Dave's Journal

I have my pre surgery testing and evaluation Thursday morning, and my surgery with Dr. Kevin Accola is Friday.

I am excited, terrified, anxious, and confident, all at the same time. I am so grateful. I truly feel I am in the best possible hands with Dr. Accola, and his team have all played such a huge part in making this happen in such a short time span.

I very much look forward to sharing my recovery progress with all of you as soon as I am on the other side of this.

thanks to everyone here who advised me how to best proceed with seeking Dr. Accola for a second opinion and cancelling my procedure with my initial surgeon. Again, I will say there was nothing at all wrong with the one assigned to me, but, if I had a chance to get someone as accomplished as Dr. Accola, I would be foolish not to try.

😊

Hello all,

Would really appreciate some other’s perspective about my current situation. I want to do the right thing, but so much to consider.

I currently have my surgery scheduled for June 26. I have the anesthesiology appointment on the 24th. My surgery is going to almost certainly going to be a replacement, not a repair. I have already been told my mitral valve is completely shot.

my issue is, after doing extensive research and hearing many others here suggest I try to get Dr. Kevin Accola, I was able to secure an appointment with him and he is in my network. I had my primary send the referral, and I can’t imagine him turning me away. BUT, the appointment is June 23rd. So what do I do? Do I keep the existing appointments I have for the current surgeon, and wait until my consult with Dr. Accola, to be certain, or do I cancel now, to open a space up for someone else?

my biggest fear is that I will cancel my surgery date and Dr. Accola will tell me he can’t do the surgery for several months, putting my health and nerves in limbo for another extended period? I have already been off my antibiotics since May 12, and if any more bacteria comes loose in my bloodstream, it could shoot to my brain and cause a stroke.

from everything I have read and heard, Dr. Accola is the best here and well known throughout the country, whereas the other surgeon I have is good, but I didn’t get the best feeling during my consult, not that I would have expected to have some sort of bonding moment.

I want to do what is morally right, and need to do what is best for me with regard to recovery chances, etc.

what would you do in my shoes?

thanks so so much!

Last night I made sure not to eat or drink anything after 8pm and had my infusion therapy this morning at 8am, where they also did my final labs before my appointment tomorrow with my infectious disease doctor who will either order the PICC line removed or extended. Of course my labs came back with an abnormal result. It says my Chloride is high. But I have been (even this morning after I brushed my teeth before heading to the infusion therapy) the prescription mouthwash from my dentist which is chlorhexidine. Also, my Bun/Creatinine ratio is high, as is my C Reactive Protein. 

My blood pressure has also been elevated this entire last week or so. Today was 133 over 91. Not super bad, but not ideal. So much pressure and worry about having this thing taken out of my body. I am hoping they can just remove it tomorrow and give me oral antibiotics from here until surgery, or stop them altogether. I know this Rocephin can be really hard on your body. 

I hate not having control over what happens next. I hate not knowing what’s next. I continue to distract myself as best I can, but I am