Cherie's Guestbook

Cherie Duncan  Hello and thank you for allowing me to join.. i have lived with heart issues all my life but hearing im gonna have to face another heart surgery is frightening.  It ll be great to have others to talk to.. thank you

Klara Čičić  Hi Cherie and welcome to this wonderful community. You have our full support. I hope this site helps you during the big wait :)

Cherie Duncan  Thank you!! Its gonna be quite the wait but then i wonder if its gonna happen anyway, why do they make you wait until its so severe that its nearly an emergency?  Its not like i was when i was 15.. ( 1979 )

Klara Čičić  Establishing the timing of the surgery is so hard. Unfortunately there is no exact time. Each individual situation has different approach. Expert opinions differ. My surgery was in the "grey zone", different cardiologists disagreeing. In the end, the decision is yours based on the advice... 

Cherie Duncan  Well i had another appointment with my cardiologist about the lightheadedness, blotchy eye sight like i was gonna pass out and trying to catch my breath and he ordered a transesphigeal echo which was done on the 4th of august...my next visit is monday and hes already suggested a heart catherization to look at both of my valves and ive read its a test to confirm pulmonary hypertension as well...i read my report that my pcp posted on my portal from the dr and it mentioned the moderate pulmonary hypertension, both enlargement of the atriums and the right side of my heart......sooo.......hearing this makes me even more nervous now....in 1979, i had open heart surgery when i was 15yrs..Dr Jack Copeland of the uofa medical center did my surgery..it was congenital hole that we didnt know about til i was 14...now 45yrs later im facing it again but with more complications...would the cleveland clinic be my best shot for the surgery?  Which surgeon should i go to if i go to cleveland?
Thanks for listening!!!!

Cherie Duncan  Well here us the latest update..i know its been quite awhile since i have been on here but here it goes. Thanks to this wonderful community, Adam Pick, his book, his newsletter, and reviews of the cleveland clinic and the doctors there, i am scheduled to have my open heart surgery on april 4th with none other than Dr Gillinov...i am so excited to be blessed with the opportunity to go to the best of the best..although this will be round two for me with open heart, i have all the faith in the world in Dr Gillinov and the cleveland clinic thanks to all of you in the community and Adam for providing me such valuable information..

Mitral and tricuspid regurgitation and moderate pulmonary hypertension.