It's official, I'm having heart surgery on Feb 18th...wow, it's real now.

[manhattanksbrewer]

Man that sucks. Sorry buddy, that was the biggest reason I opted for a pigs valve, and not the artificial, that and the fact that my surgeon even advised against it for the same reasons, plus natural valves last as long as artificial these days, and even if it didn't in a couple years these procedures will be non invasive and no-big deal like they are now.

So what happens while you are "detoxing" from the cumaden? Do you feel sick or anything?

Nope dont really feel anything LOL but i was told that pigs valve would only last 10 years and mechanical valve would last 60 years which is why i opted to go the way i did

 

[Revvy]

Nope dont really feel anything LOL but i was told that pigs valve would only last 10 years and mechanical valve would last 60 years which is why i opted to go the way i did

That's not the information I got here in Michigan, from both the docs on my case and the one's I work with at the detroit medical center/medical school, I was told artificial gets you roughly 25 years, pigs valve roughly 20 years (it could be longer with either, but no by much.)

But what renders it a moot point and why docs are less inclined to go the artificial to have folks having to deal with cumudan, is that they are currently awaiting FDA approval for non invasive surgery pioneered in Germany where they will go in through the leg just like they do when the put in stints and stuff. We'll pretty much go back to work the next day like nothing happened.

In fact the day they released me from the hospital my surgeon and his team left for Germany to train on the procedure. He said already a handful of folks in the us have had the surgery that way as it is. His belief is it doesn't matter which you choose in terms of how long it lasts, within 5 years 99% of the folks will have the non invasive way.

Plus there's also the Davinci Robotic non invasive surgery for Mitral valves and other heart surgeries.

 

[Revvy]

This is what I'm talking about Keyhole Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery - Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Uses Cathether, Patient Returns Home After Two Days In Hospital

 

[McMalty]

Good luck man.

 

[drummerguysteve]

Sorry that you guys had to get it done the old way. That non-invasive procedure looks pretty slick.

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

well my dr said i was not a candidate for that type of surgery anyway I could have done the ross procedure which uses your own less important valves to replace bad one but they dont do that type around here i would have had to go out of state to get it done

 

[Revvy]

well my dr said i was not a candidate for that type of surgery anyway I could have done the ross procedure which uses your own less important valves to replace bad one but they dont do that type around here i would have had to go out of state to get it done

Sorry about that buddy. That blows. It's not so much the valve, it's that you're having to deal with the cumadin adjustment.

Just got an ID card from St Jude Medical, at first I didn't know what it was. It's the id card with the model and serial number of my Piggy Valve. Had to go online and confirm registration to go into the FDA database. I have one for my pacemaker, it never occurred to me that I had this for a hunk of pigflesh.

Have you gotten any of these things?

 

[Golddiggie]

Hey Revvy, does that mean any time you eat pork (post op) that you're a cannibal? Not saying to stop eating the wonderful porcine flesh, just curious...

 

[Revvy]

Hey Revvy, does that mean any time you eat pork (post op) that you're a cannibal? Not saying to stop eating the wonderful porcine flesh, just curious...

+1...

Now, how many of us can claim truly that "they are what they eat." :fro:

 

[FromZwolle]

+1...

Now, how many of us can claim truly that "they are what they eat." :fro:

that explains the tender ribs. you're body is getting bacon-jacked!

 

[Golddiggie]

that explains the tender ribs. you're body is getting bacon-jacked!

Or it's a preemptive strike by the valve for when Revvy starts eating ribs?

I think a big BBQ is in order. Get a whole hog for it, and cook that sucker up RIGHT!!

 

[FromZwolle]

Or it's a preemptive strike by the valve for when Revvy starts eating ribs?

I think a big BBQ is in order. Get a whole hog for it, and cook that sucker up RIGHT!!

just don't eat the heart. i don't want to see what really happens when Revvy divides by zero.

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

Sorry about that buddy. That blows. It's not so much the valve, it's that you're having to deal with the cumadin adjustment.

Just got an ID card from St Jude Medical, at first I didn't know what it was. It's the id card with the model and serial number of my Piggy Valve. Had to go online and confirm registration to go into the FDA database. I have one for my pacemaker, it never occurred to me that I had this for a hunk of pigflesh.

Have you gotten any of these things?

yes it does blow the cumadin lvl anyway and i got my st jude card before i left hospital LOL

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

well just tested today and they have me now taking 2 mg today and 5 mg tomorrow and alternating like that and recheck in one week hope im getting close

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

Well started cardiac rehab and did 20 min on treadmill only got to 1.7 mph LOL but did ok

 

[Revvy]

Well started cardiac rehab and did 20 min on treadmill only got to 1.7 mph LOL but did ok

Yeah I can relate. The stuff that WAS my warmup is now my entire "exercise" plan, and something I struggle with.

I got through cardiac rehab yeasterday without setting off any alarms on my heart monitor, like I did Friday and Monday. They had me keep the RPMs low on the bike this time, and I made it passed the 6 minute mark where my BP and Pulse Rate spiked and my O2 intake went down to 80% both times. So it's probably more that I pushed too hard like we thought than something was wrong.

 

[claphamsa]

Well started cardiac rehab and did 20 min on treadmill only got to 1.7 mph LOL but did ok

Yeah I can relate. The stuff that WAS my warmup is now my entire "exercise" plan, and something I struggle with.

I got through cardiac rehab yeasterday without setting off any alarms on my heart monitor, like I did Friday and Monday. They had me keep the RPMs low on the bike this time, and I made it passed the 6 minute mark where my BP and Pulse Rate spiked and my O2 intake went down to 80% both times. So it's probably more that I pushed too hard like we thought than something was wrong.

keep working at it!!!!

 

[Revvy]

Really good session today, I am happily sweaty. 10 minutes on treadmill, 3.5 setting with a number 4 elevation. 10 minutes- 1,000 steps on the newstep at number 5 difficulty, and 10 minutes on the bike trying to maintain between 55 and 60 rpms.

 

[FromZwolle]

great job. every step gets you a little closer to that first glorious sip of beer.

 

[Revvy]

great job. every step gets you a little closer to that first glorious sip of beer.

I actually had a couple sips (literally) yesterday. I went over to mustanj's place yesterday afternoon- he was brewing. Our buddy Bill who just got bjcp certified was over as well. I brought a bottle of my ginger snap brown ale over for them to try- since it's been driving me crazy. So they drank the bulk of it, and I took a couple of sips of that, as well as a sour and a tripel, of jay's and some of B-Nektar's meads.

In total I probably had 3 ounces, if not less. But it was good. My Ginger snap brown was really well received. In fact they think spicing it up some and it would make a great holiday beer.

 

[FromZwolle]

nice!

 

[BigJerk]

Sweet, Just remember when you get the go-ahead to drink beer again that you might find that one beer will make you feel like you've have two

 

[Revvy]

3 ounces made me feel like I had 6 bottles....I've gotta get my "strength" back up in that regard as well.

 

[MeatyPortion]

I am happily sweaty.

Don't let Yooper read this part.

 

[FromZwolle]

3 ounces made me feel like I had 6 bottles....I've gotta get my "strength" back up in that regard as well.

i don't know, you're lookin pretty energetic to me:

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

Really good session today, I am happily sweaty. 10 minutes on treadmill, 3.5 setting with a number 4 elevation. 10 minutes- 1,000 steps on the newstep at number 5 difficulty, and 10 minutes on the bike trying to maintain between 55 and 60 rpms.

Thats awesome man great job I hope to soon be there!!! I did mow my yard LOL

 

[charliec]

That's awesome that you are doing so well in your recovery Revvy.
I have a liver transplant to look forward to and the recovery from that doesn't sound like to much fun either.

 

[manhattanksbrewer]

That's awesome that you are doing so well in your recovery Revvy.
I have a liver transplant to look forward to and the recovery from that doesn't sound like to much fun either.

good luck with that let us know how things go!!

 

[Revvy]

That's awesome that you are doing so well in your recovery Revvy.
I have a liver transplant to look forward to and the recovery from that doesn't sound like to much fun either.

You'll do fine!!!! But the most important question, is will you be able to drink beer after?

My heart surgeon was just on the news, he just preformed an aortic aneurysm repair going in through the groin on a 17 year old boy!!! I wonder if that was his first non-invasive on someone since he went to Germany to train on it the day I got released from the hospital.

 

[charliec]

You'll do fine!!!! But the most important question, is will you be able to drink beer after?

My heart surgeon was just on the news, he just preformed an aortic aneurysm repair going in through the groin on a 17 year old boy!!! I wonder if that was his first non-invasive on someone since he went to Germany to train on it the day I got released from the hospital.

Drink, Nope, I can't drink now! I picked hepatitis c in the Army during the '70's, which turned into Cirrhosis then I developed liver cancer.

I still make beer mostly because I love the process and I do it for the SWMBO and my son.

Here's some progress for you, my first heart stents were placed by going in through the Femoral artery (groin) in December 2010 had had one placed and they went in through my wrist so progress marches on!