Mended Little Hearts Open Forum

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  • 1.  valve replacement

    Posted 11-06-2019 11:47
    hello, i am a very healthy 55 year old mother of two young adults. i was just told that i need to have my valve replaced, asap, and i am so scared, dont know what to do and who to talk to, do not want to talk to my kids and my husband is more scared than i am. i need to join this group to see who else had this surgery and how everything went.

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    mary moses
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    tujunga CA
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  • 2.  RE: valve replacement

    Posted 11-08-2019 11:35
    hi Mary
    My Name is Nina Wheeler and I have had two valve surgeries. my first one I was 38years old second one 42 .
    most valve surgeries will last years and years I just happen to have a heart Anomaly that the Doctors missed . SO that’s why I had to have the second one .
    I now live with a mechanical mitral valve which has me on coumidine for life . I didn’t have a choice but the first surgery was co considered to be a repair and a ring was sewn in to stop the valve from leaking .
    my symptoms were severe :
    Shortness of breath , chest pain, fatigue and sometimes felt like I would pass out . I’m assuming you must be having those symptoms as well if your valve is regurgitating (leaking) enough to be told you need it’s time for surgery.
    The good news is they are so far advanced now that we have to look at the glass half full . my biggest advise is don’t let them talk you into “Side portal entrance”, which was my choice on my first surgery. basically they crack a few ribs and spread them to get to the valve coming from the side. biggest mistake I made .
    the second surgery , when they went thru my sternum was so much better . less pain for sure .
    Its normal to be scared I was both times . My parents , husband , children and family were worse then me . As the patient we tend to hide our fear And comfort our love ones . that was my coping method for both heart surgeries.
    please feel free to reach out to me privately too if you want to talk a little about it . some times a voice helps more then writing . Keep in touch .
    Email njwheeler@comcast.net
    Good luck
    Nina

    Sent from my iPhone




  • 3.  RE: valve replacement

    Posted 12-01-2019 18:43
    Hi! My name is Lyndsay and I am 43.  I am about to go in for my 4th open heart surgery and this one is to have my valve replaced.  I had my valved replaced 9 years ago with a tissue valve but it started recently leaking.  I am nervous to so I totally understand!  Luckily they have come so far with doing these valve replacements.  Please know I am thinking about you!

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    Lyndsay Nalbandian
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  • 4.  RE: valve replacement

    Posted 12-02-2019 10:21
    OMG Lyndsay,  can not imagine what you must have gone thru after each surgery, i did mine last monday, i survived, that's all i can say, the rest is up to me to make myself stand up & get better. it is very painful but it's doable. yesterday a day after i came home from surgery, i was sitting on my recliner and a beautiful STORK came and sat on our edge of our pool, i  have never seen a stork in my life but it  was the most beautiful bird i have every seen, it sat on the edge of the pool for 20 minutes and kept looking at me, i statred recording it and it was not scared, not sure what the whole thing meant  & i am not religious but i do believe in angels and i think that was an Angel sent to look after me so i am sending you my thoughts & prayers and that STORK towards you.
    good luck to you my dear.

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    mary moses
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    tujunga CA
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