Yesterday, Nana had her evaluation at Columbia’s Structural Heart & Valve Center.
We had arrived in NYC the day before, expecting a three to four hour evaluation beginning at 9:00 AM. What happened was a marathon of testing and consultation that stretched from our arrival at 7:15 AM to 6:00 PM when we finally finished.
All the effort to go to New York City was definitely worth it. The advanced testing they were able to do determined that only the aortic valve needs to be replaced at this time, which can be done using a heart catheter technique, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). They were able to schedule the procedure for mid-October.
We were so impressed with all the medical professional and support staff. They were caring and compassionate, as well as being knowledgeable and experienced. Because we came from a distance, they did not only the diagnostic testing they needed to do but also the pre-admission testing so that there will only have to be two trips down to New York.
Tomorrow, I leave for a long-planned reunion residency of the Boiler House Poets at MASS MoCA. I feel much better going knowing that we have a positive plan in place for my mom. As I did for the original residency last November, I hope to blog every day from North Adams, so stay tuned.
Share this:
Top of JC's Mind 
I know you’ll have a wonderful time at the reunion. Happy for you and your Nana and so glad they were good to her.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, JoAnna! I feel like I can breathe again and hope to be able to write away for the next six days.
LikeLike
Wow, that sounds like a hospital that has some common sense. Seems a lot missing here in the UK. Am glad Nana is in good hands. And you have fun at the reunion!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Bee! Columbia is one of the best medical centers in the US and a pioneer in TAVR. We are fortunate to be only about two hundred miles (320 kilometers) away.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A friend of mine just went through the aortic valve replacement. He didn’t qualify for the TAVR procedure but will be followed by the program now that he’s had open heart surgery. Amazing what can be done! Looking forward to your blogging from North Adams. 🙂
https://meinthemiddlewrites.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Mary Lou! I’m glad your friend was able to be treated. TAVR is still so new that it is only approved when open heart has been ruled out by age or complicating medical factors. I hope that it will become the standard treatment in coming years when it has a longer track record, as the recovery is so much shorter.
LikeLiked by 1 person