Saw surgeon today!

[Danny]

Well gang, i finally made it to see the surgeon again after 6 long stressful months. He was supposed to review the echo and CTA, but the CTA wasnt read yet, so he just got to see the echo. He said everything looked unchanged as far as the anurysm goes... Great news to me. Does anyone know how much different the CTA is from the echo? He said it shouldnt be different, so he was very satisfied with the results and said keep doing what your doing and come see him in another 6 months to continue monitoring. Tomorrow i go to see the Cardiologist, and he will have the CTA results then. Im sure the CTA is more accurate, but it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders when he told me it looked good. Thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers from everyone here. Other than the aortic root, he said everything is normal. No calcium build up, very minimal leakage, his words were that is was nothing that concerned him at all, leaflets looked good, and working properly. So ill post again tomorrow after the cardio check up. Thanks again to everyone.

 

[Superbob]

Sounds like good news to me, Danny! Settle down in the waiting room, there are a good many folks in it. We'll provide some old "Field and Stream" magazines or better yet some good conversation.

 

[Danny]

Thanks Bob.... I know i havent had surgery, but the every 6 month thing is hard to cope with. Dont get me wrong, im very thankful for the 6 month waits...and very lucky. Its the great people on this site that make it all the more easier to handle, and eventually will prepare me for my journey.

 

[Jkm7]

I agree the every six month thing is hard to cope with so is the every three month thing. But it was easier than the four week thing waiting for my second OHS. (I did the come every six months and then cardio moved it to every three months.) I don't mean to sound like a wise 'guy', just putting it into perspective. The wait no matter what is difficult.

So far, good news for you. Hope it continues this way for years.

 

[Danny]

Thanks JK, i hope your doing well with yours now.

 

[Freddie]

This is good news Danny.
There is one way to look at it:
you have just over 5 1/2 months to relax and sit in the waiting room

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[Danny]

Thanks Freddie, your right, i need to relax a little while. I think ill be able to just hearing this news from the surgeon today.

 

[Bina]

Danny, good stuff. We are doing our best to make the waiting room a little bit more relaxing and humorous.
Stay away from the stressful threads and stick around.

 

[Matski]

Danny, I've got three friends to introduce you to.

Meet, the three wise men.

In all seriousness, the anxiety can cause other issues which you dont need to deal with right now. Then there are the effects of sleeplessness, etc, etc. Call your primary care physician and explain to them your stress/anxiety levels. There are things that they can prescribe short or long term that can help. I've been through the ringer and I still ended up getting something to help even though I didnt use it very long.

Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[epstns]

Danny,
I, too, sit here in the waiting room. I've been doing the six-month review plan for almost 7 years now, and at first it was really difficult. I have learned that aside from the aforementioned meds to help with anxiety, there are also ways to help yourself to deal with it. I personally chose not to worry about it until the day of each cardio visit. I continue to live my life as closely as possible to the way "I've always done it." I continue to work, exercise, maintain hobbies and everything else. I just don't worry about things that I cannot affect. When something changes in my condition, either something I notice or something the cardio notices, then I might worry -- but until then as long as I don't feel any deterioration and the cardio doesn't see any on the echo's, I'm happy to be happy. Works for me. . .

You're welcome to stay in The Waiting Room as long as you want or can. I try to keep the place comfortable for everyone who stops in to visit.

 

[skeptic49]

I'm on the six month deal too. So I told myself..."take the summer off" and don't even think about it. I see my cardio in October.

Jim

 

[netmiff]

I was on an annual plan for about 10 years, and it didn't bother me, but I think I took the ostrich approach - stick my head in the sand (it's one of my favoured "coping" mechanisms! ). Cardio told me when "someday" had come to be "soon" and it was 2 years or so from that day until it was "now", so I had enough time to get my head out the sand and shake the sand out my eyes.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Danny,

What do you know about the Surgeon that you saw (presumably near your home in Houma, LA).

Have you asked him how many Surgeries of the Aorta he does per year? If not, DO SO.

What Hospital does he use? How many Valve / Aorta Surgeries do they perform per year?

You need to understand that Surgery of the Aorta is COMPLEX Surgery that is usually beyond the Scope of the average ByPass and occasional Valve Job type of Surgeon.

Did you ever contact anyone at St. Lukes / The Texas Heart Center which is ranked in the Top Ten of Heart Hospitals in the USA?

Where does your local Hospital rank?

IMO, Local Hospitals can be quite good at ByPass and First Time Valve Surgeries, but for re-do's and Complex Surgery, the level of Risk drops greatly at Major Heart Hospitals that perform those complex surgeries more frequently.

Bottom Line: The More They Do, the Better They Are.

Call St. Lukes / THI in Houston for a Second Opinion.

 

[njean]

Happy to hear the good news Danny! So now just go on with your life as usual & take it easy!