Kay
December 24th, 2005, 01:47 AM
Today was my one-year checkup with Dr. Ryan, the surgeon who did my aortic valve replacement a little over a year ago. I had a chest x-ray and an echo and he said I was doing great. I feel sooooooooooo much better this year than last! If I had known what a difference a new valve would make I would have done it much sooner! Dr. Ryan was very pleased with my progress and wants to see me next Christmas and then will start every other year visits.
It has been a really great year. I had two little scares, although they didn't seem too little at the time! The first was pleural effusion which was probably the worst pain of my life, and it lasted for three long months. Thankfully the meds finally cured it because otherwise I was facing more surgery and that was not something I even wanted to think about! The second was a sudden and complete loss of vision in my right eye for about 18 minutes. Then it came back as suddenly as it left. My ophthamologist called my cardio and he did another brain MRI, a TEE, and a carotid sonogram. All were OK. So he thinks I just had a little mini-stroke and put me on Plavix. I haven't had any more problems at all since this episode in August. The good news through all of these tests is that it was confirmed over and over that my new valve is absolutely perfect! Of course, I knew it was, but it's always nice when some probe or camera or fancy piece of equipment confirms it!
I was not a candidate for a mechanical valve and got a porcine valve knowing that at age 59 I would most likely have to have it replaced again in my 70's. While not a pleasant thought, it wasn't going to keep me awake at night because I know that advances are going to make the surgery easier and easier and they are already successfully doing valves through the leg like they do angiograms. But the good news from Dr. Ryan today is that my particular valve is getting excellent results so far. It has been on the market a little over 12 years and of the first patients who received it, 98% are still functioning perfectly, with NO calcification, after TWELVE YEARS. Dr. Ryan said this could be the first tissue valve to go to 20 or 25 years, so unless I'm going to live to be a really old geezer, this just might be the only one I'll ever need! I'm really happy about Dr. Ryan's choice in valves. I was sleeping when he made that decision, by the way, but he did good!
Life post-valve replacement is so much better than before! I have energy, I'm not plagued with shortness of breath, I don't feel like I'm going to faint all the time, I've lost all the weight I had put on over the last few years, and I just feel good! Life is just better with blood flow. What more can I say!
To all you who are just facing your surgery or are just a short time post-op, hang in there! It does get better and when it does, you won't believe the difference in how you'll feel. It may take you several months or it might take a full year, but you will feel so much better you'll eventually forget how bad you used to feel. You'll probably have setbacks and days you feel awful, but hang on because good days are right around the corner. Then those good days turn into good weeks and then you're having good months and then you're at your doctor having your one-year checkup! And you'll take a deep breath and realize how great you feel and think about how great it is to be alive...just like I did today!
Merry Christmas to all the wonderful folks at vr.com. May your holidays be blessed and your New Year be filled with joy, happiness, and HEALTH.
It has been a really great year. I had two little scares, although they didn't seem too little at the time! The first was pleural effusion which was probably the worst pain of my life, and it lasted for three long months. Thankfully the meds finally cured it because otherwise I was facing more surgery and that was not something I even wanted to think about! The second was a sudden and complete loss of vision in my right eye for about 18 minutes. Then it came back as suddenly as it left. My ophthamologist called my cardio and he did another brain MRI, a TEE, and a carotid sonogram. All were OK. So he thinks I just had a little mini-stroke and put me on Plavix. I haven't had any more problems at all since this episode in August. The good news through all of these tests is that it was confirmed over and over that my new valve is absolutely perfect! Of course, I knew it was, but it's always nice when some probe or camera or fancy piece of equipment confirms it!
I was not a candidate for a mechanical valve and got a porcine valve knowing that at age 59 I would most likely have to have it replaced again in my 70's. While not a pleasant thought, it wasn't going to keep me awake at night because I know that advances are going to make the surgery easier and easier and they are already successfully doing valves through the leg like they do angiograms. But the good news from Dr. Ryan today is that my particular valve is getting excellent results so far. It has been on the market a little over 12 years and of the first patients who received it, 98% are still functioning perfectly, with NO calcification, after TWELVE YEARS. Dr. Ryan said this could be the first tissue valve to go to 20 or 25 years, so unless I'm going to live to be a really old geezer, this just might be the only one I'll ever need! I'm really happy about Dr. Ryan's choice in valves. I was sleeping when he made that decision, by the way, but he did good!
Life post-valve replacement is so much better than before! I have energy, I'm not plagued with shortness of breath, I don't feel like I'm going to faint all the time, I've lost all the weight I had put on over the last few years, and I just feel good! Life is just better with blood flow. What more can I say!
To all you who are just facing your surgery or are just a short time post-op, hang in there! It does get better and when it does, you won't believe the difference in how you'll feel. It may take you several months or it might take a full year, but you will feel so much better you'll eventually forget how bad you used to feel. You'll probably have setbacks and days you feel awful, but hang on because good days are right around the corner. Then those good days turn into good weeks and then you're having good months and then you're at your doctor having your one-year checkup! And you'll take a deep breath and realize how great you feel and think about how great it is to be alive...just like I did today!
Merry Christmas to all the wonderful folks at vr.com. May your holidays be blessed and your New Year be filled with joy, happiness, and HEALTH.