This past Wednesday, September 25th, 2019, my Dad was scheduled for a heart valve replacement with Dr. Egrie a CPMC Van Ness Campus. I cannot even begin to tell you just how blessed we are to have been able to be graced by Dr. Egrie's craft that is Cadiothoracic Surgery.
Needless to say, heart valve replacement surgery was a priority procedure that could not wait any longer. My family and I are extremely close, so it did not come easy for us to accept when it came time to start planning for him to get his procedure done. We really wanted to make sure that we were choosing the very BEST in the profession. Needless to say, my Dad was referred to Dr. Egrie from his Cardiologist Dr. Levy.
It only took one appointment for my parents to know that Dr. Egrie was the one they would feel the most confident in to perform such a heavy procedure. But immediately after his consultation, my parents told me that they had 100% full confidence that Dr. Egrie knows his stuff. I of course, was skeptical. How could they feel 100% confident that he was the right man for the job? After all they had only consulted with just one surgeon - Dr. Egrie. I kept asking my dad to make sure that he didn't want to consult any other surgeons in San Francisco, but he insisted that he felt really good about Egrie. Both my Mom and Dad agreed that he has such a wonderful way of breaking down the issues at stake, answering their questions thoroughly, yet in a way that the everyday person could understand without being too "technical". Furthermore, one of the main reasons why my Dad felt so comfortable with him is that he never felt like he was rushed at any time during his consultation. When Dr. Egrie is with you, you really feel that you are his # 1 priority.
I bring up this concern because I have read some reviews from other clients that have complained that Dr. Egrie's wait time was extremely long. But what you all need to understand is that Dr. Egrie is an extremely thorough and detailed doctor. He makes sure his patients are cared for, and that all of their questions are answered. So, if you are in a hurry to get going on this procedure, I suggest that all of you take moment to understand just what is at stake in this situation - Someone's life.
The Day of the procedure, my family and I were very nervous, anxious and stressed out. But again, my Dad reiterated to me that he was confident in Dr. Egrie. As we arrived to CMPC, and as my Dad was led in for his Pre-Operation, made sure to request that I wanted to meet Dr. Egrie as I wasn't able to join in on the initial consultation. Dr. Egrie arrived into the Pre-Op area, and instantly introduced himself to me. I was so anxious because this was the man that would ultimately have my Dad's life in his hands during the next few hours and I wanted to feel that confidence for myself, that my parents had during their consultation.
Instantly, Dr. Egries calming voice and nature put me at ease. He was so compassionate to my concern, and he made sure to assure me that he will take care of my Dad. He saw that I was very upset and concerned, but I never like I was being overreactive or out-of-place.
Needless to say, for the next 6 hours my family and I were sitting on pins and needles and full of anxiety the entire time. Around 2:15pm in the afternoon, Dr. Egrie emerged and greeted us in the visitor waiting room with the wonderful news that we were waiting for - My Dad was doing just fine. He told us that the procedure took longer than expected because he initially said he tried to repair the valve, but that the base of his valve was too enlarged, so he ultimately needed to replace it. Again, I never felt like any of our questions were silly or ridiculous. Dr. Egrie really had a calming way of explaining everything and making sure our concerns were addressed. As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Egrie is truly a compassionate human being. He said he knew that the day was a stressful one, and I really felt like he understood how we felt.
After the initial procedure, Dr. Egrie continued to check in on my dad - twice when he was in the ICU and again when he was in the regular patient rooms. He has such a cool and calm demeanor that made it so pleasant to talk to him. I truly feel and believe that he cares about every one of his patients and their families.
Today is a Saturday, and I assumed that no surgery procedures were performed on Saturdays. But when my family and I walked around the surgery waiting room, I surprisingly saw that Dr. Egrie was performing another surgery...on a Saturday! Later that day, my mom told me that Dr. Egrie just left my dad's room at around 8:00pm in the evening. Apparently, he had an emergency surgery that he needed to perform earlier that day. But despite his long hours, and his emergency procedure, he still decided to check in on my dad. It was at this moment that I felt like Dr. Egrie truly is a gift to my family! Thank you Dr. Egrie! read more