Here goes... everything

[nickm3]

Well the date has been set and have to admit that I am getting a little more anxious about this then I thought I would. Going in on the 23rd for a heart cath and then having the AVR surgery the next day. Since the surgery is a redo of a homograft I know it is a bit more involved and will require work with the aortic root and replacement of the ascending aorta. Dr. Bavaria at the Univ. of Penna. Hospital says it will be an all day operation.

One thing that has me second guessing myself a bit is that Dr. Bavaria indicated that he will be out of town the day after the operation. My thinking is that there are several very capable heart sugeons at HUP I should be ok if something goes wrong. Am I too intent with getting this thing over with by going ahead with the operation? If I play it safe I may literally have to wait for 6-8 weeks for a new surgery date. Opinions please!

Oh BTW if op goes as planned I will be receiving an on-x valve.

Nick

 

[WayneGM]

Congratulations on setting the date. Anxiety is normal as once the date is set, reality that you are actually going to have OHS creeps in.

My surgeon didn't tell me whether he'd be away the next day or not. I never even gave it a thought. However, I don't know about your hospital, but Toronto General has a large cardiac surgery staff so I don't think it would have alarmed me enough to postpone. The fact is, post-op, I rarely saw Dr. David anyway....just members of his team.

Best wishes and good luck.

 

[Mary]

Nick,
I just put you on the surgery calendar, and it looks like next week is shaping up to be very busy valve replacement/repair wise.
I wouldn't worry too much about your surgeon being gone. If anything happens where you would need to have him on hand, it would probably be within a few hours of your surgery completion.
I wouldn't change my surgery date because of it.
Try to relax, and I'll get a pre-surgery thread started for you.

 

[nickm3]

Thanks Wayne and Mary I'm feeling better already about my decision to go ahead with the surgery. All the things you mentioned went thru my head and seemed to make sense just thought my desire to get this over with was clouding the issue.

Nick

 

[Bina]

Don't worry, my surgeon also "flew the coop" a few days post op....I had his wonderful team of residents doing their best to keep everyone happy in his absence.

 

[Superbob]

Nick,

Depends on if your surgeon is part of a group with other excellent surgeons. Mine was. Bet yours is, too. Wouldn't worry about it.

All best to you... keep us posted.

 

[nickm3]

Nevermind

I just heard back from my Cardiologist (who seems to have taken a personal interest in me) and he strongly suggested a rescheduling of the surgery. He is a memeber of a valve replacement team at another hospital and thinks it would be a bad situation if another surgeon had to go in cold the next day. I trust him and playing it safe can't be a bad call if I can wait the extra 6 weeks. He even went as far as calling the surgeon for a new date, looks like 12/05 is going to be it.

So thanks everyone for your well wishes but we will have to put them on hold for a little while. I had a feeling that as soon as I posted the date on here to make it official something would happen, sorry for the false alarm.

Nick

 

[WayneGM]

If that's what the Cardio recommends, then that's what I'd go with. That said, it makes me wonder about the caliper of the cardiac team if he doesn't have faith somebody could step in on the off-chance something went wrong. What if your surgeon got hit by a car the day after your surgery?

In any event, it is best to do what is recommended. Enjoy the reprieve and do some fun stuff.

 

[MikeHeim]

I had my surgery on a Friday, and didn't even think about the fact that he wouldn't be around on the weekend. I saw him for a couple minutes in the foggy haze as I was waking up, and then never saw him again. Most big name surgeons can do two or more valve surgeries in a day (according to an ICU nurse), so they just don't have much time for anything besides consults and surgeries. That's what the rest of the department is for. I think you're making the right decision to just go ahead with the surgery.

 

[plexxer]

When I found out my surgery was on a Friday, I was a little edgy about that as well - professional abilities aside, I know how _I_ felt on Fridays when I was at work. So I was a bit relieved when they moved it up a day.

My surgeon specifically noted when I scheduled my surgery that he would be out at a conference on specific days and that he would want to be around for my hospital stay to follow up.

 

[donnamarie]

Well the date has been set and have to admit that I am getting a little more anxious about this then I thought I would. Going in on the 23rd for a heart cath and then having the AVR surgery the next day. Since the surgery is a redo of a homograft I know it is a bit more involved and will require work with the aortic root and replacement of the ascending aorta. Dr. Bavaria at the Univ. of Penna. Hospital says it will be an all day operation.

One thing that has me second guessing myself a bit is that Dr. Bavaria indicated that he will be out of town the day after the operation. My thinking is that there are several very capable heart sugeons at HUP I should be ok if something goes wrong. Am I too intent with getting this thing over with by going ahead with the operation? If I play it safe I may literally have to wait for 6-8 weeks for a new surgery date. Opinions please!

Oh BTW if op goes as planned I will be receiving an on-x valve.

Nick

Nick - I think you're in good hands at HUP. They have such a good reputation. I live in Chester County, PA and am having my AVR surgery at Lankenau on Monday. I wonder what "other" heart valve team your doctor is on, do you know?

 

[kman]

my surgeon is headed out on vacation shortly after my surgery, he convinced me that he works with a team and that they wont miss a beat.
funny that your worried about surgery on a friday, mine is at 7;00 am on a monday, I told my surgeon he better not come in with a hangover or still half in the bag from a weekend bender.
Kman

 

[nickm3]

Donnamarie asked: "Nick - I think you're in good hands at HUP. They have such a good reputation. I live in Chester County, PA and am having my AVR surgery at Lankenau on Monday. I wonder what "other" heart valve team your doctor is on, do you know?"

My Cardio is on the heart valve team at Abington Hospital with Dr. Paul Addonizio. Dr. A did my first AVR 9 years ago. My Cardiologist Dr. Muttreja is in the operating room for all valve replacement surgeries performed at Abington. So he is familar with what goes on during the procedure. He is Penn trained an acutually recommended I get a 2nd opinion by Dr. Bavaria, and had no problem that I decided to go to HUP for the operation said what ever I am most comfortable with is where I should go. He is a really good guy, I have his e-mail and can ask him questions whenever I want... and he answers quickly.

You won't get to read this until after your surgery but I hope everything went well for you and you have a speedy recovery.


Nick

 

[Marguerite53]

Nevermind

I just heard back from my Cardiologist (who seems to have taken a personal interest in me) and he strongly suggested a rescheduling of the surgery. He is a memeber of a valve replacement team at another hospital and thinks it would be a bad situation if another surgeon had to go in cold the next day. I trust him and playing it safe can't be a bad call if I can wait the extra 6 weeks. He even went as far as calling the surgeon for a new date, looks like 12/05 is going to be it.

So thanks everyone for your well wishes but we will have to put them on hold for a little while. I had a feeling that as soon as I posted the date on here to make it official something would happen, sorry for the false alarm.

Nick

Seems like your delay got overlooked by some of us here....from the looks of the last few posts. Anyway...they've got you on a rollercoaster!!! fun!!

It sounds like this is a re-do? What happened? Seems like that has been missed in responses too.

Well no wonder you were feeling anxious!! You know what it's all about!!! Who wants to sign up to go back in so soon?? No one!

So now you've been given a reprieve of sorts. Take it as a gift!! Try to find something very special to do for yourself in the meantime. And be sure to come back to us with a date.....and with any rising concerns and anxieties. We're happy to support you and keep you in our thoughts!

Marguerite

 

[nickm3]

Marguerite,

Yes it is a redo, the first was a Homograft because of endocarditis, the homogaft was thought to be the valve of choice when there is an infection present. Just didn't last as long a expected, been going downhill for the past year or two. And yes it seems to be a rollercoaster ride of sorts since August. Cardio and I decided we should go ahead with the redo after my vacation in July. Come August I begin experiencing brief syncope and near syncope, a heart monitor reveals class II heartblock so I go in for a pacemaker, then about 10 days ago I pass out again and take an ambulance ride to the hospital where they find one of the pacemaker leads has pulled out and I need a lead change. Turns out that not only did the lead pull back a bit but the insulation on the pacer end had pulled back as well. So a couple days in the hospital and I now get rescheduled for another 6 weeks out. Oh well what can you do.

BTW, I had the pleasure of visiting the NW corner of your state back in '05... what a beautiful area. We spent a few days at the Alpenrose facility and then did as much sightseeing as we could get in. I could get used to living in an area like that.

Nick

 

[Marguerite53]

Well, Nick. It does seem like you've earned some better luck! I think passing out would be quite scary. You have a wonderful attitude!! I'm sure they'll get it right this next time. With some of us, it just seems to take more work to get it fixed right. Endocarditis can just ravage things. Nasty business, those infections.

I'm glad you had a look at Oregon. My father was born and raised here, but moved east after the War and I was raised outside of Washington DC. We would come out for summers (Oregon's best kept secret), and in my second year of college back east, I thought, hey....I can just go to school in Oregon, can't I? So I moved out in 1974 and never looked back. I'm here for the beauty! There is so much of it... a feast for the eyes!

Stay well. Stay calm (ha!) and keep posting so we can all hang out with you while you wait.

Marguerite