Hi everyone!
Just wanted to enlist your good thoughts and prayers on behalf of Mike. He's going to Cleveland Clinic for a series of tests on Monday through Thursday of next week (February 25-28). He was born with a mitral valve prolapse...some blood leaks back into the heart, making the heart work harder to achieve the same results. He has an excellent cardiologist, Dr. Skotnicki, who has been keeping an eye on any significant changes for years. Mike does have an enlarged heart, but it hasn't gotten any worse until this past fall. Anyway, he has to be put 'under' for a few of these tests. I'm not sure what they are. After all the tests are completed, they'll figure out the best correction. Cleveland Clinic supposedly is the place to go for surgery for mitral valve prolapse. His surgery (whatever that might be!) will be scheduled for March. He's a little nervous about it all. They always tell you the worst case scenario....He jokes about it but I know he's concerned. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks Wendy for all your efforts with this blog. I really appreciate everybody's comments.
Lots of love, Kathy
7 comments:
Hi,
Is Mike going to the main hospital (flagship) in Cleveland, Ohio ?
If yes, feel free to pass along a name(s) of the MDs involved and I would be glad to do follow-up if you desire. I know a couple of MDs and Administrators at Cleveland Clinics Heart & Vascular Center (at the flagship). Do you know yet what procedure is being considered for Mike? There are a number of leading-edge Mitral Valve repair procedures available that are Minimally Invasive Vs Open Heart.
We will also pass-along to our church's pray chain here in Dallas.
Look forward to your reply:
jongardner@texashealth.org or
(919)539-4509. Feel free to contact me anytime. Thanks. Jon
Hi Jon! Sure would be nice to come visit you in Texas. Maybe we could get a vacation in after Mike's surgery. We'll keep you posted.
Mike is seeing the team of Dr. Patrick Whitlow (cardiologist/ surgeon) and Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic (cardiothoracic surgeon)He is going to Ohio for a bunch of tests;echocardiogram, transesophageal echo,electrocardiogram, xray and labs. Any suggestions or guidance would be great. They are supposed to be the best in their field in this part of the US. I guess they won't know which procedure is appropriate until the testing is over. Thanks for putting him on your prayer list. Mike doesn't 'do' the computer, so you'll be hearing from me!
I spoke with Mike today. He seemed to be in good spirits. We talked about a CD I sent him a week or two ago. I didn't realize he was going to Cleveland so soon. We talk frequently, and he often brings up his heart problem, but he generally refers to it as some distant future event. Guess the future is here. The CD I sent was of an eclectic mixture of songs I listen to when I am working in my office or driving, stuff from Tom Waits and Peter Wolf and Harry Chapin, bluesy stuff about bars and New Orleans and lovers, and well, the usual topics in rock and blues music. Not the music I would have sent him if I had been thinking. But then I am seldom accused of thinking. In the truck business, the surgery that he is being tested for is called an in frame major.
A piece of cake, especially since he is a Witmer.
Posted for Ron
I also talked with Mike yesterday and he seemed in good spirits. He was on his way to Morgantown, WV to visit Amy & family.
When in Cleveland he will have his friend Sobony to be his escort. If nothing else I think he was looking forward to seeing Tony.
I am sure he is nervous about the procedures but I also think he would just like to stop worrying about it.
Hey there Jon,
I didn't have my heart valve surgery at Cleveland Clinic.
Doctor Vaughn Starnes at USC in Los Angeles did my aortic valve replacement operation.
That said, I know a few surgeons at The Cleveland Clinic - Dr. Pettersson and Dr. Roselli.
They are tops in their field.
If you have any questions, let me know.
Cheers,
Adam
Author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery.
How is Mike doing with his tests?
Aunt Kathy,
I do not have your e-mail and have been wondering how Uncle Mike made out...
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