Its A Time To Appreciate...

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by ||)) (o) ||\||

- Update -

Yesterday was my echo which showed no abnormalities in my heart whatsoever. So now I am really baffling doctors. This morning I received a phone call from my cardiologist. I was expecting to be told what day and time I would be having my surgery. Instead, he informs me that he had just consulted a electrophysiologist (sp?). He is a doctor that specializes in the electrical system of the body. They have come to the conclusion that since my symptoms havent been severe enough yet, and they are post-poning my pace maker. Symptoms severe enough would have to include fainting/passing out. So, basically they are saying until I pass out from my heart slowly coming to a stop, they are putting it off. Sounds shitty huh? Yeah, thats what I thought. SO for now, I have to play the waiting game...

No, you don't have to play the "Waiting Game". You get a second opinion from someone who isn't affiliated with the first cardiologist and electrophysiologist. Contact your Insurance Carrier as soon as you can do so and see if they'll pay for second opinion. Many plans will because a second opinion buys the patient time to get treatment while problems are small, before something awful happens that wracks up huge hospital bills.

Let's face it - you're still having symptoms... why not see if there is something that these two missed... such as diet, odd diseases, metabolic issues or what have you?

This was the point of my last post - the nice compliant patients get wasted after the hard heads died of being hard heads. The bastards who took care of themselves lived the longest.

The "bastards" who never said "Die" and never took anyone's word as gospel would do their homework and demand good care. The record that I saw was a guy who survive twenty six years on dialysis. Miserable SOB but he survived. Yes, he did what his doctor advised, if it made sense to him. He called his own shots.


My best friends Mom died last summer, a dozen years after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Five years after initial diagnosis of her disease the first team she dealt with had given her the "maximum lifetime dose" of Iodine-123 and told her that all she could get was "palliative care". In other words shuffle off to a hospice and die.

She and her son would not have any of that - they did some Internet work and discovered a program that was more aggressive. A few phone calls, some visits and lab work and the first team was given their walking papers. She fired them and signed up the hard asses.

She got more Iodine and more chemo and worked her ass off to be healthier.

She got five more good years, time to spend with her kids, friends and living. The last year was a bitch but not different than what would have happened six years before.

Seriously - get your records and start doing your own detective work. Don't take anyone's word as Gospel. For a Doctor it's not an insult to question what they say, but it is hurtful to them if you don't take care of business. Do not fight with them, take care of yourself.

Gene