Hi...I’m a 49-year old resident of San Francisco, CA.
I just had a mild heart attack. After an angiogram, they found blockages and recommended immediate CABG.
The concerning ones are a 70% blockage of the left main coronary artery at the bifurcation point (the right side going straight down, the left bifurcation is 20% blocked)), and a 90% blockage at the bifurcation for OM2. The 90% starts above OM2 and continues down right bifurcation a little (left one is clear).
Because the blockages are at bifurcations, I’m not a candidate for stents.
I’ve been looking at options including robotic surgery, not doing anything, medicine only, etc.
The drs at my hospital insist I’m high risk and need the procedure right away. That if I want to go anywhere else for treatment, I need medical transport. That air flight is out of the question. I got to the point where I was afraid to leave my bed.
It’s been 12 days since my heart attack and I feel I’m regaining some strength. This morning I walked the halls at a brisk pace for about 5,000 feet total without symptoms. My heart rate stayed under 85 bpm. Oxygen stayed at 96% and above.
I admit I got tired afterwards and needed to nap 30 minutes.
I’m feeling maybe I do have the option of leaving the hospital and consulting with a local dr for advise.
One of the worlds leading robotic surgeons said he would take my case, but I would have to get myself to Chicago which means travel.
I’m in a quandary. Do I just go with blind trust in the drs here at one of the leading hospitals in the U.S., or do I take a risk and leave against their recommendations?