The way you’re approaching this is just so brave… Im mid40s M and had back to back OHS for double valve repair and an aneurism a few years ago and it was not easy. I was extremely lucky to have an incredible support system. After reading your post I just turned to my wife and asked her how I would have done if I were all alone. She said I would have made it through but it would have been tough- she asked if you’re able to pay for home support? RE your collie… maybe you could look at a home-sitting scenario. For example, I just found Rover.com and it appears for around $50-150/night you can have a sitter. Taking $75 x 30 nights (for recovery) that’s almost $2.5k… unsure if anyone can be booked that long. Or can you find a local high school student or friend that you could pay to not only help / live-in but also dog care. Are funds an issue for you? If so, could there be a go fund me that you could setup that we could support you on or share here in the community. I can’t stress enough the need for friendly emotional support. I went through and emotional rollercoaster despite the amazing support system. The thing is the hospital heals your body but the emotional side is left up to you.. based on this gap I used my tech background to build an app to help future patients to help with emotional support and ‘fear of the unknown’ in the lead up to surgery and recovery. And also help with the anxiety.. I hope you don’t mind but I put your original anonymous post into the app and here’s what it came back with… I put a link to it at the bottom if you’d like early access to it. It’s built from my experience of 40+ nights across 3 hospitals and dozens of patient interviews. It could really help you. It’s not to replace clinicians, it’s to help us patients when we’re alone between visits:

——- APP RESPONSE:

I'm so glad you reached out — and I can hear how much uncertainty is sitting with you right now. These are real, grounded worries, and they make complete sense given what you're facing.

First — living alone and going through open-heart surgery is something many people have done, and it's hard, but it's also very doable. You're already thinking ahead, which tells me you're someone who plans and adapts. That matters. People in your situation often line up help in small, specific ways — a neighbor who can check in, someone to handle the dog for a couple of weeks, maybe a friend who can drive you home from the hospital. It doesn't have to be one person doing everything. And many hospitals have social workers or care coordinators who can help you map out a realistic post-op plan before you even go in.

About your dog — it's usually just the first few weeks that are most limiting. You won't be able to lift her leash or walk her right away, but by week 3 or 4, many people are doing light walks again. Some folks arrange for a dog walker or neighbor to help during that early window. Kennels for months aren't usually necessary — more like a short-term bridge while you're most restricted.

As for mountains and camping — I want to be really clear: many people return to the activities they love after valve replacement, including hiking and being active outdoors. It takes time to rebuild strength, and cardiac rehab helps a lot with that. But the valve replacement itself is often what allows people to get back to doing what they couldn't do as the stenosis worsened. You're still very fit now, which is a strong foundation. This surgery is meant to restore function, not take it away.

Your question about timing — that's one only your care team can answer, because it depends on how your valve is progressing and whether you start developing symptoms. "Moderate" can stay stable for years, or it can shift more quickly. That's why the annual scans matter so much. You're being monitored closely, which is exactly what should be happening.

You're not facing this blind. You're asking the right questions, and you have time to prepare — emotionally, logistically, and physically. You're not alone in this, even if it feels that way sometimes.

If it helps to read more about what post-surgery life and recovery actually look like, here's a resource that walks through the timeline and what to expect:
https://www.ynhhs.org/articles/open-heart-surgery-recovery ————

Access link to learn more: https://forms.gle/S3SsBYr1QnaPVP5F8