Posted on 09/01/2013 7:00:40 PM PDT by Black Agnes
We've very nearly had our first obamacare victim in the family. We'll see next week.
Daddy goes in for open heart surgery in Houston sometime next week. Prayers would definitely be appreciated...
My father is a heart patient for 25 years. Had bypass surgery in 94 and clean arteries after that. Had a mild clotting incident in '05 and was put on warfarin. Warfarin leads to aortic stenosis (calcification of the aortic valve) in some patients, particularly older men.
Daddy started noticing symptoms of heart failure last spring (spring 12). He wasn't given any medical options. Just 'let's wait it out'. (which I find now is death for this type of thing. the earlier you operate the higher the chances of success, the longer you wait the weaker the heart the bigger the risk of death...)
Fast forward to this spring. He had a major episode and they did a balloon catheter on him. Said they could do that repeatedly (a lie). 3m later he has another episode and now they mention transcatheter valve replacement. But, they tell him they don't use the size he needs so he has to participate in a clinical trial that's testing that size.
So, daddy has a cousin in TX who is a bigwig with marathon oil. Who has a buddy who's an even bigger (retired) bigwig with marathon oil and a donor to Texas Heart Institute. A phone call is made on a Tuesday and daddy has an apointment with a Dr. Fish on a Thursday.
During that appointment the doc tells him that transcatheter has a much higher risk in HIS age group of knocking clots loose and causing problems. And since daddy's had open heart surgery before and knows what that recovery is like they can replace the valve with the correct size that way. But his only concern is with daddy's lungs...
My dad was like ...'what's wrong with my lungs?'...
'Well, you are a heavy abuser of nicotine and have smoked for 60+ years it says here in your medical record and that sort of risk factor concerns us'...
**Daddy's never smoked a cigarette in his entire life.** ...
They were death paneling him because he was supposedly a smoker.
We're still wondering how THAT got on his medical record and how many OTHER older white people have that?
And the great part is...with Obamacare you have no rights to see your medical record...unlike Experian. To correct things that might death panel you w/o your knowledge.
So here's the rundown.
Baptist (Jackson Heart) wasn't going to do open heart surgery on him, at all. Didn't even present it as an option with risks due to his 'smoking'. Just told him 'we'll wait and watch'...Which we find out (from reading pubmed and his asking the surgeon and cardiologist in Houston) is the WORST thing you can do with heart failure from a replaceable valve...
So here we are, a year and a half later with GREATLY reduced heart function, waiting for heart surgery in Houston...
Again, prayers appreciated...
God bless you all....your great aunt’s age is/was amazing! I hope your dad, and all of you, have a long and happy life together!
Yes indeed. For us all.
Based on the ‘revenge’ of this administration I’m sure freepers are only one car accident away from being denied ICU or critical care beds and/or burn unit beds.
And our extended families as well.
Cue the Valerie Jarret comment about getting back at those who don’t support them...
Her younger sister is still with us as well. Still just as spry and sharp as a tack.
His late great aunt lived alone, independently, until she was 96+. She took a bad fall on some ice, injured her back, and was put in a nursing home due to mobility issues. She declined quickly after that. I feel strongly that had one of her daughters taken care of mama she’d still be around. Most of the rest of that particular line lives/lived to 105 or 107.
But again, for what it is worth, my condolence's.
That is absolutely amazing!
Praying for your Dad and you and your whole family, and that this “death panel” thing is completely ended in this country.
Oh, I believed you.
And it’s not like it will be just ‘unavailable’ for everyone on an equal basis. It will DEFINITELY be used as a political weapon.
Guaranteed none of us will qualify for chemo, ICU beds, cardiac interventions or anything once it becomes enforced.
Thank you.
Please tell tour story to as many people as will listen. It needs to be in the news cycle. Contact any senior citizens organaztions, news media , try www.theblaze.com- Glenn Beck, conservative talk exc..
People need to know about this- especially the parts where they flat out lied, and altered your dads medical record, then they told you , you are "not allowed" to see the records, or change them, if they are incorrect?!
Outrageous!
You can also contact your weasel politicians, and ask them why they exempted themselves from the Obamacare nightmare.
God Bless you and your dad.
I was a loan originator for about five years. It’s one of the first things you find out in that field.
I get my record about once a year. In ‘00 I found a fairly serious error on there. I was down as a cosigner of a loan with my ex. (insane, think about that...) For 25K. I sent two entire divorce decrees to the originating bank to get that cleared up. Nothing ever happened. It was on there until ‘07 when it finally rolled off.
Now, I’m not complaining about that particular error. He paid off a 24m loan in 6m. Boosted my credit score like you wouldn’t believe. LOL.
But if he’d defaulted it would have wrecked my ability to get a job or apartment in the NYC area.
It’s good to discuss DNR with a doctor, but I would not OK DNR unless my loved one was definitely dying.
My Nurse niece was always VERY pro-DNR, but now SHE is even saying do not say you want DNR.
And as I mentioned before, one of the FR physicians also said that OKing DNR now can mean do not treat.
I’m not against DNR per se, but it’s the way permitting it can be used to deny patients treatment that I would be against.
Prayers up.
Thank you.
Still praying for you and your Dad. Glad my Dad’s story helped.
my moms a big believer in “natural” medicine, try something called Valerian Root it’s a natural form of Valium she says, don’t know much, but it seems to help you calm down without being ‘zoned’ out.
I’ve heard of that but haven’t had the nerve to try it. I might though in the next week or so.
I think my hubby’s tried Valerian before. I’ll have to ask him.
Thanks still. We’re all just so worried. And it’s so unnecessary. He should have had this surgery 18m ago. He’d have had half or less the mortality risk if he had.
And so it begins. Prayers that your Dad gets the proper help and that he has a great outcome.
I find myself facing very, very similar circumstances. After a PM from Black Agnes, I think it is time to ask for prayer help for NVA Sr. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.