Carla, I am so sorry to hear of your loss of your baby. On Oct. 13th I had my valve replace with a pig. My surgeon told me that I might get 20 years and that it is a fourth generation tissue valve. I am 54 years old. He also told me that hopefully down the road that my next valve might be replace by a heart cat.(?) On the 23rd I walked one half mile. Today I also did a long walk at a park. I cannot ride my bike for about three months. The day after surgery they will have you sitting up and in no time they have you up and walking. They give you good pain medicines’ to take at home. I awoke with the tube in the mouth and it was not that bad. When they removed the wires and drain tubes it did not hurt. I did have one early morning that they could not get a blood draw and I told the nurse to leave me alone and that she couldn’t have any more of my blood. She came back a few hours later. You will be fine. May you be blessed with a beautiful child in the future? I will keep you in my prayers.