I am thankful for the surgeons who were willing to take a chance on helping a family member..

Although she was not expected to live even a week without surgery, some cardiac surgeons would not risk doing surgery. It was their opinion she would not make it through surgery. Either way, with or without surgery, they did not expect her to live.

The only way to try to help her was to fully inform her of all risks and to do the surgery with her informed consent., which was exactly what was done at this other hospital. I am graeful to the surgeons who were willing to honor her wishes and were willing to take the risk in hopes of helping her.