He met with the surgeon, who outlined his options.
They crack open the chest, spread the ribs like a baked potato that needs sour cream, stop the heart, cut out the old valve and install a cow valve.
They go in through the side, stop the heart, cut out the old valve, replace it with a cow valve.
They go in through an artery in the groin, push aside the old valve, sew in a pig valve, heart is stopped 10-15 seconds.
Of course, the least invasive method is the way to go. The heart surgeon has done about 80 of these procedures and my dad will be in the hospital for two days, not a week. He has to have a couple more tests because apparently if they can’t get in through the groin they go in through the carotid and they need to make sure that’s in good shape. The procedure is tentatively scheduled for late August.
My father had his heart valve replaced today. I’m not quite sure I understand everything that happened, and we had to leave in the afternoon before the doctor came by in order to beat the traffic, so bear with me and feel free to correct my errors. Bottom line, he is doing well.
There was calcium build up, so they had to use a valve that could be opened up rather than a balloon because the calcium could tear a balloon valve. Then something about the valve was pushing too hard against his heart wall, which was messing up the electrical impulses, so they went ahead and put in a permanent pacemaker too.
He was pretty groggy (of course) and had to lay flat on his back for six hours in order to give the openings in his groin a chance to clot up (they went up through both sides for something medical something something) and was not happy about that as it was uncomfortable. My step mom was there so we dashed out for a few minutes to see the eclipse (amazing) and by the time we’d got back he had been able to pee into a urinal, so he was less cranky and flirting with the nurses. His left arm will be in a sling for a few days and he can’t raise that arm above his head for now. He should be upright and hopefully able to take a little walk (nurses permitting) later this evening. If all goes well, he’ll be home tomorrow.
He left the hospital yesterday, was able to walk around (outpaced the nurses in the lobby!) and just has to take it easy for a couple of weeks. He’s not taking the pain meds because he’s just uncomfortable.
I’ll go up to see him in a couple of weeks to give him a chance to recuperate. All is well!
That’s great news! I was going to post that a friend’s mom is now 85 and had a valve replaced 3 years ago. It was like a new lease on life for her. I wish the best for your dad!!
For more than twenty years my folks were workkampers…basically, getting in their RV and going to work for a summer somewhere.
For the past several years they’ve been working in shops in West Yellowstone, which is the west entrance to (suprisingly enough) Yellowstone National Park. A couple of years ago, my dad didn’t feel up to driving out there from Florida, so they haven’t gone since
I’m hoping now they’ll take up my stepbrother’s offer to drive the RV out there for them while they fly. They loved working there and my dad was such a ham with the tourists. He’d dress up in a vest and a cowboy hat, wear turquoise jewelry on every appendage, and the lady tourists were thrilled to get a picture with a REAL MONTANA COWBOY SWOON.
He’s already noticed an improvement in his breathing so I’m hoping his giddy-up will rev up again and they can go back to doing what they love.
