New member introduction

[cherbam]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this site and find it very informative. I wish I knew about it two years ago after my OHS. I am curious to find out if anyone's surgery was 9 hrs long like mine. I had three valves replaced and was also in the hosp. for 9 days. Is this common?

 

[Karlynn]

Welcome! I've seen a few of your other posts and we're happy to have you join our family. I found this wonderful group 11 years after my MVR. Having gone it "alone" (even with a great supportive spouse, family and friends) I can tell you that finding this group was a godsend to me.

Sounds like you had the full tune-up when you had your surgery. I can't think of specifically who, but I know we've had members who's surgeries have been pretty long.

Tell us some more of your 3-valve history. We're also very nosey!

 

[geebee]

Hi and welcome.

My record for surgery length was 7 hours - I didn't notice a thing. 9 hours is very long and may be way up there on the scale.

I am not sure if we have many members who have 3 valves replaced. Most of us have had only one.

I agree with you that I wish I had a place like this to come to before my surgeries. Feeling alone is the toughest part of it and VR.com does not let members feel alone.

Hope you stay for a long time. Would love to hear more of your history.

 

[Cooker]

Cerbam,

Welcome!! Holy cow!!! Three!!! I thought I was special with one valve and a short four hours on the table.......well it is good to be humbled.

Glad you found us.

 

[NascarfanMary]

Welcome

Welcome

My surgery was about 6 hrs . I was a very complicated one due to the congential defects. My heart is acually on the right ride and turned side ways . So it was a long process for my Dr. But I have lived this long. (Thanks to a guardian angel that sits on my shoulder) Cleveland Clinic, are my angles. I trust then heart and soul. Even tho it took 3 OP surgeries within 6 months, they know me very well. I welcome you to this wonderful site. Great place to be . Take care.

 

[cherbam]

Three valve replacement story

Three valve replacement story

Thanks for the welcome !!! I have always been in very good health and very athletic growing up. I was a skater and gymnast. When I got too old for that stuff I went to the gym and did a little weight training and cardio. (Still go 5 days/wk) At 38 I started to get dizzy spells and then stomach aches( I was told it was bladder infection (knew it wasn't) few months later at the ER they said I was constipated (wasn't) a nagging cough, and shortness of breath eventually followed 10/04 another trip to the ER with swollen ankles and eyes Dr. decided to do a chest X-ray (after a million other tests) and found my heart to be enlarged admitted, told I had a very loud murmer. Tests revealed Rhuematic heart disease and a little hole.(My primary had missed all symptoms, no longer primary) Had TEE and Angio and was told OHS only option with severity of the damage. Mechanical valves for my aortic and mitral were implanted because of my age, and my tricuspid wasn't as bad as the other ones so it's bovine. Here I am and I feel great. Awesome family and friends, could not have done it without them. My scar is barely noticible, which is a bonus!!!

 

[Mary]

Welcome to the Forum!

Three valves being replaced is unusual around here, and a nine hour surgery is really long. I guess when you have that many valves replaced it just takes alot longer? How are they functioning now? Anyway, I'm glad you joined the group!
Mary

 

[WayneGM]

Welcome to the community.

I had a mitral valve repair and I believe it was around 4 hours long based on the updates my wife was receiving. I never specifically asked.

 

[ChuckVSP]

12 hours!

12 hours!

Not to brag or anything, but my re-op 6 years ago this past Tuesday was a bit over 12 hours. I was described as a "train wreck" having both the mitral and aortic valves replaced (2nd time for the aortic) as well as the aortic root repaired/replaced due to an aneurism (sp*) and a few other complicataions I didn't ask about. Poor Doctor Glower and his crew must have been exhausted when done with me that night, and my wife was a nervous wreck after such a wait! Glad I was asleep, didn't miss a thing. Spent eight days in hospital afterwards, had a flare up of atrial fibrulation and weighed nearly 450 pounds. Got rid of some of the weight, but still have minor flares of a-fib.

Ah, enough rambling. Glad you found this sight, wish I had found it six years ago, and that something like this existed 25 yrs ago when I had the aortic valve replaced the first time. I seldom post, but lurk around and read up for advancements in coumadin management and research. This is a great site for support and advanced information!

And now, is time for my nap so I can work my night shift tonight. The local snow fall in southwest Virginia has left us with slick roads and lots of wrecks, which is always fun for a poor, old, tired, semi-fat police dispatcher!

 

[ruth]

Hi Cherbam and Welcome!

I think you're pretty special - even for around here. Whew, just thinking about going through all that is exhausting, glad to hear you're doing better.

Take care,
Ruth

 

[michellep]

Welcome! I'm glad to have you here!

 

[cherbam]

Length of Surgery

Length of Surgery

12 hour surgery deserves bragging rights ChuckVSP I imagine your surgeon and his team were exhausted. I often wonder what it would be like to watch such a procedure for so long I guess they are right when they say slow and steady wins the race!! I am also relieved to hear that your valve was good for 25 yrs. Thank you to Ruth and Michellep for the welcome.

 

[briansmom]

It's all quite a blur, but my son's first surgery was about 8 hrs, then they had to bring him back into surgery about 12 hrs later for another 5 hr surgery. I was in awe of his surgeons and their stamina. They are amazing and they will be doing it again on March 12 for my son.

 

[Mb]

Cherbam:

My husband also had rheumatic heart disease (see other posts). His first sugergery the Dr. was waiting for him at 5:30AM, and they called me around 4:00. (dual valves) - As you know, he is going to have his tricuspid valve repaired or replaced next week, with a pacemaker to be installed later.

We have been told that if they have to replace the tricuspid valve, it will have to be bovine, as the mechanical valves tend to greater thrombosis in this "passive" side of the heart. He is already on coumaden. Pacemaker will be installed 3 or 4 days later. The firs time, he was in the hospital, from what I remember, for ten or eleven days. Of course, he is older, and he does have arrythmia issues. I am SO SO SO glad to hear that you are doing so well. -Marybeth

 

[KAJ]

My surgery was no where near that long. I was however in the hospital for almost three weeks after surgery. I was went home 5 days after surgery. 24 hours later, I went back in the hospital due congestive heart failure. I was then in the hospital for 16 days. I think you did really well for going home in 9 days after having 3 valves replaced.

Karl