Holiday or Surgery?

[MARGIEBABY]

I havent been on for a while - just waiting for hubby to get his date for his repair/replacement of mitral valve. Just to fill you in - my hubby has no symptoms - he's never been fitter - plays touch football and runs and swims daily - not overweight and doesnt drink!!!
We had planned a holiday to Bali which I postponed in June when we knew we were on a waitinglist for surgery - holiday was meant to be sep 25 to Oct 10 - just got the hospital letter yesterday and he is scheduled for Oct 5 - this date could change due to emergencies so there are no guarantees this will go ahead then. He wants me to ask them to postpone his operation for the next available after that so we can still take our kids on this holiday.
I do not want to compromise his health and would hate to be in a third world country when he did start to show some symtoms - I have left messages for his heart doctor to ask his thoughts.

Perhaps we just dont want to face it and the the idea of a holiday just sounds like a better idea all round.

Love to know your thoughts - what symptoms would you have for mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation if you had symptoms? what's the worst that could happen?

thanks

 

[KristiinSD]

My understanding is a few months is not "long"

My understanding is a few months is not "long"

in the heart valve world. I waited for the original surgeon for 7 weeks, I am wating for 3 more for this new one. No one seems concerned at all. I would like to get it over with, but I am okay with having to wait.

I actually went on vacation during the wait and it was nice. My only concern for myself (and perhaps for your husband) is that I was advised against stressing my heart. For example, I asked about hiking at 5200 miles above sealevel and the surgeon repeatedly said, "I'd be real careful..." so I ended up not hiking at all...

Just my thoughts.

Kristi
mr
surgery 9/29/05

 

[Abbanabba]

Hi Margie, have you spoken with your medical team to see if it's possible to delay the surgery for a week or so? They may be able to "reshuffle" some patients - after all, I can't see that a few extra days should be too big a deal in regards to your hubby's current medical status.

However, having said that, if going on holiday pushes your husbands surgery back by several weeks, or months, then he is probably better off to have it now. From what I've read here, these things can degenerate pretty quickly for some people, so while you should be able to get away with delaying things by a few days, longer than that could be a problem (depending on your husband's valve, of course).

I guess your husband's medical team are in the best position to advise you what to do.

Hope it all works out for the best
Anna : )

 

[tobagotwo]

We don't really know enough about your husband's current condition to give an informed opinion.

However, on the basis of the very sketchy information and the minimum delay involved of only a couple of weeks, I would vote (sketchily) for the holiday. I suspect to get back on the list with a new date, you'll have to reschedule it very soon.

All bets are off if he has an aneurism, though. They are no respectors of symptoms.

He should avoid diving or diving down while snorkelling. He should also avoid even moderate physical exercise, despite his lack of symptoms (don't join the hike up the mountain, etc.). And no lifting.

I'm guessing your doctor will come to a similar conclusion, after he gets over the annoyance of having his schedule disturbed.

For some bizarre reason, vacations taken just before this surgery seem to be very speical and memorable.

Best wishes,

 

[MARGIEBABY]

Thanks Guys

Thanks Guys

Thanks anna, kristi and tobagotwo for your replies. I appreciate your thoughts - I am waiting on his heart doctor and GP to get in touch with us. A part of me feels we are just running away from what needs to be done.

The decision rests with the heart specialist who I hope we will speak with tomorrow. My husband does heaps of exercise and always has and was never told to stop or even slow down by the surgeon - he simply told him not to benchpress 100kgs and have his veins popping out in his neck. So it has been business as usual for us - it was an absolute fluke that we even found out about it - simply thru a fitness assessment in the fire brigade it was found when they listened to his heartbeat.

He had the echo and angiogram was told he would need a replacement or repair - we would have gone on holidays and been none the wiser.

Thanks all.
cheers

Marg

 

[ClickerTicker]

Marg
I postponed my mitral valve repair/replacement for a few weeks to enable us to go on our regular holiday to the Isles of Scilly. Sometime between the diagnosis and the surgery I contracted endocarditis - possibly in the Scillies, but almost certainly through a dental extraction. Endocarditis is bad news - it really ate away at my valve so a repair was impossible, I spent almost 7 weeks in hospital and now have a mechanical valve and a weakened heart.
This is probably a rare example, but with a diagnosed but untreated valve problem you are at a significantly raised risk of endocarditis. Your cardiologist should be able to advise of the actual risk, in the meantime be careful to get continuing antibiotic cover for any dental work or invasive procedures.
Good luck - please don't let this spoil your holiday!

 

[Mama2Rylan]

Please don't be mad...

Please don't be mad...

What a tricky decision you have to make...either surgery or vacation? I think everyone on here would "want" to take the vacation, but if it were me I think I would want to get the surgery out of the way first. I know your husband doesnt have any symptoms right now, but the doctor did schedule the surgery next month (instead of months down the road) for a reason. Please keep in mind, what will you do if your on your vacation and something happens? Also, will you be able to actully enjoy your vaction or will you spend it worrying about his health? My suggestion would be to get the surgery over with and then take the vacation...then it can be no worries, all play (but like I said this is just my suggestion, you should really talk to your doc and see what they have to say)

 

[MARGIEBABY]

Thanks for the messages clickerticker and mamatoryan - He has seen the dentist and has the all clear and knows he needs to care for his teeth. His surgery was simply scheduled as the next free available space and he has been waiting since June for this space to come up as he is a public patient and emergencies and private/paying customers always jump in front.

I just heard back from the registrar of the hospital - she seems more than happy to take that date off and give him the next available - they are busy and perhaps someone else is desperate for his spot. They told us there were no guarantees that the 5th would go ahead - the way the system works here they can bring you in get you prepped and if an emergency arrives - home you go!!! Im just not sure if she is addressing his health or her waiting list.

My husband really wants to go away so they have asked me to let them know what date suits me??? I have been praying for guidance from above.

Thanks everyone