On Friday I got to spend all day at the hospital. Had the MRI and then, in the afternoon, the TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram). It was a long day, but not ...Read more
On Friday I got to spend all day at the hospital. Had the MRI and then, in the afternoon, the TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram). It was a long day, but not as bad as I was anticipating.
My doctor and her assistant even showed up for the TEE. When I would come a little bit out of my sedated blur, it seemed like all the nurses and docs were standing around the echo screen ooing and ahhing, but that may have just been the drugs in my system!
At the end though, they gave me a Holter monitor to wear for 24 hours because of my high heart rate (100+ even when sedated). I just sent it back to them today, so we'll see what this high pulse rate means, I guess.
Hopeful that Dr. Stout will call soon this week with results and a plan for moving forward- I am anxious about surgery but also ready to get going on all of this!
I am getting my surgery done up at the University of Washington - my cardiologist is Karen Stout and my surgeon will be Edward Verrier (who I met in July) and ...Read more
I am getting my surgery done up at the University of Washington - my cardiologist is Karen Stout and my surgeon will be Edward Verrier (who I met in July) and his assistant - who I haven't met yet.
No date for surgery yet, but this coming Friday, Aug. 8, I am scheduled for the MRI and a transesophageal echo. Then, based on those results, they'll decide on a surgery date or order a catheterization.
I do know they are looking at sooner rather than later because my partner Steve asked them if the surgery could wait till next summer, since I'm a teacher.
The answer was a definitive "no" - this summer or fall at the latest. Oh well.
Anyway, I am so happy I found this site and have been following along regularly - so I finally decided to join in. Thanks, everyone, for being out there.