Charles T. Denison

Name: Chuck Denison

Current age: 68 today

 Occupation: Nurse Anesthetist

 My Family: Wife, three children, and four grandchildren.

 When I found out about my condition: I had a flight physical in 1963 and it was discovered that I had a heart murmur. The physician said it was functional and would not give me any problems until later on in life. I was in the Navy at the time and flying as enlisted aircrew. He didn’t ground me so I promptly forgot all about it. He was correct in that things began to change about 1989, when I went to work for the VA health care system.

 What symptoms I had: Even in 1989 I was asymptomatic. Because I new I had a murmur and the significance of it, we kept a close check on it, treadmill every few years and echo cardiogram which revealed my cardiac out put, that revealed I was beginning to show signs of the disease, borderline heart enlargement. I did not have any chest pain or arrhythmia, and could go on the treadmill over twelve minutes. However, in 1998 my cardiologist suggested that I have a (TEE) transesophageal echo cardiogram. The results were conclusive; I had two out of the three cordates ruptured. He advised me to have a valve replacement as soon as possible. A heart cath revealed my arteries were in good shape so it would only be a valve replacement.

 How did I prepare for surgery: I began by trying to find out who did the most valve surgeries in the south east, and which surgeon had the best track record. After that decision was made things happened very fast. I made sure all my insurance was in order, life and health. That I had a living will with durable power of attorney. Notified all members of my family. Set up a trust in the event I didn’t survive the surgery. After all I had given many anesthetics for patients undergoing valve surgery, and understood that there are no guarantees. Last but not least I called my parish Rector and arranged for me and my family to have communion the night before surgery. In that we were several hundred miles from our homes the Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Alabama provided all.

 What type of surgery I had: Mitral valve replacement.

 Medication before surgery: Medication for hypertension, and antibiotics

 Medication after surgery: By far the greatest change was that I had to be on anticoagulation therapy. For that I take warfarin, and will for the rest of my life. I also take a medication for elevated triglyserides, and a beta-blocker, and a calcium channel blocker. All of these meds improve my life and I thank God for them. Post surgery I was also on digoxin for a short while. I was also on antibiotics. After about two months I developed an infection at the suture line. This required a return trip to the hospital where I was hospitalized for 7 days and treated with Vancomycin and Fortaz. The infection cured, I returned home, however I was left with a nonunion of the sternum.

 Type of heart valve I have: I have a Sulzer Carbomedic, bileaflet, titanium ring mitral valve.

 Type of valve I had: Thickened leaflets with two ruptured cordates, the surgeon added that he had a difficult time placing the valve due to diseased tissue.

 Hospital where surgery was done: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama.

 My experience there: Over all I had a good experience. I was fast tracked. Which means I went into the Hospital on Sunday December the 6^th, had surgery the morning on December the 7 Th  (I’ll never forget that date) and was discharged Thursday afternoon.

My first few days home: The first days and weeks home was a bit rough, and I had to rely upon Demerol for pain control. I didn’t realize it at the time but I had the beginning of a sternal infection, which carries a very high mortality rate with it.

 My recovery since then: After about six months I realized that my sternum was not going to grow back together. In that I don’t want to have surgery again I don’t believe I’ll have it fixed. There is an orthopedic surgeon who is now in Birmingham, Alabama that uses small clamps, after debrieding the sternum, to reattach and correct the nonunion. When I last talked to him, he had performed about 12 of these surgeries with out complications. There are some things I can no longer do, but for the most part I’m back up to speed, and it beats the alternative.

 How I found out about this site: From Q.  A. Services.

Other Comments I can share: This is serious surgery, However in my opinion, one should not put it off indefinitely. Have it done while and if your heart muscle is in good condition. It won’t get any better with age. Select your surgeon based on statistics and not bedside manner. Remember the shorter time one is on bypass, usually the better the outcome. A surgeon who has a one-hour or less time knows what he is doing. If I can be of help to anyone out there my e-mail address is ctd5@juno.com