Jack's Posts

Since I joined this group in Feb I have still not found a surgeon, can you believe that. I need to know if Anyone knows anything about Dr James Hemp. He uses the DaVinci Robot and works out of California. I have spoken with Surgeons in my town of Boise Idaho and they all say one thing, you need a Valve Replacement, so I send my TEE to a Surgeon in Utah that has more experiance than anyone in HickTown Boise where I live and he says, Well according to what I am seeing here we have about a 96% chance we can repair it, we repair valves like yours all the time, and this surgeon was actually nice enough to call me back. But I am still drawing to the robot, I like the fact that only stainless steel will be going into my body and far less chance of Staph infections because my chest is not filleted open like a fish with sponges and hands and poor quality air blowing into my body only stainless steel and CO2...so, Today I spoke with Dr James Hemps nurse, very rude, she is soooo far behind the times technology scares her I can tell. I simply asked her if she recieved the TEE I sent and wanted to know if I could set something up for a phone consultation and she said "We do not do that here" I said "well Intermountian Medical does that why don't you?" She said you have to come in and see the doctor! I am thinking there is something wrong with a hospital that cannot keep up with the 21st century, nobody wastes time flying around looking for a surgeon, we have faxes, emails, phones, video conferencing now, there is simply no need to waste money and time flying down to see a surgeon simply to have him tell you "sorry, you are not a canditate for robotic surgery, goodbye" meanwhile I have taken time off work, turned my family life upside down with kids in school and my girlfriends schedules. What a waste of time that would be, so I send the TEE and if the Surgeon looks at it and thinks its a go, then I set up a time to fly down and meet, makes perfect since to me. Anyway, I need to know if anybody knows anything about Dr James Hemp. I really need to find a surgeon because I do not want to let my heart go and be forced to get a replacement instead of a repair. Love you All Jack