@lcl44 Just on your last question, how hard to push: first, to ensure he's fully on board with whatever you both decide because his understanding of all benefits and risks, and his permission, count for the operating team. Secondly, time and age benefit nobody except procrastinators, and they eventually learn they made the wrong decision...in most cases. With your hubby's various conditions and disorders, time and aging are not going to be salutary. Yesterday may have been his best time ever to get this done. The strains, all of them, including the deteriorating valve, will just accelerate his deterioration.

Not that people don't benefit from a temporary pause or respite, such as when recovering from a sickness or an accident. That much makes sense. But if he's not in any particular duress, nothing else urgent, he'll just get up each day and it will be one day closer to the day when things go south....if you follow. If he's well enough today, get it done tomorrow at the latest.

I hope this doesn't sound cold or unsympathetic. I just mean it to be cold reality. Time will not permit improvements in this case.