Merry Christmas, @elliottbnewcombjr, keep going!
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fsonicsmith Everyone, Thanks for the good thoughts and Happy Holidays to all. I'll have my Laptop in the hospital, don't know when they will let me use it. |
@elliottbnewcombjr best wishes to you Elliott!!! |
asvjerrySome wonderful humor within, thanks for the good wishes. I have intentions of beating the knockout countdown. 1st, I bet them I can get lower from 99 than ANY prior patient. Start: 99; 87; 17; -minus 7 ..... gone. no one said you have to count every digit! That will take their mind off what they are doing!
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@elliottbnewcombjr ....'phase shifting' over from the MM/MC scroll, I'd forgotten 'bout your upcoming bout in the sterile suite....but go with my hopes and thoughts that you'll be back sooner in '24. 👍👌🤞😃 'n all.... When I ran into my Reality of CHF re my aortic valve, I was well aware of having one's ribs wrenched and what + how long recovery from that could go....my basic energy levels and 'tude then would have made most around me wishing I'd either relapse and 'go away'.....Spouse Ev said she'd kick my tush if I did... TAVR made that whole scenario a non-start; I had resisted the OHS scenario, so when advised that I might be a candidate for TAVR, jumped on it like a Wagyu 5 steak....and went home 3 days afterwards, the third lasting forever. I felt great immediately the day after....hope you experience the same. I was considered a higher risk for OHS, and they had a little difficulty 'jump-starting' me, and it was noted I 'skip beats' during my rehab stints on a recumbent (used to cycle in my teens, still have most of the thighs left...)....(monitoring RN looks up from the screen, looks at me, comes over with that concerned stare..."Did you feel that?" Feel what?..). Ended up with my onboard pacemaker and an auto-defib... 2" dia, "lump' below left collarbone, over from left shoulder.... Asked my cardio...'How durable is this?" One was known to stop a bullet, and keep working...I remember that, just in case....;) *L* Anyhow, my hopes for you is that all will go absolutely perfect, and they'll shuffle you out 'n home asap+....which seems to be SOP of late. Hosp. food fare isn't any fairer than it used to be ever, and I had Ev smuggle me in a beer and a Starbucks. Don't know how the staff can cope with the brown liquid they call coffee...and they agree! I don't comprehend how the residents can pull the hours they do on that mouthwash.....😬😖🤷♂️🤦♂️ "Shoulda learned to play them drums...." Have a 'productive and considerably Different Holiday Week', and know that I and the crowd here are in your cheering section...and we expect to hear all about it. *S* ...but...don't pull a 'Lyndon'....we don't need to see the scars, and leave the dog's ears alone...😑 Jerry |
lets hope this is NOT goodbye!!!! I'm having open heart surgery 12/28/23; new mitral valve made from Pig Heart Tissue. Entrance from side, no need to crack Sternum. This guys doing it: 3-5 days in hospital; 6 weeks recouperation at home. I need to get strong enough to drive to Maine for my mother's 101st birthday, so that explains the 28th to get started/done. ........................... I've had 21 surgeries, none serious like this one, but what has me anxious is getting a respiratory infection (I had covid twice and pneumonia twice earlier this year). Therefore Donna is wearing a Mask, I'm going nowhere, and I'm going to skip Christmas Day/Dinner with 14 family members, including 4 school kids among others who work in public situations.
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@elliottbnewcombjr - you seem like a good guy. FWIW, I went through 2 + years of health misery, all related to gastric/Esophageal problems. The drugs exacerbated the problem and I felt like I was spending more time getting lab tests and seeing various specialists than living my life. (I'm just shy of 70). I finally opted for corrective surgery, which enabled me to get off some of the meds and largely eliminated a lot of the acid blow-back up my throat. The procedure itself was the least of it-- I'd say the biggest humps were all the testing and some serious consideration of alternatives. I'm not an MD but can get the gist from medical monographs, white papers, studies, etc. The research, and finding the right medical people who could speak directly to the issues rather than just follow the script, was also not so easy- I went through quite a few doctors. One of the best was a nurse practitioner who monitored her own set of my test results along side what the MDs were doing. She was extremely helpful in explaining what was going on. I don't know if they can do any of this laparoscopically--my surgery was minimally invasive, almost no pain afterwards and I'm back on track- going to the gym, regained my mobility and feel like I'm good for another decade or two. Break a leg or whatever they say in med world for best of luck. Bill |
Your decision is a complex one based partly on statistics for similar past procedures (mitral valve replacement or repair) done on other patients and partly on the details of your own clinical status. I hope you receive guidance from a good cardiologist who has no conflict of interest. Above all, history shows that cardiac surgery has best outcomes in hospitals where the particular procedure is done most often and by surgeons with most experience doing the procedure (and who have best long term success doing it). |
all, thanks for your concerns. IF I go with the Abbott TenDyne minimally invasive mitral valve, they would put me on Warfarin to prevent blood clots. It's a Clinical Trial, after many tests, critical measurements, hospital is about to submit data to 3rd party for review. All indicators suggest I will be deemed acceptable for the trial. Used in Europe, only 2 years trial data USA. I want to consider open heart surgery, tried and true metal/pig/cow valve. My GP says I am moderate risk for OHS. Isn't everybody 75 yrs old Moderate Risk? I can see how pigs and cows could have a grudge against me, but don't they have short memories? |
@lewm You write, "Pradax is contraindicated in patients with AF, per an FDA directive" But I read the product monograph differently. It reads, PRADAXA (dabigatran etexilate) is indicated for the: prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, in whom anticoagulation is appropriate Were you perhaps thinking of this? Concomitant use of PRADAXA with an antithrombotic is not recommended for prevention of cardiogenic thromboembolic stroke in AF patients. |
@lewm I haven't kept up with it, being retired now, but I think Pradax is C/I in patients with prosthetic valves, but not in patients with AF (at least not here). |
asvjerryI'm gonna whine to revive this every 6 months, it seems it is good for me and many. supposed to meet heart surgeon today. all tests done, many questions, they rely on verbal trust, I want a few valve recipients to play cards with, get them liquored up, hear what spurts out of their memories. |
@elliottbnewcombjr ...."Who raised these people?" *ROTFLMAO* The same amateurs that raised us....no concept, no clue, just the relations demanding they procreate to ensure they suffer the same bs and relative happiness they could dredge out of the process...*the emoji doesn't exist* Spouse and self opted 'out'....otherwise, this mssg. wouldn't occur... ;) Heart drugs: Yes, we and you are doomed to gobble small>large 'stuff', none of any entertainment value other than keeping your keel pointed down. It IS a life....yours. We....you, me, the lurking lookie-lou's. the naysays can say 'Nonono...'. BUT Beats the alt., for the time being..... "...you are a worn out hoot! makes me feel like a teenager." Well, good....*ironic S* I find it 'difficult' to be among my 'peers'.....when the subject is kids/grandk's, all I can respond with is what I do to amuse self....other than 'fire control' at the business spouse and self 'do' to maintain the 'strife-style' we prefer.... OK...cut to the 'feel-good', beyond the chase scene.... You Are Not Allowed to Die 'Here". Stop. At my brothers' funeral....when asked of the gathering: Anything to say about...? "He was a PIA...but, he was my brother." Anyone who REALLY knew us....could 'relate'. Anyone else? Your call. ........................... No one here has the slightest idea. nor clue....of what makes asvjerry 'tick'... ....nor, that of which 'ticks' me off. Nor, I of you.... It's all too thin....;( |
dogberrythanks for the heads up. I see the Surgeon tomorrow, all testing done, including CT Scan of heart with and without contrast completed today, sooo, he sees results, hop, skip and jump over here, what do he and I think .....happens tomorrow sometime. |
If you have AF, be a little wary about the new anticoagulants. My own lawyer, who was my patient, had a mitral valve replacement, and chose to swap to one of the new anticoagulants (Pradax) simply so he would not have to have an INR once a month and have me call him to adjust his warfarin dose. He enjoyed that convenience for 18 months before he had a massive stroke and died. What a waste. |
@elliottbnewcombjr ....hope your new valve works as well for you as my TAVR, going on 4+ years....👍 That, and my inboard pacer and defib (I skip beats occasionally.....other than my miscues here *L*. ;) ), multiple non-amusing drugs, COPD....ADD, ADHD, psychosis, neurosis, SOB-ness... Bugs bite me....and die. COVID didn't bother...."....he'll get his, anyway..." I'd don't winch when jabbed, fell asleep during a root canal, bruise if you look at me hard.... ( My prototype QOB >Quantum Ouija Board< is operational of late.. If you think you can escape anymore, anyway....nope Everything You Know Is Wrong. The parallel universes? Just as FUBAR as this one.... even for the lizard people... You heard it here, from me. Yup...I'm to blame. Feel free to, small shoulders, hits the floor anyway.... ) |
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always enjoyed your posts. best wishes to a fellow retiree, keep finding fun and comradery. someplace. we all need that. as a 20+ year Audiogon’er i miss the days where the system pages were mixed into the other thread posts and so much more personal relationships developed that turned into friends for life. as Audiogon became more a strict business it was certainly harder to really interact. yet i still find value here even though the vibe has really been dampened down. and many more contrarian members. so we maybe find other forums where the exchanges are not restricted to augment what's here. but not leave. hope down the road to see you back here. |
oh shoot @elliottbnewcombjr I hope you are OK. I had my fair share of medical drama lately. I wish you a smooth recovery... |
Wish you nothing but the best moving forward. Like reading a book, this is just one chapter ending and another will begin. Unfortunately, you are correct, I certainly wasn’t meant with kindness when I joined this group not long ago. I responded on a thread and advised someone to check out a DAC I own and was basically attacked. I guess people on this forum should remain quiet for a year or more before contributing to any thread. The person treated me as if I was a bot from Russia. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, the level of respect and rudeness is seriously lacking. If you agree with some people, life is good, disagree and you may be subject to getting cancelled on this forum. Like you, I find a few gear specific forums much more helpful and a lot less critical. An expert in there field with endless years of experience encounter pushback all the time on this forum. Reading comments on this site can be interesting to say the least. I would encourage you to just take a break and come back after a few months have passed. Based on the comments on this thread, people value your opinion and candid feedback. Don’t allow the “vocal minority” or just plain rude people drive you away. Some, certainly not all, long term members on this site have a sense of entitlement and possess a high degree of negativity - they are right and you’re wrong mentality. In this case, their ears can hear no wrong. May the new year bring you health and happiness! |
asvjerry"'diet' if you must" is good advice. I'm going into the hospital today, testing, see if I qualify for a clinical trial of a new Heart Mitral Valve (and it's less invasive insertion). If yes, keep me and do it. No, then it goes down to a repair job, using clip(s), keep me, do it. In either case, I won't be yapping so readily, and second phase of diet: I usually lose weight when in the hospital or in-patient rehab due to indescribable food. I got an infection in the bone of my foot, went into hospital Halloween 2022. After this and that, I was -34 lbs. Put some back on, recently got rid of some of that. In that year, Covid twice (got it in the hospitals); Pneumonia twice, trial drugs that nearly killed me, carried out on a stretcher, ... Despite all that, I've managed to yap quite a bit. ....................... My son, we call him Rescue Man, worked for 3 rescue squads, EMT for hospital, town and college, travelling educator, now a Fireman. When I was younger, he told me, when they carry the elderly on stretchers, move them from gurney to rolling bed, move again to hospital bed: They call it 'Slinging Lizards'. This time, all these years later, I'm on the gurney, he's there, concerned, I say, I guess I'm a Lizard now. Cracked him up. Donna wasn't laughing. |
tunefuldude you read the title but not the posts. This is round two. Round one I was almost outta here (DPReview was closing at the same time, depressed me), many good people encouraged me to stay, and I did. round two, this revival of the old conversation, I just needed to tell someone that I was getting quite discouraged again. Not leaving, just knew good people responded to this originally. AND, I got to let people know that DPReview did not close. |
@elliottbnewcombjr ....*L* We're obviously a hard habit to kick....;) Please stay.....'diet' if you must, but the loss of any diminishes all....and our numbers contract by our ages anyway....😔 |
