Good for you...I bet you feel pretty pleased thats all over too. Your life expectancy now is as long as anyone elses...the fact you have a mechanical heart valve changes nothing in how long you can expect to live. Coumadin/Warfarin has no effect on how long you will live either. I know a guy who has one of the very first mechanical valves inserted and he is still going strong today 45 years after surgery!... these were the old ball cage valves...very ancient compared to our slick new StJudes models...our valves will outlast us. Go out and live your life to the fullest and best of your abilities...dont let your valve stop you doing anything... Here s a great website you may like to have a look at...full of wonderful people with mechanical heart valves (some even have 2 or 3 of them) including Dick with his 45 yr old mechanical valve! http://www.valvereplacement.com/ I got my valve @ 41 due to a failing Bicuspid Aortic valve...