F
Fran
My surgeon, Dr Armitage, gave me a really good "show and tell" with the various valve options. He leaned towards the Onx valve due to my age and the idea that it cuts back on how much Coumadin you might need if at all, due to the "curvier" valve design. I was in his Plavix and aspirin study (off-label usage) until now and it looks like I have to go back on Coumadin as I'm too sensitive to the baby aspirin, just getting over a stomach ulcer.
We had thought at first I might've needed the whole aortic root replacement, but once he got in there, he put in the Onx valve. It's got a light little "silver hammer" sound, I can hear it when I'm tired. My daughters joke about hearing it from across a room. So the sound has never bothered me at all.
With all of the ensuing issues related to anticoag stuff, I don't know that I'd do the mechanical valve vs tissue valve choice again. But it's too late to change any of that now!
I'm fine with getting through each new challenge, my life has been saved over and over so far, I have to just trust it's going to all be okay.
Two of the Onx reps were in his office some time back and gave me a ring made out of the titanium-coated carbon the valve is made from. That was cool.
I just went with this hugely intelligent man, my surgeon, telling me what he thought would work best for me, and TRUSTING him that much. He's the best in this area, came down from Pittsburgh 15 or so years ago, brought his entire team with him (they MOVED down here, that's trust right there!) and has saved so many lives. He built the cardiac unit into this amazingly-successful healing center. He'd lost his young 19-yr-old son in a single-car accident 13 months before my surgery, both his parents as well to illness, and here he was, helping people like me. That takes courage and talent.
Long story short - I'm in a muddle right now with the comings and goings medically, but I feel pretty much he helped me make the right decision. I value his expertise and opinion. His personality and bedside-manner, too, were stellar. He's gentle and smart and compassionate. If you feel you can lean on your surgeon like that and he's got your best interests in mind, then I think you can rely on their input about valve options.
We had thought at first I might've needed the whole aortic root replacement, but once he got in there, he put in the Onx valve. It's got a light little "silver hammer" sound, I can hear it when I'm tired. My daughters joke about hearing it from across a room. So the sound has never bothered me at all.
With all of the ensuing issues related to anticoag stuff, I don't know that I'd do the mechanical valve vs tissue valve choice again. But it's too late to change any of that now!
I'm fine with getting through each new challenge, my life has been saved over and over so far, I have to just trust it's going to all be okay.Two of the Onx reps were in his office some time back and gave me a ring made out of the titanium-coated carbon the valve is made from. That was cool.
I just went with this hugely intelligent man, my surgeon, telling me what he thought would work best for me, and TRUSTING him that much. He's the best in this area, came down from Pittsburgh 15 or so years ago, brought his entire team with him (they MOVED down here, that's trust right there!) and has saved so many lives. He built the cardiac unit into this amazingly-successful healing center. He'd lost his young 19-yr-old son in a single-car accident 13 months before my surgery, both his parents as well to illness, and here he was, helping people like me. That takes courage and talent.
Long story short - I'm in a muddle right now with the comings and goings medically, but I feel pretty much he helped me make the right decision. I value his expertise and opinion. His personality and bedside-manner, too, were stellar. He's gentle and smart and compassionate. If you feel you can lean on your surgeon like that and he's got your best interests in mind, then I think you can rely on their input about valve options.
