Beth's Guestbook

Praying for you today, Beth! Hoping you have a quick and full recovery to better than ever. I am 10 weeks out from my AVR and doing better than I thought I would do.

Hello Betty how are you? I tell you that I have exactly the same heart disease as you, aortic coarctation and congenital bicuspid valve, my aortic coarctation was fixed when I was 11 years old and now I have bicuspid valve with severe stenosis So I also go to surgery and I am also Planning for Cleveland or for Columbia University in New York , this doctor that you chose was referred by your cardiologist ? I am still doing due diligence to choose my surgeon. At Cleveland for our disease we also have Dr Roselli, Dr Johnston and Dr Gillinov. I am also petite! At Cleveland they want to perform the mini but in NY they want the minimally invasive upper hemisternotomy with aortin annular / root enlargement You are like my heart disease twin! I am 44

Post op & recovery depends on if your surgeon has to do a full sternotomy or a minimally invasive approach. I was lucky and had a mini-thoracotomy (lateral cut on the upper right chest about 3"). Anyway, When you're in ICU try to get out of bed and sit in a chair for a few minutes. When you're in a regular hospital room, get up and walk a little each day and challenge yourself. When you go home, don't be a couch potato. Stay hydrated and eat healthy meals. It may take a day or 2 before you can sleep through the night, but you will get there. Also, take advantage of cardio rehab if offered. When it's all over, you will say that the anxiety leading up to the surgery was worse than the actual surgery. It will all work out, just have faith and lean on your loved ones as they really do care. Oh, and don't forget to bring a sharpie so all you family, friends and hospital staff can sign your heart pillow.

What valve are you getting? A little over a yr ago I got the Magna Ease by Edwards Life Science. It's a bio prosthetic with the cuspids being bovine paracardial tissue. It has been flawless so far and should last about 20 yrs. I'm also 55 yrs old and considered a mechanical. Good luck.