Y'all aren't going to belive it. Did someone say leak 😡

[harrietW]

So friends l went to Calgary to see a doc about a heart
My knewly repaired mitral valves gotta leak. Yip in regurgitation and you heard it here first. Sigh it just gets better and better. Although this was not the entire focus on my follow up after 11.5 weeks as you know l've been in hospital in another city every since l was released from that city and that hospital. His response was l'm sure glad l didn't replace both of your valves with a mechanical valve as first thought or the probably would have both blocked and seized and you wouldn't be here right now. I wish l had known you had angiodysplasia before surgery. You need to see an anti coagulation expert and don't let them do intestinal surgery as once we start cutting into and removing parts of you intestines they cut til you don't have anything left. See you next year at your follow up appointment. I will send your internalist a letter with a plan on what should be done next.
Then after l sat and bawled in my car in the parkade for 20 minutes l pulled myself together to drive 2.5 hours back home to see my internalist whom sat with me for for 30 or 40 minutes talking about options and where we go from here. He already knew that my mitral valve was leaking so it is Significant enough for my cardiologists across the street to call him and have this discussion. I see my Cardiologists on the 4th to discuss my echo in more detail.
I have had a quiet few miracles in my life and right now l'm praying for a million more.
Just thought l'd share about how my day went.
Xx ❤

 

[harrietW]

Nice l tried to edit and spell check. . It will not let me.
BELIEVE

 

[Dodger Fan]

I'm sorry Harriet. You've had it rough. You are in my thoughts. I hope it all works out.

 

[harrietW]

Gosh Dodger Fan thank you for your thoughts. That's just the kind of year it's been. Hope you are doing well. Thank you again !

 

[Paleowoman]

I can't believe your cardiac srugeon had that attitude Harriet.

Actualy I do beleive it. I don't hold surgeons in such awe as some folks do. As a couple of the physicians I'm under said when I complained that the surgeon I saw didn't listen to me and made mistakes in her reports, "surgeons are just there to do the sewing and cutting job, they're not good physicians*, you're seeing her for her to do the cutting and sewing and that's what she's good at".

But you definitley have a cause to make a complaint about that surgeon Harriet - he would have had reports surely that you had bleeding episodes when you were referred to him. If he didn't read them that is a mistake he made as he should have questioned as to why you had bleeding episodes as his using a mechanical valve has had a detrimental effect. Surely there is a procedure in Canada as in the UK for when there has been a problem like this.

Grr…..….what your surgeon said about seeing you next year reminds me in a way of a surgeon I didn't see, but I knew of, who I heard talking to a patient as they were leaving his office - it was an maxillo facial surgeon and an oncology clinic (cancer), and as the pateint opened the door the surgeon said very cheerily "see you at St George's in two weeks" like they were going to a party - that is where he did his major surgery. The patient looked devastated and sat with her husband outside the office looking like their world had ended. And that b***dy surgeon had such lack of empathy - I was truly shocked.

{{{Hugs}}}


(*PS - must be fair, I consultated an excellent ENT surgeon last year who was also an excellent physician so there are some)

 

[pellicle]

OMG Harriet

... His response was l'm sure glad l didn't replace both of your valves with a mechanical valve as first thought or the probably would have both blocked and seized and you wouldn't be here right now. I wish l had known you had angiodysplasia before surgery.

....you are seeing Frank Burns (from MASH)

he used to work on horses right?

change soon.

I wish you well, I just don't know what to say.

wow.

 

[Seaton]

Gasp.
What a saga.
Really hope this resolves and settles speedily for you, Harriet.
Sending good thoughts your way and an ever-best from Springtime London.

 

[Bushman]

Hi HarrietW, I am sitting in Foothills hospital Unit 91 as I write this. I also have a sneaking suspicion that you and I have the same surgeon.

I don't even know what to say, I feel so baldly for you. I hope your ENT doctor can get things figured out.

 

[JulienDu]

Hello Harrietw

About your leak. You know, when I had my repair when I was 9, I still had a leak after the operation but my surgeons did consider that a success. And I think they were right because I have been able to live a perfect norma life and even more because I have done among the toughest and most physically challenging jobs with same or better efficiency than other co-workers. I was still asymptomatic 21 years after, only reason I got the chest open was because of an aneurysm. So maybe, this is not an issue for you and you will never have any symptoms or problems with the leak.

 

[harrietW]

Oh Bushman Have you actually had your surgery or will be ?
If it's any Any consolation I have the prettiest Scar you ever seen. Like Paliogirl said surgeons are for cutting and sewing . GOSH l don't even know what to say. Except l hope everything is going well and will go well.
You know this man has an amazing reputation as the best. He has been saving lives for 40 or 45 yrs everyday. He saved my girlfriends life 3 times. I hope he saves yours to bushman .
In my thoughts n prayers

 

[harrietW]

JulienDu how are you?
There is always that possibility although he was doing alot of dancing around it . And when l saw my eternal med doc it was apparent he was discusted by the whole thing shaking his head and so forth. Here's the thing for me it was my worse valve for the longest period of time causing me alot of grief. It was in sever regurgitation from the very first appointment where as the aortic was not. Every doc l saw said to me what the hell did you do to your valve. It was supposed to be replaced and is a real sore spot with me. When l awoke outta surgery to find out when my son told me they only repaired my mitral. .. l lost my mind l went crazy first of because l have read enough on here alone that repairs are usually redos when your as symptomatic as l am and as old as l am you kind of expect it to be done right and properly the first time. As l said they are going to get a second chance to go in. My last appointment doc didn't go into detail either as he left that for my cardiologists. But it obviously was worth a mention or he wouldn't have known that yet. As the echo wasn't even read until Wednesday. I see my Cardiologists first thing Monday so l will get the whole picture. I love her. When she saw me after surgery while l was in hospital for the first transfusion. She cam into see me she knows how upset l was at only a replacement. I knew in my mind it was leaking. I just knew it. And l saw on the scream while the girl was doing it. But l also always take pictures of the film at the end of my echos to compare with the previous echo which l haven't really had a chance to look at they are in my phone .now lm gunna look. But when l was taking them l said to the stenographer omg is that regurgitation. . Are you kidding me. And of course she couldn't say one way or the other but l knew.
Infuriated

 

[harrietW]

Seaton / Pallicle

I know hey !! Thank you your thoughts !
I will not be seeing him any day soon.

 

[harrietW]

Paliogirl thx you !
I will say this, l am a little speachless myself. Pompous ass. Lol ! I am not a fan of Arrogance.

 

[cldlhd]

Sorry to hear all this, hoping things finally take a turn for the better.
P.S. pellicle I was always more of a Hawkeye guy...

 

[harrietW]

Cldlhd
lol me too lol Hawkeye ... might as well been !
I hope things take a turn about also. Enough is enough already. Thx

 

[Bushman]

Hi HarrietW, yes we do have the same surgeon. I have had my surgery(Tuesday) , released from stepdown 15 minutes ago and on my way home tomorrow. I don't want it to sound like I'm bragging or gloating or anything, we had a different set of circumstances, that's all.
Your luck will turn around soon, I know it.

 

[harrietW]

Bushman l absolutely agree with you ! Like l said he has a very good reputation. I had a pre existing condition that nobody picked up on although l am upset he didn't replace my mitral. . Like l said l have a pretty little scar that literally was almost undetecteable within a couple of weeks 3 maybe. He has saved a Lotta lives in his defense. And has a very dry sence of humor. Ppl complained about his bedside manor while l quite enjoyed it. His job however was to know his patients history but if my 6 other doctors didn't pickup on it how was he to.
I wish you a continuous improvement in your recovery.
I was and am a "very complex case"

 

[honeybunny]

I don't know how you are keeping up with all this and staying sane. I'm proud of you for keeping on top of it all and questioning the doctors when things don't seem right. It seems lame to say hang in there but you've got to. Hugs lady~

 

[pellicle]

Hi

P.S. pellicle I was always more of a Hawkeye guy...

me too, but you know, Hawkeye was often stitching up and fixing up Burnses works, or should I say bungles. From what I'm reading this guy is equally a bungler. Failing in observation of key criteria in pre-surgical evaluation ... I'd love to see his stats.

 

[harrietW]

Thank you honeybunny! ! Trust me l have had my moments and some pretty insane reactions. I minute l am sad and angry next minute l just wanna move forward with peace in my life. The future seems a little grim at times in yet somehow we gotta find a way to keep going. So l have an appointment with the cardiologist Monday morning and the Internal medicine doctor Thursday to discuss a plan. It better be a good one. In the meantime this is the longest stretch out of the hospital 17 days. I just have to find a way to stay out. I am on very little meds and no warfrin or aspirin or enalapril only metoprolol 16,000 units of innohep and anti nausea pills. Anything else will land me back in hospital for internal bleeding.
The thought of them cutting away at my small intestines does not appeal to me in the slightest.
Michele l sure hope you are doing well and feeling better.
Xx sending love ❤