This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Blossom, thank you very much for your sentiments...

Yes....... here's to writing poetry and sailing again.


Vivianne, perhaps the rest of Dr. Mehta's patients are just shy. Also, we should remember to check the sticky Tracking thread for his patients who may be posting only there...... after the procedure, it is rather daunting to post here, post there, and keep up with PMs -- it's so hard, that my only updates from now on will be to my Tracking post (page eight)

EDIT: I changed my mind about posting my CCSVI updates only on the Tracking sticky... I'll be posting here, too.

~Pam

p !
Love it. Although I'm guessing that's an eight.

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"However, the truth in science ultimately emerges, although sometimes it takes a very long time," Arthur Silverstein, Autoimmunity: A History of the Early Struggle for Recognition

Fixed it, Cece!

Hello Everyone,

My second procedure, affectionately known as P2, was yesterday, and if I had to sum up my time with Dr. Mehta and his assistants, nurses, and office staff in just one short sentence, I would say...

Dr. Mehta and his assistants, nurses, and office staff are FANTASTIC!

After having spoken with Dr. Mehta four separate times now, I can most definitely attest to his exceptionally high level of professionalism. He knows everything, and I do mean everything, about the human vasculature system, CCSVI, and MS. His focus is truly on treating patients, truly.

Dr. Mehta is an uncompromising doctor who deeply cares about all facets of his patients and minimizes their risks -- they will never have to worry about feeling like they were "rushed through in a factory-like setting," worry that they will be given too much contrast in one day, which is especially important considering all the medications some pwMS take on a daily basis, or worry that their patient file wasn't gone over with an ultra fine-tooth comb.

I want to thank Natalia, a wonderful RN and a Russian-born beauty, for taking such terrific care of me and for having the patience of a saint (she'll know what I'm talking about). I also want to thank Sue, a pretty pixie and another wonderful RN, for also taking such terrific care of me and for having the patience of a saint (she'll also know what I'm talking about).

In all my years as an undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, and MS-diagnosed patient, I've never had finer, more compassionate nurses than these two highly dedicated women. Upon waking yesterday morning in MS PAIN in many places, I knew it was going to be a lousy day because controlling my MS PAIN is never easy, yet the priceless skills and caring nature of Natalia and Sue helped ease me through what otherwise would have been a very, very difficult day for me. Thank you, ladies, from the bottom of my heart -- you are both "awesome."

I feel like yesterday was the "1st day of the rest of my life," just like blossom said. Thank you, pretty blossom!

Thank you again, Dr. Mehta, for being such a GREAT doctor. And thank you again, Natalia and Sue, for being such GREAT nurses. I cannot thank you all enough nor can I praise you all enough, but I do hope my efforts to do so in this post make you all feel very proud and much appreciated.

With warmest regards,
~Pam

I read your results in the tracking thread, and hope that the better sleep that you are now getting will lead to more improvements for you in the next while. Thanks for posting!

HP, what does it mean when a "valve is scar tissue"? Would this still be something you were born with?

hi all,
please refer to my new topic that is related.

http://www.thisisms.com/ftopict-13427.html. thanks. aliyah

Thank you for your sentiments, prairiegirl -- you're very sweet!
I love being able to sleep again for the first time in over a decade.


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Cece, yes, the valves were made of congenital, rigid scar tissue.
Good question... I updated my Tracking post.


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Hi Aliyah, I'll post on your thread later today!
I'll spend some time tracking down hotels for you.

Hi Everyone,

Quick update -- sleeping is continuing to improve... enjoyed first dream in at least ten years last night. It was in full, glorious color with people actually talking! I can't remember much else about the little dream, but I have a feeling the people were surely extolling all the wonders of CCSVI

Also, Megan told me that Dr. Mehta has openings which is *fantastic news* for those who don't have a CCSVI doctor yet or for those who want a 2nd opinion from a world-class vascular surgeon.

Believe me, staying an extra day or two for all the safety benefits and the extra opportunity to talk with Dr. Mehta is time well spent. Period.

Did I say yet how wonderful Dr. Mehta and everyone in his offices are?

Dr. Mehta's phone number: 518-262-5640

~HP

Thank you, HappyPoet, for the full 'scoop'! It seems that finding a doctor who is focused and caring and thorough isn't necessarily the norm, let alone having angels for nurses too! Too many feel they were rushed (sadly).

It's wonderful to know that Dr. Mehta has such a huge heart!

I'm sooo happy that P2 is complete.... rest.... heal .... now it starts!


~^..^~

happy poet,
you are really a testiment to what it means to be a satisfied customer. although we are patients we are customers. i think because of many reasons some people may have gotten a kind of rush through should i call it kind of unpersonable experience. dr. mehta gave you what i feel every dr. no matter what the problem should try to do. with ccsvi the big focus is the veins of course but our whole body is involved we are all so different and unless they have the time to listen to you like dr. mehta did something could be overlooked that could cause the patient "customer" a lot of unnecessary grief. i am so happy for you that you have that satisfied customer experience. it is a peace and healing in itself. when a patient leaves with questions or kinda in a limbo state of mind it just is not a good thing. i think it does effect the way a person starts to heal. anyway, congrats again. so glad you are dreaming-so dream big sister. i hope you wake up one day soon and the dream we all have of getting well comes true for you. p.s. i told you so!

Did I ever tell you I love your little cat emoticon? So clever of you!

Yes, sadly, some doctors are having what they might simply call a "bad day." Let's hope that not every day is as bad as we've heard because those "bad days" are not simple for patients having procedures on those days. With some doctors, it seems to be more about quantity than quality, sadly.

Thank you for your kind thoughts -- they will be with me while I "rest" and "heal." And sleep. And dream. Yes, "now it starts!"

~Pam

I think as patients we need to find the doctor that is right for us. Since there is no 'best practices' that has been standardized, we are basically choosing the approach (stents/no stents, etc.) by which doc we choose. And now if one doc is a bit more rushed and we hear more reports confirming that, we'd need to take that into consideration when making decisions, because to us it's maybe the most important medical procedure of our lives and to them it could be just a Monday.

Still these docs are all heroes. They've taken CCSVI on. They could be on the sidelines waiting for somone else to prove or disprove it.

Cece, as time goes on and we find out more about the liberation procedure, that list of considerations you were once working on becomes longer. Do you remember the other ones? Here are some more considerations to add to the list:

1. Vascular surgeon/IR.
2. Services not rushed/Services rushed.
3. Dr. not switched/Dr. switched (reminiscent of the old "bait & switch," perhaps).

We should also keep in mind that most people don't post, and posting something negative is much harder to do on this forum than posting something positive.

i leave tomorrow for albany to see dr m at 11:00. mixture of fear and excitement. very big in both directions.

just wanted you all "with" me in this. boy, it makes me realize what courage it has taken for each of the 1800 who have done this before me...the good [outcomes], the bad, and the ugly.

i guess in this time of discovery, maybe it is all good. by now there is no doubt that this is a hugh piece in the MyStery. All research is good research.

just thinking out loud, trying to find some peace in the waiting and uncertainty.

this has been a challenging path. it is comforting knowing i am in good company. Aliyah