Met with the surgeon yesterday

[rmn]

Just to get some pre-surgery questions answered and a few things clarified. He's a good guy, and my wife liked him a lot too after meeting him for the first time yesterday.

I finally decided to go with the mechanical and am comfortable with my decision. Many thanks to all who posted on my other thread in "Valve Selection" and for your informative posts in general.

So now it's two weeks to go - winding down at work, then a few days off before the Big Day. I think now I'm just ready to get on with it and begin the recovery!

 

[EVELYN]

RMN

Glad you made your decision. My hubby, Tyce, had an AVR almost 3 years ago, and went with the mechanical,too. He has not regretted his decision. Trust me when I say, coumadin is NOT an issue.....he has been high, low (but not too) and in between.....it's just regulating his pills. I would absolutely recommend that you try to home test......it's the best thing in the world. We had a bit of trouble at first, with our first machine, but now we have the Coaguchek and we're right on with the dr's office every time we check. I love the maching and am so very pleased we got it. Home testing certainly gives you peace of mind when you travel, too.

Congratulations on your decision.....one more thing you won't have to worry about.

Evelyn

 

[Ross]

Congrats. I can't say it enough, you will be fed a huge amount of total hogwash about Coumadin and what you can eat and how it is dosed. This is something that the so called professionals simply do not understand, so when it starts happening to you too, come back to the Coumadin forum and lay it out for us. We'll get it cleared up and what we cannot answer, Al Lodwick will.

Try to maintain and simply relax and enjoy the time from now till surgery.

 

[Karlynn]

Congratulations on making the choice. I'm glad you are comfortable with it. To jump off of what Ross had to say, always question what you are told about Coumadin. It may very well be (and hopefully will be) correct, but the medical professional's lack of knowledge on Coumadin seems to be the biggest problem with having to take Coumadin.

This site and Al will help a lot in keeping you informed on the correct information.

 

[Granbonny]

Hi

Hi

Can you tell us your first name?..I read where you live in the Denver area..Be careful to not get around anyone with the flu, cold, ect..Y...Get your house set up, recliner, ect. near a bathroom, ect. and enjoy time with your family. Bonnie

 

[gadgetman]

Post 11 days after surgery.

I decided on the mechanical too. I was fortunate that they were able to tune up the valve I've already got but I felt (along with reading some very helpful posts here) that the mechanical was the way to go for me.

As everyone else will say, get the nest around the recliner prepared. I don't know when I'll get back in my bed because I have waterbed that is high off the floor and don't think I'm up to rolling out of that thing just yet.

Pack yourself a "going home" bag with underwear, socks, loose clothes (and I mean loose--I wore my PJs home). I couldn't get my shoes on due to the by-pass swelling so we had to stop on the way home and buy bedroom shoes two sizes larger than I usually wear.

Our thoughts and prayers will begin now. Just go with the flow (can I have a HUUUUUUUUUM!) and you will suddenly be on the other side. Best wishes.

 

[tobagotwo]

Glad you have made a decision that you are comfortable with. It's a relief to have it all set up, isn't it?

You've got two weeks? Now go do something fun!

Best wishes,

 

[catwoman]

Has anyone else experienced a rash of AVR/MVR's within their friendship circles after their surgery? Since Mike's surgery, we've had two friends have OHS - what's up with that???? ...

Yup. A friend in Houston had MVR (bovine) in 12/2002. When she told me 3 weeks pre-op she'd be having MVR, it was like a ghost ran into me. I had been diagnosed with MVP in early 1990 -- right after my father-in-law's 2nd MVR and first AVR -- and not had any obvious symptoms. Fast-forward to early March 2003: I began having symptoms. My surgery was 6/24/2003.
Went to a cat show in Denver CO in September 2003 and a friend asked, "Does OHS hurt" He had surgery (St. Jude) in October 2003.
Then my dad's cousin-in-law had AVR (bovine, I think) in November 2003.
A friend in Arkansas had MVR (St. Jude) in July 2004.

 

[rmn]

Thanks all. Good advice about the clothes and recliner. We don't have a recliner in the house, but may go look this weekend. As far as clothes, are you able to get into T-Shirts/pullovers at all or are button down shirts the best option initially?

I think the hospital does provide a heart pillow, at least my surgeon says so. He wasn't that enthusiastic about the Heart Hugger, but since I've heard good things about it on here, I thought I'd order one anyway.

Pam, I'm having my surgery done at P/SL here in Denver. I was there about a year ago for endocarditis and the nursing staff on the cardiac floor were wonderful. I'm confident I'll have the same experience.

Thanks again for all the comments and advice. I'll certainly be checking this site regularly for any last minute tidbits.

 

[Phyllis]

Dick found button-down shirts to be the best for the first few weeks and we bought the first pair of pajamas, a light robe and slippers that he ever owned for the hospital- he spent a lot of time in them at home for the first week or two before he ventured outside to walk. Best wishes to you!