Well, it's official. I'm scheduled for PVR on Sept. 9th. It will be done by Dr. Albert Starr, at St.Vincent's Hospital, Beaverton, Oregon. I'll be receiving a porcine valve. An angio of my left side showed NO coronary blockages. I'm pleased with that. My pulmonary function test wasn't as encouraging. Upper 60's to 70 percentile. Likely due to also having a form of Muscular Dystrophy. I guess I'll be taking lots of deep breaths between now & the big day!! I haven't had much to contribute so far, but read your comments with great interest. I'll keep you all posted. I just hope I can handle the upcoming weeks of anxiety!
PVR scheduled
- Thread starter George
- Start date
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Hang in there George the anxiety in the preoperation period is worse than the event. You may find that in the last few days before the event that you become quite calm as you accept events are beyond your control and you emotionally had over responsibility to the healthcare professionals.
OldManEmu said:
I definitely agree! The truth is that the sooner you can place your trust in your surgeon & crew the calmer you'll feel. In my case I put my life in God's hands and trusted Him to guide my surgeon.
I'll be praying for you & the drs involved with your care.
Cris
P
Phyllis
I put you on the calendar for Sept. 9th, George. Wishing you the best of recoveries and we look forward to all good posts.
G
geebee
George,
Best of luck and try to stay calm til then. You will do fine and be so much better on this side of the mountain.
Take care and Godspeed.
Best of luck and try to stay calm til then. You will do fine and be so much better on this side of the mountain.
Take care and Godspeed.
Marguerite53
Premium Level User
Hello!!
Hello!!
Hey, George. You'll be in good hands (though you've already been in his hands before!!) Dr. Starr is infamous, is he not? St. V is a world class facility. You'll be great.
Would you like some company while you wait?? I'm right down the 205 in Portland's SW suburbs. I used to teach up by the new Wazoo campus (it was quite a scoot up the freeway every day!). My daughter had many a volleyball game at the Hoop off Andreson by Dick Hannah. I know my way around a little bit, anyway. I notice you listed jazz piano in your profile -- ever spend a long August weekend at the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz? and NO, I'm not the Rainbow lady!!
Send me a Private Message and maybe we can get together.
Hang in there!!
Marguerite
Hello!!
Hey, George. You'll be in good hands (though you've already been in his hands before!!) Dr. Starr is infamous, is he not? St. V is a world class facility. You'll be great.
Would you like some company while you wait?? I'm right down the 205 in Portland's SW suburbs. I used to teach up by the new Wazoo campus (it was quite a scoot up the freeway every day!). My daughter had many a volleyball game at the Hoop off Andreson by Dick Hannah. I know my way around a little bit, anyway. I notice you listed jazz piano in your profile -- ever spend a long August weekend at the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz? and NO, I'm not the Rainbow lady!!
Send me a Private Message and maybe we can get together.
Hang in there!!
Marguerite
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Dear George,
Good luck with your PVR. I also have TOF and had my PVR 14 years ago. My pulmonary function tests are also in the high 60s to 70. The theory is that since I have had my chest cracked twice and a left thoracotomy that the rib cage is not as flexible as it was meant to be. Since the rib cage can't expand, the lungs can't expand.
Good luck with your PVR. I also have TOF and had my PVR 14 years ago. My pulmonary function tests are also in the high 60s to 70. The theory is that since I have had my chest cracked twice and a left thoracotomy that the rib cage is not as flexible as it was meant to be. Since the rib cage can't expand, the lungs can't expand.
Dear George,
Good luck with your PVR. I hope all goes well. Keep us posted.
I also have TOF and had my PVR 14 years ago. My pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are also in the high 60s to 70. The theory is that since I have had my chest cracked twice and a left thoracotomy that the rib cage is not as flexible as it was meant to be. Since the rib cage can't expand, the lungs can't expand. Those scores are not terrible considering 80-100 is considered normal. Normals are based on predicted values or statistics. Kind of like growth charts. PFTs do not have more exact normal ranges like a lot of blood tests.
Debbie
Good luck with your PVR. I hope all goes well. Keep us posted.
I also have TOF and had my PVR 14 years ago. My pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are also in the high 60s to 70. The theory is that since I have had my chest cracked twice and a left thoracotomy that the rib cage is not as flexible as it was meant to be. Since the rib cage can't expand, the lungs can't expand. Those scores are not terrible considering 80-100 is considered normal. Normals are based on predicted values or statistics. Kind of like growth charts. PFTs do not have more exact normal ranges like a lot of blood tests.
Debbie
Some good advice today
Some good advice today
As I am coming up on 4 weeks until my PVR surgery on Sept. 10, I got some good advice today from a family friend. She pointed out to me that much of my anxiety is probably due to the memories of my TOF repair when I was 10 years old, back in 1965. That most certainly was the most frightening experience I have ever had. It doesn't help that I very nearly didn't survive the ordeal. I need to remember that this time, I'll be experiencing the surgery as a 50 year old man. An adult is much better at dealing with trauma than a child. Also, surgical techniques are far better than they were back then. It just occurs to me that if I can let go of the memories of the past, perhaps this will be a bit easier. Having said that..........I'm still nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!!!!!!!!!LOL
Some good advice today
As I am coming up on 4 weeks until my PVR surgery on Sept. 10, I got some good advice today from a family friend. She pointed out to me that much of my anxiety is probably due to the
memories of my TOF repair when I was 10 years old, back in 1965. That most certainly was the most frightening experience I have ever had. It doesn't help that I very nearly didn't survive the ordeal. I need to remember that this time, I'll be experiencing the surgery as a 50 year old man. An adult is much better at dealing with trauma than a child. Also, surgical techniques are far better than they were back then. It just occurs to me that if I can let go of the memories of the past, perhaps this will be a bit easier. Having said that..........I'm still nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!!!!!!!!!LOLGeorge, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. My son Justin just had his conduit replaced and got a PV for the first time, he is 17, but his last surgery was when he was 10. and yes surgery has improved alot since the 60's actually I can't believe how much it has improved just since Justin was born. the recovery times are so much quicker, for the most part.
Justin has TGA but our great neice is 4 and was born w/ TOF, so I love to be able to tell her Mom and Grandmom about all the tof "kids" I've met here. Thank you Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw
Justin has TGA but our great neice is 4 and was born w/ TOF, so I love to be able to tell her Mom and Grandmom about all the tof "kids" I've met here. Thank you Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw
