K
Kenny F
We met my surgeon tonight - he walked in in scrubs and I asked if he had come prepared for me and he answered "When was the last time you ate?"
Sense of humor goes a long way.
The questions I gathered here were answered mostly without me asking, another good sign. He's been at this 20 years, does more AV than anybody locally, VERY comfortable with the procedure and with explaining it with sketches and the wall charts. My wife says she wanted surgery from him and there isn't anything wrong with her!
We discussed at length mechanical/bio. I was definitely leaning mech, but I feel far more comfortable with a tissue valve. He says it is my choice, but he would use a tissue over mech for several reasons 1)coumadin (he's actually had patients who are allergic to it, and the lifestyle issues) 2) he can make a tissue fit better 3) he has seen MANY mech replacements (how depressing that would be!) All in all, it was obvious to us both that he was very comfortable with the tissue valve. He typically uses the bovine valve, but said there is a good chance with my calcified bicuspid he could have to replace the aorta possibly up to the branches, in which case he would rather use a homograft. He did one today on a 48yo male.
So when to do it? He agreed sooner than later, so we suggested Dec. 15 (wife is off school 3 weeks). Turns out he is having both knees replaced in 2 weeks!!! SO - I can go next Mon/Tue (!!!) or wait until late January. He says the worst part is the pre-op fears. Do I want to wait 2-3 months (which, btw, he feels is about as long as I should consider) or just be done and recovered by the end of the year?
Pretty bizarre - 2 weeks ago I thought 5-10 years, then less than 2, than 3 months, then December - now next week! I need to decide by tomorrow to get scheduled.
I certainly felt prepared to meet him, but I will say even if I wasn't, he was. I can't imagine anybody else doing this for me. He even addressed the minimally invasive surgery (it isn't done locally) and said that for AV it isn't the best choice (more time on bypass, more complications, and the pain from the rib slice is sometimes permanent!)
Thanks for all your input - this thing is careening towards a conclusion. Let me hear your thoughts and questions!
Sense of humor goes a long way.The questions I gathered here were answered mostly without me asking, another good sign. He's been at this 20 years, does more AV than anybody locally, VERY comfortable with the procedure and with explaining it with sketches and the wall charts. My wife says she wanted surgery from him and there isn't anything wrong with her!
We discussed at length mechanical/bio. I was definitely leaning mech, but I feel far more comfortable with a tissue valve. He says it is my choice, but he would use a tissue over mech for several reasons 1)coumadin (he's actually had patients who are allergic to it, and the lifestyle issues) 2) he can make a tissue fit better 3) he has seen MANY mech replacements (how depressing that would be!) All in all, it was obvious to us both that he was very comfortable with the tissue valve. He typically uses the bovine valve, but said there is a good chance with my calcified bicuspid he could have to replace the aorta possibly up to the branches, in which case he would rather use a homograft. He did one today on a 48yo male.
So when to do it? He agreed sooner than later, so we suggested Dec. 15 (wife is off school 3 weeks). Turns out he is having both knees replaced in 2 weeks!!! SO - I can go next Mon/Tue (!!!) or wait until late January. He says the worst part is the pre-op fears. Do I want to wait 2-3 months (which, btw, he feels is about as long as I should consider) or just be done and recovered by the end of the year?
Pretty bizarre - 2 weeks ago I thought 5-10 years, then less than 2, than 3 months, then December - now next week! I need to decide by tomorrow to get scheduled.
I certainly felt prepared to meet him, but I will say even if I wasn't, he was. I can't imagine anybody else doing this for me. He even addressed the minimally invasive surgery (it isn't done locally) and said that for AV it isn't the best choice (more time on bypass, more complications, and the pain from the rib slice is sometimes permanent!)
Thanks for all your input - this thing is careening towards a conclusion. Let me hear your thoughts and questions!
