Finally a date!!

[soccermom44]

Hi everyone!!

It's been 3 months since my last message giving you updates on my mom's situation. Well, she was seen by the guys at the Mayo clinic. She loved the heart surgeon, and thought the plastic surgeon was an arogant jerk!! Anyway, they agreed pretty much with her doctors in Denver...but suggested she could have a bi-lateral incision across the chest instead of up/down, which would avoid some of the bone cutting. Mayo finally consulted with her own Denver doctor's and she has decided to go for it...but still knowing that the incision healing is the main issue.

Her surgery is going to be Nov. 5th in Denver. Her surgeon's there are very familiar with whatever Mayo thought, so she would rather be close to home.

Please pray for her.
Thanks.

 

[pillarpaul]

Just having a date is a relief, isn't it? Which hospital will your mom be having it at? There are several capable hospitals here to do that surgery. I had mine at St. Anthony's Central. St. Joe's is another excellent heart facility. Will indeed say a prayer for her.

Paul

 

[bvdr]

Hi Soccermom,

Thanks so much for checking back in with us. I have often wondered how things were going. I know it will be a relief to have this behind you. Except for the different location of the incision are there other steps they need to take to help your mom's skin with healing?

Your mom will be in my prayers....and you too!

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Soccermom,
Thanks for the update on your mom. She will soon be on the road to recovery. Please keep us posted and tell your mom she is in my thoughts and prayers.
Take Care

Dave
________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical

 

[MelissaM]

Know that she has a strong Colorado contigent rooting for her!

keep us posted and be sure to let us know where she is having surgery!!

Melissa

 

[alicia]

Good luck to your Mom and the family. Just knowing there is a scheduled date makes it a little easier and now plans can be made. It will surely be a busy time for you and your Mom but please keep us posted.

Alicia

 

[soccermom44]

Yes, having a date definately takes some of the "waiting game" stress off...but now another kind starts!!

She is having the surgery done at St. Joseph's in Denver, by Dr. Miller. Her plastic surgeon in Dr. Lowenstein, but hopefully she won't need him. They are going to wait 3 days, post-op, to see if she is healing on her own before they consider any plastic surgery.

She is amazed and greatful to have people she doesn't even know thinking and praying for her. What a blessing you all have been to me and my family. I will be with her for a couple of weeks, and when I return home, I will update you on how things went.

 

[MelissaM]

Soccermom -

I spoke with Dr. Kevin Miller prior to surgery and he seemed to be very competent and aware of his limits. He ended up recommending that I go to the Cleveland Clinic for a repair, rather than a replacement.

It sounds like you have covered your bases re: getting outside consults and are ready for surgery.

We will keep your mom in our prayers.

Melissa

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi soccermom!
glad to hear that your mom finally has her date. that's in about a week or so...
before you know it this will all be behind you and she will be well on her way to recovery.
wishing you all the best and please let us know how it goes.
you will all be in our thoughts and prayers.
be well, sylvia

 

[soccermom44]

Melissa,

So, you had Dr. Miller? Can I ask why he referred you out to Cleveland? Dr. Cosgrove was also one I told my mom about, but they decided to send her to Mayo instead. What was your impression of Dr. Miller? My mom seems to have confidence in him. I don't know if he's going to do the bi-lateral like Mayo had suggested, my mom just doesn't want to talk about it anymore. She says he'll just "do what needs to be done."

I'm glad that you said Dr. Miller knew his limits, but it also made me question why he didn't do it. My mom needs the aortic valve replaced and the mitral valve repaired, plus a bypass.

Thanks

 

[MelissaM]

I'm glad that you said Dr. Miller knew his limits, but it also made me question why he didn't do it

Not sure what "it" refers to - the bi-lateral incision maybe? I could only conjecture why he may or may not choose to do the bi-lateral incision. Hopefully, he would be able to explain that to you.

For me, I asked him where he would send his wife or daughter if they were in my shoes. He said "The Cleveland Clinic." If it was his neighbor (a better example, he thought, since he wouldn't be allowed to operate on his wife/daughter), he would want to do the surgery himself, because he was that confident in his abilities. After much discussion, he made the referral because I REALLY wanted a repair, and if, for some reason, he wasn't successful in doing the repair, he didn't want me to regret having gone with him.

There were a couple of differences between him and the Cleveland Clinic. He gave me a 80 - 90% chance of repairing the valve, and was not comfortable with a minimally invasive approach to surgery. Cleveland Clinic gave me a 95% chance of repairing the valve and was VERY comfortable doing the surgery minimally invasively.

So I guess that is what I mean by "he knew his limits". He was experienced enough to know that I would regret going with him if the surgery wasn't successful for some reason, and he knew his surgical abilities enough to know he wasn't comfortable doing the surgery using a minimally invasive technique.

All in all, I thought him to be a very competent surgeon, and if I would have had a simple repair, not wanted the minimally invasive technique, or had needed a mechanical valve, I would have felt very comfortable going with him.

Melissa

 

[soccermom44]

Melissa,

Thanks for responding. The "it" I was referring to was YOUR surgery. I was wondering why he didn't do YOUR surgery.
But you answered that well.

My mom never qualified for the minimally invasive approach, to much work to do on her.

I'm glad you felt he was competent though.

Thanks for the info.