- Joined
- Mar 22, 2016
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Hey,
My kick-ass 93-year old grandma went to an interventional cardiologist today for a check up and got some (somewhat? idk) bad news. He told her that one of her heart valves should be the size of a quarter, but is the size of a pen cap. She is the most incredible elderly person I have ever met, works three days a week at Sams club, exercises 3-4 days per week and bowls the other days—unhealthy habits is not a factor.
Her options are:
1) do nothing. likely death in around 2 years
2) open heart surgery to clear blockage. doctor didnt like this because of her age and recovery chances?
3) an 'experimental'-ish procedure (relatively new still, since only around 10 years) in which they go into an artery in the leg (i think femoral artery) and they try to follow it up to the aorta and clear the blockage, I think through a stint (or whatever an interventional cardiologist would do)
What do you guys think she should do?
I think she's leaning towards option 3, but I want to give her a more well-informed opinion. Sorry if the descriptions aren't the best; I had school when she went to the meeting and I am simply reporting what she told me.
Please give honest opinions.
Thank you all for your time!
My kick-ass 93-year old grandma went to an interventional cardiologist today for a check up and got some (somewhat? idk) bad news. He told her that one of her heart valves should be the size of a quarter, but is the size of a pen cap. She is the most incredible elderly person I have ever met, works three days a week at Sams club, exercises 3-4 days per week and bowls the other days—unhealthy habits is not a factor.
Her options are:
1) do nothing. likely death in around 2 years
2) open heart surgery to clear blockage. doctor didnt like this because of her age and recovery chances?
3) an 'experimental'-ish procedure (relatively new still, since only around 10 years) in which they go into an artery in the leg (i think femoral artery) and they try to follow it up to the aorta and clear the blockage, I think through a stint (or whatever an interventional cardiologist would do)
What do you guys think she should do?
I think she's leaning towards option 3, but I want to give her a more well-informed opinion. Sorry if the descriptions aren't the best; I had school when she went to the meeting and I am simply reporting what she told me.
Please give honest opinions.
Thank you all for your time!
