rheumatic heart disease

Hi,
My fiancee has RHD and has been operated at the age of 12 fo Mitral and AR valves of the heart and has got mechanical valves. He doesn't see any impefection physically.

But what is is life expectancy in such a case of AR nad MR valves replaced? His disease is causing a hindrance in our marriage.Can you please help me out with this? how can I wash of my parent's myths about this disease. They themselves are from medical profession but not being doctos and heart specialists , may be they don't know much about the disease.Please answer at the earliest.

[Encephalomalcia]

The mechanical valves are suppose to last longer.  The pig valves lasts about 15 to 20 years according to what heart surgeons have told me.  The mechanical valve last longer than the pig valve. My uncle had rheumatic heart disease that he got as a young teenager.  He lived to be 75.  He died from cirrohous of the liver due to heart medication such as nitroglycerin.  He had a bad mitral valve that he never had fixed.  He never had heart surgery.  His heart surgeons told him that he had a very weak heart and the heart surgery would be risky.  He worked mowing lawns with a walk mower up and down hills until a month before he died.  He was active (extremely active) all of his life and I think that was part of what contributed to his longevity.  When the heart valves get worse or bad, shortness of breath is a symptom.  He will know by symptoms if there is more procedures that need to be done.  The best thing to do is to be aware of symptoms, live life, and try not to worry.