Peggie's Journal

So after a few months of tests and preparations, and mental anxiety, I have been told that my mitral valve repair surgery has been cancelled. My TEE came back inconclusive, so yesterday I had to have a bicycle echocardiogram. That was an experience! Laying down on a table and having my feet strapped into a bicycle-like apparatus that was also on the table. Apparently, the latest test shows only mild to moderate regurgitation, which does NOT indicate surgery at this time. I don't know if it was everyone's prayers for me for healing or just not the right time, but next week, instead of having surgery at U of M, we will be returning to our home in Florida. Dr. Bolling at U of M wants to monitor me, so when we return to Michigan next summer, I will be having an appointment for an echo. I'm kind of relieved, but yet worry about when the time does come for surgery to be absolutely necessary, that my health will not be as good as it is now. I know a lot of this decision is based on what the insurance company will accept or not accept. However, I do not understand why they refuse to be pro-active in these situations. I will update in the future. Peace and wishes for everyone's good health!

As it gets closer to my surgical date of October 20, I find myself getting more nervous. I have tons of confidence in Dr. Bolling, but am anticipating being in tremendous pain, which I don't handle real well. The notebook U of M Hospital gave me to read pretty much frightened me more than I was, with the pictures of a patient with all these tubes and wires protruding out of various parts of his body. I don't want to get hooked on opioids, but don't want to be in pain either.

After insistence from my sister, I sought a second opinion at U of M with Dr. Bolling, since we are in Michigan for the summer. Dr. Bolling was very frank and told me that I should have had surgery a YEAR ago! He also told me that he is confident he can do a repair instead of a replacement. Unfortunately I'm not a candidate for robotic surgery so I will become a member of the ZIPPER CLUB on October 20, 2020. I'm so tired of feeling "off" that I'm both looking forward to surgery but yet scared. Dr. Bolling said he had no clue why the doctors in Florida were pushing me to wait. Regardless, I feel VERY confident in this new doctor as does my husband.

I so appreciate the responses to my post about my upcoming(still to be determined) mitral valve replacement. I still have NOT seen the referred surgeon down here in the Bradenton, FL area. I see my cardiologist on March 5, where we will hopefully have everything needed to present to the cardio-thoracic surgeon. I do intend to get a second opinion after seeing Dr. Golino (the surgeon). What has me so confused as to what to do is not the seeking a second opinion, but the insistence of my sister and bro-in-law to only consider Cleveland Clinic. It would be a definite hardship for me to have surgery up North since we live in Florida with our cat. I have to believe there are capable surgeons down here because so much of our population are us "mature people". Everyone I have spoken with about the surgeon I'm going to see, have nothing but praise for him. Yet, my bro-in-law has spoken with someone in the medical profession that said I should run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. How can so many people that I actually know in person, have nothing but praise about having valves replaced and bypass surgery done, yet someone in the medical field tells me to run? THAT is the part that is confusing me. I wasn't all that worried about this upcoming surgery before, because I know there have been HUGE strides since decades ago. But now I'm getting scared to death. UGH....

Facing mitral valve replacement in the near future. I have a referred surgeon here in SW Florida but my sister wants me to go to Cleveland Clinic where she feels I will get the best possible treatment. I'm getting more and more confused