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Any experiences with Watchman Implant for A-Fib?
Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: Mar 8 8:52am | Replies (261)Comment receiving replies
Sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place. Not sure I have a solution to your situation. Perhaps a friend or neighbor can do the driving for you. I am fortunate in that I have a neighbor that would do that for me without question. My wife still drives so it is no issue for me. Not sure if Medicare would provide transportation or not, worth checking. Last resort is you will have to pay someone to drive you there and back. No easy solutions.
Yes....just getting in to see the doctors is a big issue too. Maybe they can schedule all the test for one day. It is possible. Would be a very long, hard day for sure. You might be able to do the TEE in your area and have them send the results to Cleveland Clinic. Getting the Watchman put in is fairly routine, it's all the before and after stuff that makes this so difficult. My 6 month follow up was done be phone. So will my one year follow up unless I have some problems (which I don't).
Hope things works out for you.
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Thank you so much again, Phoenix! @phoenix1647
Unfortunately I've become very isolated in the years I've been here. As for neighbors, there are few remaining from when I came, the present ones are strangers. My limited social circle, is rooted in my sons' serious problems beginning in early childhood - first the one, then domino effect - the other. And it lasted a long time.
At least, they have grown up in that they're now loving, appreciative, and remorseful for past pain. Also, worried. (about me). Just got off a ZOOM call for my birthday - (they waited until midnight). Then tomorrow, we'll get together again between the older one's ambulance calls. I have a mountain of gifts to open.
Yes, I've had to hire drivers to John Hopkins. There used to be a volunteer driver service through the Office of Aging but they dropped it because of expense. With the exploding price of gas, it's. all the more daunting. A. great many people here die prematurely because of being unable to access competent doctors and services. It's really awful. None of the big wheels - professors (it's a uni town), lawyers, dentists, and - of course - doctors - go out of town for their own care.
It cheered me to hear one of your TEE check-ups was electronic. As for the tests, I've been ASSUMING I'd have all the tests in one day. How many are there anyhow - individualized I'm sure, but on average?? If I had to I'd just stay in a hotel hoping they'd at least not take more than two days (and that they could be lined up).
The real question, is whether it's worth it to go to the Cleveland Clinic instead of the surgeon "only" an hour away.