Robert's Profile

I had first symptoms about 2 months before my mitral valve surgery. At that time I just attributed it to getting older. Then about one and a half month later things suddenly got bad. My doctor ordered me to go straight to ER. I had only a couple of weeks to decide on a surgeon and hospital. After surgery everything was great. However, after 3 months when I had a check up my valve was leaking again. We still waited some as I was asymptomatic but then my cardiologist, previous surgeon and my new surgeon all said I will need another surgery. My second surgery was in December 2022, 10 months after my first surgery. Luckily, the surgeon, Dr. Luis Castro, was able to repair the valve. He did some additional repairs on top of what was done during the first surgery. I am now home for less than 48 hours and feel great. Only a little bit of pain when I sleep but nothing that requires medicine. I am moving around the house pretty much the same as before the surgery but of course I am limited in what I can lift, can't drive, need to do my breathing exercises (sometimes I get to 3500ml), can only go for very short walks (5' the first week, I walked more in the hospital), etc. The incision might turn out even nicer than after the first surgery. So I am quite hopeful that this was my last heart surgery.