@giller198 Hi John, The fact I'm so indecisive about having this surgery means to me it isn't right right now. I'm usually pretty decisive. The first question I asked the thoracic surgeon was "Is this life-threatening?" He said "no" people manage to live with it and make life-style adjustments when needed...or something like that. I'm working on building up my stamina and lung strength. I'll let you know in a few weeks if anything changes. Thanks very much for your support. It sounds as though you have learned how to adjust and live well with this condition, which encourages me I will be able to do the same if I work on those two issues. I do think I'll visit a gastroenterologist (spelling?) to see if there might be problems with my out-of-place stomach down the road if I don't do the plication procedure. Happy spring. Nancy