Big week

[lbecker]

This has been a full week. Have date for heart cath., which will be
June 15 and then surgery (mitral valve replaced) on June 17. I also
made the decision to go with the On-X valve. Notified my surgeons
office, I had talked to the surgeon previously about this. Also spoke
to Catheran Burnett at On-X they will have a rep. contact the surgeon
and plan to be there. When they called and said I was on the calander
for the 1st slot to have the heart cath., I had this feeling, I guess this
is real and I will actually have to do this. Catheran told me not
to be too concerned about the rep., since Dr. Sheman is the Chairman
of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UCLA, On-X will want to send in one of
their top reps.

Thanks to all of you who have given me encouragement with your posts
and threads. My husband made the comment that this forum has
been such a help in supporting this process of accepting, making
decisions and moving in the right way to make peace with this heart
of mine.

Ross, so I guess you better put me on the calendar. One thing I am
aware of at UCLA is they can give you a date for surgery but if they
have an emergency heart transplant come in you are bumped till
the next day. A friend of mine had that happen to her there. I do
hope that does not happen though, seems like you get yourself in
the frame of mind and then have to do it again if you are bumped.
Laura

 

[Bridgette]

Best of luck Laura! You're getting a great valve.

 

[ponytaila1a]

Best of luck and congrats on the decision. That is one thing off of your mind.
I had surgery date cancelled a scheduling error. I know what you mean about once you have your mind set. Prayers that everything goes as planned. One thing to keep in mind is that you are in a place where such procedures as the transplant are done....you know you are in good hands!!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

YEP, the downside of going to a Hospital that does Heart Transplants is the fact that you can be bumped from your scheduled slot if a Heart becomes available for a transplant. Happened to me.

 

[CA Pigg]

Hey Laura,
So glad you got your date and that you made your valve decision.. It is nice having your choice made. I will be praying for a successful surgery and recovery!!! You will be on here telling all about your surgery before you know it!! Yes, this place is Great!!! I am SO glad I found it before my surgery or I really would have been in the dark and not known about choices!! GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Mary]

Laura,
I put you on the calendar, and if you get bumped, let us know, and I'll change it.

 

[Jkm7]

Happy you have made your choice, Laura, and are now getting scheduled. This is the worst part...... the wait. Wishing you the very best.

 

[WayneGM]

Congratulations on setting the date. Best wishes and good luck.

 

[bugchucker]

Setting the date and the wait was awful! I know you'll do great.

 

[lbecker]

Thanks for your kind messages. I know the wait can be hard, yet in some ways choosing the surgeon and valve have been really hard for me. I will be keeping busy, I teach nursing and the quarter will be over the week before my surgery so I have plenty to do between now and then. Also our son and daughter-in-law will be here the weekend before to spend time with us, have that to look forward to. I'm counting on the fact that if they do heart transplants, my surgery should be small potatoes!
I do hope the surgeon hasn't had to do several surgeries before mine. I did speak
to him on the phone about a week ago and he had 2 surgeries that day and had to
put one off till the following day, so I know it happens. I will try and communicate
if that occurs, maybe my husband can pass on the news. Laura

 

[westie]

good choice

good choice

.

i reckon you made a good choice of valve; best wishes for the big day.

 

[netmiff]

keeping busy is good, the wait is torture for some of us! If you need it, don't be shy about asking for meds for sleep or anxiety, it gets to a lot of us, too.

My surgeon had been on the transplant team at my hospital. I think at most busy teaching hospitals, there is always a chance of getting bumped, I would guess there could be other emergencies apart from transplants, such as emergency bypasses and so on.