"Aortic Valve Replacement"

My leaky aortic valve, was leading to worrying shortness of breath. Fortunately, this led to me meeting Consultant Cardio Thoracic Surgeon Mr Mydin. He, without a doubt, was the star in my story. However, during the event it became apparent that he is very well supported by a huge team, in the Operating Theatre and later in ITU then Ward 30 of the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne.  

I was fortunate to complete the process as an elective patient, most of the patients on Ward 30 appeared to have been admitted as emergency cases.

On meeting Mr Mydin, he explained my options clearly, which aligned with my pre meeting investigation through Dr Google. I was going to require Open Heart Surgery, and a replacement Aortic Valve fitted. My investigations led me to think that my best option, due to age (68), would be a synthetic valve rather than a mechanical one, Mr Mydin’s opinion was the same, clearly a bright chap! He went on to explain how he would do the surgery, with little sketches to clarify.  He explained that whilst he had my heart available, he would conduct 2 other procedures which would future proof my heart, closing off the left atrium appendage (who knew) and performing a Maze procedure to hopefully reduce future Atrial Fibrillation. I was pleased to be receiving the full service. The Operation could take 4/5 hours.

I was pleased to be expedited as I felt my symptoms deteriorating, and I didn’t want to be an emergency case due to my existing anti coagulation problems. I had an angiogram arranged the for the day prior to My Op and this was carried out by an amazing team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead. This showed that the heart’s blood supply was sound.

Straight to admission at the Freeman and admitted to Ward 30, where I met Registrars and 2 of the anaesthetists who would be leading teams to ensure I was blissfully sleeping, whilst Mr Mydin did his magic.

The operation, fortunately, I know little of what happened except Mr Mydin reports that it was unremarkable. To me it was the most remarkable example of fine surgery, which has made and will go on to make a massive difference to my life. 

I spent a night in ITU, where I remember very little apart from having tubes removed and my vitals being constantly monitored.  From there to Ward 30, where I would spend the next 5 days.  

On W30 you are there long enough to recognise and get on with the teams of Nurses and Ward Staff, who are all amazingly cheerful and happy to help as you recover from the affects of the anaesthesia and of course, the open heart surgery.  The Cardiac Nursing Team on W30, have nearly all, worked on the ward for several years. Some, such as Maria, have been there for over 20 years. They are intelligent, patient, thorough and have huge amounts of caring and understanding.  They create the perfect environment for you to spend the first 5 days following, probably the toughest surgery of your life.  I suffered a bad reaction to the anaesthetic, on the first night on the ward, delusion, paranoia and nasty dreams, the Staff that night managed me excellently. Shamin demonstrated the highest level of professionalism, kindly striving to keep me calm as I accused her of all types of imagined misdemeanour, that lady deserves a medal.

The next few days were spent, balancing my drugs regimes, disconnecting me from the various cannulae’s, tubes, external pacemaker etc. I noticed that the daily ward rounds of the Ward Manager were eagerly awaited as it was at this point that those due for discharge received the good news. Having traversed the rapid promotion system of groggy, just up from ITU patient, to strength gathering, 3/4 day veteran of the operation, regaling the new ward members with tales of the system. It is a long 5 day period on the ward, each hour is the length of a day and each night is eternal, but after just 5 days, if all has gone well, you are discharged to home, where hopefully the quiet calm will speed the long process back to normality.  

I am over two weeks post op now and starting to feel normal. Unfortunately, as in most cases the names of the people who have helped you, dim into warm feelings, but Tasha, Freddie and the most amazing, smiley faced nurse, who never stopped smiling and caring. Thank you all. You are the most well knit, ball of caring, each of you a credit to the NHS, but all of you, amazing people.