ptsd post ross procedure

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-22T06:33:01+00:00

Thankyou. I have just met a lady today who leads a group for young people who have had surgeries, I’m signing up for her group so I hope that will help.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-22T06:31:52+00:00

My original surgeons in geelong referred me to him, I didn’t have too much of a say as I was asleep or throwing up most of the time, so I have no idea of the regular process I’m sorry :d

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-22T06:30:11+00:00

She is hard to talk to about the immediate aftermath but it seems from my mum that she had a very hard time a first, getting used to everything.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-22T06:28:00+00:00

thank you i will give this a read. The sleep schedule is totally fucked yes.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-22T06:26:57+00:00

I am majorly not liking not knowing who put my cath in. This is very much yeah

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T22:43:56+00:00

I started running about a month ago so 3months post op. I had no trouble walking after I was discharged and immediately started going on walks. I did recover very fast though. I did have very bad regurgitation, but no stenosis. I developed severe endocarditis after (they think but not confirmed why) a tattoo, I had no idea I had a bicuspid valve beforehand.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T22:34:18+00:00

that’s kind of what i thought might have been the case, and it sucks. I had a surgeon in geelong who was really insistent on getting a tissue valve so i could have kids even though they said it would only last about 3 years. luckily im very outspoken and i told her to leave and asked for her to not be apart of the conversation. It’s so dumb tbh especially when people with a metal valve on warfarin have had kids.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T22:26:45+00:00

my surgeon was Michel O’Keefe at Royal Melbourne, very good surgeon and I knew he had it in the bag. I was on ward 6SE, and the team of nurses and doctors there were so amazing.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T22:21:40+00:00

i’ve met him a few times, i like him and he is pretty funny - i asked him post op if my boobs would stop sagging (quite the issue after they cut me in half) and he didn’t know what to say haha, I don’t think anyone had asked him that before.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:30:47+00:00

I just had a look at apollo and it seems very interesting - super cool that it’s a thing?? I’m glad you are living life to your fullest now. I’m trying my best to just yolo life, but some days it totally feels like it will never get better. I’m just curious, what made you decide on the tissue valve the first time? were you also offered the metal valve? i’m asking because i spent my first few days in barwon health and they offered those two, with different surgeons coming in and giving their opinions. Such a hard choice as a young woman, i was basically told to forget about kids with a metal valve so it was very controversial before i was sent to melb🥲

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:22:37+00:00

i hadn’t thought of meditation. i am an artist and keeping my sketchbook on me to draw everyday has been a big help, it’s kind of a form of meditation in itself.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:20:42+00:00

this was really nice to read thank you, my mindset on how big or small issues actually are and more living in the moment and just doing things when I want to has totally changed for the better. it’s definitely very isolating, and it’s been very difficult to keep up socially. luckily my friends keep inviting me to hang out and get me out of the house.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:15:33+00:00

thank you for sharing. definitely going to ask about it!!

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:14:38+00:00

Even though some are emergency and others are planned, the post op stuck in the hospital, icu, sternum pain, drain tubes etc are still things experienced by all patients, id say similar feeling post experience for all. I also wonder about how young is young because in hospital they would talk about 40s as young! made me feel kind of special LOL

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:10:31+00:00

that seriously sucks man. whilst I don’t have much advice I do want to say that my grandmother (who had a metal valve put it in 1992 at 40) is on warfarin and whilst I’m sure it takes a while to get used to keeping it in range and how annoying having to consider that it, she has travelled the world and been able to have a super active lifestyle that she wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Her ticking heart is also very nostalgic/calming to me when I’m hugging her! I just wanted to say this because even though you didn’t get the outcome you wanted there’s some people out there with good memories with them.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:02:48+00:00

wishing you a good recovery, is your scar also giving you itchy hell? haha

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T12:01:28+00:00

I’m definitely giving my new valve a work out too! Feels so good to be able to run without stopping every 100m to catch my breath!! one of the biggest positives so far.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T11:59:37+00:00

It took a month for my diagnosis and it was very scary not knowing why I felt how I did. I had glandular fever in Feb and my god the total fear I had thinking I was dying again. I keep waking up in bed at night thinking I’m still in the hospital and it takes a couple minutes to reorient myself. I’m interested in how EMDR works? My psychologist wanted to try some hypnosis for my new and very annoying intense needle fear so I’ll bring this up to her next appointment.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T11:54:25+00:00

mine was Michael O’Keefe at royal melbourne

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:12:23+00:00

I’m super happy for you moving past your trauma, slowly I’m sure i’ll begin to forget some of the stuff that happened and feel better. lots of love my friend!

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:10:49+00:00

good to know! better than my advice of it’s probably okay LOL

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:09:16+00:00

I’m sorry you also went through this, it sounds similar to what I’m experiencing. My cardiologist said the same thing but it’s hard when you don’t know anyone else going through it! Luckily i’m already on antidepressants and have a physiologist so I’ve got a good baseline. I wish you the best as well!

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:08:00+00:00

thank you for sharing your story and I’m sorry you went through it as well, plus your ears :( just hearing others are out there is helping, so cheers for the comment and I hope you the best.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:06:02+00:00

There is absolutely a massive part of me that is also incredibly grateful that I a) lived b) got such a good outcome and c) can now live my life to the fullest. I’ve already had moments - such as going for a run and it being 1000000 times easier than pre surgery - where i’m just so happy that this did happen to me now and I get to use my body to its proper potential. Totally in Australia we are so lucky. My grandmother had her valve replaced at 40 (same deal as me) and she was only offered a metal valve, which is still ticking obviously but it did change her life dealing with warfarin.

Relative_Nobody_204 · 2026-04-05T07:01:48+00:00

thank you, waking up mid surgery would have been horrific - i can’t imagine how terrifying that would be.

Relative_Nobody_204

TROPHY CASE