RobThatsMe
Well-known member
Hi Everyone,
Today marks my 6th anniversary since my emergency surgery. Time sure does fly. Mentally I think I have put most of the fears I had after surgery behind me, even though the daily medications are a constant reminder. I thought I would write as, you more than anyone can appreciate and understand the importance and celebration of these milestone dates.
My health is good overall, however, at times over the last 1 ½ years it seems I have developed an occasional episode of A-fib & A-flutter. In a way it?s a blessing that I have a mechanical valve because I have to take Coumadin, which is a great preventative to reduce the risk of a stroke.
I wrote a month ago that I was going to Germany for my next work project. Well, I had my first trip over several weeks ago. That was my very first trip to Europe. I spent my first day in Europe in a German hospital because I went into A-flutter on the flight over.
What an experience! I knew I went into A-flutter on the plane, and usually I can come out of these episodes on my own, however, there are a few that I cannot and require a trip to the ER. This was one of them. My pulse was 145 and stayed that way for the whole flight over, almost 13 hours total. I went to the office, and told one of the managers at the office that I needed to go to a hospital, preferably one with a good heart staff. Also informed him that it was not a medical emergency, but that it was an issue that required immediate medical attention.
Someone from the office drove me to the hospital. The front desk did not speak English, so the person that took me acted as my interpreter. We were instructed to go to the emergency admit, and again, the person there did not speak English. I showed them my license, international health card, insurance card and my VISA. They advised, that they required a German resident address, so the person that took me provided their address for billing purposes.
I finally went to an examination room. The nurses there did not speak English, again the person from the office had to interpret. I had an EKG, and then waited for the doctor. The doctor, a young woman doctor, Woo Hoooo!!!! spoke English, I told her what was wrong, and also what medication they give me in the states when this happens. She said she has never heard of it, and that they do not administer it in Germany. Then, she took out a Drug Medication dictionary and looked it up. ( Now that inspired my confidence. Yikes!). She found the drug I spoke of and asked me if this was the drug they gave me, and I said yes. She said she would never give that to me here, as I was on a Beta Blocker. I told her that is what they give me in the states, and that it will bring me back to normal rhythm in about 30 seconds. Well, she said ?not in Germany we don?t use that? ? I told her to give me whatever it is that they would use to correct the situation. She gave it to me intravenously, and it took some time to work. Even at that it did not get me back into normal rhythm.
She then told me to stay in the Exam room for awhile for observation. After, and hour or more, she came back and said they were to move me to a ward for observation. (That experience is a whole other story? whew?, 4 persons to the room, no privacy, not even a draw curtain.). Anyway, I stayed there for 4 hours, it was now night. She came back and said that I needed to stay overnight for observation. I told her NO! I have been up for over 35 hours and that I needed a good nights rest, which I would not get there. She would not release me, so I ask for the documents and signed myself out, and took a cab back to the hotel and checked in. I was feeling much better when I woke up the next day.
When I got home, I shared the information with my cardiologist, and he told me abouot the drug they gave me. It had a long after-life, and that combined with my daily beta-blocker was what caused me to feel rather faint the next few days. Luckily I recognized how I felt and cut my beta blocker dose in half. My doctor also said that the drug they gave me was an anti-arrhythmia drug. One that I would not want to be on as a long term maintenance due to the severe side effects. WHEW!!!! I compared the bill from Germany with that of the USA. In the USA, the ER and treatment would have cost approx. $1,500. In Germany the cost for my treatment was $177.00. The German services included, the ER exam room, the IV and drug, the EKG, and the charge for the ward.
Anyway, this is becoming a rather long letter, this experience had some very funny moments when I look back on it, and did not go into the details in this letter.
Tonight as I write this I am back in Germany, and I am doing fantastic. Other than that first day in Germany on my last trip, I am having an incredible time. My work is in a small town called Siegburg. It is a wonderful small German town, with many great shops and restaurants. The beer and brats are tops! The town is also very close to Cologne, Koln, Germany as they pronounce it. I went to Cologne, walked along the Rhine, and visited the famous cathedral. I am so wondered by all the history here.
This trip I am working in Baden-Baden is in southern Germany close to the Black Forest area near the French boarder. I walked up a large hill side on Sunday, and into an old Castle ruin built back in the 12th century. Baden is a great town, there are the natural spring baths, many shops in the town village area, and one of the oldest casinos in Germany, if not Europe.
What a great way to spend my 6th anniversary. It looks like I will be working over here for at least 2 weeks every month for most of the year.
As I reflect on the last few years, one of my most memorable thoughts is of this site, the fantastic people that are on here, all the help that I received, and of the personal experiences I shared with others in hopes of helping them. Thank all of you, may we all have many more years of good health. Also, my thanks goes out to Hank for having the foresight to create such an informative site for the interactions from all of us that have had surgery or are preparing to go through such a life changing experience. Hank you have truly created a site that provides information and comfort for so many in search of answers to questions that as you know, were hard to find the answers to in the past.
God bless you, your family and all my friends here.
Rob
Today marks my 6th anniversary since my emergency surgery. Time sure does fly. Mentally I think I have put most of the fears I had after surgery behind me, even though the daily medications are a constant reminder. I thought I would write as, you more than anyone can appreciate and understand the importance and celebration of these milestone dates.
My health is good overall, however, at times over the last 1 ½ years it seems I have developed an occasional episode of A-fib & A-flutter. In a way it?s a blessing that I have a mechanical valve because I have to take Coumadin, which is a great preventative to reduce the risk of a stroke.
I wrote a month ago that I was going to Germany for my next work project. Well, I had my first trip over several weeks ago. That was my very first trip to Europe. I spent my first day in Europe in a German hospital because I went into A-flutter on the flight over.
What an experience! I knew I went into A-flutter on the plane, and usually I can come out of these episodes on my own, however, there are a few that I cannot and require a trip to the ER. This was one of them. My pulse was 145 and stayed that way for the whole flight over, almost 13 hours total. I went to the office, and told one of the managers at the office that I needed to go to a hospital, preferably one with a good heart staff. Also informed him that it was not a medical emergency, but that it was an issue that required immediate medical attention.
Someone from the office drove me to the hospital. The front desk did not speak English, so the person that took me acted as my interpreter. We were instructed to go to the emergency admit, and again, the person there did not speak English. I showed them my license, international health card, insurance card and my VISA. They advised, that they required a German resident address, so the person that took me provided their address for billing purposes.
I finally went to an examination room. The nurses there did not speak English, again the person from the office had to interpret. I had an EKG, and then waited for the doctor. The doctor, a young woman doctor, Woo Hoooo!!!! spoke English, I told her what was wrong, and also what medication they give me in the states when this happens. She said she has never heard of it, and that they do not administer it in Germany. Then, she took out a Drug Medication dictionary and looked it up. ( Now that inspired my confidence. Yikes!). She found the drug I spoke of and asked me if this was the drug they gave me, and I said yes. She said she would never give that to me here, as I was on a Beta Blocker. I told her that is what they give me in the states, and that it will bring me back to normal rhythm in about 30 seconds. Well, she said ?not in Germany we don?t use that? ? I told her to give me whatever it is that they would use to correct the situation. She gave it to me intravenously, and it took some time to work. Even at that it did not get me back into normal rhythm.
She then told me to stay in the Exam room for awhile for observation. After, and hour or more, she came back and said they were to move me to a ward for observation. (That experience is a whole other story? whew?, 4 persons to the room, no privacy, not even a draw curtain.). Anyway, I stayed there for 4 hours, it was now night. She came back and said that I needed to stay overnight for observation. I told her NO! I have been up for over 35 hours and that I needed a good nights rest, which I would not get there. She would not release me, so I ask for the documents and signed myself out, and took a cab back to the hotel and checked in. I was feeling much better when I woke up the next day.
When I got home, I shared the information with my cardiologist, and he told me abouot the drug they gave me. It had a long after-life, and that combined with my daily beta-blocker was what caused me to feel rather faint the next few days. Luckily I recognized how I felt and cut my beta blocker dose in half. My doctor also said that the drug they gave me was an anti-arrhythmia drug. One that I would not want to be on as a long term maintenance due to the severe side effects. WHEW!!!! I compared the bill from Germany with that of the USA. In the USA, the ER and treatment would have cost approx. $1,500. In Germany the cost for my treatment was $177.00. The German services included, the ER exam room, the IV and drug, the EKG, and the charge for the ward.
Anyway, this is becoming a rather long letter, this experience had some very funny moments when I look back on it, and did not go into the details in this letter.
Tonight as I write this I am back in Germany, and I am doing fantastic. Other than that first day in Germany on my last trip, I am having an incredible time. My work is in a small town called Siegburg. It is a wonderful small German town, with many great shops and restaurants. The beer and brats are tops! The town is also very close to Cologne, Koln, Germany as they pronounce it. I went to Cologne, walked along the Rhine, and visited the famous cathedral. I am so wondered by all the history here.
This trip I am working in Baden-Baden is in southern Germany close to the Black Forest area near the French boarder. I walked up a large hill side on Sunday, and into an old Castle ruin built back in the 12th century. Baden is a great town, there are the natural spring baths, many shops in the town village area, and one of the oldest casinos in Germany, if not Europe.
What a great way to spend my 6th anniversary. It looks like I will be working over here for at least 2 weeks every month for most of the year.
As I reflect on the last few years, one of my most memorable thoughts is of this site, the fantastic people that are on here, all the help that I received, and of the personal experiences I shared with others in hopes of helping them. Thank all of you, may we all have many more years of good health. Also, my thanks goes out to Hank for having the foresight to create such an informative site for the interactions from all of us that have had surgery or are preparing to go through such a life changing experience. Hank you have truly created a site that provides information and comfort for so many in search of answers to questions that as you know, were hard to find the answers to in the past.
God bless you, your family and all my friends here.
Rob
