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Baffled --- Having heart-to-heart w/cardio
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Bridgette
It was absolutely NOT professional of the technician to "grimace and shake her head" under any circumstances (even indigestion!)
When I went for my echo a few weeks ago, the tech kept a totally impassive expression throughout - towards the end I asked her how things were looking and she said, "Dr A will discuss the echo with you, that's his dept".
She said it very politely. To my mind, that is professional behaviour.
Bridgette
When I went for my echo a few weeks ago, the tech kept a totally impassive expression throughout - towards the end I asked her how things were looking and she said, "Dr A will discuss the echo with you, that's his dept".
She said it very politely. To my mind, that is professional behaviour.
Bridgette
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upchurch131
Norma,
Bridgette hit my point on the head. The echo tech could have handled herself better. I remember an echo where the tech called in another and made comments right next to my ear (I'm not deaf) when I was first diagnosed with my BAV and ascending aortic enlargement. I didn't know a thing about this condition. Then when I asked what was going on- I got the old "you'll have to wait for your cardiologist to answer any questions" line. I thought it was very unprofessional, like they were looking at an x-ray of the elephant man! It added to my anxiety. Your cardiologist could have chosen his words better or could have explained himself with more compassion and tact too.
I'm praying for you.
Bridgette hit my point on the head. The echo tech could have handled herself better. I remember an echo where the tech called in another and made comments right next to my ear (I'm not deaf) when I was first diagnosed with my BAV and ascending aortic enlargement. I didn't know a thing about this condition. Then when I asked what was going on- I got the old "you'll have to wait for your cardiologist to answer any questions" line. I thought it was very unprofessional, like they were looking at an x-ray of the elephant man! It added to my anxiety. Your cardiologist could have chosen his words better or could have explained himself with more compassion and tact too.
I'm praying for you.
Once again, thank you all for your show of compassion & concern --- I really appreciate that!
And yes, I know that I said that I wasn't going to dwell on it or make premature assumptions but the fact remains that the state of my heart is precarious. I know the great risks that I face if I do commit myself to a 4th OHS & the future I face if I do not. I also remember only too well, the look of "relief" on my old surgeon's face when I told him last year that I had decided against the surgery. And too, I remember asking the cardiologist in charge of my case in Houston, "if I was his mother or his wife, would he recommend the surgery?" He just looked at me & said "well I'm not married & that's really a tough question to answer" because you need the surgery, no questions about it." "If you wait too long, you will be looking at a possible heart/lung transplant!"
When I was being released from the hospital, the cardiologist came in to say good-bye & wish me well & he finally said, "if you had been my mom, I would have said NOT to have the surgery." So at that point, what was left?
So Monday when I go see my cardio, I'm going to ask him point blank, "if should I be placed on a heart transplant list?"
I know we're all destined to die & perhaps I won't even die of this ailment but at 57, I still want to live a bit longer. Or perhaps, I should just leave everything in God's hands --- God only knows that if I didn't have the faith in God that I have, I wouldn't be here today, of that I'm sure!
Thanks for listening to me putting my thoughts in writing --- for now, that's all I can do.
And yes, I know that I said that I wasn't going to dwell on it or make premature assumptions but the fact remains that the state of my heart is precarious. I know the great risks that I face if I do commit myself to a 4th OHS & the future I face if I do not. I also remember only too well, the look of "relief" on my old surgeon's face when I told him last year that I had decided against the surgery. And too, I remember asking the cardiologist in charge of my case in Houston, "if I was his mother or his wife, would he recommend the surgery?" He just looked at me & said "well I'm not married & that's really a tough question to answer" because you need the surgery, no questions about it." "If you wait too long, you will be looking at a possible heart/lung transplant!"
When I was being released from the hospital, the cardiologist came in to say good-bye & wish me well & he finally said, "if you had been my mom, I would have said NOT to have the surgery." So at that point, what was left?
So Monday when I go see my cardio, I'm going to ask him point blank, "if should I be placed on a heart transplant list?"
I know we're all destined to die & perhaps I won't even die of this ailment but at 57, I still want to live a bit longer. Or perhaps, I should just leave everything in God's hands --- God only knows that if I didn't have the faith in God that I have, I wouldn't be here today, of that I'm sure!
Thanks for listening to me putting my thoughts in writing --- for now, that's all I can do.
ALCapshaw2
Well-known member
It could well be the techie was having problems with your echo.
SNIP
Talking knowledgeably with techies about surgery and showing calm regarding my condition, tends to make them talkative and revealing. So it's usual to know scan results before the cardio does.
YES. I agree completely.
OTOH, many (most?) Cardio's do NOT want the Tech's revealing any information.
That said, if you ask them to let you know what valve they are looking at as they move about, and you know how to interpret the reports / results, you can pretty well figure it out as you go.
I usually tell the Tech what numbers I'm particularly interested in having (since some reports were not always complete). Then they know that I know how to read and interpret the reports.
about a third of my report was missing last time.
kfay
Well-known member
Norma, I'm sorry you find yourself in this position. I have to admit that this thread scares me as I'm sure it does anyone with a tissue valve who knowingly is going to face more OHS. I've already had 2 and will have at least 2 if not 3 more. I was under the impression from my surgeon that even though the risk goes up, he quoted to me a difference from 2% for this last surgery to around 5% for subsequent OHS. Is this not the case?
I'm praying for you that a heart transplant isn't the road that needs to be travelled at this time for you. I've had that conversation with a surgeon myself and it scared the s*** out of me.
Here's hoping for a good, positive conversation with your Dr. next week.
Kim
I'm praying for you that a heart transplant isn't the road that needs to be travelled at this time for you. I've had that conversation with a surgeon myself and it scared the s*** out of me.
Here's hoping for a good, positive conversation with your Dr. next week.
Kim
Nancy
Well-known member
The percentages that are quoted in papers on heart surgeries do not always take into consideration the overall health of the patient when they present for surgery.
For Joe, his first one was risky because heart valve surgery (aortic) was in its infancy, so we can throw that statistic out. The second one (mitral) was quoted as around 2% which is standard. The third one (mitral leak repair) was quoted as around 15%. He did very well with all of these.
There was no statistic quoted for the fourth (tricuspid and whatever else was needed), since no surgeon would operate on him unless he was in imminent danger of dying or possibly never.
His health was in a fragile state at that point, he was 75 years old. And this had a bearing on all of this.
Not everyone is the same, but nevertheless, sobering thoughts.
For Joe, his first one was risky because heart valve surgery (aortic) was in its infancy, so we can throw that statistic out. The second one (mitral) was quoted as around 2% which is standard. The third one (mitral leak repair) was quoted as around 15%. He did very well with all of these.
There was no statistic quoted for the fourth (tricuspid and whatever else was needed), since no surgeon would operate on him unless he was in imminent danger of dying or possibly never.
His health was in a fragile state at that point, he was 75 years old. And this had a bearing on all of this.
Not everyone is the same, but nevertheless, sobering thoughts.
