Thus far, I haven't been to the hospital at all. I've had all doctor consultations/appointments, imaging tests, and lab tests at the main Mayo campus. (There are two 18-story buildings hooked together seamlessly where most of the appointments are held.)

I don't mind... I'm having a surgery called a Nissen fundoplication. The sphincter muscle between my stomach and esophagus no longer functions, plus I have a 4cm hiatal hernia (i.e., 4 centimeters of my stomach is coming up into my esophagus). As a result, I have a huge GERD issue and always have heartburn -- so much so that it's like having a third degree sunburn in my esophagus. Usually, they would prescribe a proton pump inhibitor medication like Nexium to treat the GERD issue, but since Mayo figured out that I have a bunch of cytochrome P450 drug metabolization polymorphisms and I metabolize medications too slowly, I cannot take them ever again because these meds were building-up in my system and making me incredibly sick. Surgery is my only option. If not fixed, someday the stomach acid could cause esophageal cancer and other problems.

In October, on my first day there, I will be going to the main Mayo building again for a GI test to see if my esophagus works properly, one lab test, and to have my pre-operative appointment with my thoracic surgeon. Then the next day, I have surgery down the road at Mayo's St. Mary's hospital. I think it's about 10 blocks away.