Topic: Finally!!!!! A PACEMAKER!!!!
Hello Friends,
After so many trips to the hospital, so many meds we tried that didn't work, Dondra's cardiologist has finally put in a pacemaker. a device which will keep her heart rhythm regular and without the atrial fibrillation that accompanied it.
I know. Y'all, like me, are asking yourselves, "Why didn't they do that in the first place, Bill"? I'm about to tell you, but try not to give into the temptation to let your jaw hit the floor.
We're both on Medicare and what that means is Medicare only pays 80% of what you need, be it medicine or surgery. What that means is the operation which is an expensive one, won't get the doctor who does it, a full amount. So..... they try everything else first, no matter the amount of danger the patient is in, "hit 'em with those meds and try to avoid anything major, such as a pacemaker or open heart". (That's not an actual quote -- just one I used for an explanation.).
Of course we were upset and relieved at the same time when we learned of this, and as I write, she is in bed resting and letting the wound from the pacemaker surgery heal. She gets home health care and we were given a roller/walker for her to use to get around here at home. She wanted to let all of you know that she's feeling much better and feels like she has "a new heart". There is a monthly test we have to do to make sure the device is calibrated and functioning as it should, so we're both feeling a lot less stress nowadays.
Could we have had the procedure done at the beginning? Sure, but the thing we were lacking is "supplemental insurance" to cover what Medicare will not. The reason we have only the Medicare is because we really cannot afford the supplemental insurance and that's all there is to it. If you have it, you know what I mean. If you don't, have you tried pricing it?
Sometimes "Thank You" doesn't seem like a good enough phrase to express gratitude, but just the same we do thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.
Bill and Dondra
Fender GDO300 Orchestral - a gift from Amy & Jim
Rogue Beatle Bass
Journal: www.wheretobud.blogspot. com
