New Member, Myectomy at Mayo on December 28th, Tim Zellmer

[tzellmer]

Howdy!

I am new to this group and am having a myectomy for Concentric Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy with Dr. Schaff at Mayo Clinic/ St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn. on Dec. 28/ next tuesday.

Does anyone have experience there or with this Doctor???

I have been having SOB, chest pain and fatigue...

I was diagnosed Aug. 24th.

I have been reading here alot for the last few days but just got enroled today!

I was supposed to have my surgery on the 21st but my insurance was screwed up and I had the stomach flu. The administrator Johnathan Cartwright worked extra, extra hard to get me "in net' with Health First PPO/ State Farm. We really appreciated his hard work.

The only problem now is that I have to have the surgery... I am really healthy and have lived a very active life style. I work as a cowboy part time up in the High country in the Crazy Mountains and other ranges near my first practice at White Sulphur Springs. I have been there 6 years. Two years ago in March we have had a second clinic down in Great Falls,Montana. My wife, Marcella, is in the middle of her first year in Dental Hygiene school.

My wife says I should keep this short in case it doesn't work.

Timmy

Dr. Z/ Timmy

[Linda]

Timmy,

Welcome, I'm glad you've found us. Mayo is a top-notch facility as is St. Mary's Hospital. It's kind of short timing, but if you call the HCMA office (973-983-7429), Lisa checks in and picks up messages. You just might be able to make contact and speak with her personally before your surgery. The real value in that would be the reassurance she would be able to give you. You would also have an opportunity to ask questions and learn so much! You will have many people here on the message board who are anxious to help you out in any way they can.

Write down all your questions and don't be afraid to ask your team of medical people before the surgery. Make sure you feel comfortable with all the answers and info. We'll be thinking about you and your wife as you face the next few days. Please keep us posted. Maybe your wife can sign on and let us know how things are going till you are up and able to do so yourself.

The generosity, kindness, and caring of the community of Rochester, MN is just unbelievable. We spent Christmas, 1987, there and I can't begin to tell you how the town takes care of those out-of-towners.

[mtlieb]

Hi Timmy,

I'm from Billings, MT but am currently attending school in PA. I miss Montana quite a bit and can't wait to get back out there! I know some folks from Great Falls and a have a good friend with a cabin up in the Crazy's. Beautiful country. Hope you're all having a great holiday out there.

Good luck on your upcoming myectomy! Sounds like a great gift to give yourself for Christmas. They'll take excellent care of you at Mayo.

Happy Holidays,

Jim

[angall]

Hi Timmy

I had my second myectomy in St. Mary's hospital. The nurses, doctors ect. are so professional. If you have a concern or a question, don't hesitate to ask. A nurse will check with your doctor or an associate of your doctor if something comes up in the afternoon or evening. They certainly don't hesitate on getting things done!

I think the food is excellent there. When you are able to order from the menu you may call "room service" and ask for anything on the menu from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Even if you want scrambled eggs for lunch, just order it. You might be restricted to....maybe salt, so therefore the nurses will keep record of your intake and output. They will also keep record at the cafeteria where you order your meals.

I'm not familiar with your doctor. Lisa would have more info for you. Please contact her. Just talking to her puts my mind at ease. She certainly will point you in the right direction.

Oh...BTW....I am originally from Pennsylvania, but moved to Minnesota when I re-married. you may pm me should you have any questions about St. Mary's etc....

Please keep in touch. We will be waiting to hear "good news".

[Burton Borrok]

Hi Tim,
I’ve never been to Big Sky country, but I hear tell it is a beautiful place. The closest I’ve ever gotten has been to serve in Korea with a buddy from there. He started practicing with his lariat about two months prior to rotating home, and we all played cattle for him.

His biggest complaint about his home was that a neighbor had moved in just four miles away, and he was feeling closed in on. You’d think with that kind of attitude he would be a hermit type, but he was as friendly as a collie pup, with never a harsh word to say about anybody.

I was just thinking – that was over fifty years ago, and I still have a warm feeling about Montana because of him. If he is/was representative of the people of Montana, it must be a wonderful place indeed.

As far as your trip to Mayo – there are three places in this country that vie for top honors in the care and feeding of HCM patients – and Mayo happens to be one of them. You just can’t do much better then that. Good luck, and please keep us posted on your progress.
Burt

[Lisa Salberg]

Tim,
Welcome! You and your wife are about to have a life changing week. The team at Mayo is wonderful, I know them all personally and can not say enough good things about them. You are in great hands.

I will remind you that while you are the patient, your wife has a great deal to deal with over the next 2 weeks. Please make sure she has the support she needs.

If you call the office in the morning and leave a number I will try to reach you Monday evening if you need anything.

I look forward to hearing back from you when all is done and you are back in beautiful Montana! I had family in the Stevensville area for many years, they just moved back east. It is a wonderful area, my husband is a big fan of the fishing out there!

Best wishes,
Lisa

[tzellmer]

Howdy from Sioux City, Iowa!

Thanks so much for all your replies! It is reassuring to hear good news about Mayo Clinic. I am pretty nervous at this point to say the least. I find it hard to believe I really have a heart problem. I feel totally O.K. as long as I stay seated... I went to the movie with Marcella and my Nephew Levi this afternoon and walked alot at the mall. I thought I was doing pretty good, they said I was going SUPER SLOW! LOL! It is all a mater of perspective.

Has anyone here had a myectomy at Mayo? Anyone used the "heart hugger". I was told that really helps. Anyone got any advise for what to do the night before? I could sure use some advise from the people experienced with open heart surgery.

We leave tomorrow in the morning to head back to Mayo. My pre-appointment is at 4:00pm. I am going to have a Cardiac arterial angiogram Tuesday morning and then into the O.R. for my myectomy....

Well, It is time to play cards with the whole clan. Skip-Bo or Pit I am not sure.

By the way, I think it was Jim with a friend with a cabin in the Crazy Mountains. I know just about everyone around there or they know me. I am the only Dentist withing about 100 miles. I ride in the north end of the Crazy Mountains. I was just up there about 6 weeks ago hunting strays. It was just amazingly beautiful. I was mountain climbing on horse back. I helped my buddy find a new route up and over the Mussleshell drainage to the Shields Drainage. He named the creek there on his ranch Timmy Creek! He had never gotten to that area ever in 25 years ranching! He fed me smoked oysters and pomegranates! Beautiful Day!

Timmy

[Lisa Salberg]

Timmy,

You are bringing me back to my trip to Montana in 2001. My niece, daughter and I took a few nice horse back rides. One was near Sealy Lake, where my cousin was married, and the other was down in Yellowstone. My goodness you guys grow mountians tall out there!
This trip began my daughters love of horses. I will never forget the beauty of those mountians.

Best wishes,
Lisa

[Reenie]

Hi Timmy. Welcome to the HCMA. You have already heard the good stuff about your hospital so I'll just wish you the best of luck.

Reenie

[angall]

Hi Timmy
Like I said in an earlier post. I did have my second myectomy at St. Mary's Hospital. I recommend having it there 100 %. I can guarantee that you will have the best of care there.

Everyone is nervous, it is only natural. It is the unknown of what is going to happen during the operation and how you will feel after surgery. Like I said earlier, ask questions. The nursing staff is so helpful with their answers.

Suggestion for the night before.......ask for a sleeping pill. It worked for me.

May God watch over you and your family.

Please keep in touch...you are one of the HCMA family.

[Tigger1]

Hi Timmy,

We'll all be thinking of you on Tuesday. Have your wife keep us posted on your condition.


Good Luck
Tigger1

[tzellmer]

Howdy Yall!
Thank God Almighty I'm Alive!
They finally cracked me at Mayo Clinic Rochester/ Minn. on the 28th of Dec.. I got out of ICU next day. It took 7 to hold me down when I came to, an ugly scene for Marcella my wife to see, I really wanted that breathing tube OUT!
They checked me out on the 2nd of Jan.. It is Tuesday the 3rd and we are now in the Twin Cities at my cousins waiting for a late flight home to Montana! I had a very rapid recovery, now I feel like a mule kicked me!
The surgery, an extensive Myectomy for Sever Concentric hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy was a great success by the worlds best surgeon. This job being done in only about two places in N. America normally.
So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Tim Zellmer! Yeeee HAAAAAAAAAAW!
Timmy/ Dr. Z

[Linda]

Tim, It's good to hear from you. Don't push yourself too much, give yourself the necessary time to recover adequately. We'll be anxious to hear progress reports and esp in terms of your symptoms and tolerance. I wish you the best for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery. Good luck with the trip home! Linda

[Reenie]

Gosh Tim, you're doing great! I hope you continue to do so well, but don't push it too hard. Post often.

Reenie

[angall]

Hi Tim

Glad to hear that everything went well. I just knew it would

I found that when I got tired and didn't rest, the pain and fatique got worse. When I laid down to rest, even if I didn't sleep, I felt so much better.

When I had my first myectomy at NIH, the staff would ask everyone to leave patient rooms, then have patients lie down for an hour. I wish I would have remembered this after my second myectomy.

Some days you will feel GREAT! Other days you will say, "Why did I go thru this, I am so uncomfortable". Believe me, after awhile you will feel better.

Something else I just thought of. I was the type of person that disliked taking pain medication. I found that if I took the pain med as soon as I could (based on prescription) I felt better, too.

Minnesota is a little bit colder than Montana.....LOL

Please keep us posted as to your progress.

Take care