One week before AVR and my surgeon is MIA

[Pielover]

They don't pick up the phone (it either rings forever, or an answering machine says "Thanks for calling- our office hours are from 8:30-4:30 Monday through Friday - please call back during office hours," (which, of course, I am already doing)), and they haven't answered the follow-up questions I posed two weeks ago, nor have I received a lick of pre-op instruction. Surgery is scheduled for 8AM on July 31 (and it took me so many phone calls to confirm this that I swear I have carpal tunnel from dialing).

To a certain extent I'm venting - I interviewed other highly-regarded surgeons and chose this one because of his experience, track-record, hospital, and years of success performing AVR by minimal access (which I prefer due to certainty of an eventual reop (I'm going with a tissue valve)). This is a very highly regarded and experienced surgeon - my best guess (and guesses are all I have at this point) is that he is one of those guys who thinks that he's the expert, and the patient's job is simply to show up and follow directions. On the other hand, I haven't been given any directions at all yet. I also have no reason to believe that he has been provided with any info regarding my case (pretty straightforward, I'll admit - 42YO Bicuspid AV with AS and AI - my cardiologist and two surgeons agree that now is the time to act).

He may have done many hundreds of these, but I am only going to get one (well, okay, maybe another after a while, but that's not the point), and I want this guy to how up the morning of my surgery thinking "today, I am going to do my best work." My wife has one husband, my kids have one dad - I guess I want a surgeon who takes this as seriously as I do.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Call the hospital. Ask for the nurses on the cardiac floor. Explain the situation and ask if he might possibly be on vacation. Perhaps he is and his office staff is not as good as they should be.

Surgeons are not always the most congenial fellows. They deal with people who are asleep most of the time. In my experience in healthcare, I have found that Cardiac Surgeons and Orthopedic Surgeons especially are generally not great at the personal side of things. I don't think it's a character flaw. I just think that they are often preoccupied with what they do.

 

[Pielover]

Well, I did meet with him for an in-depth consult prior to selecting him. At that meeting I asked him what the appropriate protocol would be for follow-up questions. "Call my assistant," he said. Easier said than done.

Most of what I do know I learned by walking in to his office when I happened to be in the neighborhood - for example, I do know that he has not been on vacation for the last three weeks. He is indoubtedly busy - but three weeks seems like an awful long time to not be able to find five minutes to return a call.

Interesting that some people don't meet their surgeon until the day of - I am lucky enough to be able to schedule my surgery (within reasonable limits). Anyone else not meet your surgeon prior to surgery? Am I just being a big whiner?

 

[Lynlw]

I don't think you are being unreasonablle expecting SOMEONE to answer the phone and at least take a message. I agree with Lisa's suggestion about calling the hospital, also just wanted to add, we usually get all the paperwork 5-7 days before Justin's surgeries, (usually after I've worried and complained about not getting anything for a couple days )

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Sadly, SOME Surgeons seem to have the attitude that communicating with Patients is 'beneath them' or 'a waste of their precious time'.

Did your cardiologist refer you to him?
If so, perhaps your Cardio can tell you where he is or what is going on. Shutting down his office while away does seem a bit 'odd'.

Sometimes we don't get all the information we would like and have to go with our 'gut reactions'.

Good Luck getting some answers.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[WayneGM]

Sorry to hear you are going through this hassle so close to your OHS day. I can only echo what's been said....call the hospital to see what the story is. Best wishes and good luck.

 

[MikeHeim]

I am a little surprised that you are having problems with the people in the office and I understand your frustration, but I wouldn't be surprised that you are having trouble getting direct contact with the surgeon. High-volume surgeons (of which is sounds like you have one) often do more than one surgery per day. (I was told by the nurses in the ICU that my surgeon had done up to four valve surgeries in one day.) It's not realistic to expect them to have a lot of one-on-one contact with the patients. I think that's a tradeoff when you choose a surgeon that has done a huge number of procedures. Some on this site have chosen surgeons that don't do as many procedures, but seem to offer a lot more of the one-on-one contact. It's all in your personal preference.

 

[kfay]

I would contact your cardiologist and see if he can intervene for you. I think most of us have a much closer relationship with our cardiologists than our surgeons. Hopefully, he will be able to help you with some of your concerns and maybe someone from your surgeon's office will be more responsive to another Dr.
I'm sorry that you are having this issue at this time. It is stressful enough waiting to have surgery without having things like this going on. If push comes to shove and your surgeon is in your same city, I might just show up there and ask to see his nurse or assistant.

Good luck.

Kim

 

[Nancy]

I agree with others, call the hospital where you are having your surgery done and the head nurse on the floor and tell her what is happening. Also call your cardiologist AND your Internal Med. doctor and tell then about Dr. so and so.

If he did in fact go on vacation w/o anyone else covering for him, that is very unsual.

His peers need to know about this.

It could also be a glitch in the phone system or a glitch in his staff.

One time, a specialist doctor went on vacation w/o anyone covering for him, and Joe had an emergency relating to some work this doctor did. We called the Internist who was shocked that there was no one covering for this guy. I had to call all over and beg another doctor to see Joe so the problem could be taken care of.

It wasn't long before this specialist up and quit his practice and went somewhere else.

 

[Jkm7]

This is a stress you don't need but what you do need is instructions as to pre-op testing. Aren't you supposed to have a cath? Blood work, chest x-ray, ekg, instructions re: antibacterial shower and as to what time to report/where?

I think the idea to call the nurses on cardiac surgical floor is excellent.
So sorry you have to deal with added stress but undoubtedly, in the end, all will go fine.

Good luck and let us know how you manage it/

 

[Phyllis]

You've gotten all good advice and I hope you get in touch with him soon. In the meantime, what is your exact date of surgery so we can put you on the calendar? We want to make if official!

 

[hall]

That is weird that a surgeon would not have a receptionist. You would think that would be a must. I agree call the hospital and your other doctors. Good luck to you!

Deb

 

[SHEEPDOG]

This SUX

This SUX

I just don't understand how NO ONE can answer a phone. Is this a One Man office or a group of surgeons? My doc has his own PA that returns calls, makes rounds for him, does ALL the leg work. He too does several surgeries a day and is VERY good at it. Is the office too far away to drive down to the office and talk to someone face to face? That may have to be done even if it isn't too convenient. PRE-OP is hard enough to deal with. The "tests" and "x-rays" may be done at the hospital a day or two before. they still need to be ordered though.
Good Luck!

 

[DebbyA]

As well as instructions, you need to know that someone will respond if you have a concern AFTER surgery. The situation you describe really worries me. How your question will be handled would be another thing to find out when you contact the hospital. Patients are released so soon these days, we need 24/7 support for questions. As you say, this is your one time--so how are you supposed to be an expert at what's going on with your body after this important surgery?

Very best wishes,

Debby

 

[Mary]

Give me the name and phone number, and I will try calling him--seriously!
You've got enough going on that you don't need the aggravation, and I've got time to call and ask what in the heck is going on without mentioning you by name (maybe by your alias . . . pielover!)

There's only one condition; we talk pie when this is over!

Well, I did meet with him for an in-depth consult prior to selecting him. At that meeting I asked him what the appropriate protocol would be for follow-up questions. "Call my assistant," he said. Easier said than done.

Most of what I do know I learned by walking in to his office when I happened to be in the neighborhood - for example, I do know that he has not been on vacation for the last three weeks. He is indoubtedly busy - but three weeks seems like an awful long time to not be able to find five minutes to return a call.

Interesting that some people don't meet their surgeon until the day of - I am lucky enough to be able to schedule my surgery (within reasonable limits). Anyone else not meet your surgeon prior to surgery? Am I just being a big whiner?

 

[Pielover]

All - thanks for the excellent advice and consultation. I called my Cardiologist's nurse (by luck, they are in the same building) and sent her down the hall to get some answers. I have done this before, but this time she had the surgeon's nurse on the phone within minutes. Blood work/x-ray/EKG tomorrow. Cath next Wednesday 9AM. Check in next Thursday 6AM for surgery at 8 (well, scheduled at 8, anyway). I kept her on the phone until she answered every pre-op logistics question I could think of, and am now confident that, even if I don't talk to them again until I go in, everything is under control. As for post-op follow-up, well, my cardiologist's nurse may have to hike down the hall again. But that's okay with me.

And FYI, I was tagged with the "Pielover" moniker by some friends that I ride RAGBRAI with every year (well, not this year - it's going on right now). For those who may not know, it's 10-15,000 crazy people riding all the way acrosss Iowa on bikes over the course of a week. In every small town you go through you can get all kinds of pie, most often lovingly baked by nice Iowa church-ladies. Since we're riding 70-80 miles a day, I tend to eat three or four pieces of pie a day (although my friends keep telling me that I did eat seven pieces one day, but I don't keep track of such things). I think my wife has three pies in the freezer so far for my recovery (and just to put your minds at ease, I happen to be a zero calcium score and great cholesteral numbers as well - I can't really take credit - must be a genetic thing).

Without this site I would not have had any idea what to ask, or any comfort that, even after I spoke to my surgeon's office, I knew everything I needed to know. Thanks again - I'll have someone let you know when I'm on the other side.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Glad to hear you were able to get through. Luckily, most of the follow-up is with your Cardiologist. I don't think I saw my surgeon after I was discharged until 7 years later when I went to have my wires removed.

 

[Bina]

Good work, get all of that testing out of the way.

 

[Phyllis]

All - thanks for the excellent advice and consultation. I called my Cardiologist's nurse (by luck, they are in the same building) and sent her down the hall to get some answers. I have done this before, but this time she had the surgeon's nurse on the phone within minutes. Blood work/x-ray/EKG tomorrow. Cath next Wednesday 9AM. Check in next Thursday 6AM for surgery at 8 (well, scheduled at 8, anyway). I kept her on the phone until she answered every pre-op logistics question I could think of, and am now confident that, even if I don't talk to them again until I go in, everything is under control. As for post-op follow-up, well, my cardiologist's nurse may have to hike down the hall again. But that's okay with me.

And FYI, I was tagged with the "Pielover" moniker by some friends that I ride RAGBRAI with every year (well, not this year - it's going on right now). For those who may not know, it's 10-15,000 crazy people riding all the way acrosss Iowa on bikes over the course of a week. In every small town you go through you can get all kinds of pie, most often lovingly baked by nice Iowa church-ladies. Since we're riding 70-80 miles a day, I tend to eat three or four pieces of pie a day (although my friends keep telling me that I did eat seven pieces one day, but I don't keep track of such things). I think my wife has three pies in the freezer so far for my recovery (and just to put your minds at ease, I happen to be a zero calcium score and great cholesteral numbers as well - I can't really take credit - must be a genetic thing).

Without this site I would not have had any idea what to ask, or any comfort that, even after I spoke to my surgeon's office, I knew everything I needed to know. Thanks again - I'll have someone let you know when I'm on the other side.

I put you on the calendar for Thursday and you will be in our thoughts and prayers all this week.

 

[geebee]

We can only hope that your surgeon was so busy with performing perfect surgeries that he (or his staff) couldn't get to you. However, as long as he shows up for your surgery, I guess that is all that matters.

I am sure things will be fine and you will be eating that pie very soon. Save a slice for us.