Karen
Well-known member
What have I done...?
After my visit with my cardio in July (bumped up because of our employment/insurance situation), and after some thoughtful responses here -- especially one PM by Arlyss -- I wrote an e-mail to my cardio. Long story short, I explained to him that I have little concern about heart enlargement or valve size -- that I was confident that the annual echos would monitor all of that adequately. But I had concerns about his dismissal about the possibility of an aortic aneurysm developing BECAUSE of the nature of the tissue in some BAV patients. I also referred him to the paper written by Dr. Gosta Pettersson suggestiing that the Ross Procedure may not be a good choice for BAV patients. My cardio was satisfied from the heart cath done last year that (1) I don't have "one" (an aneurysm) and (2) for someone my age, his recommendation, IF my valve had to be replaced "soon" would be to have the Ross procedure. It was only AFTER I left his office -- AND read responses on this forum -- that I decided I wanted him to consider these issues more than I felt he did during my appointment.
After a month of weekly phone and e-mail messages with his staff, he finally responded to my e-mail by telling me that he was sending my records to the director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at the University of Utah. He said that this cardio sees patients with my "condition" in high volume, and would be able to better follow me and answer my questions...
I'm sure that this must be a good thing. But I feel like I may have "burned a bridge" with my cardio... I told him I WAS happy to hear of his study into the percutaneous valve replacement and that I was optomistic that that will be an option for me when the time comes. It's just in the meantime that I hoped he wouldn't look past "new" developments in understanding the BAV package... I'm still waiting to hear from the ACHD clinic as far as when I will see this new cardio. My "old" cardio has a great reputation and is the director of the Cardiology department at our regional hospital...
Karen
After my visit with my cardio in July (bumped up because of our employment/insurance situation), and after some thoughtful responses here -- especially one PM by Arlyss -- I wrote an e-mail to my cardio. Long story short, I explained to him that I have little concern about heart enlargement or valve size -- that I was confident that the annual echos would monitor all of that adequately. But I had concerns about his dismissal about the possibility of an aortic aneurysm developing BECAUSE of the nature of the tissue in some BAV patients. I also referred him to the paper written by Dr. Gosta Pettersson suggestiing that the Ross Procedure may not be a good choice for BAV patients. My cardio was satisfied from the heart cath done last year that (1) I don't have "one" (an aneurysm) and (2) for someone my age, his recommendation, IF my valve had to be replaced "soon" would be to have the Ross procedure. It was only AFTER I left his office -- AND read responses on this forum -- that I decided I wanted him to consider these issues more than I felt he did during my appointment.
After a month of weekly phone and e-mail messages with his staff, he finally responded to my e-mail by telling me that he was sending my records to the director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at the University of Utah. He said that this cardio sees patients with my "condition" in high volume, and would be able to better follow me and answer my questions...
I'm sure that this must be a good thing. But I feel like I may have "burned a bridge" with my cardio... I told him I WAS happy to hear of his study into the percutaneous valve replacement and that I was optomistic that that will be an option for me when the time comes. It's just in the meantime that I hoped he wouldn't look past "new" developments in understanding the BAV package... I'm still waiting to hear from the ACHD clinic as far as when I will see this new cardio. My "old" cardio has a great reputation and is the director of the Cardiology department at our regional hospital...
Karen