Date is set!!!

[MARGIEBABY]

My hubby is scheduled to have his mitral valve repaired/replaced on November 9th. On November 2 we are going to hospital for pre op - a day of finding out what its all about I believe.

I think my hubby lives in denial - he is just so fit and still no symptoms he thinks he will have his operation on the 9th and play in his next touch football game on the 15th - he's allowing a 6 day recovery period. I suppose it is good to be in a positive frame of mind about it all. Perhaps this pre op day will be a reality check for him.

Please keep him in your prayers.

Margaret

 

[Ross]

6 day recovery huh? I can tell you right now, he isn't going to want to move in 6 days! O.K., we'll let him think as he wants.

I'll keep you both in thought and prayer and wish you the best of luck. Sounds like your going to need it afterwards. Perhaps you should go the nearest sporting goods store and purchase an aluminum bat to whack him with?

 

[Karen7]

Uh oh. I'll keep you BOTH in my prayers . Your hubby probably will do exceptionally well in the recovery department relative to the average OHS patient. It seems like the better you feel before you go in, the faster you snap back. Nevertheless, 6 days -- many people aren't even out of the hospital in 6 days... He's not scheduled to go back to work that soon, is he? You're going to need to be awfully creative to help him recover. But I'm guessing you knew that. All the best,

 

[Curtsmum]

My little boy has no syptoms, i sometimes find that harder to deal with. I just think men dont show there fear as much as women do. Some days i get myself all worked up and my husband just carries on like nothings wrong.Best of luck for your husbands surgery and i wish him a speedy recovery. Paula x

 

[bisiegel]

question about your husband's surgery

question about your husband's surgery

Hello : I am a new member with a scheduled mitral valve repair or replacement on November 7th. I also have almost unnoticeable symptoms. Would you explain the rationale as to why surgery and why at this time ?

The American Association of Cardiologists are currently basing this type of surgical decision upon ejection fraction and atrium size and there are many who think that they are too conservative.

I am wondering what the thought process, risk / advantage thinking is in the Land Down Under ?

Be thinkin of you in North Carolina

Barry

 

[Phyllis]

I put your husband's surgery on the calendar for November 9th and we wish you both a successful surgery and uneventful recovery. Dick was in good shape before surgery and was in 5 days and riding a bike at 7 weeks and back to tennis and golf in 3 months, but not nine days!! His pre-op consult shoud be a reality check and you will have to help to make him take it easy.

 

[joanne6]

Good Luck

Good Luck

Actually no one has to educate him too much. His body will tell him all about it after the surgery. I have seen a motto here-breathe, walk, nap. That sums it up. I didn't take many naps but did focus on breathing and walking. He may play football in his dreams while he naps.
Hopefully he will have an uneventful recovery and will be playing ball again in a few months. There are some good preop pamphlets and videos your hospital may give you. Stay online and you will get lots of support.
Joanne

 

[joanne6]

To Bisiegel

To Bisiegel

There are many websites and good links on this site explaining the rationale behind early surgery. The current thinking is to repair or replace what is wrong with the heart while the patient is in relatively good health, if possible. You do want the surgery before permanent damage is done to the heart.
Hope this helps.
Joanne PS-I also was asymptomatic before my surgery My echo showed what was going on with my heart and circulatory system that I couldn't feel.

 

[Cris N]

I think my hubby lives in denial - he is just so fit and still no symptoms he thinks he will have his operation on the 9th and play in his next touch football game on the 15th - he's allowing a 6 day recovery period. Margaret

Margaret - I'll definitely keep him, and you in my prayers. If his surgeon is anything like mine, that conference (with Dr. & cardiac coordinator nurse) was an eye-opener. He may plan on playing touch football but I think it will have to be FANTASY touch football

 

[Mary]

My hubby is scheduled to have his mitral valve repaired/replaced on November 9th. On November 2 we are going to hospital for pre op - a day of finding out what its all about I believe.

I think my hubby lives in denial - he is just so fit and still no symptoms he thinks he will have his operation on the 9th and play in his next touch football game on the 15th - he's allowing a 6 day recovery period. I suppose it is good to be in a positive frame of mind about it all. Perhaps this pre op day will be a reality check for him.

Please keep him in your prayers.
Margaret

It seems that your husband practices the Power of Positive Thinking!
I wouldn't try to dissuade him; he will learn from his own experience postsurgery.

 

[Curtsmum]

Hello : I am a new member with a scheduled mitral valve repair or replacement on November 7th. I also have almost unnoticeable symptoms. Would you explain the rationale as to why surgery and why at this time ?

The American Association of Cardiologists are currently basing this type of surgical decision upon ejection fraction and atrium size and there are many who think that they are too conservative.

I am wondering what the thought process, risk / advantage thinking is in the Land Down Under ?

Be thinkin of you in North Carolina

Barry

All i know is that pressure is building up inside my son, something they must be able to see on the scan. He has not changed in himself, all thow they say he is getting worse. Sorry i can't be of any more help.Best of luck for the 7th

 

[terryj]

Margaret, November 9th is my husbands 56th birthday and our 38th Wedding anniversary. He had his AVR surgery 4 years ago. He didn't recover in 6 days but he did recover fairly fast. He was back to work in 9 weeks as a Maintenance Mechanic and back hunting and fishing that spring. His surgery was in Sept. of 2001. I will be saying a prayer for you and your husband on that day for a successful surgery and a quick recovery.

 

[MARGIEBABY]

Surgery date changed

Surgery date changed

Dear All
Thank you for all your comments and encouragement - I like the bit about football in his dreams.
Today we spent all day at St Vincents Hospital Sydney Australia. All tests were done , teeth checked etc etc then..................we were offered a place TOMORROW - my husband jumped at the chance - he just wants to put it behind him. Then the registrar came in and the head surgeon and told him he was a perfect candidate for the big new 7 million dollar "robot" machine they have purchased from the states. The surgeon is going to the states next week for training and an american surgeon will be returning with him to do the very first operations of this type at St Vincents - we were told they have this machine in Melbourne already.
Well it was a huge decision but followed the surgeons advice and now he is scheduled for the first week in December - date to be confirmed.
They said it is less invasive and his recovery time will be much faster.

I believe the reason for doing the surgery , even though he has no symptoms, is before the regurgitation does any permanent damage to the heart. That is what they told us today.

Thanks you so much everyone - will post the actual date when it is known. Love to all and you are in my prayers. xxx

Marg

 

[Curtsmum]

Thats great news, it must have been a big decition to make.It sounds good,i don't know if i could be that brave with my choice .Hope everything goes well for your husband.Its great that it will be less invasive and a quicker recovery time. All the best

 

[Mary]

Dear All
Thank you for all your comments and encouragement - I like the bit about football in his dreams.
Today we spent all day at St Vincents Hospital Sydney Australia. All tests were done , teeth checked etc etc then..................we were offered a place TOMORROW - my husband jumped at the chance - he just wants to put it behind him. Then the registrar came in and the head surgeon and told him he was a perfect candidate for the big new 7 million dollar "robot" machine they have purchased from the states. The surgeon is going to the states next week for training and an american surgeon will be returning with him to do the very first operations of this type at St Vincents - we were told they have this machine in Melbourne already.
Well it was a huge decision but followed the surgeons advice and now he is scheduled for the first week in December - date to be confirmed.
They said it is less invasive and his recovery time will be much faster.
I believe the reason for doing the surgery , even though he has no symptoms, is before the regurgitation does any permanent damage to the heart. That is what they told us today.

Thanks you so much everyone - will post the actual date when it is known. Love to all and you are in my prayers. xxx

Marg

You have experienced a whirlwind of activity during the last few days! With the new robotic machinery, maybe his rapid return to football won't be as far fetched as originally imagined!

 

[Phyllis]

That's good news Marg! I took your husband off the calendar for the 9th- let us know when you get the date and we will put him back on so we can all cheer him through the process.