Cathryn's Journal

I wasn’t going to say anything until it was confirmed, but Mom (Judy) and I are supposed to head back across the state of Washington to Seattle on Tuesday for Judy’s mitral valve surgery at Swedish Heart and Vascular on the 28th. So scared we will get postponed again. Hotel reservations confirmed, car inspected, work leave confirmed, just need to repack. Still hoping for minimally invasive repair. Things can still change with covid and we might get postponed again, we shall see. ❤️❤️❤️To all 💕

Hi all, haven’t been here for a while, since a few weeks ago when my Mom’s mitral valve surgery was cancelled at the last minute due to soaring covid cases and extreme weather caused a staff shortage so extreme that all “non emergency” surgeries were cancelled (after we’d traveled across the state and set up in the hotel). Mom is doing well considering, health wise, but we have no idea when we will get to go back for another try. Seattle area hospitals continue to be overwhelmed and understaffed and there is no end in sight. I have been really struggling with depression from the letdown and disappointment. Still glad to come on here though and see the inspiring stories! Best to you all ❤️

Very disappointing news. My mother’s mitral valve surgery scheduled for Thursday morning has been cancelled. We got the call from the surgeon’s nurse this afternoon, after having driven halfway across the state Monday and checked into the hotel. The reason given is a staffing shortage due to extreme weather and also the recent spike in covid cases. The administration of the hospital feels that they do not have adequate staffing to safely perform surgery and provide adequate post op care. It’s not just her surgeries, others are being cancelled too. The nurse cannot reschedule at this time but thinks we may be able to reschedule in January. We are just devastated after working so hard to safely get to this point and coming so far and spending hundreds of dollars. Plus I had to get FMLA leave approved from my job. We are still in shock. I had planned to be at the hotel for 3 weeks so brought an incredible amount of stuff which I had just got unpacked, and now have to pack everything back up tomorrow and drive back across the state over the Cascade mountains which is quite the harrowing trip. I am thankful they are cancelling rather than put their patients at risk, to be sure, but this is just so hard.

Hello all, finally got a picture uploaded of Mom (Judy) and me. This was yesterday morning as we left rural East Central Washington state for the Big City, Seattle, where Mom’s mitral valve surgery is supposed to happen Dec 30 at Swedish Heart and Vascular. Traversing the Cascade Mountain range here is quite dicey in December and we dealt with some snow and lots of big rigs speeding unsafely but we made it and got settled in our hotel room yesterday afternoon. Today is a day of tests. Meet and greet the surgeon, Dr. Eric Lehr. Patient Education. Ultrasound of the carotid arteries. Lab work and EKG. One snafu we are not happy about is that the abdominal aortic CT scan which was planned for today has to be postponed. Apparently Judy was supposed to have a coronary angiogram before this appointment to rule out any blockages, but no one told us or called to schedule it. Apparently if the coronary angiogram showed blockage then there would have been no point in doing the abdominal aortic CT today because minimally invasive would be off the table & Dr. Lehr would need to reconsider his plan. Because we live half a state away it’s not like we can just run across town to the hospital. SO… we do everything BUT that test today and then we try to get the coronary angiogram done in our home area next week (the week before Christmas, complicating matters more). Then have the abdominal CT done when we come back over here on the 27th. Plus the logistics of at least 2 Pre-op Covid tests in a particular timeframe. As if we weren’t frazzled to begin with!!! I have confidence in the surgeon and the facility, but the communications to us from the care team/schedulers has been disappointing. I think part of it is that we live so far away and they don’t consider travel time. I have to marvel at all of you who have traveled several states by air for your procedures, how on earth did you make all these logistics work? Sorry so long! Thank you for listening. This site is a treasure!

Hi Everyone,
I joined this group several weeks ago now on behalf of my 82 year old mom, Judy, who does not have internet and who will be having mitral valve repair/replacement surgery at the end of December. I have a couple questions I'm hoping someone can help us with.
1). Judy is quite thin. She only weighs 105 lbs. (she is about 5'2"). I have suggested to her that she try to gain some weight before the upcoming surgery, comparing it to as if she was about to run a marathon or climb a tall mountain. She's gained about a pound. She also tells me that none of the doctors she has seen (family doc, 2 cardiologists, and a phone consult with the cardiac surgeon) have mentioned any concerns about her weight. My concern is that with the fact she won't be able to eat much the day before and the day of the surgery, plus the physical ordeal of the surgery itself, she will lose weight she can't afford to lose? How soon after the surgery can she eat? Will she feel like eating anything? Should we be concerned about her being too thin?
2) We live in a rural area of Central/Eastern Washington state and will have an approximately 2 hour drive to and from the surgery over a steep mountain pass to Seattle. I have an older Subaru Outback that has both a reclining passenger seat and a rear seat that can be folded down into a flat bed. The car is in good shape overall but it is not the cushiest ride and there will be bumps felt from the highway. Has anyone else had a long drive back from the hospital after surgery? How did it feel? Should she ride in the passenger seat or flat in the back? Should I get extra padding, blankets, etc, for cushioning? What all should we expect? Thank you so much in advance!
~Cathy