New to the board

[Abbanabba]

Hello, I'm Anna from Kalgoorlie, Australia, and am a newbie to the site.

I'm 32 (..just!..) and am looking at valve replacement surgery later this year. I was born with Tetrallogy of Fallot and have managed to avoid hospitals since my OHS in 1977.... Although I know medical procedures have come leaps and bounds since then, I still can't help but feel a little nervous about hatchet-job #2.

I've had a read through some of the other posts here and have found some great information. I don't have anything specific I want to ask, at this time, but just wanted to make myself known. I'm sure as my surgery looms ever closer I will be firing questions left, right, and centre!! I'll be seeing my cardio again in February, so I have a little time up my sleeve.

If there happen to be any other Aussies on the board, I'd love to hear from you - especially since the medical system here is so different to the States (..although I'm quite sure all the feelings and emotions are very much the same!!..).

Meanwhile, I hope to get to know you all a little better.

Cheers
Anna : )

 

[Nancy]

Hi Anna-

Welcome to the site. It's a great place and you will find lots of support and information here. There are some folks from Australia. I hope they see your post and give you a Hello.

Please come around often and join in.

 

[fisher6476]

Hi Anna,
Glad you found us. You say you are a little nervous about your second surgery. That makes you just like the rest of us. Hope we can help make you a bit more comfortable as you gather more information. Please keep us posted and again, welcome!
Steve

 

[Gnusgal]

Hey, Anna! I didn't expect to see you here. Glad you found your way over. (In case you're wondering "Who the heck is this?" I've seen your posts on the ACHA board. I have the same screen name over there as I do here.) This is a great site and I'm glad you're here.

 

[Harpoon]

Hey Anna, another CHD kid eh? =)

I've been around for a little over a month now here (thanks to gnusgal) and have picked up a lot of good stuff.

It seems there aren't too many people here with congenital heart defects, but everyone's got good information to share on valve replacement so it's still a good resource.

Is Melbourne in your area?

I don't know much about heart facilities in Austrailia, but my surgeon, Dr. Roger Mee, started out building a nice center for congenital heart patients at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne... That might be a start, though I don't know if it's still as good now as it was a few years ago when he got it going.

Mee is in Cleveland, Ohio now, Cleveland Clinic.

 

[Abbanabba]

Hi Niki, good to see you here - and to put a face to the name! It might have been you who mentioned this site over at ACHA; I know someone did (..and then, of course, when I went backtracking I couldn't find it....what would we do without Google!! ..).

Thanks everyone else for your kind welcome. Harpoon, thanks for the info about the centre in Melbourne - although it's a 5hr flight from where I'm living, I'll be there next month (..David Bowie concert - YAY!!!..) so I might just check it out (..BTW, are you on the ACHA board? I don't recognise your user name..).

Cheers for now
Anna : )

 

[Gnusgal]

No, Harpoon knows me from ANOTHER support group. I'm on 5 (I think). Three are CHD (ACHA message board, tchin listserve, and Adult-CHD listserve), this one, and one NHR. I must just need a LOT of support . No, I just love meeting people "like me" and found each of the groups through other members. At one time, I was even on one for people with pacemakers! It's amazing what you can find on the internet!!!

Oh, and I think I did mention this site a while ago, but it was someone ELSE who mentioned it a year and a half ago on ACHA that brought ME here!

 

[medtronic of borg]

welcome

welcome

Welcome!
I too am ACHA and a couple of others specific to my condition. I am not over there but have a dear friend sort of in the area....emphasis on sort of (Aukland)...she was my best friend for many years. She is a Dr. doing medical research for her government.

We all don't plan on leaving so ask away!!!!!!!!!!

Med

FYI it is a warm balmy -25 right now. Can you hear my teeth rattiling?

 

[wweir]

Anna,

Welcome to this site. Like you I also was very nervous when my doctor talked to me about surgery to replace my aortic valve. Filled with shock, fear and all sorts of questions I started searching the web for answers and lo and behold I stumbled across this incredible site.

I must tell you Anna it has been such a comfort to converse with the fine folks on this site who have been and continue to be so open and informative.

Rest assured that your doctors and surgeons will take very good care of you and after your surgery you will find the nurses to be the absolute best. I am proud to say I made it over the mountain and doing fine.

So ask as many questions as you can and know that we all will try our best to help.

Walter

 

[Andrea]

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome to the board Anna! I'm also 32 and I had a mytral valve replacement with a mechanical about 8 months ago.

This is a great place for info. I dont think I could have made it through everything without these folks

 

[Guest]

Welcome, Anna!

Good to see you've joined vr.com! Like Niki, I know you from acha as well . Always good to put a face to the name!

Peace...always,
Cort S, pig's valve & pacemaker-enhanced 30/swm
AIM=fc72mc ... YIM=knightfan2691
member & newsletter editor, Faith COB = http://www.faithcob.org
My *UPDATED* MC Family...Kudos Ray! = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
RIP = '76, Parents' [my] MC ... '88 MC LS ... '00 "mc" LS
Spotting MCs = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
MC's Future = http://www.projectmonte.com/petition/

 

[ccrawford]

Welcome Anna - I was a nervous wreck before my one and only surgery, but the guys here did a yoeman's job in getting my head screwed back on. You've come to the right place, and I hope we can answer all your questions so you too can have smooth sailing. Chris