Jerry's Journal

I'm 22 weeks post surgery (AVR) today and my body feels as if it never happened. Very appreciative of the team that took such great care of me. Every morning I wake up to the sound of my mechanical heart valve (something I will never get use to) and say thanks to Doctors Gabe Aldea, Gary Weeks and the amazing team at Northwest Hospital in Seattle.

Three weeks after surgery and am feeling great. Still dealing with the expected soreness around the incision and drain tubes but all is well. Trying to adhere as closely as possible to all the rules I left the hospital with in terms of using my arms. Kind of tough to break habits. If you have a pending surgery and are going the mechanical route, please take a look at the On-X heart valve. My surgeon had never implanted one as the University of Washington Medical Center network used only the St Jude mechanical valve. After much research and discussion, our amazing surgeon went the extra mile, as did the team at On-X, and I was the first in the UW system to have this valve implanted. It is the only mechanical heart valve approved by the FDA with a lower dose of Warfarin. Long-term this will make a huge difference. For all who are having surgery in the coming weeks, I will keep you in thoughts and wish you a speedy recovery.

On April 9 I found out I needed an aortic valve transplant. It is amazing how one day you can feel like Superman and the next helpless. It was like someone flipped a switch on my health. One day working up an incredible sweat in the gym and the next day canceling my membership. Now just counting down the days till surgery on May 12.