Kevin's Posts

I just returned home last night from having robotic mitral valve repair performed by the amazing Dr. Gillinov. Here are some observations that I hope will be helpful for other users of this site. 1. Dr. Gillinov is the real deal. Just an amazing person and an amazing surgeon. I wish I could hang out with him. 2. I was woefully unprepared for what this surgery would be. For some idiotic reason, I equated robotic heart surgery to having my knee scoped. Duh. It is not—it is still open heart surgery. I can't say I was ever in pain, but I can say that I have had several days of discomfort. For example, I'm normally sleep on my left side—and I still can't get comfortable sleeping, even in my own bed. 3. The early recovery process has not been linear. I was among the 40%-50% who experience atrial fibrillation. After 12-hours of IV amiodarone treatment, Dr. Gillinov ordered a cardio version which was successful. I will continue taking oral amidoarone for the next 10 days or so. 4. I still have a lingering cough from whatever they did to my innards during the surgery. 5. Even at a prestigious center like the Cleveland Clinic, you must be able to self-advocate. You will encounter some amazing nurses and caregivers, and you will also encounter some who are just looking to get through their shift. I have to say the physician assistants and nurse practitioners who work directly with Dr. Gillinov are amazing, just like him. Bottomline, I would recommend Dr. Gillinov and his team without reservation. Thank you, Adam for creating this resource. I'm sure you already know that Dr. Gillinov is a big fan of yours. Happy Holidays, everyone!