Nicola's Journal

Klara Čičić  Dear Nicola, if you are considering Europe, I am having my surgery in Leipzig Herzzentrum, that is one of the best cardiac surgery centres in Europe, if not the best, they do minimaly invasive surgeries and all other sorts...maybe check their website. I am paying out of my pockett... If I can help in any way, just ask. Good luck!

Klara Čičić  My first thought was also America but after a lot of research I found out that Leipzig has results comparable with the best cardiac centres in the world! And it's closer and not as (almost ridicoulosly) expensive as USA.  

Richard Munson  Why do our politicians keep saying how great everyone elses health care systems are but yet people are breaking down the doors to get here. Maybe they should read a few of these.

Timothy Andre  Hang in there Nicola, I will pray that you get the answers you need. You are doing exactly what you need to be doing. Reaching out and asking for help is not always easy, but you are doing it. Good on you!! It's best to be proactive and advocate for yourself. Keep pushing forward and you will get the care that you need. God Bless you

Phyllis Burch  Europe is ahead of the U.S. at least in my case. I have tricuspid regurgitation. The CE has approved minimally invasive surgery where they don't have to cut you open. It will be years before this is approved in the US. Not everything is better in the US. I hope and pray you get the help you need.

Rose Madura  Hi Nicola. I know three people in the UK. One complains about the high taxes due to government health care; one needed healthcare and her parents had to pay for it privately and a third is diabetic and thinks it nothing to go temporarily blind while they experiment with her various pills before approving the injections she needs. I feel for you. On the other side of the coin, I know someone who lives in Canada and went to the UK at his expense to have a hip replacement because he couldn't get the kind he wanted in Canada. You are going to have to be your own advocate. And don't give up. Deplete every avenue a d keep trying. You can do this! Your health depends on it. Godspeed!

Rita Savelis  Care in America is certainly not better than care in the U.K. or Europe, where there are national health systems and care for everyone and not just those who can afford the Cleveland Clinic. I don't know your age, but there are options rather than open heart surgery such as valve replacement through an artery (TAVR) developed for those whose bodies could not withstand standard surgery. Please see if you can see another cardiologist. Going private in the U.K. is another option that would still be SO much less expensive than the U.S. Take care Nicola.

Rita Savelis  Richard, the reason health care sysems are "great" in other countries is not because they are perfect but because there is care for everyone, even those who do not have insurance and are not part of the few who can pick and choose surgeons and hospitals. This means there is general good care for everyone rather than excellent care for a few and no care for others (U.S. system). Of course those with excellent care in the U.S do not want to lower their expectations a bit and share services with others so that there would be general good care for everyone. It's a sad system. 

Richard Munson  Great comments from many around the world. Sorry to wave the stars and stripes but the freedom to choose is what i think makes this country great. All countries no doubt have their plusses and minuses including this one. “ they are leaving me to die” by nicola was what caught my eye.  I only commented because nicola did not seem overly excited about the care she received, or not received in the ( free?) government run system. I haven’t heard too many sad stories of health care neglect in the usa but no doubt they exist. Personally i’ll take excellent care over ok care but thats me. The less uncle sam intrudes in my life the better. I want to make my own decisions about my health and my life in general without some government official telling me what i can and can’t do. Cradle to grave government ( i call it socialism) i guess works in some places based on the responses i ‘ve read here but i pray it never comes here. Rita i’m glad it all worked out for you as i always enjoy your posts. 

Kimberly Eisenhut  I am becoming more and more worried about how healthcare is handled in the U.S. It is good, but there needs to be equity in the care for everyone. It is very difficult to get decent insurance we can actually afford, not to mention the deductibles, copays, etc. and fighting with the insurance companies to get the minimum of care. If you are lucky enough to have decent health insurance and get to pick and choose, especially when it comes to big surgeries like these that can save your life, it is absolutely not humane to tell one human being their life is not worth as much as anothers simply because of the insurance they have. We need to do much better! I've seen too many cases of people not getting the care they need because of policies and hospitals and doctors who are employed and run by corporations to feel they ever have my best interest at heart. We patients who have no one to advocate for us, and are fighting this alone, can get really tired of the constant push to get the care we too deserve. With that said, I do hope and pray you can find a way Nicola to get what you need and deserve.
love and prayers sent

Richard Munson  Kim, i enjoyed reading your post. Very good points. I guess every area of our society can use some improvement. Health care included. A word that always makes me nervous is equity. Even with what might be considered equity, it sounds like  nicola is having those very issues in the uk. If i am reading correctly. Of course no one should be denied health care in our great country. But when equity begins to filter into every facet of our lives it becomes a country that i am not sure i like the sounds of. I still contend there is a reason that people are willing to break the law to enter this country by any means possible and i have yet to see anyone swimming the other way across the rio grande. Maybe now that gas is cheaper in mexico, that might change.

Richard Munson  I think equity and equality are 2 different things in my mind. I’m all for equality. Especially for opportunity. 

Richard Munson  Scary that we agree again. Different points of view and not being penalized for it are what makes this country great. I still believe that the usa provides the most opportunity to those willing to take advantage of it. I also believe in a safety net for the less fortunate, so i am not totally cold. Lol. There is an ad that has been running recently from a home mortgage  company for veterans. The line they use that i like is that they provide a little hand up, not a hand out. It takes a personal commitment to get to the top and many are not willing to make it, which is fine, we are all different. Those that do excel by hard work however should  not be considered greedy by those that don’t if they want to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Kimberly Eisenhut  I only mean equity in healthcare. It is just a fundamental thing we can all agree on for sure. No one should have to not live the best life possible if we have the means to help them with the life saving surgeries and medications they need. It is such a difficult area to figure out the appropriate way to go about this and make sure everyone can come together and change the way insurance/Drug companies/Drs and Hospitals go about the process of accepting and giving the best care possible to everyone. Every heart valve patient should have the ability to go to the best surgeon for their particular problem and have the best possible outcome. That would be the dream So much love and prayers to everyone here! Love you all with all my heart!