Here goes. I'm new.

[Trish]

I've been reading lots of posts on here before deciding I needed to write. One thing that hit me was the comments that the people here understand, because they've "been there, done that." I have a lot of support from family and friends but I feel better when I read the positive comments here. Sometimes "You'll do fine," just doesn't compare to hearing what others have gone through and beyond.

I've got a date February 11 at Beth Israel for a mitral valve repair or replacement. No cath yet, so the surgeon hasn't committed to either.

My valve has been leaking for many years but something between my June meet-and-greet with a new PCP, and a follow up visit in early November made him send me to a cardiologist, who in turn, sent me to a surgeon for a look-see. Many tests later, I'm scheduled for surgery.

My activity level plummeted the past year or so. I thought passing 60 was slowing me down. Then I started gaining weight and that slowed me further. The cardiologist suggested the slowing and gaining was my heart crying out for relief. So many things make sense to me now, like gasping on the dance floor, and being afraid to swim out over my head in case I couldn't make it back to safety.

You all are giving me the courage I need to keep from hiding in the closet and sighing "poor me."
Thanks
Trish

 

[aussiemember]

Hi Trish,

Welcome!! So glad you decided to start posting - there's so much information and support on here - it'll be a huge help as you get ready for February 11th. I've also got to have a mitral valve repair/replacement but I'm still in the waiting room although I'm definitely getting near the front of the queue.....

Make sure you ask any questions you have - someone on here is bound to be able to help!!

Jeanne

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Trish

WELCOME!!!! It's a great place with loads of fantastic people. You'll love it here. My husband and I have been members for almost 6 years. I was fortunate enough to stumble on this site after Tyce was told AVR was in the near future. I remember my beginning posts.....I was scared to death.

This site got me through it. I realized what a great surgery it really is and how 98-99 percent get through it with no problem. I also realized that things have to be put into perspective and that there's only so much control one can have;sometimes you just have to turn it over to a higher power and have the faith you need to get through.

One of the biggest lightbulb moments is that I realized that everyone goes through the same emotions preop.....so please feel free to vent. You're scared, angry, upset, depressed, worried, and sometimes glad that it's finally time to get it fixed. These are all normal and everyone here has been through them.....so you won't be telling us anything we aren't familiar with.

The bottom line is that you're going to be fine and there's a wonderful new life post op.

Soooo, welcome to vr.com. We're here for you.

Evelyn

 

[Freddie]

Welcome Trish.
Don't ever be afraid to ask any kind of questions. Someone will be along to answer.
When I was told I needed my mitral valve repaired/replacement......I had it done within 7 days. No time to search sites or even to prove the doctors wrong that I needed the surgery.
You are lucky to have found this site before Feb. 11, and you will see its not as bad as it sounds.

 

[Superbob]

Trish,

Just wanted to say welcome to the Forum. So glad you have begun posting. When you have questions or observations, I am sure you will find lots of friendly folks here willing to share their experiences and what they know. Wishing you all the best as you go forward.

 

[Bina]

Hello Trish and welcome!!
You sound like a level headed person who will be just fine.....of course if you want to freak out and/or vent, we are here for that too.

 

[Cooker]

Welcome Trish! This is the place to be for heart issues and I laugh or two

 

[Mary]

Hi, Trish!
Glad you found your way to the VR forum and have decided to share your journey with us.
I put your surgery date on our calendar, and we'll keep you company both before and after!

 

[Adrienne]

Another mitral valver here

Another mitral valver here

Welcome Trish,

We seem to be about the same age with somewhat similar histories. I am 62 and had my mitral valve repair at 60. I knew I had a murmer at about 22 and finally learned it was my mitral valve at 38, but no one made a big deal of it. After getting endocarditis in 2004, which was when the word "operation" started being talked about, and after getting atrial fibrillation in 2005, I had a mitral valve repair by a fantastic surgeon, along with a partial maze procedure and the closure of a patent foreman ovale (like an atrial septal defect but not totally open). My operation went along with no real complications, and every day I felt better than the day before! I was extremely fortunate to have a surgeon who is very adept at complicated repairs since mine was very complicated. Anyhow, I feel totally great! Although I was not considered symptomatic up until when I got A-fib, I can see that I can climb hills more easily, etc.

I am sure everything will go very well for you!

 

[Curtsmum]

Hi Trish,
just wanted to say best of luck for the 11th, i hope all goes well.

 

[Phyllis]

Welcome, Trish- glad you found us before surgery and hope we can help you see your way to a succesful surgery and uneventful recovery. Ask away- that's what we are here for!

 

[tobagotwo]

Quite frankly, no matter how much they love you, people just get tired of hearing about it pre-op. And we almost can't stop talking about it, because it's almost always on our minds. You can't blame them, and you can't blame us.

At least here you can let your hair down about it, and talk to people who really do understand. And who can tell you from their own experience what it was like, and what things you can expect.

It's a good thing you've come aboard. No one here can change what you must do, but we can listen and talk on the same level about your experience, and hopefully, you'll be happier for it.

Best wishes,

 

[cp172]

Hi Trish,

We are in the same boat. Heart murmur for years and then one evening before Christmas last year I was called by my PCP and told I needed to see a surgeon. I hope to have surgery sometime in Feb. This forum has been great therapy. It seems I have gone through all sort of emotions while carving information about a subject that I have tried to avoid all these years.

Have you picked a valve if they can not repair your mitral valve? My surgeon suggested the medtronic mosaic for me.

A Great Big Middle Ga welcome to VR!

God Bless

 

[susieq14]

(((((((((((Trish)))))))))))))

As a fellow BayStater with mitral valve issues, I want to send you a great big HELLO! and of course "Welcome to VR.com!"

I'm so glad that you found this site in time to get all your questions answered before your surgery! I can't offer any concrete advice about how to prepare or recover because I'm in the "waiting room" and am pretty clueless to be perfectly honest but I did want to send you lots of positive thoughts and prayers and of course a great BIG HUG. Don't be shy to ask whatever is on your mind - the folks here are so helpful and caring!

Take Care!
Susie

 

[bbb]

Welcome, Trish.

As a person who is 8 weeks post-op and feeling great, I can tell you that the words open heart surgery are huger than life. But with all the support from family and friends, the support here and the reality of good doctors and surgeons, you will do really well on Feb. 11th. I am so happy to have my surgery behind me and so much of life in front of me. You will be, too, before you know it. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride to health!

All the best, Betsy

 

[Praline]

I want to welcome you to this site... November 2005, I went to my primary care physician for what I expected to be a routine yearly checkup. I walked out needing open heart surgery. I was just getting over the Katrina mess and ... I thought I was going to lose my mind. If I had not found this site, I may have gone crazy. But everyone was so very reassuring, informative, and supportive,....
My surgeon told me that he would not be able to tell for sure if he could repair the valve before he was actually looking at it. My surgery was 2 years ago and I am just fine. I am 66 years old and still teaching first grade and enjoying it.
I used to live in MA. I go there to visit family every year.

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to the VR community. Glad you found us. I had a mitral valve repair. It wasn't nearly as bad as my fears imagined. Best wishes.

 

[Trish]

Thank you all

Thank you all

It was great heaing all your good wishes.
One of my problems is that I've always been the one other people go to when they need help. So I try to make my problems small so I won't disturb anyone else's tranquility. I give a breezy explanation of what's wrong with me. That makes everyone think I'm strong and tough and I think it, too. Believe me, that positive thinking has gotten me through a lot. I'm trying to do that now but I do have qualms that seem silly to me.

I'm a hairdresser and I love the sociability of my job, as well as the constant physical pump. Being out of work for a few weeks will be okay but I'm worried about how much I'll hurt around my chest and arms. Shampooing and blowdrying move the chest a lot! And what about swimming next summer? See? Silly stuff when you think about actual heart surgery. My mother got a new aorta when she was in her late 60's and she did the polka with my Dad at my daughter's wedding not long after. Good genes in my family. Lousy hearts, though.

One thread here is about losing weight and getting in shape before surgery. I eat when I'm nervous and my friends are eating with me. Two more weeks and we'll need to wear tents. And I'm afraid to do too much because I can feel my heart pounding just when I climb up the stairs with the laundry. Oh, I'm whining!

Again, thanks for listening, and caring. I'm amazed at how many people responded and thanks cherbam for telling me about this.

Trish

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Greetings Trish,

At 6 weeks post-op, your sternum should be back to about 85% of it's normal strength. By 12 weeks, it should be 100%.

Stretches and exercises are good ways to help recondition sore muscles. IF your insurance will cover Cardiac Rehab, I highly recommend it as a safe means to getting back into shape following surgery. Even if your insurance does not cover it, you may want to visit a rehab class to learn their recommended stretches and exercises and do them on your own.

Best wishes,

'AL Capshaw'

 

[JudithD23]

Quite frankly, no matter how much they love you, people just get tired of hearing about it pre-op. And we almost can't stop talking about it, because it's almost always on our minds. You can't blame them, and you can't blame us.


Hi,

First, let me also welcome you to vr.com. I'm a relative newcomer also and this site is great with so many generous people.
I don't know about the quote above: Tom, my husband, will be going in for surgery and I'm the one who is constantly thinking about it and doing the research. I think that Tom would have gone with the very first surgeon we met, and he still might, but I'm insisting that we get at least a few more consults. Tom really just wants to go local, but I would fly across the country if I could convince him and if we were sure that would make a difference.

Of course Tom is thinking of it, but he says that he relies on me so that he doesn't have to. I think he'll be joining the group soon, at least maybe the presurgery forum and I hope he's ready to start reading Adam Pick's book. So he's getting here gradually. I keep telling him he's missing out and that he will feel better about the procedure, recovery, etc.

Anyway, another welcome to you Trish.

Judith