My Predicament

[CheesusCrust]

Okay, I have a rather serious decision to make and I'd like to hear some opinions from other people.
I have a rather serious medical condition; all four of my heart valves are failing. I have two options of what I can do:

Option one is a heart transplant. However, right now, for reasons that baffle doctors, I am in good condition. So I would actually have to wait until my heart deteriorates and then transplant it. There is no telling how long that will take but it will happen sooner or later. After this it's sink or swim. Worst case scenario I don't even make the first year. Best case scenario is 5-15 years. I'm 16 right now and forgive me if I'm a little selfish, but my twenties aren't exactly the time when I want to die.

Option two: I have found a surgeon that is willing to perform a rather risky surgery to repair all four valves at once. As you can imagine this is extremely risky and there is no telling what (if any) benefits I will get from it. I could possibly get a very good amount of years, maybe better than that of a transplant, but since the surgery has never before been performed, there is absolutely no way of telling.

So, what do the escapists think? The proposed mortality rate for the risky surgery is 10%-20%. I can take a gamble with the surgery or just take the transplant and be happy with whatever I get. Think of it from both my point of view and from a 3rd person perspective of the situation.

 

[Phlakes]

Think of it from both my point of view and from a 3rd person perspective of the situation.

Being completely rational and technical, you should do the surgery and help advance the field, possibly opening that option to more people in the future. But if I were you, I'd probably do the transplant because I'm fucking terrified of death. If you're not afraid to die, do the surgery.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

Take the transplant.

It's less risky and you know the doctors who are performing it.

 

[tomtom94]

Speaking from a purely impersonal standpoint, you should take the second option. It's a risk that could lead to you living a longer life, but it's entirely up to you whether you want to take it.

Speaking as a human being, you're probably safer taking the first option, but whichever option you choose: keep fighting, and I hope all works out well for you.

 

[Ekonk]

Wow. That is rather serious. Most things 'serious' on this site concern girls and shit, but this... Man, I don't know. It's a big risk you're taking, we're talking about your life here.

You're the only one who can make this descision. Sorry for the shitty answer, but it's true.

 

[CheesusCrust]

Take the transplant.

It's less risky and you know the doctors who are performing it.

It is less risky, but the surgeon that is willing to do the experimental surgery is the same guy who does the transplant and he fully believes that he can do it.

 

[JoJo]

I would take the transplant, the risky surgery might not even have any benefits, leave that sort of thing to older people who would find it harder to secure a heart transplant and have less years left anyway...

 

[TerribleAssassin]

Take the transplant.

It's less risky and you know the doctors who are performing it.

It is less risky, but the surgeon that is willing to do the experimental surgery is the same guy who does the transplant and he fully believes that he can do it.

I'd take the transplant, it just seems like a better solution than risking it for no apparently different benefits.

 

[Hiphophippo]

I'd take the transplant. I have a daughter. I don't gamble on not being able to see her again.

 

[spartan231490]

Consider an artificial heart? I heard somewhere they tend to last longer than normal heart transplants. of the options you presented, I would probably do the risky surgery. as long as there is no catestrophic failure, you could always transplant when the valves start to deteriorate again. Also, I don't much like the idea of dying by my thirties.

 

[steevee]

I'd take the surgery.

Honestly, I wouldn't ant to live my life constantly worrying that my heart will fail, and then wait for a transplant and have all the comlictions that come along with that.

And if the surgery isn't a success there's always the option for a transplan open, but if the transplant heart fails/gets rejected/ gets infected etc there's not the surgery option.

So, objectivley, the surgery seems lik the best option. But I understand the fear of death s a powerful motivator so it would be perfectly reasonable to choose the transplant aswell.

 

[Jedamethis]

"Only 10-20% chance of dying? Gogogo!"
That was my first thought.

 

[aseelt]

Take the surgery. Heart transplants, assuming you find a donor, have a shelf life of 10-15 years. Assuming there are no complications

 

[D Moness]

Well the "problem" with the transplant is that you have to wait until your own heart deteriorates. If that does happen there has to be a donor heart that is compatible with your blood type (honestly donor hearts are already in small supply). Then your body still has to accept the new heart(pardon my bad english to explain it properly).

The second option has also some very bad points(a mortality rate of 10 to 20%, and never done before). It is however something that can be done now.

Honestly it is a real difficult problem for someone else to give an opinion on. I would I THINK however pick the second option.

 

[CheesusCrust]

Consider an artificial heart? I heard somewhere they tend to last longer than normal heart transplants. of the options you presented, I would probably do the risky surgery. as long as there is no catestrophic failure, you could always transplant when the valves start to deteriorate again. Also, I don't much like the idea of dying by my thirties.

Yeah that was the idea. If I could get just a few more years out of this surgery before the need to transplant arises again it would be worth it. I just want as much time as I can get. The problem is that if I do transplant, and this surgery might have worked, then I will have missed the chance for even just a few more years.

 

[CheesusCrust]

"Only 10-20% chance of dying? Gogogo!"
That was my first thought.

Thats just for straight up die on the table. There is no way of telling what will happen even if the surgery is successful. The heart could not restart or the valves could fail again.

 

[Cpt. Red]

Myself in this case would probably have chosen to do the surgery as I won't have to sit and worry about me dying all the sudden.

But if you really can't decide in the end then you could do what I always do; flip a coin and if you don't like the outcome then you have your answer. I have found it to be a good way find out what you really want.

 

[Chogg Van Helsing]

Me in your senario would probably result in me going into denial, followed by insanity. I would prob end up dying for the good of the world when they hunt me down, coz i would hunt down and kill ppl i hate if my mind deteriorated anymore. And i'd think i'd have nothing to lose. Why that was relevant? Not a clue! I would advise not taking my opinions to heart.

ANYWAY. I would go for the surgery ultimately, although my mind would scream at me for it. I am terrified of death. My mind needs to be able to process stuff and the outcomes, and death can't be processed like that...

 

[Count Igor]

Christ man, I'm really sorry.
I'd say 2nd option, after all, is it really worth just living into your 20's? You'd miss out on so much, and although it's riskier with the 2nd, you'll actually get to live properly if it goes ok.

 

[Lullabye]

Think of it from both my point of view and from a 3rd person perspective of the situation.

Being completely rational and technical, you should do the surgery and help advance the field, possibly opening that option to more people in the future. But if I were you, I'd probably do the transplant because I'm fucking terrified of death. If you're not afraid to die, do the surgery.

Ill second this word for word.