth, speedy, recovery.

 

[melanie]

I am not sure, but I am having my second surgery on the 20th. Like you, it feels a little scarier this time around. I really thought I was going off the deep end until I found this forum. I know you will do great and I will keep you in my prayers.

 

[Mary]

Jody,
I'm so sorry that you have to go through this again.
The only consolation is that you will have the Best performing your surgery, so perhaps that will help ease your mind a bit.

 

[queenie]

.Jody, in my experience, "the first OHS you fear the unknown, the second OHS you fear the KNOWN". In your case, you haven't begun to recover from the first yet, your feelings are all normal no matter what they are. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself permission to be angry, sad, and cheated. I do, I will be having my second OHS on July 25th and and am in no way ready for it, however, I don't want the alternative, I want to live. I know you do too. Concentrate on that.

 

[surfsparky]

Hi Jody,
I think that you're amazing for the way you are handling everything...you've been through so much and you continue to soldier on. We're here to support and encourage you...and you are more than entitled to have a rant and cry if you need to...it's all part of the process.
I'll be praying for you,
Heart hugs, Yolanda

 

[gijanet]

Jody (((hugs)))

Jody (((hugs)))

Make a list of questions that you want to ask Dr. Bove and make sure that you make his nurse aware that you would like to schedule in a time to speak with him prior to your surgery if this is not already in the works. Dr. Bove will take great pains to explain to you exactly what the procedure is that he is going to perform. Make sure that you make this known that you would like for that to happen (let the nurse practitioner know and it wouldn't hurt to call his office, too). We do and he always makes time to talk to us prior to surgery, whether the day before or the day of (because we travel so far), depending on when our pre-op is and when we get there.

The only down side (if you were considering another valve choice) to Dr. Bove is that he is a staunch advocate of the Carbomedics valve - at least with Katie he was. I even had the On-X rep contact him, but he likes the proven track record of the carbomedics. I needed his hands and expertise, so I didn't fight him on this, although sometimes I wish I had. The carbomedics aortic valve has very similar stats to the St. Jude, though, if not better, although the mitral stats are a bit worse, and Katie's, unfortunately, is considered to be the mitral (hers is really her mitral and tricuspid merged as one common atrioventricular valve). Now I am basing this on the the four whopping kids I know personally who have had their valves replaced by him, so this could differ in an adult or it could have changed in the last two years.
STill, the carbomedics valve is a good, solid valve and again has good statistics for the aortic position (there are several on here who have carbomedics valves). I know, too, that there are few surgeons who could have successfully pulled off the surgeries that Dr. Bove has performed on Katie..................and he is very familiar with reops. He is often called upon to "clean up" other surgeons' errors on complex anatomy kids, so you will be in excellent hands. I owe Katie's life - and mine - to him. He is truly one of God's angels here on earth.

TEll your mom to check out the Med Inn right there in the hospital, but call now as they stay booked solid. It seemed like the rate was around 80 a night, but that was two years ago. She can probably find a hotel/motel cheaper, but it would be further away. I can't tell you how convenient it is to have a hotel room right there in the hospital. There is a Wendy's in the hospital in addition to the hospital cafeteria, which isn't too bad, and there are numerous places that deliver food to the hospital. Just ask at the Med Inn desk or any of the nurses' stations. A refrigerator is another five bucks a day, but again tell them you want one now. You can also get a microwave, but that is another five bucks (or was two years ago). We usually just do the fridge as Katie's captopril has to be refrigerated.

WEll, my dear, let us know what you find out. YOu will be in our prayers. Hugs. Janet

 

[JodyC]

Making plans....thanks Janet

Making plans....thanks Janet

I booked my mom at the microtel which is just down the road from the hospital and has a free shuttle service to the hospital from 6am to 8pm. The Med Inn was already booked but she might get in there if there is a cancellation. I booked her for four nights with the option to add more if needed but I plan to be out in four . Thanks for all your info and I will ask to speak to Dr. Bove before the surgery so I know what to expect. I feel more prepared this time in that I know what pain meds work and to get the water off as soon as possible because that reduced my pain immensly. I learned that taking pepcid complete worked wonders for me because for some reason I bloated up big time these last three days from my surgery on May 22nd. I am not sure what that was all about but the pepcid was a miracle worker. My incision is healing fast and I am going for a longer walk tonight. I read everything I could on Dr. Bove and the UofM and I have yet to find anything negative. I feel lucky to be seeing Dr. Bove as his patients just think he is not only brillant but kind. I had heard from my first surgeon that Dr. Bove prefers the Carbomedics but I guess he now works with the ON-X as well. I will let him decide what to use since I am going to be a more difficult case. A few weeks ago I would have been upset to have that decision taken out of my hands but right now I just want to get through it and get better. I will enjoy the next few weeks with my family and then give it another go. I plan to make it to the other side of the mountain this time...no more detours for me!!!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

It sounds like you are well prepared and in a good positive frame of mind Jody. A positive attitude is one of the Best Assurances of a Good Recovery.

Best Wishes for your trip to Ann Arbor.
It's a nice place in the Summer Time.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[gijanet]

WEll, shoot!

WEll, shoot!

I sure wish he had changed his mind about the On-X a couple of years ago. I'd like to think that I had something to do with that since I had their rep contact him, but I sure wish he had changed his mind sooner. Like I said, the carbomedics valve is fine, but the stats are a little less wonderful for the mitral one....................oh, well. Too late now.
Anyway, I know you will love Dr. Bove and become a member of his fan club, too. He has perfomed the last four of Katie's five surgeries.

I'm sorry, too, your mom didn't get into the Med Inn, but you are right to have her doublecheck as no one really knows how long their stay will be and there could be openings from early departures. Summer is just really bad for scheduled surgeries as everyone tries to avoid interfering with school...........and then there are the emergencies that constantly crop up.

Has the nurse practitioner called yet?

Keeping you in our prayers. Many hugs. Janet