Living with a Mechanical Heart Valve: Click.Tick.Thump. Love It!
Artificial Heart Valve Surgery & Living with Warfarin: UK Info Support Group
Living with a "non-typical" heart.
When a cardiologist informed me in May of this year that I should have surgery to replace a leaky aortic valve and repair an ascending aortic and pulmonary aneurysm, at first I didn't give it much thought. At age 18 months (1962) I had a Blalock-Taussig Shunt (don't remember that one), and at age 8 (1969) I had my tetralogy of fallot repaired. I remember quite a lot of that procedure. I was able to live a relatively normal life. I participated in contact sports in high school, and really didn't think much about my heart except for the scar down the middle of my chest. Well fast forward to 2010. I am a bit over weight, and could exercise more than I do, but generally healthy.
The shortness of breath and pounding chest seemingly appeared almost over night. On Wednesday 14 July I checked into the Nebraska Medical Center and I am convinced that Dr. Mohammed Quader saved my life. I'm certain most hospitals that do major open heart surgery have teams that are extremely skilled and highly dedicated, but I still tear up a bit when I think of the work of the Cardiac Unit team there.
One of the aspects of this procedure that still kind of boggles my mind is the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest used because the aortic aneurysm had grown into the arch. I made the mistake of doing some of my own "research" about that and it did not put me at ease. Dr. Quader, who is a Yale and Cleveland Clinic trained cardio-vascular surgeon offered me his personal mobile phone # and urged me to call anytime with questions. Hardly the arrogant attitude I expected.
I can clearly see that in the next few months my biggest challenge will be to understand that recovery and rehabilitation will take time. At least my abdominal muscles where they had the chest tubes are feeling a little better.
The shortness of breath and pounding chest seemingly appeared almost over night. On Wednesday 14 July I checked into the Nebraska Medical Center and I am convinced that Dr. Mohammed Quader saved my life. I'm certain most hospitals that do major open heart surgery have teams that are extremely skilled and highly dedicated, but I still tear up a bit when I think of the work of the Cardiac Unit team there.
One of the aspects of this procedure that still kind of boggles my mind is the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest used because the aortic aneurysm had grown into the arch. I made the mistake of doing some of my own "research" about that and it did not put me at ease. Dr. Quader, who is a Yale and Cleveland Clinic trained cardio-vascular surgeon offered me his personal mobile phone # and urged me to call anytime with questions. Hardly the arrogant attitude I expected.
I can clearly see that in the next few months my biggest challenge will be to understand that recovery and rehabilitation will take time. At least my abdominal muscles where they had the chest tubes are feeling a little better.
Views: 7
Add a Comment
-
Comment by Richard Deal on July 27, 2010 at 10:04am
-
hi joel,
the talents that medical science can bestow upon surgeons are really quite amazing nowadays. i remember a time when surgeons were really considered butchers, but thinking about the team that saved my life back in 2008, especially the cardio-thoracic surgeon involved, i certainly do not have that impression any more.
i think i was on the heart/lung machine for a total of 3 hours and i was cooled to 15°C (~62°F) and "switched off" totally for 22 minutes with retrograde perfusion whilst they repaired everything.
the road to recovery is as long as you want to make it once your body has worked off the anaesthetic and the wounds (both internal and external) have healed... if anything, the psychological recovery is your biggest challenge now. so, keep smiling, and make sure you have the time of your second life!
take care,
r
-
Comment by Graeme on July 27, 2010 at 8:00am -
Hey Joel,
Well done on the op! Yes the hypothermic circulatory arrest sort of spins you out after you do the research, thankfully like me well after the event itself! I did not pick up a book or go online for 2 months after my op as was concentrating too much on getting better, but once i started i marvelled at my survival, the complexity of my life saving op, the really poor survival rates of Aortic Dissection, my wonderful team of surgeons and my wonderful wife and family that helped me pull through!
It takes time to recover from the 'big slice and dice' and it tok me about 8-12 months before my chest was back to normal and strong enough to be mostly back to normal. Enjoy your recovery, do some light exercise, and smel lthe flowers!
cheers
Graeme
OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS
OR - Use the QR Code above
© 2012 Created by Graeme.
You need to be a member of Living with a Mechanical Heart Valve: Click.Tick.Thump. Love It! to add comments!
Join Living with a Mechanical Heart Valve: Click.Tick.Thump. Love It!