I thought I'd add a few comments before I move on to other things (and other parts of the forum). The first is that not enough people's doctors know about this forum and its resources. I know Dr. Ryan does, but he ended up not doing my surgery (lucky guy got an Easter vacation), and the guy who did hadn't heard of the VRF. Nor had anybody else I talked to. But I will mention the site in my letter to the Baylor administrator and hope that they start including mention of it in information on patient resources.
On the hospital itself: This is, as I've undoubtedly said before, the way things should be done. Baylor Heart is adjacent to a small regional satellite of the main Baylor hospital in Dallas. It has 28 beds on 3 floors, with floor-ceiling windows across one end of the room. The views aren't fabulous (I'll be posting photos on my
Owl's Farm blog later today), but patients can see out without others' being able to see in. There's a recliner that makes into a bed, and a sofa that does the same thing, so a family member (or even two) can stay with you throughout. I sent everybody home to take care of animals at night, but I noticed that several wives/husbands/SOs/adult children stayed in-room. Every room is private, and set up to be converted immediately into an ICU. There's a wide-flatscreen television in each room, with access not only to entertainment but to educational materials. I seldom had it on (it's hard to concentrate when you're having vitals checked frequently during the first couple of days post-op), but it did allow me to watch the Masters--something I did appreciate. There's also visitors' hospital-wide wifi. It times out too quickly (I lost a couple of posts to the forum that I didn't have the wits to save or the energy to reconstitute), but it works. My husband and daughter brought their own modems when they had to work from my room, and there were plenty of available plugs and spaces to work.
Unlike with my previous experiences, the food situation was amazing. I ordered from "room service" whatever I wanted from the menu, when
I wanted it. First night: sweet and sour grilled chicken on jasmine rice. So good, I'd actually pay money in a restaurant for it. Although post-op my appetite plummeted into virtual non-existence, I tried to eat a smaller amount of the sweet & sour chicken, and later a yummy looking (and tasting) individual veggie pizza, and even a sirloin burger with grilled onions and mozzarella on a whole wheat bun (could have had 'shrooms with that), but could only handle a couple of bites. I'm going to suggest that they make smaller portions available so as not to intimidate folk, but that's not really a complaint. I stuck with raisin bran and fruit in the morning after some really bland and mucusy oatmeal turned out to be a bad idea. Helped my innards get going faster, anyway. The upshot is: there is no reason why hospitals can't serve tasty, heart-healthy food and save money at the same time.
The overall experience was really positive. Except for a potential knock-down/drag-out during extubation (when I wanted to punch somebody), everything went splendidly. The anaesthiologist let my family know immediately that there was a small possibility that I'd had a stroke, but I was awake very shortly thereafter, and fears put to rest immediately. The care staff came from everywhere on the planet, practically, and I made a game of being able to tell where from their names (batted 1000 on that, but I've lived in a lot of places). I have never encountered a more focused, dedicated group of people, and their loyalty to their hospital is fostered by flexible schedules that allow young mothers to work part-time, and for everyone to come on duty rested and ready to go. The doctors are all cracker-jack top-notch physicians with different skills and personalities (and one of them was drop-dead gorgeous). I was treated like an intelligent person rather than a dotty old bat or a child. When had a choice, I was always offered it; when I didn't, reasons were thoroughly explained.
My understanding is that this hospital costs no more to run than any standard hospital performing similar functions. I'm going to be pursuing the topic of health care on my blog, so I've already started doing research on how this works. My sense is that bureaucracies and pofit-orientation are the main obstacles to universalizing this approach. Another notable aspect is that the physicians and nurses had a say in the physical design of the building--and that this is seldom otherwise a primary consideration.
That's probably way more than enough information, but I wanted to put it on record in case any newbies come in from the area with any kind of choice as to where their surgery gets done. I've been spoiled rotten, and I know it.
Now I'm on to other things, but I'll keep up with the forum throughout recovery and rehab and be in and out after that. The combination of input from members of the forum and the quality of my hospital stay have made this one of the most positive experiences of my life. For that you guys have my perpetual gratitude.
