Hi Sam...Iam 63 years old and just had Mitral Valve Surgery 4-16-08. They were able to repair mine instead of replace it. I was in the hospital 11 days only because I also had a pace maker and de-fibulator put in and they had to monitor it. I have a lot of the same complaints you mom has (RA, Blood Pressure, Thyroid) the recovery time varies among patients but just let me say that she will be very well taken care of in the hospital and will need alot of TLC when she gets home. The first week when I got home I was soo tired and just wanted to sleep but every day I felt stronger. It has been almost 3 months and I feel great. After being home a week or so I was beginning to get fluid around my lungs (hard to breath) and I also went back to my surgeon once a week for about a month and had a chest X-ray and that also showed the fluid. I was scared to death to have it drained but it did not hurt at all. And it was so nice to be able to take a deep breath. The anticipation of getting surgery like that done is so scary but she will feel so much better when it is over.. The first day and a half after the surgery I was in ICU then was transferred to my own room and within 2 days I was setting up in a chair and was walking around by the 3rd day. She will have lots of pain meds and make sure she asks for them as soon as the pain starts because if she waits to long it is hard to control. Constipation is a side effect of this surgery so make sure she has stool softeners (they start her on those in the hosp) and send them home with her. Whatever else she can do to avoid constipation have her do it. I did prune juice and Gas-X because for some reason I had lot of excess gas and still do which I was never bothered with before. Hope this helps relieve her and your anxiety. Please let me know how she is doing and if you have any other questions please ask...I wish I would have had someone to ask that had had the surgery. God Bless Melba