Met surgeon on Feb.21st

[bear]

Met the surgeon on the 21st of Feb. Very likeable and appeared to be quite knowledgeable in his field. Couldn't tell me exactly how many AVR's he has done but somewhere between 4-500, however not in one year. He told me not to go past 6 weeks for surgery, recommended a CT on the aorta to rule out bulging or thin walls and stated that I needed to have any dental work done prior to surgery. I told him that I knew of 2 small cavities that were going to be fixed on Mar. 3rd only to find out today that there is actually 5 and 3 are in the wisdom teeth and the dentist is recommending that they be pulled. Also my boss would like a letter from the surgeon stating the urgency of the surgery and asked if I could put it off until into May as I have a contract to fulfill with the school system. Am going to contact the Dr. on the 24th to get his input and go off his recommendations. Tentatively I had planned to do the surgery on the 8th of March and go from there. Now however I am at a standstill until further notice. This Dr. seems to be quite competant and has a very good track record among his peers. Any suggestions on this dilemma would be grateful. Will keep you posted.

 

[geebee]

You should definitely go with the surgeon's recommendations. It sounds like you are very confident in his ability.
As far as the dental work goes, it certainly needs to be done before surgery. Any possible source of dental infections have to be eliminated.
I am sure you must feel some type of obligation now to your work but your health needs to take priority. If the surgeon feels the surgery cannot (or should not) be delayed, believe him and have it done. A few months can be too long depending on the severity of your condition.
I wish you well and please keep us posted.

 

[dawnwit15]

Hi there

Hi there

Amen to what Rachel said. I'm sorry to hear your boss is questioning the necessity of your upcoming surgery. It's unfortunate that alot of people do not understand how stressful and emotionally exhausting heart surgery can be. Unless your boss has undergone heart surgery he/she would have no idea as to the traumatic event your are facing. Maybe we should recommend that your boss attend sensitivity training. lol
The last thing you need to worry about is your job. Easier said than done, I realize but I think you will find it easier to say to He** with it after you come out of surgery. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Keep your head up.
Dawn

 

[Bryan B]

I agree with all the advice you have received bear. My surgeon said no elective invasive procedures for 6 months after surgery, so basically no dental work (that "may" cause bleeding) and no colonoscopies for 6 months. I had a bunch of work done on my teeth (that I had been putting off) before my surgery, and my dentist was very cooperative about scheduling appointments quickly to make sure I got everything completed beforehand. I would get as much of it done as possible before your surgery so you don't have to give it a second thought after surgery.

BTW, I had my first colonoscopy done in December. Funny...I used to be scared as heck to get it done and had been putting it off for 3 years...but after going through heart surgery I wasn't so scared. Turns out that the day before the colonoscopy is worse than the procedure itself...it was a piece of cake. Take care and I hope everything turns out well for you.

 

[tobagotwo]

You should have the dental work done, if at all possible. You must take prophylactic antibiotics to get extractions done, although it is not required for fillings. Antibiotics are not just for after the surgery: it's for anyone with valve disease, before and after the OHS.

Link regarding antibiotic guidelines: http://www.valvereplacement.com/forums/showthread.php?p=106283#post106283post106283

No, you can't put it off until May. This is not elective surgery, or something that can "hold" for a while, like a bad knee. Although you would probably not die before May, there is a great likelihood that you could suffer irreversible damage to your heart muscle from the delay. This is an entirely legitimate excuse for absence, contract notwithstanding (is it really your contract, or your boss's?).

Most states have laws regarding what employers are allowed to do while you're on short-term disability, so your job should be safe, as this should be well within most state guidelines. Your boss is also not allowed to harass you to get back to work earlier than the doctor says, or to ask you to work from home in any way during the disability. He could wind up liable for much more than your salary, if he does. Remind yourself (and him) that you did not choose to have a valve issue. This was not a willful act.

The surgeon should not only write a letter explaining the dire necessity of the surgery, but should also prespecify that the mandatory recovery time for successful valve surgery is 6-8 weeks, to be adjusted appropriately by him and the cardiologist. So there'll be no arguing about that later, either.

I wish you good fortune with the adventures that come next, and I hope your work situation remains amicable throughout.

Best wishes,

 

[Mary]

Bear,
Are you a teacher? If you are, I would get the letter from the surgeon. Otherwise, I know a teacher can be relieved of their job in my state due to prolonged medical absence. I imagine that's hard for others to believe, but in Missouri, it can be done.
A letter from the surgeon should remove that possibility.
If you are a teacher, I wouldn't give any thought to going back to work this semester. I'd try to work it where your six weeks leave ended the same time school did.

 

[Bryan B]

Mary's post just reminded me that FMLA laws should protect your job for up to 12 weeks. I got a form and had my doctor fill it out and send it back to my employer stating what my medical condition was and why I needed to be out. Unfortunately I had some complications that kept me out for 20 weeks total and my employer filled my position once my FMLA ran out. I would suggest that you ask your employer what you need to do to make sure you are covered for at least the 12 weeks that the FMLA law protects you for.