Update on my Surgeon Appt.

Hi all! Made my trip to Ocala (134miles one way) to see Dr. Overcash. I liked him! He is a straight shooter but I like that. It was quite sobering to hear that someone my size has a 3 to 5% chance of death having this surgery. Have started gathering all my documents and requested the letter of medical necessity from my primary physician yesterday. He said he would get right on it and let me know when it is ready. He drew my Thyroid panel yesterday too. Saw my cardiologist yesterday afternoon too and there the forward progress halted. She is a wonderful lady and is excited for me but can't give cardiac clearance just yet especially since I have been having some increased chest pain and dizziness lately. Dr. Overcash said they have the ability to do Cardiac caths in Ocala on very large pts. Now my cardiaologist has been wanting to cath me for years but no facility could accomodate my size so she was delighted to hear that they could do it in Ocala. So looks like I will be headed back to Ocala for a heart cath before I can be cleared for my surgery. That doesn't upset me it just makes me more aware that I have picked the right people that don't want to take unnecessary chances with my life. Patrice is supposed to call me on Monday to let me know the who, what, when and where of the heart cath thing. Just wanted to update my new sisters on my progress! Please say a prayer that the cath will go ok and I will be ready to be a loser before long! Kat

Kat, will you go to MRMC and have Dr. Feldman or ORMC with Dr. Urban for your cath?? You can't go wrong with either of these two wonders!! Let me know if I can do anything for you, since I'm in Ocala! Jan

I am not sure Jan. Depends on if ORMC can do it. Patrice said she wasn't sure that they can do it there but if they can I will go there because that is where Tricare covers. If not I will have to go to MRMR for the cath and ORMC for the surg. I was quite surprised to find out that little ole Ocala has the ability to do this when big ole Jax. can't nor can almost any other cath lab in the southeast. My doctor was really amazed to find this out too because as I said she has been wanting to do a cath on me for at least 5 years now because she suspects that I may have some blockages that are causing my symptoms in which case I guess I will be having an angioplasty. HUUM! I sent you a personal email elaborating a little! Thanks for your kind offer I may need to take you up on it! For now just say an extra prayer for me please! Kat

ORMC does caths all the time, but it probably depends on their availability and I know they have the Bariatric Center up on 4EW for the post-surgical patients, so they certainly can handle people of size! Dr. Urban is great and VERY funny - and you can tell him I said so!! He tells the worst jokes, really, but he's so sweet and so very good at what he does! Of course, I could say all that about Dr. Feldman too!! Dr. Feldman did 2 caths on my father and Dr. Urban did one on my ex-husband, so I'm very familiar with their work in addition to working in healthcare. If you need some support at ORMC, let me know. MRMC isn't a very friendly place for visitors, but I'll take my life in my hands if you need me. Just yell!! Jan

Jan , What a sweetheart you are! I will tell whichever one I end up seeing that you said that. I am a little bit angry that noone in Jax. has the ability to do this. I was assuming for the last 5 or 6 years that the technology just didn't exist to cath a 4 to-600lb. pt. Not just for me but for the many pts. I have seen be denied this procedure because noone had the equiptment to handle very large pts. I think I might start lobbying certain facilities around here to find out why they don't have this superior equiptment especially since we have 2 or 3 who claim to be The Heart Hospital and The Heart Experts (including the one I worked 15 years for). Anyway I know anger is a negative emotion and can really only make me miserable right now so I am going to try to get over that and just be thankful that God has put me in the right place with the right people to get the job done safely. Thanks again Jan! Kat

Praying all goes well with you Kat! I'm excited for you! Blessings, Tami