Our preparations for driving back to Everett were moving along and we were scheduled to pick up our u-haul Saturday, Feb. 26. But at 2 a.m. that morning I awoke struggling for breath. A call to our HMO produced advice to get to urgent care. So we drove up to the Mayo Clinic Hospital north on the northern borders of Phoenix. I was admitted right away with mitral valve prolapse. The valve, which was identified as a problem 18 months ago, had essentially blown out. My lungs were filling with fluid.
Further testing showed I also had four partially-blocked heart arteries. The plan was to perform open-heart surgery and fix everything at once. Preference was to repair the bad valve. If that wasn't possible, it would be replaced with a mechanical or tissue valve.
I also had a urinary tract infection, which complicated things. If the mitral valve damage was caused by infection both repair and healing would be greatly complicated. Blood tests showed no blood infection but a test of the valve itself would be needed for confirmation. I'll finish this after lunch.
Experiences and comments as Walt and Pam motor down to Phoenix, spend a month in a downtown condo, explore Arizona and drive back. If all this is fun, we'll keep blogging.
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