S'posed to get my biggest heart valve replaced

[pitw]

Luck man.

[Okanagan]

Well, my arteries are so plugged up with onery grizzly grease and possum fat that there is a problem sliding in a new heart valve through my leg arteries.  There have been some delays and extra internal examining.  We are going to split the sternum and do open heart surgery after all, this coming Tuesday March 19.

New adventure.  They will shut down heart and lungs, have a machine replace their function while they stop my heart, cut it open, cut out the old valve and sew in a new one made from cow heart tissue.  That's gonna hurt for awhile.  5-7 days in the hospital, two months recovery at home if I follow their instructions for healing.

  More pain and longer recovery but some long term advantages for my situation over having the TAVR valve slid in without surgery.  Yeehaw!

[nastygunz]

God bless and good luck 🙏

[bigben]

I'll be thinking of ya.  sounds painful.  hopefully its a speedy recovery.

[HuntnCarve]

We will keep you in our prayers Clyde.  Wishing you a speedy recovery and return to the mountains and outdoors you so love.  Hang in there buddy.

[remrogers]

That is major, but if needed, then that is what you do. Was told one time that pain is good, in that it proves you are alive. We will all be pulling for you to make a speedy recover.

[Okanagan]

Tomorrow is the big day.  Check in at 5:00 AM with surgery to start at 7:15.

Sure is a lot more rigamarole than I expected.  Stopped taking all meds.  No cutting of hair nor anything nor shaving today, the day before surgery.  Take a special shower with super soap this evening, put on clean jammies and sleep in clean sheets just washed.  Then do the same special shower in the morning, put on clean shirt etc. and drive 1 1/2 hour to the hospital.  I'm leaving out some.

 When I get home from the hospital, shower every day with unscented soap but no scrubbing, use clean freshly washed wash cloth each time, pat dry with a clean fresh towel each time, no rubbing.   Then a fresh clean shirt. Gonna be extra laundry! Cannot drive for at least a month.  Walk four times per day (with no cane, no walking stick, nor grip any side rail etc.) weigh, take temp, check blood pressure, etc. etc.

Got to thinking that I am taking their word for it that I need a new aortic valve.  I feel pretty good, as long as I take a nap each afternoon. 'Course, I can hear it sloshing away when I put my head on my pillow...

They have elabortate instructions on how to sit down and get up, get into and out of bed, etc.  I just ordered a lift chair because though the sit down and stand up part is easy for me, for the life of me I can't get out of bed without considerable stress on my upper body. That is gonna hurt and pull on the incision. I'm not supposed to use my arms nor elbows, and any force exerted has to be even on both sides, not a push nor grip from one side or the other, no twist, etc.  A lift/recliner chair I can sleep in solves most of that.

I'm apprehensive about the coming pain and ordeal, obviously from this nattering post.    I'm less concerned about dying than I would expect though my confidence in Christ's ressurection is probably the underlying foundation for that calmness.  I should delete this whole monologue but will post it.

[Okanagan]

I didn't even thank you all for the good wishes and for praying for me this week.THANK YOU!

[Hawks Feather]

And our prayers will be with you tomorrow as well. Just go along with the newer protocols since (hopefully) they are based on past problems and want those problems to no longer be there. My neighbor who had a valve replaced a month or so ago is doing great and says that while it was not 'fun' it was really good for her. You are strong and will come out after the rehab even stronger.

[KySongDog]

Prayers from KY sent for you today. You'll be as good as new after your tune up. Hang in there!

[nastygunz]

You'll be out chasing Young Farm girls and sipping corn whiskey before you know it

[FinsnFur]

Good Grief that sounds like no fun.
We'll be praying things go right for ya Clyde.

[nastygunz]

Any updates?

[Hawks Feather]

Any updates?

I don't know if any of his kids have an account here, but hopefully we will hear some good news soon.

[nastygunz]

👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Okanagan]

Survived the surgery. It's a miserable ordeal, but they say I'm recovering better than expected. Thank you for the prayers. Hope to go home in another day or two. Very tired.

[Hawks Feather]

Thanks SO much for the update. If you are getting out in a couple of days you are doing really good. Keep it up! Remember it takes time.

[remrogers]

That was some major surgery. Glad to hear you are doing well. Do as the doctors say. Don't go chasing after those pretty nurses.

[nastygunz]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[HuntnCarve]

Great news!  Hope you heal up quickly Clyde.