Ten years ago today...

[Jamey T]

I got my mechanical valve. My last general doctors visit he asked me if I can still here it ticking, and I told him "Every beat!"

As with everyone else's experience, my life after ten years on warfarin is exactly like all the years before warfarin. There have been no changes, except to follow up on Dick's list of myths, the weight seems harder to keep off. But that could be because it is winter, and I can't ride my bicycle or take my kayak out, and we stopped downhill skiing two winters ago. That is because our favorite slope closed, and the other one makes their snow so it's more like skiing on ice.

Something I hadn't thought about until right now is if I would have had a tissue valve, my cardiac surgeon said I would probably be getting ready for a replacement now. I am very happy with my St. Jude ticker and at nearly 58 years old, I should probably start acting my age pretty soon.

 

[Lynn]

Congrats on 10 years Jamey T. As my mother in law likes to say “keep on ticking”

 

[pellicle]

Good morning

Congrats and well done ... (you and your team). To me 10 years is pretty much the first milestone. I like the phase I was given "A good valve is any valve that lasts 20 years or more". So I look forward to your 20 year post

I got my mechanical valve. My last general doctors visit he asked me if I can still here it ticking, and I told him "Every beat!"

I walked in to see one doctor and I was sitting on the "bench" when he walked in past the curtain and as he walked up to me he said "well, they sure put a diesel into you didn't they"

so yep ;-)

I'm almost always only barely aware of it (unless I'm talking about it), and when it does come to attention it fades as soon as I'm doing something else.

Of all the things I've had to adjust to in my life (you know, like aging, close freinds deaths, illnesses and the reduction in my physical strength and endurance) this is pretty far down on the list.

Like playing with the adjustments on my watch or working on my motorcycle taking my bloods once a week and dishing out my pills for the week ahead is just like any other part of my life (like cooking my meals or washing up)

But that could be because it is winter, and I can't ride my bicycle or take my kayak out, and we stopped downhill skiing two winters ago. That is because our favorite slope closed, and the other one makes their snow so it's more like skiing on ice.

I do miss living in Finland ...

Something I hadn't thought about until right now is if I would have had a tissue valve, my cardiac surgeon said I would probably be getting ready for a replacement now. I am very happy with my St. Jude ticker and at nearly 58 years old

or at least be getting those reports of well stenosis is occuring.

Something which the older folks here seem to forget is that for younger patients our valves have already done 10 years before we get to the age they were at operation. At 57 making it to 77 without a reop and a TAVR (if possible) is pretty much just a fiction right now (perhaps you can find one outlier, just like you can that guy at the casino who wins at Roulette. We just don't like talking about the people who didn't, that's probably their fault anyway (losers)

, I should probably start acting my age pretty soon.

my advice is to eschew that and get a GoPro

Live Life to balance enjoyment and doing it again tomorrow.

evidence that I can't think to describe and ride at the same time ;-)

 

[Jamey T]

Congrats on 10 years Jamey T. As my mother in law likes to say “keep on ticking”

Thank you!

 

[Jamey T]

or at least be getting those reports of well stenosis is occuring.

My aneurysm would have taken me out by now. I have probably never posted this, but I did have my ascending aorta replaced at the time of my valve replacement. It was bad enough that my first choice of a heart hospital said I needed to go to the second best heart hospital at the time in the US. It was impacting my aorta up to where the blood gets routed to my brain.

After my surgery, I was joking with my wife and told her that now I could prove I have a heart! Something you made me think of was maybe it wasn't a big deal because I don't have a brain!

By the way, you posted a Youtube video here some time ago, and I have been following you since. My bicycle is an electric bike, and I took great interest in your scooter. Thanks for posting the videos.

 

[pellicle]

My bicycle is an electric bike, and I took great interest in your scooter. Thanks for posting the videos

HA! (aka LOL)

well that's interesting because I regularly wish I'd not bought the MX60 but instead bought a mid drive eBike.

However then I'd always be wondering about the MX60 ... so its "educational price" (you pay to learn). That thing sure has some battery though, 20Ah @ 60V

The widewheel on the other hand has some stowage advantages, both at home:

and when back in town for a contract

 

[Chuck C]

Something I hadn't thought about until right now is if I would have had a tissue valve, my cardiac surgeon said I would probably be getting ready for a replacement now.

I had two surgical consultations when I was still in the moderate stenosis range- one at Cedar Sinai and one at UCLA. I was leaning heavily towards getting a tissue valve going into each one. Like your surgeon did, both surgeons told me the truth- that at my young age of 52, based on the data and their experience, a tissue valve, even the new "hopeful" one, would most likely only last me 8 to 12 years.

Just this month a couple of members have posted that they need to have their tissue valves replaced after only 8 or 9 years. They were young when they received their valves. Their surgeons, despite zero evidence to suggest it was likely, had led them to believe that their valves would last much longer. On rare occasions they do last that long for young patients, but one should not have the expectation that they will be a statistical outlier- the one who wins at Roulette. Personally, I'm glad that in both surgical consultations I was given the red pill. It was still a tough decision for me to make, but without being given realistic expectations, it is impossible to make an informed choice and I'm glad that I was able to make one.

 

[spartangator]

Happy 10! Here's to many more

 

[dick0236]

......... I am very happy with my St. Jude ticker and at nearly 58 years old, I should probably start acting my age pretty soon.

Nope.....acting our age is only for sissies

 

[pekster11]

In the past week I've bought an e-bike

Now, in the UK, the law is on public roads, peddle bikes can only have electric peddle assistance (250W), with the assistance upto a max speed of 15.5 mph


Only on private land with permission can you use the full power of an e-bike (ie. use it like a motorcycle)

My bike has the UK regs settings, however it has a 750W battery and with a bit of software manipulation I'm able to access the full 750W power via the throttle . Went out today on my e-bike, and hit a top speed of 30 mph . It's even got a cruise control function !

I won't tell the police if you don't

 

[pellicle]

right lad, you're nikked

however as your attorney I'll say you've made some factual errors which would invalidate your testimony

Now, in the UK, the law is on public roads, peddle bikes can only have electric peddle assistance (250W), with the assistance up to a max speed of 15.5 mph

correct ... but you need to differentiate W and Wh ...

My bike has the UK regs settings, however it has a 750W battery

well this is entirely legal because what you meant to say is that it has a 750Wh capacity, W by itself is meaningless for a battery, so you can go on your way lad.

;-)

 

[Jamey T]

Well, another year has gone by, and not much has changed other than I have to hold things farther from my eyes to read them. Well, that and I have lost some strength, judged by what some of the 20 somethings at work can lift and I try and have to struggle more.

I am still loving my ebike though!

 

[DJ-Rae09]

So you got your replacement valve at 48 then?

I just had mine done at 43 and hoping the mech valve out lasts me

Congrats on the 10 and many more to come!

 

[DJ-Rae09]

and when back in town for a contract

View attachment 888311

Is this photo taken in the local boozer??

 

[pellicle]

Is this photo taken in the local boozer??

sorta ... the local one from work ... in Logan (Queensland)

 

[Chuck C]

Well, another year has gone by, and not much has changed other than I have to hold things farther from my eyes to read them. Well, that and I have lost some strength, judged by what some of the 20 somethings at work can lift and I try and have to struggle more.

Well done! Here's to many more years!

 

[thomas999]

Congrats on 10 years. I had my avr prosthesis at age 32, and I am 67 now. As of December 9 it has now been 35 years with a StJude valve and dacron aorta.

 

[Chuck C]

I had my avr prosthesis at age 32, and I am 67 now. As of December 9 it has now been 35 years with a StJude valve and dacron aorta.

In that I have a St Jude mech valve and a dacron aorta, this is great to hear. Thanks for sharing!

Question, if you don't mind. I read a study on the loosening of the dacron fibers over time, resulting in a larger diameter for the aorta. Do you know if they track this in your echos and have you seen any indication of this?

 

[pellicle]

I read a study on the loosening of the dacron fibers over time, resulting in a larger diameter for the aorta

interesting ... do you have the link to that study?

was it this one?
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/30/9/1136/479065

 

[Chuck C]

interesting ... do you have the link to that study?

was it this one?
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/30/9/1136/479065

Thanks for the link. That was not the study which I had read.

Here it is:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3329298/