I am a 60 year old female who is an 18-month survivor [...]

Thank you for your post. Mayo Clinic Transplant Center would be happy to provide an opinion about your situation. If you want to call us, we can help facilitate a review of your medical information to see if transplant may be an option, prior to you making a visit to see us. Our number is 800-422-6296, Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. Feel free to call and speak with us about your situation.

Thanks for your response Kristin. I have no health insurance – waiting on the AHC Act to buy some going forward in January. However, my Medicare kicks in 2.5 years from the original date of disability (as determined by SSDI), so I will have Medicare and a supplemental coverage if I live to August, 2014. (I haven’t flown since my heart attacks, but feel comfortable driving to Rochester in 4-5 hour blocks.)

I can call the Transplant Center, but want to make sure I don’t need to wait till I have insurance coverage. My medical records are about 4″ thick… from neurosurgery at Stanford Stroke Center in 1992 all the way up to the AICD placement in 2012.

Of interest, my attending cardiologist at Austin Heart Hospital told me this: “If you make it to age 63, we’ll talk transplant. But we don’t do whiners!!” More recently (July 2013) my follow-up cardiologist told me to be considered for transplant I would have to be lying in a hospital bed. True at Mayo? Because although I get up and move around my house cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, I feel hopeless for my future. I take care of my daughter’s mobile dog grooming business affairs and make all her appointments – so I am not completely dysfunction and do have some relevance to my life. However, I want to do so much more but don’t want to have false hope.

If you still think a call is advisable, I will definitely make the call. Just want you to have as much info as possible.

Thanks again,

Betty

Hi Betty,
Health insurance is definitely a concern. We would not be able to offer you any guarantees regarding a transplant for your future. However, it doesn’t cost you anything to make this phone call. Our office would be able to talk with you about the process and review your information. We also have an extensive financial team that would be able to talk to you about your lack of coverage and your future plans. They may be able to provide you with some advice about the financial piece as well. I don’t want to give you false hope, as I think lack of insurance is an obstacle, but I would make the call if you are able to and gather all the information you can. I hope that helps! Good luck to you!