My grandma has a heart valve which does not close properly. as a result, there has been a leakage of blood which is making her very short of breath. from what i understand her heart has been enlarged for a while now as well. we asked her whether she wanted to go through with the surgery or not and she opted for it, b/c she did not want to be gasping for air for the rest of her life (would bring down the quality of her life). her surgery is scheduled for next wednesday. aside from having a poorly functioning heart for a while now, she is in good health. just how much risk comes along with surgery like this with a woman her age? I am so scared that she will not make it thru it, or that she may have a stroke or something afterwards. plz enlighten me on the situation w/ some medical advice. thanks! Thanks for the kind words everyone...