Hi All,
I have been lurking around this forum for a while and decided to post. My dad just went through a successful OHS on June 28th at UAB. I wanted to share his experience in hopes it might give hope to others in similar situations. Many of you have helped me in your postings, especially on the surgeon we decided on for his OHS.
In April, my dad started having a couple of dizzy spells when walking up the stairs at his fitness center. Also, he had complained some of shortness of breath in the past year, though not often. Shortly after his first dizzy spell, he decided to have an arteriogram, even though I thought it was not necessary and even told him. It seemed like an overreaction to me, but little did I know. He must have had a gut feeling something was not right. I am so glad he did not listen to me!! Much to my family's surprise, my dad was advised he needed a double bypass to replace two of the four blockages in his heart, following his arteriogram. We were stunned by the news of his blockages. He did not really have a history of cholesterol problems or high blood pressure that anyone had ever treated him for in the past or even mentioned that it was an issue, not even from his cardiologist. His blockages were positioned in such a way that stents would have killed him, we were told. The other two blockages were not constricted to the point of needing a bypass. The reason we were suprised by his blockages is that he has always been able to mow the grass with a push mower for hours outside in extreme heat, cut down tress for days in heat, etc... He is in excellent shape for his age and has a strong heart muscle. I think the strong heart muscle gave us a false sense fo security regarding his heart. His prior cardiologist said if anyone could do the labor he did, then nothing was wrong with his heart. Due to my dad not liking this cardiologist's bedside manner, he had recently switched to another cardiologist in the past year. I am so glad he did. The new cardiologist was quite open to the thought of his request of an arteriogram, even with his excellent results on the tread mill earlier in the year. Thankfully, the ateriogram was instrumental in saving his life, along with my dad's gut instinct.
My mom has congestive heart failure (most likely from a drug she took) and was able to get my Dad into see her cardiologist at Kirklin Clinic for a second opinion for a surgeon referral. We received the referral by his local cardiologist. It was suggested my dad see Dr. McGiffin, who we were told was one of the best surgeons in the Southeast. After researching and seeing him, we knew we definitely wanted Dr. McGiffin to perform his OHS.
We are very pleased with his surgical outcome. He did have a setback of swallowing and had to go on a feeding tube for three days, but had gone into the surgery with a pre existing problem of radiation to the head and neck that had caused some swallowing issues. Still, they told us others sometimes have swallowing issues, even without prior radiation. Once he received his feeding tube and had some proper nutrition, he was able to walk around the floor unit four times a day. By the end of the week he was walking without the walker and using stairs with no assistance. He is back home after a 10 day stay (extended only due to swallowing issues) and is staying up most of the day. He even paid all his bills the next day after getting home! Mind you, it has not yet been two weeks, so he is weak still, but overall he is doing great. He also has not had a lot of pain. He was even lowered to Tylenol even in the hospital. He said he was blessed and we feel blessed!!
I am thankful for this great forum. It is most helpful to patients and their families. I know it made me feel good about the physician we choose. I wish everyone the best in their health.
I have been lurking around this forum for a while and decided to post. My dad just went through a successful OHS on June 28th at UAB. I wanted to share his experience in hopes it might give hope to others in similar situations. Many of you have helped me in your postings, especially on the surgeon we decided on for his OHS.
In April, my dad started having a couple of dizzy spells when walking up the stairs at his fitness center. Also, he had complained some of shortness of breath in the past year, though not often. Shortly after his first dizzy spell, he decided to have an arteriogram, even though I thought it was not necessary and even told him. It seemed like an overreaction to me, but little did I know. He must have had a gut feeling something was not right. I am so glad he did not listen to me!! Much to my family's surprise, my dad was advised he needed a double bypass to replace two of the four blockages in his heart, following his arteriogram. We were stunned by the news of his blockages. He did not really have a history of cholesterol problems or high blood pressure that anyone had ever treated him for in the past or even mentioned that it was an issue, not even from his cardiologist. His blockages were positioned in such a way that stents would have killed him, we were told. The other two blockages were not constricted to the point of needing a bypass. The reason we were suprised by his blockages is that he has always been able to mow the grass with a push mower for hours outside in extreme heat, cut down tress for days in heat, etc... He is in excellent shape for his age and has a strong heart muscle. I think the strong heart muscle gave us a false sense fo security regarding his heart. His prior cardiologist said if anyone could do the labor he did, then nothing was wrong with his heart. Due to my dad not liking this cardiologist's bedside manner, he had recently switched to another cardiologist in the past year. I am so glad he did. The new cardiologist was quite open to the thought of his request of an arteriogram, even with his excellent results on the tread mill earlier in the year. Thankfully, the ateriogram was instrumental in saving his life, along with my dad's gut instinct.
My mom has congestive heart failure (most likely from a drug she took) and was able to get my Dad into see her cardiologist at Kirklin Clinic for a second opinion for a surgeon referral. We received the referral by his local cardiologist. It was suggested my dad see Dr. McGiffin, who we were told was one of the best surgeons in the Southeast. After researching and seeing him, we knew we definitely wanted Dr. McGiffin to perform his OHS.
We are very pleased with his surgical outcome. He did have a setback of swallowing and had to go on a feeding tube for three days, but had gone into the surgery with a pre existing problem of radiation to the head and neck that had caused some swallowing issues. Still, they told us others sometimes have swallowing issues, even without prior radiation. Once he received his feeding tube and had some proper nutrition, he was able to walk around the floor unit four times a day. By the end of the week he was walking without the walker and using stairs with no assistance. He is back home after a 10 day stay (extended only due to swallowing issues) and is staying up most of the day. He even paid all his bills the next day after getting home! Mind you, it has not yet been two weeks, so he is weak still, but overall he is doing great. He also has not had a lot of pain. He was even lowered to Tylenol even in the hospital. He said he was blessed and we feel blessed!!
I am thankful for this great forum. It is most helpful to patients and their families. I know it made me feel good about the physician we choose. I wish everyone the best in their health.
