Help Valve Replacement

[Diane Bornstein]

I am awaiting a date for my valve replacement, I am told sometime at the end of this month. I am certian that this is the right thing to do, however I am scared for my family. I do not know what to say to them to put them at peace. My mother three years ago had heart surgery a five way bypass, she had two strokes and stayed in and out of hospitals for three years. She has never been the same and I know that my family is comparing even though she waited to long and I have not they still compare. Please give me some thoughts on how to handle this. My condition is so different from my mothers. I also had a bleeding brain anreysum in 1990 and that brothers them.
Thanks
Diane

 

[Marguerite53]

Hello Diane and welcome to our wonderful, supportive community. It sounds like you have a very positive attitude and your family will come to see this and trust the situation. There are so many people here who have come through valve replacement surgery. Many will be along soon to welcome you. If you have specific quesitons, feel free to start as many threads about them as you wish. It is wonderful to get others' experiences and opinions. Please keep in mind that there are no true medical opinions here, just valuable first hand experience.

There is also a search button up top on the menu to type in a word or phrase to bring you to a list of threads already in the archive of the site. That can be very useful to you, too.

If your family have concerns and are comfortable using the forum, they may certainly join and ask their own questions. We have many Significant Others who are the main posters on this forum.

As far as how to help your family understand, well, they surely care very deeply for you and are just unable to grasp the difference because of their deep love and concern. If you are patient and slowly educate them about the differences, and let them know that just here alone, there are over 1,000 success stories.....maybe that will help.

It sounds like you will be having your surgery a few weeks before me. I'm just about ready to set a date for sometime in mid to late April.

Good luck as you get closer to your surgery. Feel free to ask us anything!!

Marguerite

 

[Diane Bornstein]

Thank You

Thank You

I think having my family spend some time on this sight will help. Thank You for your kind words.
Diane

 

[Mary]

I can only echo Marguerite's thoughts here.
Family members can also register at VR and find help in the Support Forum. It's a good place to ask questions and hear experiences from spouses and parents of "valvers".

 

[geebee]

Welcome Diane,
This is a scary time for you and your family. It is normal to be worried and, with your mom's situation, I am sure your family is even more so. This site will be very helpful and supportive.
Please let us know how we can help.

 

[Paul117]

welcome to the sight

welcome to the sight

I can tell you that this sight is invaluable to those of us that have had it done and those of us who will go through it. The anticipation is always worse than the event keep us all up to date and we will be there for you.

 

[hensylee]

welcome, Diane, to the best place for you to be just now.

Valve replacement and bypass are different surgeries, as members will tell you. I had 4 bypasses 6 yrs ago, no valve replacement. This site is specifically for valve replacers and can give you just about all the information you will need and want in order to educate yourself and your family about it. I hope your family will join you and come on in to read all the success stories of our members.

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome Diane! I'm sure your family is very worried about you, given your own past history (thank goodness it was 16 years ago) and your Mom's situation. Assure them that valve surgery has an extremely high success rate, as high or higher than some surgeries they probably wouldn't consider as big a deal.

Feel free to share all your questions and concerns.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

After reading your concerns, I thought to myself that the best way to reassure your family would be to make sure your surgeon and hospital have LOTS of experience with your procedure and knows how to minimize your additional risk factors (i.e. your brain aneurism).

Two Florida hospitals keep coming up in the forum, Shands(sp?) and Cleveland Clinic of Florida. You may want to consider one of them if there is any question on that issue.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[KAJ]

Diane,

Without question, this site is worth its weight in gold. I completely agree with Al Capshaw. You and your family will feel better about things if you have a surgeon who performs these types of surgeries on regular basis.

Karl

 

[aussigal]

Welcome Diane...
forgive me for missing you when you first posted...

I am at the same point as Marguerite...ready to pick a date in April for this...

Come on in and pull up a comfy seat...ask away we have lots of experience here and heaps of sucess stories, always good to read and hear.

I also recommend sending your family here if they are computer-friendly and they will soon be comforted and have their concerns addressed by this wonderful community.

Its always a joy for us to get new members as we know thats another one who wont be scared and alone while dealing with this new-valve stuff.