Tulips!

I love this tulip wall…by the radiology department at the UW Hospital.   There ia no sign telling the artist.   I asked at the desk and was told ‘’’oh those are X-rays of flowers”   and when I asked “Who did them?”  They shrugged and said “ Must be a mystery artist. “  I also asked the tech that did my X-ray and she said  “what X-ray flowers?”   Extras..A couple others nearby but they’re not my favorite tulips.  

STOP right here unless you want to read what might be too much medicine,, too many words, too much me,.  It's OK...just stop. 

6 weeks ago before I saw the new cardiologist at the UW, we knew my heart issues were not going to be solved, but gradually just get worse until finally it will just quit.    I’m an old lady, I’ve had a very good life, am not contributing anything, and am not all that enamored or hopeful  with life on this planet as it is right at the moment.  So we’re OK with that,.  (but Herb is making sure I can teach him now how to do certain computer things,…)  Then we see a new “valve” cardiologist who says there is a clip for the tricuspid valve that can hold it together so what regurgitates backwards is not “torrential,.”    A week ago I had a test to look at this further with this clip in mind, thinking humm, did I want to even try. Those results MIGHT take the regurgitation down from “torrential" to “massive.”  Is that worth it?     That doc then tells me there is an even newer trial that implants a whole new  (bovine) tricuspid valve inside the old one, through a vein.   Non invasive.   and he much prefers that, but it hasn’t been done here and the UW is one of the centers around the country to have the trial available, starting just now.  Only been tried n Europe and UK  with small studies with pretty dramatic results. It hasn’t been long enough to study whether it even prolongs ones life.
No guarantee that I would even be a candidate quite yet without a few other measurements (today with the CT scan) but in order to get this test I had to sign the consent so the company would pay for it.  I was #1 to get the scan this way.  It was easy.   
So here’s what’s going through my mind.
Is it worth the trouble and money spent on someone old who doesn’t DO much?  (It seems that old ladies are the people who have this issue the most. how old is too old? I don’t really want to be too old. )  But at least it won’t come out of taxpayer’s pockets with medicare ….the company pays.  
Do I even want to take the risk of the procedure ?  ( The UW has done lots and lots of aortic valve replacements and other things through this vein procedure…I think it’s pretty safe.  but the procedure will take some recovering from…
Would I like to feel better and less out of breath?   yes of course
Am I willing to get all the checks and tests to evaluate it after..like 1 mo, 6 mo, 12 mo etc)?
To be honest, I’m quite sick of medical appointments.  Most are not fun. 
Am I willing to contribute to medical science knowledge that will help someone on the future?   YES!  the best part.
If eligible, it’s a 2:1 random trial.   2 get the valve, 1 is control, all followed the same.   At the end of a year the control group has the option to get it then….(if they are still alive!)   Might not be all that bad…wait for more experience, results.,.?.)
One can opt out at any point.

So we’ll see what happens…. It’s actually pretty exciting to think about….. most of the time…..but now I need a break.

Here's the trial website for the lay public  with a cool little movie for anyone REALLY interested in the medical mechanics.