Felix's Guestbook

Felix - I'm so very sorry to read your post and had hoped that you would be doing better with your new valve. If your doctor hasn't helped, find another one. A call to the company that made the valve may have recommendations, too. I would imagine that there must be surgical approaches that can muffle the sound. I'm simply not well versed enough, but I suspect the manufacturer will know. Best of luck - we're here to support you. You're not alone. Hang in there.

Felix - Welcome to the community. Glad to have you with us! I am a recent mitral valve repair patient, so I can't begin to understand what you're going through with your multiple procedures and valve replacements. However, I can say, you're only 5 days post-op and you will very likely improve with a little time. It's amazing how your body will heal and accept the changes in your heart anatomy. For me, surgery and recovery were all about perspective. I was caught very much by surprise with my diagnosis and the recommendation to have heart surgery. Last December, my husband, sister, and I drove to Philadelphia the night before my procedure and stayed in a hotel close to the hospital. As we were checking in, we noticed that a Multiple Sclerosis National Convention was being held at the facility. I watched many people, much younger than I, arrive in their motarized wheelchairs, with their caregivers close by. I said to my sister, "Life has a way of creating perspective, doesn't it?" She agreed. As frightened as I was of my surgery and what recovery would bring, I was quickly reminded that I would spend a few days in the hospital, a few months recovering, and get back to a normal life. I didn't trivialize what was happening to me, but I knew that cards that I had been dealt were certainly better than so many other people whose prognoses were not nearly as favorable. I'm a believer that everything in life is about perspective and the decision to make the best of what has been given to you is completely within your control. I'm confident you will go through the emotional cycle of this change and eventually arrive at acceptance of your new normal. Stay positive - every day creates an opportunity for something wonderful! Know that this community will walk beside you in this journey.