Type of Incision

[Nancy]

Hi Lem-

I want to wish you all the best for your cath. Please let us know how it went. We'll be thinking about you.

Take care.

 

[Granbonny]

Good luck

Good luck

Next week..Hope you get whatever type surgery you want.. I know you will be fine..Just take tomorrow and rest for awhile and be sure your recovery room is ready... Have you bought your pill organizer..days of week?..Helps keep up with your meds daily...You will be on quite a few the first few weeks..Remember the long ride home after surgery. You may want to plan a half way stop..Hope you don't have a late freeze to kill those 48 plants while you are gone. Happens to us every year in North Ga. Mountains Take care. Bonnie

 

[lemdonuts]

I know that was a chance I took -- but i just love flowers and I soooo want to enjoy them-- these were just of a few of tha annula tha I usually put in right now my garden is a glow with flowers and they smell soooooo nice -- even in the summer I have prennals coming up and use annals to fill in

As to surgery if I go to U of P then can stay at my mothers a few days also better half can say there during my surgery otherwise will cost us a bundle to stay at HMC -- we did think of taking the truck but i think the return trip might be too much 1) getting into the truck 2) the bumpy ride home! sooo again another reason why want to gp to 2 star hotel -- u of P.

I wasn't as tired when I started my gardening it is very relaxing there is so much to do but I just had to ignore it the weeds will have a field day but come fall watch out!!!

Not sure of meds -- had one doctor say asprin- another says what does you card say and of course it is asprin and third said blood thinner sooo don't really know

What surprised me most is no one said anything about going to the dentist which i did do and have a clean bill of health -- none of my docotrs nor anyone on this web site fortunally my dentist was up on it i.e. I had read about it some where you should go so that there is no infection in your boby before surgery....

Well got to go have invoices to do and pack think we are going to Pa tomorrow night to at my mom's over night then have only 2 hr trip to Hershey -- doesn't matter to me because I can finnally REST!!!

 

[lemdonuts]

Tim i too beleive mine is the result of a birth defect BUT they are still calling it heart desiea -- that is the part that kills me -- if they didn't say that but what can i tell you!

Thanks for posting!! Reading these postings helps to keep mind off of things also keeps me from getting to work i.e. sending out invoices need money to pay for this surgery !!!!

 

[hensylee]

Lem - good thought about going to the dentist. Several members have had dentistry done prior to valve surgery to eliminate infection that could cause a problem. Infection is always a worry.

Tell you what, when you go in Monday and I go in Monday (to a different sort of doctor than cardio), I will think of you and you think of me. Maybe that way we won't be as worried about ourselves, huh?

Good luck on Monday. Maybe that day will solve many questions that are going round in your head right now. God bless

 

[nadi]

Good Luck

Good Luck

Good luck on your cath on monday! Mine was a breeze! Thank God for chemicals May they get you fixed up asap and your recovery is smooth so you can enjoy your flowers!

Take care

 

[lcwhitney]

Curad Scar Therapy

Curad Scar Therapy

Curad Scar Therapy is a compression type bandage that is used to flatten and fade scars. It is similar to the bandages used for burns but, it is an over the counter thing. Look in the band-aid and bandage isle of your pharmacy.

Good Luck Monday. I know you will be fine. You have done one of the best things any patient can do and that is become informed about your condition and your options.

Lettitia

 

[Don]

Dentist & Tissue Valves

Dentist & Tissue Valves

Hi Lem,
I responded to this thread earlier under "Don" and will stay with what I stated at that post.
Regarding dentist: Cleveland Clinic would not take me for surgery until I had a letter from my dentist stating that I was free from infection. (My dentist took the opportunity to give me a new crown and a filling before I could get the letter.)
Regarding the durability of tissue valves: Someone on your thread stated that tissue valves last only 2-3 years and 10 years is the best to hope for. Check the Cleveland Clinic web site and find the report on tissue (bovine) valves. If I recall the essence of their research, tissue valves were lasting on average 10 years based on their early experiences from around 1983 and the 10-year results are based on "death from all causes". If you take the average age at time of surgery to be 65 and consider that if you die from cancer or car accident or whatever -- well that's all the longer that valve is going to last. Also I understand that CCF has said that they can't tell how long the Bovine valve will last because they still have a number of survivors from their 1983 time period.
I'm not plugging tissue valves over mechanical, just want you to have as much to consider as possible.
Chest Incision: The appearance of the scar should be way down on your list of priorities. Its the healing time and the ability to get the surgery done right that's important. As for appearances, my chest tube scar looks lousy but my incision scar looks great -- so I'm less than prime. Like I stated in my earlier post, I'm happy with the options I chose. Also I went into surgery planning on having my tissue valve replaced in ten years. Maybe I'll get to keep it longer.
Best wishes,
Don
AVR; MI; CCF; 4/02; Cosgrove; Bovine Tissue

 

[John Cochran]

I had a "mini-sternotomy" with a tissue valve, and can tell you that the healing time is much faster, and with less discomfort. It is possible to get the minimally invasive procedure for an aortic valve between the ribs, without the sternum being involved. I believe Richie Rich had this procedure done. However, this will involve a different approach to hooking you up to the heart/lung machine, so you also have an incision (small) in your groin for a balloon catheter.

The truth about minimally invasive heart surgery is that it requires additional training for the surgeon and staff, and perhaps an extra level of surgical skill. If you pursue this option, make sure it is through a hospital that does lots of them.

It is funny how different surgeons will give you different answers; it is all skewed by their own training and experience (same way the rest of us form opinions). My gripe is that I've NEVER heard a surgeon say, "Yes, that is an option, but I don't have the training or skill to do it."

Good luck with your search for a surgeon!

--John

 

[lemdonuts]

John

John

Yes I agree! Thanks for your post -- they found complications when did my cath soooooo have been a bit dpressed. My body deceided it will have surgery at HMC am waiitng for a date. I was really pissed at GOd and myself last week but have now accepted it i.e. on my Sat walk I went a different way and met a woman who had brain cancer sooooo my problems are/were minusicle compared to hers -- guess God hasn't left me down!!!

 

[hensylee]

Lem - isn't it just amazing the little things that cause us to remember just how lucky we are. God bless

 

[Andrea]

I didnt even know there was a option in scar size. Mine is pretty big, about seven inches but I dont mind it much. My scar is part of the reason I'm alive and thats most important.

I think the worst part of the surgery is thinking about it beforehand. Once its done it wasnt that bad. I even had complications and was in the hospital longer than expected but it really wasnt bad. The day I got out of the hospital I went to Walmart and went out to lunch at a BBQ place I am seven weeks post op and have went back to work this week. I have been driving for about 3 weeks and have been fine to go shopping and go to movies with friends and things. I havent had any real pain since the surgery. I didnt even go home with pain pills. Sure sleeping was uncomfortable and coughing sneezing was crappy but keep your pillow handy and life will be fine

Trust me I was a wreck before surgery and everyone here got me through it. I owe them alot You'll do great ... I promise

 

[lemdonuts]

Yea there is an option to scar size they azre making leaps and bounds in heart surgery. I think that is one of the reasons i am soooo angry is that i was truly hoping to last another two or three years and didn't!! But at least i am in great shape.

I think one of the reasons that surgery hasn't been schuduled yet is because I am soooo upset and they are giving me time to pull myself together. One day I am up next day am down. But thanks for your imput I think I am more scared about the unknown..... The pain I'll be able to handle but I run a business and EVERYTHING is depended on me!!!

 

[Nancy]

HI Lemdonuts-

If you think about your business, the very best thing that you could do is to have your heart problems taken care of. If you go on driving, and then have an accident or worse, because you passed out or had some kind of spell, your business would be done. And you might be in some place far from home, and have to be hospitalized with an emergency situation. But if you take the time to have you heart problems taken care of, then it will not be hanging over your head any longer, and you can plan things and get on with your life.

There is no way to predict how fast things will happen to each individual, but I can assure you that when you get to the point where your doctor tells you it's time to get things done, then you should listen to him/her. It will not improve with time, it is something that has to be done surgically.

Wishing you all the best.

 

[Andrea]

Lemon ... maybe your doc can prescribe something for the anxioty. I know pre surgery is horribly stressful and it might help. I went into surgery at a time when my company was due to ship my portfolio work to India and I should have been there bidding for a new position. I had the surgery anyway and on my second day back not only did I have a great new position but they gave me an 8% raise lol. Things always manage to work themselves out.

Try to take a deep breath and remember your health should be priority #1

 

[lemdonuts]

Nancy I'm not stupid or foolish! I came off the road voluntaryly last year. I got a job along with my business as a manager for an outsourcing trucking company unfortunaley the office woman were very jealous of me -- first of all we weren't even on the same job level and second they were afraid of losing their jobs. They made my life miserable plus other people in the company were sabtashing my trucks i.e. flateing tires put grease on the doors all kinds of good things. My management team was out of state and did not heed my warnings. As a matter of self preservation I quite -- my health was more important than the job!!! With my business I am a woman in trcking and it is the last bastion for men!!! Because of ecconic problems in early 2000 the main companies that i had a dedicated work for went out of business. It is hard to find compentent workers!!! Things have not been easy for me. My business pays for my medical insurance -- no money no insurance. I have not driven since last January. On April 21st i was offered another job but since i have to go thru heart surgery .... maybe they will wait and maybe they won't but frankly that is the least of my worries.

As my cardiologist said you must be mentaly (emotionally) and physcially prepared for surgery. He knows i am not quite ready emotionally. i trust him implicely!! It is the surgeon who I requested to see that scared the BJesue out of me. Then there was the cath that showed complications --- too much too fast too soon. I might mention that the day after the cath i did email my cardio and told him Lets do it that I had no problems with him doing it this week or next BUt not on my birthday!! Tuesday May 20th. I was quite upset in my email and I figure he is waiting till i calm down. I could push it but won't at this time. I'll wait till next week -- I am staring to go down more but still don't have the major systoms.

I am very angry with my self it is not the fear of the surgery but all the other things with being down!! I have been working with a therapist for these past two years BUT I haven't put as much effort into my therapy as I've done with my swimming and diet>

My swimming is my center!!! It is a very peaceful place for me -- walking doesn't cut it!!! This is funny because i have a fear of the water!! I do not like the crawl stoke but I do it one way and the backstoke the other -- I've been able to do a mile of stairght crawl but hate it sooo don't but I've be doing a half mile of it and it is getting more difficult so I only do 20 laps since the end is almost here. -- same way with walking we have nothing but hills here and about three weeks ago i stopped doing the hills my chest hurt too much. I can swim the crawl doing three stokes and then taking a breath!! This did not come easy for me!!! But i practiced because the one thing that really scares me about the surgery is having to breath in that tube thing and when my better half was down in 1999 for his surgery which by the way failed I couldn't move the damn gauge except for half an inch --- i don't want people screaming at me after the surgery because I cannot move it!!

i know i've sounded angry and I am but not at anyone on this site actually it has given me a place to vent!!! When i first got on here the postings scared the sh*t out of me -- of what was to be. I had no idea as usual i just put it in the back of my mind I do tend to ignore things until they become unbearable I had a reputerd appendix and was in the hospital for two weeks and was very week after soooo i kinda know what i am in for with that it took me a whole year to recuperate. The one thing that i do know that after this surgery i will be more active in my stress and alternate methods -- Things i should have and didn't but i spent $40 on books yesterday soooo off to a good start when I'm down.

 

[lemdonuts]

Andrea thanks for your advice. As i mentioned i am seeing a therapist. Just when i became comfortable with my suituation the rug was pulled out not once but three times sooooo it is taking all of my inter strength -- I've had this black cloud over my head since 1996 at which time I was in a fender bender kid came out form a stop sign and hit me --- it has been one thing after another -- all very stressful suituations.

My gardening is another way that I realease the tension..

i've taken notes on all the advice that different menbers have posted here in fact I started doing situps so that my adominal muscles would be strong some here made some refenerce to that about sitting up in a recliner. Have one upstaires have a project set up to do have the power of attnorny drawn up and medical one have my pillows and wedge and whatever else oh button up shirt --Does wearing a bra help????

Even my therapist has offered that i can talk to him over the phone when i am recuperating. I will shut the business down for three weeks when i do go down -- but any bring another driver in under my authority and told him several times to get his but moving but... he will when I'm in the hospital.

Even got a primary docotr up here who i like saw him today so moving along if only I could stop being so angry with myself about what i might have done -- just think probaly in our life time that they will find a reasons why calsification happened ans no need for valve replacement!!!

 

[Georgia]

Sounds like you're really getting organized

Sounds like you're really getting organized

Good for you, Lem. The more you concentrate on pragmatic stuff prior to surgery the less time you have to get so fearful and angry.

I think most of us have had some bouts of anger, but also realize how fortunate we are to have something they're able to fix.

Hope things roll along nicely and you get surgery scheduled and get over that mountain.

 

[Andre']

Hi Lemdonuts:

I'm only a stones throw away from you, here in Hopewell Junction NY.

I had my aortic valve replaced 9 years ago in Westchester Medical Center.

Then just 6 weeks ago, I had the wonderful experience of a second open-heart surgery because of an aortic aneurysm.

I can tell you that Westchester Medical does more Aortic work than any other hospital on the East coast.

I had a great surgeon Dr. Rocco Lafaro. I would recommend him.

Being mentally prepared for open-heart surgery is a must. You have to put all doubts aside and believe. You can do it, many of us have.

I would not worry too much about the scar size that should be the least of your concerns.

Anything you want to know please do not be afraid to ask.

Take Care
Andre?

 

[Andrea]

Lemon... Best bra advice is to go get a couple of front close sports bras a couple sizes bigger than normal (not cup size) I normally wear a 36 and got a couple of 40's that have several snaps up the front. They are made out of cotton and maybe spandex and I got them at WalMart for around $6 each. They are so comfy and you need to go real big as you will have some swelling afterwards. I usually kept the bottom snapp and the top snap undone so nothing touched my incision. You dont want a tight bra but a bra is good to wear to keep things in place

I had no problems getting in and out of the recliner but I couldnt use my arm to pull the handle thing on the side as it was too stiff ... it was a brand new recliner though, maybe thats why it was too hard to pull. I was sleeping in bed within a day home and I had a slight wedge pillow to help so it wasnt too bad.

I really think that you'll be pleasantly suprised after surgery. Remember here you see alot of talk about the hard times, but there are alot of easy too, but most questions ppl have are about the hard things and thats why thats most of what you see here. I cooked dinner my second night home and really enjoyed it.

I hope that things get easier for you and we will be here for you.

ps I was also able to put on a tshirt my second week home. It was a big one though.