The checklist of questions that a doctor must go through are always answered with a negative response. No, he has no known family members with heart trouble. No, he has never had high blood pressure, in fact it has always been quite a bit below normal for a guy his age. He never has had trouble catching his breath. He has eaten a diet that, for years, has been explementary for healthy living. Even his jobs kept him active and far from sedentary for years.
The amazing lack of symptoms and history does not make Jay a typical candidate for bypass surgery. In fact, we are very appreciative that we so easily obtained a cardiogram. That is the only way we could have discovered the rather severe blockages. Even the attending nurses all seem surprised with the findings.
It was a clear, cool day and we took the SkyTrain the necessary one stop to offices near Royal Columbian Hospital. The BC Health System so far has treated us well. Jay really is much lower priority than most heart patients and we have used the time to prepare emotionally.
This afternoon, we had the chance to meet with his surgeon and set a date for surgery. We met with Dr. Latham for the first time. He was very personable and seemed to already know all the particulars of our case from Jay's cardiologist. We are completely confident should the situation change in any way for the worse, Jay would receive immediate care. Being in the system in advance will allow sufficient time for workshops and informational meetings. Jay is now scheduled to have his surgery in March.
