Heather 's Guestbook

Heather Dryden   Thanks Kathleen! My pre-op appt is Thursday October 29th and I'm hoping to have a lot of questions answered then. Do you happen to know where I could find more or about what to expect after surgery?

Kathleen F.  Hi Heather! Reading this website really helped me and you should definitely ask your doctor lots of questions. My surgeon let me speak to a few of his patients who had gone through the Ross procedure previously, so I could find out what to expect firsthand. It sounds like your surgery is not as common, but your surgeon or the hospital might be willing to put you in touch with others as well. That was extremely helpful to me. I had the same confidence in my surgeon that you seem to have in yours, and that means a lot. It is well earned - you will be in the best hands, and at the best hospital in the world. I found a book on Amazon called "Living Life to the Full" by Ellen Charnley, who details her experience and recovery from heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, (and going on to do an Ironman!) The book might help with information on what to expect. Since your surgery is coming up soon, you could probably find her contact info online and see if she would speak to you directly. She had a different surgery, but is familiar with the hospital. All my best to you!