April 8th finally came. Upon meeting my surgeon, Dr.Crabtree, I immediately liked his great smile. We talked a bit-chit-chat, and after a few minutes, he said,"I have to tell you that you look much better in person, than you do on paper! I was expecting to see a decreped old woman sitting here. Wow! You are anything but that." That absolutely tickled me pink!! Now the serious matters. My being a high risk candidate, due to lungs being already impaired, and being on oxygen for any exertion, along with the fact that my heart suffers from Cardiomyopathy- severe- it is like being in a constant state of heart failure. Along with that I have a mital valve,and arotic valve regurge-flow back. The left ventricle operates at about 35%. What all this means to me is that I am so blessed to do all the things that I do. Dr.Crabtree said that he would accept my case and my surgery will be on April 23. How long I am in the hospital-will depend how well I do after surgery. Then I told him that I have had a guardian angel since I was three years old , and a diagnosis of Spinal mennongitis. Penicillen had just been approved for distribution. I was very lucky, I made it, but the little baby in my room had suffered for too long and didn't make it. I firmly believe that all little babies go to heaven. Back to business-! After getting home, I went to the Washington Univerity Web Site, for Cardiothoracic Surgery. After viewing the video,I was so empressed with my Doctor's credentials. He has been published many, many times for articles, and has three books published. He is the Assistant Professor of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department. Once again I find myself being very lucky to get such a qualified Surgeon. The end all to this saga, is that I am very confident of gettingt the best of care. For those of you that belive in the power of prayer, I would like to ask you to say a prayer for me
on the day before sugery and/or the day of Surgery. Thanks to everybody that have been so nice & caring to me on EmlpowHer. I definitely will be taking my journal with me that contains a lot of information on various subjects from the Guides,etc. I
will fill in with my post sugery conditions. I hope that if I share my story, it will help someone or at least give them a smile here and there. Again thanks! Sincerely, Lioness111.