HEART SURGERY Special on ABC TV Friday night

[johnp]

I was surprised that Babara Walters didn't know she needed a transfusion, etc. I really quizzed my doctors and surgeons on how the procedure went, what they did, what they saw, I confirmed I had a non sustained run of VT and then a little SVT while in ICU. Maybe not knowing is better.

I was also surprised that women often do not present with symptoms with CAD. So what is the answer? Do I try to talk my wife into getting a CT scan with contrast at some point? Didn't sound like a stress test was always much help either.

Overall a good show. Sure, it only profiled a few older but well off people who have resources and access to the best care available. But it will raise awareness.

I sure wish they would have profiled some robotics surgery. Many more people will face heart surgery, but have only a small scar under the arm, get out of the hospital in 3 days, and be back to work the next week - like I did!

 

[Jkm7]

Interesting show. It brought back more memories for my wife than it did for me.

Yes, it was somewhat disappointing that they seemed to lump valve surgery with coronary artery disease.


Why? I have had both CABG and Valve Surgery. So where do you 'lump' me?




The one message that I think was the most important -- that women are at risk of heart disease and that they don't have the same set of symptoms that men do -- wasn't given enough coverage. I'd have liked the message to have been a bit more complete and a bit stronger.

The other thing that sort of bothered my wife and me was that these privileged people were talking about getting the surgery just because they needed it. But they didn't get into the financial realities related to such potentially life saving surgeries. If you have no medical insurance -- or crummy insurance - the option 'if you need it, have it' doesn't always come into play. There sometimes isn't much of a choice. If I didn't have a good job and good insurance when I finally decided to get the surgery 19 years ago, I'd have probably just continued to decline as my heart weakened - and had no real options to deal with the failing aortic valve. I don't know how many people are out there in desperate need of OHS, but who have little choice but to put it off until it's too late. This special didn't address THAT population AT ALL.

I've now asked twice and really don't understand?
Thanks.

 

[Jkm7]

I was surprised that Babara Walters didn't know she needed a transfusion, etc. I really quizzed my doctors and surgeons on how the procedure went, what they did, what they saw, I confirmed I had a non sustained run of VT and then a little SVT while in ICU. Maybe not knowing is better.

I was also surprised that women often do not present with symptoms with CAD. So what is the answer? Do I try to talk my wife into getting a CT scan with contrast at some point? Didn't sound like a stress test was always much help either.



I have a huge family history of heart disease and always kept that in mind. I had heart attacks and did not know it. My symptoms were not anything that you would think of as 'heart attack' in progress. No pain in chest, no shortness of breath, no pain in jaw, no pain radiating to back or arm. I'm a woman and when I knew something was happening to me, I considered 'is this a heart attack' and dismissed it as it didn't look anything like what we expect a heart attack to look like.

Women.......... insist upon a cardiac workup if you think it remotely possible you are experiencing a heart attack. Do not let them pat you on the head and tell you its stress or fatigue. I never even went to ER as I didn't think I needed to until it became very clear I needed to.



Overall a good show. Sure, it only profiled a few older but well off people who have resources and access to the best care available. But it will raise awareness.

I sure wish they would have profiled some robotics surgery. Many more people will face heart surgery, but have only a small scar under the arm, get out of the hospital in 3 days, and be back to work the next week - like I did!

Women should ask for EKG's at their annual physicals, stress tests if there is any reason to think appropriate and certainly blood pressure control, good diet and exercise. They should have the blood work that shows inflamation and lipid checks and take it all from there. IMO

 

[Protimenow]

JKM7 -- I've seen your question both times, and I guess I'll be the one to give my own perspective on the question of why they should, or shouldn't, lump the bypass operations with the valve replacements.

Sure, they're both major surgeries. Sure, they crack the chest open to do both surgeries. And there are certainly people out there - like you - who are unfortunate enough to have a bad valve (or two or more) and bad coronary arteries requiring bypass surgery.

From my perspective, coronary artery disease and valve problems are two different issues. You can have a bad valve without having coronary artery disease and, similarly, you can have CAD with perfect valves. In many cases, it may take decades before a bad valve is diagnosed or REALLY needs repair. (Mine was diagnosed as a murmur, and I waited 19 years before having it fixed). CAD can be much more severe, with immediate repair required. It can be more closely related to lifestyle - diet or a genetic issue that accelerates CAD - but one that may not even present itself until there's a heart attack or some other issue results in a timely cardiology consultation.

I think that what may have gotten my attention about the 'lumping' issue may be a bit of snobbery -- the idea that 'MY coronary arteries were fine - I didn't do anything to mess up MY heart. I was just unfortunate enough to be born with a bad valve or my valve was damaged by an infection.' (Before my surgery, I was told that rheumatic fever damaged my valve - post-op, I learned that I was born with a congenital defect. But, in my mind, at least I didn't have CAD). I think there may be some of this thinking in valvers versus those who've had bypass surgery.

The 'lumping' issue may also be one that acknowledges that, aside from cracking the chest open, stopping the heart, and a week or so in recovery, there IS a major difference in what they DO to the heart. In one case, usable vessels (veins or arteries) have to be harvested and attached to the heart to bypass the clogged coronaries, and in the other, a valve is actually cut out and a mechanical or tissue valve sewn in its place. Perhaps in this program if they had gone into more detail about the differences between the surgeries, the viewers would have been better served (and the feeling that CAD and valve surgery were 'lumped' together wouldn't have arisen).

Thanks for reading through this LONG reply.

 

[drivetopless]

Lumping

Lumping

I think they lumped it because they could cover 2 topics in 1 hour and have 5 famous people who recently went through the surgery. They didn't mention Arnold S. or John Ritter, though Tim Russert make the show. If they had tried to cover everything, the message might not been as strong.

Key points I wish they would have touched on:
1. congenital valve issues vs aging valve issues.
2. Aneursyms
3. mechanical valves - which there was someone on there who was younger and got a mechanical valve.

I do think they did a pretty good job of conveying the emotional aspect of the OHS.

I think Barbara falls in the category of one of the folks who doesn't need too much information, which is surprising since she is a reporter. I also think she may be someone who had some pump head without realizing it, since she seemed to be totally unaware of her 10 days post surgery. I remember everything in great detail.

 

[Jkm7]

sorry duplicate

 

[Jkm7]

I think they lumped it because they could cover 2 topics in 1 hour and have 5 famous people who recently went through the surgery. They didn't mention Arnold S. or John Ritter, though Tim Russert make the show. If they had tried to cover everything, the message might not been as strong.

Key points I wish they would have touched on:
1. congenital valve issues vs aging valve issues.
2. Aneursyms
3. mechanical valves - which there was someone on there who was younger and got a mechanical valve.

I do think they did a pretty good job of conveying the emotional aspect of the OHS.

I think Barbara falls in the category of one of the folks who doesn't need too much information, which is surprising since she is a reporter. I also think she may be someone who had some pump head without realizing it, since she seemed to be totally unaware of her 10 days post surgery. I remember everything in great detail.

I would have liked if Larry King had been included (maybe he was asked and perhaps declined?) His heart foundation could have been mentioned . That might have been valuable information for folks to think of as an avenue to puruse in an attempt for financial assistance.

 

[normofthenorth]

OttawaGal and I can't use the abc link to see the show, having missed it the first time. (I was on a plane!) We get the following charming message: "You appear to be outside the United States or its territories. Due to international rights agreements, we only offer this video to viewers located within the United States and its territories."

Some web proxies used to work to "trick" some sites into thinking we were inside the US, but I think most of the sites have smartened up too much now. . .

 

[normofthenorth]

I've managed to watch it online, after searching on Google. I started at http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/matter-life-death-12846566 . I don't know why Luana's link didn't work here in Toronto (Canada) and this one did, but it did (at least once!). The show appears online in multiple segments, with short videos of commercials in-between.

It's a good show. I think some of the frustration with it here stems from a misconception that we'll only get one chance to "get the news out", and if this show is incomplete or misleading, it will set things back for years to come. In my experience with the media, it works exactly the opposite way: ANY publicity for an issue, including open-heart surgery, makes it more likely that there will be MORE coverage, by other networks, print media, etc., etc. For an issue that is as under-reported and ignored and misunderstood as VR, there (still) is no such thing as bad coverage. (And this show wasn't bad at all.)

 

[Greg a]

I have it on my pvr Norm so pop by Kitchener for a brown pop anytime

I thought the pain management was handled well

 

[jazzman]

Hi all,

I think that the high-profile folks they had on the program should help to raise awareness of open heart surgery.
And as an above poster noted, additional awareness and knowledge is good and will lead to more information.
Barbara seemed to be very unaware, 8-9 months post-op, of what was done to her and her post-op conditions, until she was told about it.
Perhaps a lot of this was 'acting', just to make a good story in a 1 hour time slot.
I also wish they covered aneurysms, and had John Ritter's widow on, or discussed the Holbrooke story of a month or two ago....
Thanks for listening !

Jazzman

 

[Superman]

My wife watched it. I didn't. Still haven't. I've got mixed feelings on a show like that. Everyone's experience with open heart is completely different. I've had two - both at young ages (17 and 36). Mechanical heart valve both times.
I think it's great that they are giving it some exposure, but the special just wasn't for me at this time. I might watch it later if the mood strikes.

I concur with the attitude about valve vs. CAD. I didn't do anything to get this and no lifestyle choices would have had an impact on the outcome. That being said - I've learned a lot in the last few years about heredity and genetics. I've learned that it really isn't that much different for many CAD patients. They can make all the lifestyle choices they want, including regular exercize, attention to diet, keeping blood pressure down - and they're still going to end up in the same place. Some might put it off a few years, some will get away with stents vs. bypass - but nothing they do will completely prevent the eventual outcome.

Actually learned that from a few people. My father in law for one. He's one that exersized an hour a day, he's not overweight, not sedentary at all - and still needed stents. There was another guy I work with that runs and bikes regularly. Used to bike into work and was participating in a new years day four mile run when he had a massive heart attack and required emergency bypass. Blocked arteries. The guy couldn't have been more fit. Final bit of anecdotal evidence. A girl I knew in high school that was typical high school build. Thin and petite but had cholesteral in the high 300's. Just ran in the family.

No question obesity is at epidemic levels in the U.S. and a lot of heart issues could be prevented by lifestyle choices. But certainly not all.