over a week till surgery

[Luke]

Hello Everyone,

It's a little over a week until my surgery. I'm try to tie things up at the office and get everything together for the next 6 weeks. I quit smoking about a week and a half ago in preparation for the surgery. I'm not sure how helpful it's going to be for this procedure, but i have to do it anyway. The doctors have told me that pneumonia was a possibility during recovery it i didn't give it up. From the sounds of it the last thing I want after they crack me open is the possibility of more coughing!

I don't know if its the realty of the surgery or the lack of smoking, but this really has me on edge and I'm fearful that I'm not going to make it through the procedure. I'm 38 years old and in pretty good health, but there is something about the whole things that is very disturbing. Just the whole idea of my body depending on a bypass machine for a few hours and then getting a reboot... It's been good to read about other people who've been through it and are now on the other side.

Did anyone else prepare for death before this procedure? Am I being over dramatic? I know that statistically things look pretty good... but I'm thinking its better safe than sorry. I know that a positive attitude is important and I'm trying to be positive. But no one seems willing to discuss the possibility of death. I've thought about writing letters to my family and friends to read if I do pass. Is this crazy?

 

[Freddie]

It's not a crazy idea at all Luke and your not being over dramatic. I wrote small letters to those who mattered and placed them where they could found easily (The funeral home will want clean underwear and socks), so I just placed my letters just inside the top pair of socks. In fact, I still have those letters - only the location has changed.

If it gives you a peace of mind write some letters.

 

[Ross]

Well there are overwhelming chances that your going to be just fine, but it's also prudent to tend to matters before hand, just in case. You should do that anyhow and too many people don't.
Death is a possibility, but it's a possibility with any surgery. It's reality.

 

[nngbwh]

It's not crazy. This is normal. I told my wife verbally IF IF IF IF. Try to relax you will be fine.
Keep us posted.

 

[Jkm7]

It's not crazy at all but please do strongly keep in your mind the huge success rate of this surgery. For a man your age who is otherwise healthy, there is such a tiny bit of a chance for things to go bad but it is prudent to be sure your living will and power of attorney are in order so medical decisions can be made for you by your loved ones. If writing notes is something you want to do, then by all means, I think you should. If nothing else, it makes you focus on those you love and all your reasons to make a great recovery.

Wishing you the very best. Odds are overwhelmingly on your side.

 

[njean]

Just wanted to wish you the very best with your upcoming surgery! And no, you're not alone in thinking the worse when you know you're going to have this type of surgery!

When I had my surgery in 1975, I thought for sure I was going to die! And, if you stop & think about it, OHS was still in it's infancy stages at that time!

So think positive thoughts & concentrate on the fact that you need to have this done so that you can go on to live a long & fruitful life! As others have said, the odds are on your side that you WILL make it, so go forth & get it done!

Godspeed!

 

[mainframe]

I went to a lawyer prior to my first surgery for a will, power of attorney, medical power of attorney etc. Didn't need them for the first surgery; came very close to needing them the second surgery.

 

[Luckyguy17]

Yeah Luke,

OHS scared the dickens out of me and I prepared for all i could prepare for, including the living will and finances...that is smart in my view and a good pre-op distraction (it is real, that there is some risk)..

Now if it helps you, the stats are overwhelmingly in your favour and if you include age, even more so, as do not forget that many OHS patients are octogenarians 70-80+ and many in that age come through this type of operation, needing just a little more time in rehab...so it was quite amazing that at 56, I was one of the young guys out of our current group of 35 at hospital, that was having OHS last week....seems that by far +60 is more common age of OHS.

So prepare for what you can and roll with what you cannot prepare for, i'd be willing to bet hugely that in a couple weeks time, you will be proceeding very well with recovery.

Keep as positive a mindset as possible, for you and the others around you that will help you with the recovery, they (support group) also do not need to be unecessarily worying about things that are unpredicatable ...keep the faith Luke, you are doing the right things, let the pros help you with what they do for a living...they are really quite good at it.(surgeons and specialists)

Gil

Gil

so prepare, yes it is a distraction and hell knows that there

 

[buncle]

I updated my will and all that goes with that.But, we all need one for various reasons.I told my family a few minutes before they put me under " I will see you on the other side"
They all freaked out.I told them then I meant (as we all say on this site-other side of the mountain) I just abbreviated it and never thought they thought the OTHER SIDE.lol
Last thing I remember was smiling about that.Luke remember we are all here and we have been through ohs. Stay positive - you will be better than you were before the surgery.
1000's of people a day all over the world survive ohs-so will you!

 

[malibu82]

Hi Luke.
I know just what you felt. I had my heart surgery Friday, May 21st. Still in the hospital as a matter of fact. And I was SCARED. I had the same feelings about the bypass machine. I kept thinking how is this all humanly possible??? I prepared the same way you have thought to. I wrote living wills, I made sure I bought my babies each a special gift, then filled out a journal for them called " a mothers legacy ". I never wanted to think about it being "the other side" or "other side of the mountain" because that freaked me out. I managed to put all reality off until I arrived for my surgery Friday. A bunch of people where there when I arrived, they called 5 of us back as a group to the pre op area. they put us in curtain rooms and gave us plastic bags and asked us to put our clothes and belongings in there. Shut the curtain behind them. That did it. I finally broke down. Thinking why, how, what am I supposed to do. Should I leave? Then I just realized I really do have no choice or I will die. So this is me trying to fix it. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Then they called my family back out to be with me until they came to get me for surgery. When they came to hang out with me I was fine again, but then when they came to get me for surgery and I had to say goodbye, THAT was another breakdown point I know how you feel and I know your fears. But I swear, you can do it, you have to do it. It wont be easy. But
you don't have any other choice. Please stay strong If you need help/have questions please PM me I can answer anything you would like that will help you.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I went to a lawyer prior to my first surgery for a will, power of attorney, medical power of attorney etc. Didn't need them for the first surgery; came very close to needing them the second surgery.

This is prudent advice. If you do not have Joint Accounts with your wife for banking and investments, then you may want to set them up as Pay On Death and/or Transfer On Death and list your beneficiaries. Remember the Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared!

As I recall, you are also a BAV patient. Did you browse through the Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Connective Tissue Disorder Forum for more information on those conditions? Have you had a Chest CT or MRI to check for signs of Aortic Aneurisms which are sometimes (25%?) associated with BAV and CTD?

IF I were having a Ross Procedure, I would want to know how many Ross Procedures this Surgeon has performed and his outcomes.
It would also be wise to have a Plan B "just in case" your first choice is not viable once he gets in there. It happened to me. Fortunately, the surgeon chose the valve option I would have chosen at that time for his Plan B had I thought to do it *before* surgery.

I knew many OHS patients from work who had survived ByPass Surgery and were doing well so I didn't get too concerned about having my heart stopped, being put on the ByPass Machine, and then having it restarted. It wasn't an issue with anyone I knew who had been through it and I didn't focus on that aspect of the surgery.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Luke]

Thanks you everyone for your helpful comments and support. I have most of the practical matters tied up at work and home. I am much calmer about the whole thing. Statistically things look good. I went today to get blood work and fill out pre-op consent forms. I go in on Tuesday for the catherization and then the operation on Wednesday.

This has been a wild ride so far. Two months ago I had no idea there was a problem. I knew I had a heart murmur... but that was it.
Then there were the chest pains. The doctor did blood work and EKG and no problem... then just to be sure I get the echo. Then all hell broke loose... a trip to the ER directly from the doctors office. CAT Scann, TEE... meeting with the surgeon. And surgery now in a week. Not what I was expecting from 2010. But i thank God we found it and I'm grateful to live in a time when we can do something about it.

Malibu82 and Gil I hope you guys are hanging in there. You're in my prayers.

Luke

 

[Nancy]

Luke, I don't know if this has been mentioned or not, but make sure your wife or another relative has a Power of Attorney to act in your behalf when you can't and also make sure that this person also is your Health Care proxy and has written permission from you to speak with your doctors.

I helped my husband through many thoracic surgeries. He had 3 heart valve surgeries and 2 lung surgeries. You should do just fine and will be on the road to recovery before you know it. We will all be here waiting to hear of your experiences once you get back on your computer, and we will all be there with you, in thought, during your surgery.

Best wishes, and see if you can have someone post here and let us know how you did.

 

[Superbob]

The odds are very much in your favor, but going into this does force us to confront our own mortality. Pre-op, I went to a lawyer with my wife and updated our will, and made sure I had a power of attorney for her and a living will. I did write and stash in an easily found place a few personal letters. Those are rational kinds of things to do. Of course, I was in my 60s when I had this surgery -- much older than you. But none of us knows when on time on this earth will be up -- actually these kind of actions should be done even without the prospect of heart surgery.

All that said, the success rates for heart valve surgery are very high. Sounds like you're prepared, and we will be looking forward to hearing good news about you and from you.

 

[Luke]

Thanks Nancy and Superbob- I took care of Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy yesterday. That really brings it home!
Remaining positive though. I'm trying to have some fun these last couple of days. My staff is taking me out to lunch tomorrow! My parents arrive on Sunday. Memorial Day should be good.

Luke

 

[Luckyguy17]

Luke,

thoughts will be with you for next tuesday, you do sound ready for the main event, so take the long weekend off for diversion.

It is almost 9 days post op for me and all is well...so far...looking forward to getting those 60 odd staples out late tomorrow, 4 drain tube holes healing well ....know i must be feeling better, cause those darn staples (my zipper) are now a pain in the .....(grin)

Gil

Gil

 

[AgilityDog]

If you do not have Joint Accounts with your wife for banking and investments, then you may want to set them up as Pay On Death and/or Transfer On Death and list your beneficiaries. Remember the Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared!
'AL Capshaw'

Um, Sorry Al, but that's not good advice for everyone. Please don't set up a pay on death account if you have done any estate planning at all, unless you speak with your estate planning attorney first. If you do set them up, those P.O.D. assets will bypass your Will, and will not pass in accordance with your estate plan. This could undo lots of tax and trust planning that you spend time and money setting up to protect your loved ones!

<--board certified estate planning paralegal

 

[Daren]

Luke, just wanted to jump in and tell you I am praying for you. Try to take it easy, I know thats next to impossible but just know that this will soon be over. When I get real blown out about this stuff I try to distance myself from it a little. Read a book,watch a baseball game, throw rocks at people I dont like(just kidding!!) Anyway take it easy and stay strong. My thoughts and Prayers are with you....Daren

 

[Bina]

I made sure that my husband had access to bank accounts and all my bills were paid. Then I told my daughter where I stashed some jewellry, and not to forget my Retirement savings plan. I left a detailed list of important phone numbers and care givers for the pets. We said no "good byes" cuz that would have been too dramatic and freak me out even more. You are so YOUNG, you will do great.