It's vital to know that a patient's heart can stand the stress of the planned procedure. It's obviously very important, but might even be more important to the surgeon.
For a surgeon, a bad scenarios is for the patient to suffer non-neurosurgery related problems while in the operating room. Obviously among the very worst scenarios is a fatal heart attack.
All these scenarios are bad for surgeons because of the associated reviews, possible censures, and tons of paperwork. Not to mention the death of a patient in their care.
If the surgery leaves the patient paralyzed (the worst and a highly unlikely outcome of my planned neurosurgery) that’s a work accident and, I’d imagine, more acceptable to the surgeon. That’s not to say they expect such outcomes nor do they ever take them lightly. It’s just that a condition-related bad outcome is easier dealt with than a non-condition-related bad outcome.
I look at the situation very differently. I’m constantly getting worse. No intervention looks like sure loss of function below my waist. Every day I find I can no longer do things I could do the day before. For me, paralysis is worse than heart problems. I know my heart is not in dire shape. It may not be perfect, but it could be much worse and I’d still keep going. Paralysis is simply a slow ugly death.
Others can legitimately worry more about possible heart problems, but I’m much more afraid right now of paralysis.
I do understand the surgeon's concerns and analysis of my condition. Whatever problem I have with my back won’t be known for sure until the doctor opens me and looks. However, we know the point of damage is low on my back (relatively) and does not affect my diaphragm (breathing). That’s absolutely true.
Thus, while my proposed back surgery needs to occur soon, it’s not an emergency situation. I’m an excellent candidate to get bumped down on the surgery schedule by a true emergency, That’s also reasonable.
Maybe coming to HUP, as fine as Dr. Marcotte undoubtedly is, looks more and more like a bad choice. But that’s the choice I made. Inexperience hurts.
(Postscript 2012: I was wrong about regretting coming to HUP, but the reasoning above still seems right to me.)
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