What testing is done prior to surgery @ CC

[Hot Rod Harry]

I know that I have an echo scheduled for the 8th, and they want to a cath. what other testing is done in the 3 days of testing at the Cleveland Clinic?

I'm scheduling more appointments tomorrow, but would like to know what all is going to be done.

Will I be able to drive back home from Cleveland to Michigan, or should I bring someone with me? I may end up flying in for the testing portion.

Are there decent hotels to stay at in the Cleveland?

 

[Ross]

Your going to be given a schedule, much like high school class scheduling and your going to have every test known to man done. Count on it. One thing I learned, if its close to lunch time, get something to eat before you go to your next scheduled appointment. If you don't, you might starve all day long. Your not going to be able to drive, so yes, you need to have someone drive you home or fly. There are a few hotels around CCF, but they are very expensive. The least expensive is the guest house across the street from the Clinic. Check on that.

Guest house rates; http://my.clevelandclinic.org/Documents/Patients/2009_CCF_guest_house_rates.pdf

Other options in the area: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/patients/accommodations/lodging.aspx

You may want to take advantage of the Concierge service, but it's probably too late to do much with it:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/patients/hospitalstay/concierge.aspx

 

[Hot Rod Harry]

Thanks Ross.

 

[Ross]

You'll find that the appointment times on that schedule are worthless for the most part. Seldom do any of them occur at the time you've been given, which is exactly why I say if it's close to lunch time, go eat, then go to the next appointment. You might have something scheduled for 11:30 am, get there, and wait until near 1pm before it ever happens. Hope you catch my drift here.

The place is huge and they will have you running all over the facility from early am to near 6pm everyday. You will be tired!

 

[Hot Rod Harry]

I'm kinda a light eater, but I know what you mean, alot of hurry up & wait. I'll take that advice & eat when I can. I plan to take an ipod or something to entertain me while I wait.

They called and went over the schedule. I'm exhausted just figuring out hotel & travel plans. It looks like it will be easier to drive than fly. I'm only about 3 hrs away.

 

[Lynlw]

I think wether you can drive or not depends which day you are having the cath

 

[SMS]

Harry, I got your PM. I will be finding out first-hand what tests will be done starting Wed.

 

[ctyguy]

For my AVR at C.C. I think my tests were all the routine stuff. Bloodwork, pressure measurements, chest x-ray, and Heart Cath. I didn't have anything else being done other than the AVR so I don't know what other tests might apply to your case. My tests all happened in the 3 days leading up to surgery. Actually I had tests on Tuesday and Wednesday and then nothing on Thursday, surgery Friday AM. That first day was a long one as I was there at 7am until about 4pm. The second day was 9am till about 5pm but 4 hours of that was recovery from the heart cath. I was ready to get up after an hour but they keep the pressure bandage on you for 4 hours, no exceptions.

They do have a good food in the cafeterias and there is a subway station as well. Its ironic because the cafeteria food was NOT heart healthy for the most part, but it was tasty ! However they more than made up for it after the surgery. Thankfully I wasn't very hungery for the first few days after the surgery. I was kept 7 days because my INR wasn't in range, otherwise I would have been released at 5 days. On the way home (2 1/2 hr drive) my only request was two of those small cheeseburgers from McDonalds. OMG were they good !

As far as hotels go, we stayed in downtown Cleveland, the Windam Hotel. It was about $80 per night for myself and the wife. And they had a free shuttle running every 30 minutes to and from C.C. We parked the car in a garage and didn't take it out until it was time to go home. The hotels right next to C.C. I think are a bit more expensive. The nice thing about the Windam was not only was it a top shelf hotel, it was right next to the Theater district. My wife and I went and saw "Wicked" on the Wednesday evening. Certainly a nice distraction, tickets were about $70 a peice. A bit pricey but certainly worth it.

 

[nancym]

I had AVR and aortic root replacement done by Dr Pettersson @ CC in November, 2008. I live in Pittsburgh, which is 2 1/2 hours away, and I chose to spread my pre-testing out to a few one day visits so that my husband didn't have to take as much time off work all at once. He stayed at the Intercontinental Suites, which was fairly pricey, but it was within walking distance so he could come and go easily, and there was also room when my adult kids or my brother came to visit. I was in the hospital for 10 days (7 in the ICU). We drove home the day after I was discharged. You're not allowed to sit in the front seat of the car (in case the air bag would deploy), so you obviously will need someone else to drive if you don't fly.

The food court at the hospital has a million choices, some better than others, but nothing tasted very good to me.

I had all kinds of bloodwork, EKG, chest Xray,cardiac MRI, carotid dopplers, echo and cath. I also had pulmonary functions done at home. And then you meet with the anesthesiologist and your surgeon the day before.

As everyone has said, the testing is not done when it is supposed to be ( I had a 4 hour wait for my cath, which was terrible), but I also was taken early in a few instances, so don't hesitate to report to the desk even if you're ready way before your time.

Who is your surgeon? When is your surgery scheduled? Good luck with everything.

 

[Hot Rod Harry]

Harry, I got your PM. I will be finding out first-hand what tests will be done starting Wed.

Good luck to you. Feel free to call anytime, if I'm sleeping, I shut the ringer off.

My cath is scheduled on the second day, Tue. So, I should be fine to drive by Thurs. I'm thinking that I'll drive there, and stay someplace that has a shuttle.

Dr Pettersson is my surgeon, and I'm scheduled for June 15th.

I wish I knew about this site before my first OHS, I was way more stressed last time, although I'm sure a bit will creep in as I get closer to the date.. It's always good to have all the info you can get, ahead of time.

 

[Braveheart]

My AVR is tentatively scheduled for July 1st. I say tentatively, because I pushed for the surgical consult, while my local cardio was still in the "wait and watch" mode.

Anyhow, I recently had a heart cath done locally. CC has me set for a chest X Ray, ECG, echo, and blood work on the 29th of June. I am going to see a cardio, and my surgeon (Dr. Sabik) on the 29th.

We are staying at the Intercontinental, right on the grounds of CC. It IS pricey, but my husband is not in the best of health, and I want things to be as stress free as possible for him, under the circumstances.

 

[towerman]

I'm here right now getting my tests done in anticipation of the surgery on Friday.
It went like this.

7:15 Cardiology Registration
7:30 Laboratory Medicine (blood work)
7:45 Chest X-ray
8:10 Electrocardiogram
9:00AM CAT Scan
9:45 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Blow in the tube test)
10:00 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Blow in the tube test 2)
10:30 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Another Blood Test to check gas levels in the blood)
11:30 AM Cardiology - Meet with a Clinician (Just going over the information)
12:15 PM Cardiology - Meet with a cardiolgist
3:30 PM Cardiology - normal echocardigram
5:00 PM Cardiology - holter heart monitor (to wear until tomorrow)

6/03/09

8:00AM Vascular Medicine ( Check the neck arteries)
9:30AM Pre-op clearance Meet the surgeical team.
1:00PM The Big one meet with the surgeon

Remember I had the heart cath last week.

Regards and good luck

Bill K.

 

[Ross]

I'm here right now getting my tests done in anticipation of the surgery on Friday.
It went like this.

7:15 Cardiology Registration
7:30 Laboratory Medicine (blood work)
7:45 Chest X-ray
8:10 Electrocardiogram
9:00AM CAT Scan
9:45 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Blow in the tube test)
10:00 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Blow in the tube test 2)
10:30 AM Pulmonary Medicine (Another Blood Test to check gas levels in the blood)
11:30 AM Cardiology - Meet with a Clinician (Just going over the information)
12:15 PM Cardiology - Meet with a cardiolgist
3:30 PM Cardiology - normal echocardigram
5:00 PM Cardiology - holter heart monitor (to wear until tomorrow)

6/03/09

8:00AM Vascular Medicine ( Check the neck arteries)
9:30AM Pre-op clearance Meet the surgeical team.
1:00PM The Big one meet with the surgeon

Remember I had the heart cath last week.

Regards and good luck

Bill K.

Did you get to eat anywhere in there today?

 

[towerman]

Yes, we had a lot of down time between the cardiologist and the echo. Went to the food court, what zoo.

Also, I finishished up the schedule this morning. The neck check was another sonagram.

Met with the doc. It is what it was suppose to be, a valve replacement, maybe a some work on the arota. Suppose to use the small cut insicion and a key approach. This was really good news. Just hope it works out that way. Report to CC 5:15AM Friday.

Regards to all

Bill K.

 

[Hot Rod Harry]

Good luck to you Bill.