Serious Medical Decision

[TW]

As most of you are aware I have been having some major health issues lately. Up until about six months ago my “apparent” health had been good enough since I moved to Georgia that I had neglected to find doctors in the area. I relied on the local walk-in clinics for my medical needs. I now realize that was a mistake. About six months ago I began to have problems. I awoke one morning to find that my right lung had collapsed. That lead to the first of three hospital stays. After returning home I had made a bad decision in that I did not refill all my medications so that I would be able to pay down some of the medical bills that were coming in. That lead to new problems with my BPH. I lost the ability to urinate. Hospital stay number two. After that stay I returned home and my case worker set up home nursing and rehab. After a few days recovery (and a touch of “cabin fever”) I ventured outside. I did not know at the time that on that particular day the pollen count was over 3000. This resulted in respiratory problems that became a pneumonia. Hospital stay number three. During all of this I still had not gotten even a Primary Care Doctor. When I came home the home health nurse and I sat down and found a Primary Care Doctor. During my visit with him he set up appointments with a Urologist, Cardiologist, and an Internal Medicine/Pulmonary specialist. I have now been to see all three of them. The pulmonary doctor is happy with my progress, he has tweaked my meds a little and I go back to see him in a month. The urologist wants to operate on my prostate in order to relieve the BPH problem, however he realizes that I am not a good surgical candidate. The cardiologist wants to do a valve replacement to relieve the strain on my heart from the aortic stenosis. Once again I am not a good candidate for major surgery.

There is some hope in a relatively new procedure called a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. This procedure was developed for patients that cannot have open heart surgery. This procedure has been used in Europe since 2002, and a controlled study group since 2007 in the United States. It received FDA approval in November of 2011. There are however some major concerns, the PARTNER Trial observed that at the one year interval the study group demonstrated that it has an equal success rate as the open heart surgery option. When compared to what had been available (medical management and/or balloon aortic valvuloplasty) it demonstrates a higher survival rate.

Death:
From any cause: TAVR = 31/100 : Standard Medical Treatment = 50/100
Cardiovascular (heart related) causes: TAVR = 20/100 : SMT = 42/100

There are also some vary serious complications to consider.
Repeat hospitalizations: TAVR = 22/100 : SMT = 44/100
Major vascular complications: TAVR = 17/100 : SMT = 2/100
Bleeding event: TAVR = 17/100 : SMT = 2/100
Stroke: TAVR = 11/100 : SMT = 5/100

As you can see making the decision as to having the procedure is not one that I’m taking lightly. I’m trying to gather as much information as possible in the limited time available as I can. If you know anything about this procedure or have access to any information on it please pass that along to me.

The last thing that I ask is that you keep me in your prayers as I work through this.


TW

[dolfan]

TW, I am praying with you for wisdom. God gives His wisdom liberally as you ask. I know you know that, but I want to encourage you. When there is no obviously good answer, our trust is simply in the Answerer.

Please take courage in His foreknowledge of this crisis. His love has brought you here and will faithfully finish His work in you. I wouldnt presume to tell you I have any idea what you should do, and it is not my health on the line with the decision. Yet, I am confident that your life in Him to this date has prepared you for these moments of decision. You are ready for what He shows you, and should He seem silent or not obvious in one direction or another, my encouragement is just that you will keep Him as your moment by moment focus. He reveals Himself, and He is sufficient. He will be now, too.

Love you, man, and your whole attitude.

[RamboPreacher]

Prayer happening, my friend. you are in my prayers.