Aortic Heart Valve Replacement

Magicman · April 10, 2021, 02:12:15 PM

Yup, PatD has her procedure scheduled for Thursday April, 15th.

She has been increasingly loosing her stamina and now gets "winded" during very mild exertions. Her problem is that her Aortic Valve has calcified and the opening is now small, plus it does not close completely/properly. Her progress has been being monitored regularly with echo cardiograms and more recently with a heart catheterization which showed no heart damage and no blockages.

There are two different Aortic Valve replacement procedures; Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR) and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. (TAVR). The SAVR requires opening the chest and heart and having the new valve sewed into place whereas with the TAVR the new Aortic Valve is inserted through a catheter and situated within the old defective valve.

Thankfully PatD qualified for the TAVR procedure. She should spend one night in the hospital and be on sorta limited duty for a few days. We are looking forward to her getting her "life" back.

We have had an unspoken medical situation with a 57 year old daughter since November that has been a burden emotionally for both of us. She suffered a bleeder stroke and had to have a palm sized section of her skull removed to allow her brain/fluid to expand to prevent brain damage. That section of her skull was inserted within her abdominal wall for safe keeping and was reinserted back onto her skull this week. She got out of ICU yesterday and is now in a room. She does not appear to have any physical impairments but she suffered optic nerve damage in both eyes and will now have no vision in one eye and very limited vision in the other. We are very thankful that she is alive.

barbender · April 10, 2021, 02:23:45 PM

Prayers for a safe surgery for PatD and speedy recovery. Also, so sorry to hear of your daughter's ailments and loss of vision. As you said, Magic, thankful she is alive. But prayers for her in her recovery, I can't imagine how tough that would be! My BIL had a brain bleed/stroke around 3 months ago. He is 43 and very physically fit. One day he got confused and couldn't speak. It turned out his carotid artery was leaking at the base of his brain, clotted and eventually caused the stroke. All it ended up affecting was his speech, he lost all ability to speak for several days, and has gradually regained function since then. Scary nonetheless!

mike_belben · April 10, 2021, 02:29:35 PM

In sorry to read of yalls roller coaster ride lynn. Hang in there and cast your cares on the Lord.

Texas Ranger · April 10, 2021, 03:06:17 PM

Prayers, my friend.

Gary_C · April 10, 2021, 03:57:57 PM

My best wishes and prayers to PatD for a safe and successful surgery. I was offered the same thru the vein insertion of my failing aortic valve back in 2017 but had to turn the offer down because I had problems with two valves. In the end I had both aortic and mitral valves replaced and a tricuspid valve repaired. My three valve job took 7.5 hours in surgery, two plus days in intensive care and took a very long time to recover. It's remarkable how much less time for recovery with the vein insertion.

beav · April 10, 2021, 04:34:35 PM

My mother had the TAVR procedure 4 years ago. She did well with it, she is now 93 y.o. and hanging in there. It is simply amazing what they can do nowadays. A young lady like PatD will do well and get a boost from it.
I will be thinking of and praying for her

Roxie · April 10, 2021, 05:25:19 PM

You, Pat and the whole family are in my thoughts.

SwampDonkey · April 10, 2021, 05:29:33 PM

Thinking of you folks as Pat has her procedure and heals up and also your daughter who is having a rough time. Hang in there and stay strong for both of them and yourself. Life certainly has it's challenges.

RichTired · April 10, 2021, 05:44:09 PM

Lynn, keeping you, your wife, and daughter in our prayers!

Chuck White · April 10, 2021, 07:01:12 PM

My thoughts are with you and your family, Lynn!

Poquo · April 10, 2021, 07:10:28 PM

You and your family are in our prayers .

Nebraska · April 10, 2021, 10:01:45 PM

Hang in there! Thoughts and prayers with you.

Walnut Beast · April 10, 2021, 10:46:18 PM

Prayers for your wife and daughter

LeeB · April 11, 2021, 01:13:04 AM

My thoughts are with you and yours my friend. Best wishes for both Mrs. Pat, your daughter, you and all your family during the these trying times..

Old Greenhorn · April 11, 2021, 07:00:51 AM

Wishing you all the best in the coming days.

thecfarm · April 11, 2021, 07:05:46 AM

I hope all goes well!!

Ed_K · April 11, 2021, 07:53:08 AM

I hope everything works out for the very best.

Magicman · April 11, 2021, 05:28:19 PM

We just got a facetime from our Daughter and she looked and sounded good. She will get a shunt Tuesday to remedy the fluid buildup. We are excited.

Wudman · April 11, 2021, 07:26:33 PM

Prayers going out for all. God Bless.

Wud

samandothers · April 11, 2021, 08:09:01 PM

Sorry your daughter has had such a rough go the past several months. I too hope Pats procedure goes well and she recovers quickly and gets her 'life' back. My prayers are with you and your family during this stressful time.

firefighter ontheside · April 11, 2021, 08:14:27 PM

I'm glad to hear they are both going to be OK.

stanwelch · April 11, 2021, 08:37:33 PM

Lynn, prayers for PatD and her surgeon. Also prayers for your daughter's recovery. Thanks for letting us know.
My thoughts are with you too Magic

DbltreeBelgians · April 11, 2021, 09:57:53 PM

Thoughts a prayers for PatD, your daughter, you and the rest of your family.

Brent

doctorb · April 11, 2021, 10:19:01 PM

Lynn-

I have been peripherally involved with enough patients that undergo aortic valve replacement that I can tell you that optimism is the rule. Yes, whether the TAVR or the open procedure, I have seen remarkable, improved results in patients abilities afterward. Of course it's a big deal, but if Mick Jagger can handle it, so can she. My best to PatD. Chin down, straight on into the wind 'til it stops blowin' my friend.

dgdrls · April 12, 2021, 08:16:50 PM

Thoughts and prayers to Pat, your daughter and you.

Be well Lynn, they both need you,

Best
D

Jeff · April 12, 2021, 08:28:52 PM

It's a great era for folks with heart disease. Medical science in that field has advaced so far from 20 years ago. Tammy and I are in the prayer corner.

Magicman · April 12, 2021, 08:41:18 PM

Thanks to each of you for your prayers and well wishes. We will spend tomorrow at the hospital doing pre-op procedures. Well "she" I will. I'll be sitting in a waiting room.

Stephen1 · April 12, 2021, 08:53:28 PM

Things are definitly looking up! All the best to Patd

Dan_Shade · April 12, 2021, 09:35:20 PM

Prayers to your family from the Shade family.

Magicman · April 13, 2021, 04:44:56 PM

Thanks again for the Prayers and Well Wishes.

Our Daughter had the section of her skull reinserted last week and was discharged from the hospital this morning and is at home. We are prayerful that she will continue to recover.

PatD had her pre-op hospital visit this morning and her aortic valve replacement is scheduled for Thursday.

doc henderson · April 13, 2021, 08:41:42 PM

lots on your plate. you are a strong man, and good for your family. be sure and let us (me) know if there is anything we can do to help! God speed Sir!

WV Sawmiller · April 13, 2021, 10:17:42 PM

Lynn,

Sorry for not reading and replying earlier to this thread. My sincerest hopes for a totally successful procedure on Ms Pat and hopes that all go as best they can with your daughter and both are back up and active again real soon.

gspren · April 15, 2021, 08:19:47 AM

Best wishes for all to go well today. The few people I know that had the TAVR replacement did well with it. Take good care of her, she's a good person! You are too.

pineywoods · April 15, 2021, 11:05:09 AM

Thoughts and prayers for the entire family and also the medical staff.

Magicman · April 15, 2021, 04:49:36 PM

Pat's aortic heart valve replacement was successful this morning and she said that she is feeling fine. If all goes well she will leave ICU tomorrow afternoon and come home. I can go back at 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Also the daughter's skull replacement continues to seem successful. If all continues to go well she may not have to get the brain shunt.

Jim_Rogers · April 15, 2021, 05:08:31 PM

Great news get well soon to all.

Jim Rogers

trapper · April 15, 2021, 08:55:32 PM

Happy things are looking up

Walnut Beast · April 15, 2021, 09:33:21 PM

That's great. Thank the Good Lord!

scsmith42 · April 15, 2021, 09:50:06 PM

That's all great news!

Thoughts and prayers continue to be sent y'all's way.

samandothers · April 15, 2021, 10:00:45 PM

Wonderful report on both ladies.

Old Greenhorn · April 16, 2021, 07:14:37 AM

Superb!

Shotgun · April 16, 2021, 08:01:08 AM

Sounds like good news for both Pat and your daughter. We will continue our prayers. Norm & Mary

Magicman · April 16, 2021, 09:10:19 AM

Thanks to each of you for your prayers and well wishes. She was #2 on the valve replacement schedule yesterday morning and we wondered why it was late. We later found out that #1 had not been successful. His aortic valve had calcified too much for it to be expanded enough for the new valve to be properly inserted, so back to the drawing board for him. He as well as his family were quite upset. Ironically, I went to high school with him and his sisters.

Thankfully Pat's was a classic procedure and sent smoothly. Of course there was no pain and she was already feeling the effects of the increased blood flow when I left yesterday afternoon.

My prayer is that everything went smoothly last night, at least I did not get a call. I can go back at 10:00 this morning and hopefully we can leave by mid-afternoon.

WDH · April 16, 2021, 09:13:46 AM

In hospitals, you can check out but never seem to leave

.

mike_belben · April 16, 2021, 10:41:46 AM

Praise the Lord for answered prayers.

jb616 · April 16, 2021, 11:05:56 AM

Great News!!

Magicman · April 16, 2021, 04:01:36 PM

Everything has gone perfectly and we left the hospital at ~12:00. She will be on sorta limited duty for a couple of weeks so my sawmilling has been postponed for now. No matter because it is mostly too wet anyway.

doc henderson · April 16, 2021, 04:32:24 PM

that is great news!

RichTired · April 16, 2021, 05:30:12 PM

Lynn, that is wonderful news!

Keeping your family in our prayers.

chet · April 17, 2021, 08:59:34 PM

That's the news we been waitin' ta hear. 8)

Stephen1 · April 17, 2021, 11:09:58 PM

Great news!

Ron Scott · April 18, 2021, 10:59:29 PM

Continuing the prayers for continued success!

Magicman · April 19, 2021, 11:30:46 AM

Bed had to be changed this morning. (always every Monday)

Separate the darks from the whites and load the clothes washer.

After the whites are washed, move them over to the drier, and fill the washer with darks.

Fold the dried sheets for next week and then move the darks over to the drier.

After the darks are dried, I'll fold them and put them away.

Now, what will it be for lunch? It seems that a woman's work is never done. :

SwampDonkey · April 19, 2021, 12:07:10 PM

I bet Pat is a good director to. ;D

Magicman · April 19, 2021, 01:47:05 PM

Getting it done. Darks washing, whites drying, and sheets folded

Those are king bed sheets and that's a fitted sheet on the bottom. ;D

Texas Ranger · April 19, 2021, 04:00:19 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 19, 2021, 01:47:05 PM
Getting it done. Darks washing, whites drying, and sheets folded

Those are king bed sheets and that's a fitted sheet on the bottom. ;D

You need to run a tutorial on how you folded that fitted sheet.

Jeff · April 19, 2021, 04:07:28 PM

You love it!

Hilltop366 · April 19, 2021, 06:00:10 PM

Anyone who can fold a fitted sheet that neat should get some sort of award or metal.

Bruno of NH · April 19, 2021, 06:22:12 PM

I'm glad everyone is doing well Sir

Magicman · April 19, 2021, 06:56:37 PM

Bruno, I have drifted the topic, but yours and everyone else's well wishes are acknowledged and greatly appreciated. PatD and Donna are both doing well and we are looking forward to both of them regaining as much of their normal activities as possible.

In the mean time, I am being a support person which is a bit away from my normal.

Andries · April 19, 2021, 07:49:10 PM

Whether it's milling or folding - it's good to see evidence of a good plan coming together like that.
Great news Lynn, and the old normal will catch up with you soon enough.

chet · April 20, 2021, 10:58:23 PM

Lynn, no stickers on da sheets? ;D

Magicman · April 21, 2021, 08:05:51 AM

:D Da "Sticker Police" are always looking. 8) I'll try to do better next time.

petefrom bearswamp · April 21, 2021, 09:06:54 AM

Getting on the forum has been spotty lately so missed this thread.
Linda and I are so pleased that all is going well in both instances.
not too late for thoughts and prayers from here.

KEC · April 21, 2021, 01:15:24 PM

You can add me to your list of wellwishers.

thecfarm · April 25, 2021, 08:40:23 PM

Glad all is going well!!
Brenda had shoulder surgery last year. I had to do all the inside work and the outside work. Inside work I did not do the best. But did keep up on laundry and dishes.

Magicman · May 04, 2021, 03:17:53 PM

PatD's recovery is/has been quite remarkable. She is less than 3 weeks past her valve replacement and is doing stuff that would not have even been a thought nor consideration before. Her complete thought process has changed and she is now smiling a lot. It's as if 10 years has been lifted from her.

Sorta reminded me of a joke: Older Women are so practical ...

After being married for 58 years, I took a careful look at PatD
one day and said, Honey, 58 years ago we had a cheap apartment, a
cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white
TV, but I got to sleep every night with a hot 18 year old gal.

Now I have a $250,000 home, a $45,000 car, nice big king bed and 55" flat
screen TV but I'm sleeping with a 76-year-old woman. It seems to me that
you're not holding up your side of things.

PatD is a very reasonable woman. She told me to go out and find a
hot 18-year-old gal, and she would make sure that I would once again be
living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car, sleeping on a sofa bed
and watching a 10-inch black and white TV.

Aren't older women great? They really know how to solve your late-in-life
crisis!

SwampDonkey · May 04, 2021, 05:38:53 PM

She can thank you now that you started early, because I had some uncles in their 60's before they got hitched, and had all that catching up to do. :D :D

I might also be on that 60's list if I make it that far. ;D