My latest news is that things are moving very fast. I got the information about what will take place next week. I will have the surgery to replace the catheter on Tuesday at Harris Hospital. Dr. Hudgens will do the procedure.

My hemoglobin is low 8.8 and I will go to the local hospital in the morning for cross typing and then go in Monday after dialysis for the transfusion. I am to be at the hospital by 7:00 AM on Tuesday and they will first give me platelets and then at 9:00 will do the procedure. Since I am considered a high-risk patient, I am not sure how long I will be in the hospital but hope to be able to leave by Wednesday afternoon.

I have an appointment at Plaza Hospital Thursday at 8:00 AM. This one is to do the echogram that requires you swallow the tubing with a camera and shows what is going on behind the heart. This one and the one I had yesterday will give them the total picture of what is going on in my chest. Dr. Malik will do this procedure. If I am not out of Harris, I will have to call Wednesday afternoon and they will have to reschedule. Dr. Barbaro, the infection specialist, wants the additional echo done before I see him. He is booked six weeks ahead but when Dr. Shorie talked to him, he said for me to have the echo and when the results were back, he wants me to make an appointment with him.

It all has been put on the fast track. Every time a doctor says there will be a period of time before they can see me then Dr. Shorie talks to them and things change. This is like a two-headed sword. It is nice to have things moving along but it is also scary that they feel there is such a need for the speed.