We ended up consulting with three surgeons -- we wanted to be sure.
One of them thought I could wait a few months. I was hoping to do just that, so I could push back building on my insurance deductible for the beginning of a new year. But after another surgeon had an angiogram performed on me, they said I had, "weeks, not months." My surgery was a week and a half later. I think if you find an excellent surgeon (and you can look for one with high recommendations and lots of experience) they will operate at the right time, before more heart damage can occur.