1. What's going on?
If all goes as planned, in a few weeks, some guy (or maybe a bunch of folks in training -- please don't let me be your first patient!) is going to knock me out, cut open my chest, separate my rib cage, turn off my heart (no clue and have not googled), connect me to a heart lung machine, cut through my aorta (I think), remove a piece of my heart, and reverse each of those actions. If it goes well, I will then wake up and be miserable. If it doesn't go well, see question #6.
It is also possible that, after a new round of tests, these geniuses will tell me that surgery is not needed. We shall see.
2. What is the point of the surgery?
The purpose of the surgery is to improve "quality of life."
A piece of my heart is too thick and is blocking some blood from going to my lungs. Not enough blood = not enough oxygen = getting short of breath and fatigue = impaired card making skills = even poorer photography skills. The latter two are unacceptable and I am willing to risk death to finally master where to put the sentiment on a card.
3. Will you live longer if you have this surgery?
The standard advice is that this surgery doesn't improve life expectancy. However, I get an email every time a medical journal posts an article on the topic. Really, I've gone that far down the rabbit hole.
Like most US voters, I tend to only read and remember stuff that I like, so yes, it improves life expectancy.
4. I thought you had this surgery in August. What happened?
I was supposed to have this surgery in August, but I cancelled the surgery. I wasn't confident that the medical team would take proper care of me after surgery (folks I spoke with who had this operation there recently were very unhappy with their post surgical care).
I also wasn't satisfied with the evaluation I got. It wasn't personal. For example, before I let anyone decide that I need an operation on my heart, I want someone, preferably Dr. Doug Ross, in a long white coat, to LISTEN to my heart and lungs with a stethoscope. And, if you do not listen to my heart and lungs, please do not describe the sound of them in my medical records. Also, the super smart specialist who wrote the book on my heart condition told Mike and me that "there isn't a single good cardiologist in the Washington DC area."
Big egos worry me. I mean, just the act of randomness would put a good cardiologist in DC on any given day.
So, as hard as it has been for both Mike and me to wait for the surgery, I am glad I did. Whether I'm right or wrong about cancelling, you shouldn't go into a major medical thing without confidence in your team.
5. Do you have confidence in your current team?
Absolutely!
**Shrugs**
Not really. I trust no one.
I'm in the freak out stage. Mike just suggested I find something good on Netflix and spend all day binge watching it. Apparently he has no idea what I do all day.
6. Have you made a will?
No, you may not have my Distress Oxide inks. I told Mike to keep them for wife #2.
7. Your joking is a pathetic attention-seeking attempt to quell your nerves. How are you really doing?
I'm pretty much a pathetic, attention-seeking, nervous mess. Otherwise, terrific.
MOOD WHEN DONE = I'm excited and
It's a win-win.