About Me (In My Own Words)
I was diagnosed nearly five years ago with aortic stenosis/bicuspid aortic valve and I have put this procedure off until now as my condition has reached a point that surgery is required. I am 67 and my ability to bike long distances, walk, do yoga and water aerobics has become more difficult. My VA cardiologist has stated I can no longer put this off and I have another heart cath coming up next month with the surgery sometime in early 2017. I have completed my heart cath as of 12/9/2016 and the results are as follows: all heart vessels clear and free from plaque deposits, no comments with regards to the mitral valve, tricuspid valve and pulmonary valve. Severe stenosis in the aortic valve requires attention! I meet with my surgery team leader on Dec. 30th to discuss the upcoming procedure and for any questions/answers. Additionally, on that date I will be given a thorough exam including another EKG, echo, pulmonary function, ultrasound and cardio stress test.
Dec.31: I have been assigned a case manager and surgical nurse to handle my questions and anything I might need between now and my scheduled surgery on Mon. Jan. 30, 2017
Jan. 6: Met with my surgical nurse and my heart surgeon to discuss various aspects of the OHS and to answer my questions and also to sign my consent form for the operation. Great people!--they took their time in detailing the procedure and answering my questions which made me feel a part of their team and that they're on my team, too! Nothing now until Jan. 27 for pre-admission testing and a consultation with the anesthesiologist.
Jan. 14: two weeks till surgery, but I have everything ready to go such as a lift-chair rental (ordered and reserved), my scar tissue salve/gel, the Incision Shield and a lot more confidence; so a HUGE THANKS to Adam for his book and info, this website and all of the info it provides!! Without Adam's book I would be going into this whole procedure totally clueless.
Jan. 27th: have finished with the last of my ekg's, x-rays, blood work and consultation with the anesthesiologist and have been given an "all systems are go" for surgery on Mon. Jan.30th. I have had a viral cold and my surgical nurse, Sandy, also wanted a final checkup to make sure I was over the cold, so away we go, not too fast and not too slow!
Feb.10: getting better each day, Dr. says I will need to keep up with the spirometer till 6 weeks are up; glad Adam recommended a "lift-chair" as I sleep in it at night and nap in it during the day. The first 2 or 3 days were tough with the coughing and hacking, but it has eased up now and very little coughing at this point. I walk my apartment and the steps as much as I can; did laundry yesterday and really wore me out, but I felt like I had really accomplished something, so like Adam says in his book, set goals even though they may be small ones! Again, I wish everyone the very best and thanks for your kind words of support!
April 23: The end of my 12 week designated recovery period by my VA surgical team. YEAH! I'm back to my water aerobics, yoga and will start riding my bike this week after being off of it for nearly 6 months. I have 6 1-hour sessions left in my cardio rehab facility and then I'll be doing my last 5 sessions with my personal trainer that I didn't get to complete before my surgery, so I'm starting to get back in the groove again! I wish one and all the very best in their upcoming surgeries and/or recoveries and I want to thank Adam for his book, suggestions and this website as all of these things have been a great help in this whole process! I will add more to this story at the 6 month and then the 12 month marks, but for now I am signing off---take care everyone!
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Carmel, Indiana
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My surgery date is:
January 30, 2017
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I was diagnosed with:
Aortic Stenosis
Bicuspid Aortic Valve
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My surgery was:
Aortic Valve Replacement
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My surgeon is:
Dr. Kyle W. Yancey
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My hospital is:
Roudebush VA Medical Center Indianapolis
