Vicki

[Guest guest]

Vicki wrote:

> I am a little worried that if I have problems after the surgery I

> will blame myself for choosing the wrong surgeon.

No second guessing your decision allowed after the surgery. If you have

done your homework and have a good surgeon then make your choice and

never look back. You have done the best you could. Even so, there are no

guaranties. The informations used to decide what is best is statistical.

It gives a good indication of what will happen in a group of people but

it can not guarantee a result for an individual. Most likely things will

go well, but if not, it could be just dumb luck.

notan

[Guest guest]

I agree with you completely, what's done is done. I could look back at my

myotomy and, because it didn't work, I could spend years be-moaning that

fact. On the other hand I would have been disappointed in myself if I hadn't

given it a try.

Ed

> No second guessing your decision allowed after the surgery. If you have

> done your homework and have a good surgeon then make your choice and

> never look back. You have done the best you could. Even so, there are no

> guaranties. The informations used to decide what is best is statistical.

> It gives a good indication of what will happen in a group of people but

> it can not guarantee a result for an individual. Most likely things will

> go well, but if not, it could be just dumb luck.

>

> notan

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Notan and Ed,

Thanks a lot. It helps to be remind of what you both said. So, I

will pick my surgeon and move forward.

Thanks,

Vicki

>

> I agree with you completely, what's done is done. I could look

back at my

> myotomy and, because it didn't work, I could spend years be-

moaning that

> fact. On the other hand I would have been disappointed in myself

if I hadn't

> given it a try.

> Ed

>

> > No second guessing your decision allowed after the surgery. If

you have

> > done your homework and have a good surgeon then make your choice

and

> > never look back. You have done the best you could. Even so,

there are no

> > guaranties. The informations used to decide what is best is

statistical.

> > It gives a good indication of what will happen in a group of

people but

> > it can not guarantee a result for an individual. Most likely

things will

> > go well, but if not, it could be just dumb luck.

> >

> > notan

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

i just have to add my 2 cents regarding where to have surgery. i

completely echo carolyn's sentiments -- go where you are comfortable,

just think of yourself and nothing else.

i had to think long and hard about whether i should have surgery in

los angeles (at cedars-sinai with dr. fuller, who comes highly

recommended) or san francisco (ucsf with dr. patti, also highly

recommended). my whole family is in los angeles, but my home and

husband are in san francisco. cedars-sinai is a much nicer hospital,

it is familiar to me (i have seen so many births and family member

there) but then ucsf is right here and so highly regarded. but then

i heard that the ucsf hospital is not very welcoming, and friends of

mine who are doctors themselves would go to stanford for treatment

over ucsf!

but in the end, i chose ucsf for my own personal reasons and

comfort. yes, it was a bit inconvenient for my mother to come up to

sf to help me out, but it was much more convenient than me going down

to la and not knowing when i'd come back. now, san francisco versus

palo alto is not that different geographically, and both may be

equally practical for you, but you have to go with the surgeon you

are comfortable with, and that is IT! the only thing that got me

through the anxiety before surgery was telling myself (and

believing) " i trust my surgeon, he knows what he's doing, he's going

to do the best he can, and that is good enough for me. "

it's probably like choosing a law school -- just a guess, but i bet

you had some great options, and you really couldn't go wrong with any

of them...but making the decision was probably challenging, too.

giselle

> Just wondering what people's thoughts were on toupet versus dor

> fundoplication.

>

> I saw Dr. Morton at Stanford today, and he says he uses the toupet

> method because it minimizes reflux problems. Dr. Patti at UCSF uses

> the Dor method which he says helps prevent problems of undetected

> perforations.

>

> I was really impressed with Dr. Morton. He was very willing to

> answer my tons of questions. He even gave me his email address so I

> could send him more questions. And he took my concerns about nausea

> seriously. He said he has done 100 myotomies. One 1 out of 100 has

> needed another operation so far. I had already scheduled my

> operation with Dr. Patti for August because I was originally

> convinced it was better to go with him since he has more

> experience. Now, I am not quite as sure.

>

> Dr. Morton says he doesn't routinely suggest a pH test after

myotomy

> since the toupet f. helps prevent reflux but he thought it would be

> reasonable for me to ask for one. He also suggested an endoscopy

> after one year and then every 3-5 years.

>

> I asked Dr. Morton about the long term outcome in relation to re-

> operation rates of laproscopic vs open myotomy. He said the

> laproscopic way was much better since they could visualize the

> esophagus better that way (though he didn't quantify the

difference).

>

> Vicki

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Will add your name and send the article -

[Guest guest]

Ann,

Thank you for your message. I haven't had time to read the posts

recently but luckily happened to see this one.

My surgery is this Friday morning. The prepare person yesterday

wanted to postpone the surgyery due to some possible clotting issues.

She wanted time to run more blood tests. But Dr. Patti thought I

would be fine with heparin to prevent blood clots. Actually, I would

feel safer if there was more time to do more blood tests (I asked Dr.

Patti about this last week but he didn't think it was necessary). But

I don't want to postpone surgery. So, I am trusting Dr. Patti that

the heparin will be enough.

I had also brought tons of records to the prepare appointment and

the doctor didn't want to look at any of them. I finally basically

forced her to review the ones related to clotting (which I think ended

up being helpful to her despite her repeatedly saying it wasn't

necessary). I thought it was strange she didn't review more of them.

I will post after my surgery once I am up to emailing.

Vicki

>

> Hi Vicki,

> Isn't it this Friday you are having your Surgery? If so, the best

of luck to you. All being well, you can look forward to a much better

life, the one you and we all deserve.

> Love from Ann in England XX

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> All New – Tired of Vi@gr@! come-ons? Let our SpamGuard

protect you.

>

[Guest guest]

Best of luck to you Vicki. Get well soon.

Peggy

> >

> > Hi Vicki,

> > Isn't it this Friday you are having your Surgery? If so, the best

> of luck to you. All being well, you can look forward to a much better

> life, the one you and we all deserve.

> > Love from Ann in England XX

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > All New – Tired of Vi@gr@! come-ons? Let our SpamGuard

> protect you.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Larry B

Your advice is very good. I will try it. Thank you for support and

understanding. I know that only you are the people who can understand

me and help me in changing myself,my point of view and so on ... you

know what I mean.

I feel stronger now and I am filled inside with optimistic thoughts!!! Thank

you!

Smiles,

Viki

2007/9/13, Lawrence E. Brown :

>

> Hi Vicki!

> How are ya?

> I have noted your postings and I admire your spirit and determination.

> It was hard for me at first not to take others opinion of me seriously

> (especially family)....then I realized that only people in this group can

> really understand me or each other for that matter....so the heck with what

> other people say or think....now I look at them with a twisted grin and say

> I AM a little bit crazy! And keep smiling....that shuts them up!

> So, try it....and hang in there....from your posts, I for one am really

> impressed with you!

> Have a wonderful day!

> Larry B from NC USA

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Larry B

Your advice is very good. I will try it. Thank you for support and

understanding. I know that only you are the people who can understand

me and help me in changing myself,my point of view and so on ... you

know what I mean.

I feel stronger now and I am filled inside with optimistic thoughts!!! Thank

you!

Smiles,

Viki

2007/9/13, Lawrence E. Brown :

>

> Hi Vicki!

> How are ya?

> I have noted your postings and I admire your spirit and determination.

> It was hard for me at first not to take others opinion of me seriously

> (especially family)....then I realized that only people in this group can

> really understand me or each other for that matter....so the heck with what

> other people say or think....now I look at them with a twisted grin and say

> I AM a little bit crazy! And keep smiling....that shuts them up!

> So, try it....and hang in there....from your posts, I for one am really

> impressed with you!

> Have a wonderful day!

> Larry B from NC USA

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Larry B

Your advice is very good. I will try it. Thank you for support and

understanding. I know that only you are the people who can understand

me and help me in changing myself,my point of view and so on ... you

know what I mean.

I feel stronger now and I am filled inside with optimistic thoughts!!! Thank

you!

Smiles,

Viki

2007/9/13, Lawrence E. Brown :

>

> Hi Vicki!

> How are ya?

> I have noted your postings and I admire your spirit and determination.

> It was hard for me at first not to take others opinion of me seriously

> (especially family)....then I realized that only people in this group can

> really understand me or each other for that matter....so the heck with what

> other people say or think....now I look at them with a twisted grin and say

> I AM a little bit crazy! And keep smiling....that shuts them up!

> So, try it....and hang in there....from your posts, I for one am really

> impressed with you!

> Have a wonderful day!

> Larry B from NC USA

>

>

[Guest guest]

Congratulations, Vicki on overcoming the side effects of Gleevec by sticking

with the plan. I'm sorry to hear about your son having diabetes and your

husband being a drug addict. And I thought I had been through a lot. After

reading your story, I am going to slap myself for complaining. Your middle name

must be Peseverance.

Whoopee for finding a new job and probably better than the old one. Your

view from your window sounds fantastic. That alone would make me feel good

about going to work every day.

Thank you for sharing your awesome story about endurance and courage. I

know you are working on one thing at a time, one day at a time. You are one

gutsy lady.

All power to you, Vicki,

Lottie