We’re on the road to Cleveland at long last!..

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 25, 2024 with 2 Comments

If we could have cooked our meals in London, we would have purchased some items at this Farmers Market.

Often, we’ve been asked, “Why did we choose to go to the Cleveland Clinic rather than to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, a short 90-minute drive from our current location, which is also highly rated worldwide for heart treatment?”

For me, having already had open heart surgery 5½ years ago and with remaining severe cardiovascular disease (hereditary) and my age, I decided I wanted to go to one of the highest-rated valve disease cardiovascular surgeons in the country, if not in the world, regardless of how long I had to wait to see Dr. Gillinov. It’s been a four-month wait for my appointments, which are upcoming next Wednesday.

If I had to wait another month or two, it wouldn’t have been possible as my condition continues to deteriorate, as evidenced by the necessity of using a wheelchair to get around outside this hotel room, which I can maneuver if I frequently pause when moving about. But any trip outside, even to the car, requires using the wheelchair.

It’s helped make the past few days tolerable and allowed me to see family and friends. They even accommodated me to stay in the wheelchair during Friday’s pedicure.

Following are some of the reasons patients choose Cleveland Clinic for their procedures and surgeries.

Reputation for Excellence: Cleveland Clinic is consistently ranked among the top hospitals in the United States and worldwide. Its reputation for high-quality care, particularly in specialties like cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics, draws patients seeking the best possible outcomes.
Expertise and Innovation: The clinic is known for its cutting-edge treatments and surgical techniques. Surgeons at Cleveland Clinic are often leaders in their fields, offering advanced procedures that may not be available elsewhere. This expertise is especially appealing for complex or high-risk surgeries.
Multidisciplinary Approach: Cleveland Clinic offers a collaborative environment where specialists from various fields work together to create personalized treatment plans. This approach ensures comprehensive care, addressing all aspects of a patient’s health, which is particularly important for those with multiple or complex conditions.
Advanced Technology: The clinic invests heavily in the latest medical technology and equipment, allowing for minimally invasive surgeries, robotic surgery, and other advanced techniques leading to faster recovery times and better outcomes.
Patient-Centered Care: Cleveland Clinic is known for its focus on the patient experience. From pre-surgery consultations to post-operative care, the clinic emphasizes clear communication, patient education, and support, helping patients feel more confident and comfortable throughout their surgical journey.
Research and Education: As a major research institution, Cleveland Clinic is involved in numerous clinical trials and studies, offering patients access to the latest medical treatments and innovations. This research-driven approach means patients benefit from the most current and effective surgical options.
Global Accessibility: Cleveland Clinic attracts patients from all over the world, offering specialized international patient services, including translation, travel assistance, and culturally sensitive care. This global reach adds to its appeal for those seeking top-tier medical care.
Positive Outcomes: Cleveland Clinic’s high success rates and positive patient outcomes contribute significantly to its appeal. Patients often choose the clinic based on recommendations from others who have had successful surgeries there and its track record of excellence in complex cases.

These factors combined make Cleveland Clinic a top choice for patients seeking surgical care, particularly those with complex conditions or who want access to the latest medical technology and treatment advancements.

We’re moving along the road to Cleveland and will stop for the night, well before dinnertime.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 25, 2014:

We had no trouble finding the distant Laundromat, Bobo’s Bubbles, in South Kensington, England. For more photos, please click here.

No road trip for me!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 4, 2024 with 2 Comments

A scene from the Musee d’Orsay, in Paris.

Tomorrow, after talking to a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, if it’s safe for me to continue here with these breathing issues, we’ll decide how to get me there at the end of the month. Right now, I feel like it would be impossible for me to go on a road trip. Won’t I sit in the car for two days for the 750-mile journey?

The answer is yes and no. Sitting in the car will be okay, but I’m most concerned about getting in and out of the car at roadside stops for restroom breaks and walking to and from a hotel, which I’ll face when we get to Cleveland anyway. It’s usually a long walk from the car to the restroom, which would be impossible. I can’t go to the bathroom here in the hotel room without getting out of breath.

I just looked it up, and the hotel at Cleveland Clinic has wheelchair assistance and wheelchairs for guests. You may say, why don’t we get a wheelchair now? However, I don’t plan to go anywhere if possible. Our room is too small to maneuver a wheelchair around. I’ll arrange for a wheelchair at the airport when I fly out, which will take me to my seat since I doubt I can walk down the aisle to my seat.

Fortunately, I can stand quietly in the kitchen and chop and dice ingredients for dinner. Tom takes everything out and back into the refrigerator while I prepare simple meals, some of which I can do while seated at the kitchen table. Plus, Tom does the cooking, which helps a lot.

Here’s a description of difficulty breathing due to valve regurgitation:

Difficulty breathing, or dyspnea, can be a symptom associated with valve regurgitation. Valve regurgitation, also known as valve insufficiency, occurs when one of the heart’s valves does not close properly, causing blood to flow backward instead of moving through the heart and to the rest of the body. This can affect the efficiency of the heart’s function and lead to various symptoms, including:

Shortness of breath (dyspnea): Especially during physical activity or when lying flat.
Fatigue: Due to reduced oxygenated blood being circulated.
Swelling (edema): In the legs, ankles, or abdomen.
Palpitations: Irregular heartbeats or a sensation of the heart skipping beats.
Chest pain: Though less common, it can occur in severe cases.

I have symptoms #1, #3, and #4. Fortunately, I don’t have chest pain. My heart rate and blood pressure are normal if I stay seated or lying down. As soon as I start moving, they both increase significantly.

The severity of symptoms can vary depending on which valve is affected (mitral, aortic, tricuspid, or pulmonary) and the extent of the regurgitation.

If you’re experiencing difficulty breathing and suspect it might be related to valve regurgitation, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for a thorough evaluation. They may perform diagnostic tests such as echocardiography, electrocardiograms (EKG), or other imaging studies to assess the function of your heart valves and determine the appropriate treatment plan.

There’s the latest, dear readers. We’ll keep you updated.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 4, 2014:

The massive courtyard of the Musee de l’Armee des Invalides was used as a staging area during times of war. For more photos, please click here.

A harrowing evening…

Posted by worldwide-admin on August 3, 2024 with 4 Comments

After countless echoes of support from our readers, many commented that they, too, have heart and other medical conditions, and it is comforting to them to know they are not alone in their struggles. A positive attitude is vital to navigating medical or other issues, but we’re all human. We may be fearful and apprehensive as we work through ongoing challenges.

After two nights in the hospital last week, during which nothing could be done without more tests and agreeing to treatment at that hospital, I checked out not necessarily feeling better or more at ease with how I’ve been feeling lately. We leave for Cleveland Clinic in a little over three weeks, and the time can’t come quickly enough.

In the past few weeks, I’ve found that whenever I move around for more than a minute, my heart goes wild, trying to keep up with activity-induced blood flow. My pulse rises, my blood pressure increases, and I become breathless. This is an awful feeling, and as hard as I try to breathe it out and stay calm.

Overall, I am a calm person. I usually don’t manifest any physical symptoms when under stress, nor do I overreact to difficult situations. After all, 12 years of world travel were packed with stressful scenarios, and with Tom and I, at each other’s side, we’ve worked our way through immeasurable stressful situations…never a panic attack, a headache, an upset stomach, or any other medical response.

We both revel in our ability to maintain calm through all unexpected situations, even coming out on the other side of my emergency open heart surgery while in South Africa in February 2019 with optimism and determination to continue with our travels, which we did.

We went to Billie’s Bar and Grill in Anoka yesterday late afternoon. We were comfortably seated while I drank three glasses of iced tea, which caused me to go to the restroom a few times, about 30 steps from our big table. I was severely out of breath each time I returned to the table.

The last time I went to the restroom before we left to get back on the road, I was seriously out of breath, and once we were in the car, I couldn’t seem to catch my breath at all. Tom asked if we needed to go to the ER. I agreed to be safe, and we returned to Methodist Hospital.

An ER assistant grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled me in to approach the check-in desk. I explained my situation through difficult breathing and endless questions from the intake person to whom I explained I might be having a heart attack based on my symptoms. The phone number on my chart from last week was incorrect, but she finally found my file and corrected the number.

Practically slumped in the chair, struggling to breathe, I was told someone would come get me “soon.” The emergency room was packed with at least 60 people. After two hours, a kindly woman sitting beside me in a wheelchair explained she had been waiting for hours. She’d broken her hip, which had been diagnosed by an orthopedic surgeon, and was told to go to emergency to be put into a room for tomorrow’s surgery.

She was in pain and uncomfortable waiting for someone to take her, but she’d waited for many hours. Nurses and intake people told other patients that the wait could be eight to ten hours. I asked a few passing staff, and they said the wait would be many hours. Good grief! What if I was having a heart attack?

I told Tom I’d be better off returning to the hotel and lying down. If it got worse, we’d call an ambulance, ensuring a quicker opportunity for triage. There was no way I could sit in that chair for eight to ten hours.

Once back at the hotel, I lay on the bed, took my vitals, did an EKG on the Fitbit, and did lots of deep breathing to slow my heart rate. An hour later, I was feeling much better. On Monday, I will call the Cleveland Clinic and ask them what to do and if this breathing issue is extremely worrisome while I await my appointments on August 28. If they say this is a normal response to valve issues, I will wait it out.

Last night, I slept well, but even when I got up to shower and dress, I got winded. Hopefully, on Monday, I will know more. Meanwhile, Tom is doing everything while I sit like a lump of clay watching the Olympics, a wonderful distraction.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 3, 2014:

The most romantic city in the world, Paris, obviously inspired a romantic person to have this sign posted, “Will you marry me, Diane?” We hope she said yes! For more photos, please click here.

What to do if you become ill while traveling…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 29, 2024 with 0 Comment

This goat was chained on a hill by the road. It was sad to see.

Because I have excellent insurance coverage, when my blood pressure went through the roof, I knew I could order an ambulance and go to a hospital with an outstanding reputation, all of which would be covered by my insurance plan. The services provided to me were 100% covered by Medicare A and B, and my Plan G supplement covered any deductibles. I left the hospital without being ill. What a relief!

But, over the years, I had worried about coverage in foreign countries, especially when the travel insurance we had in the past never covered any of my previous expenses for open heart surgery and complications there. We had to pay everything out of pocket, which we did in full before we left the country.

If we hadn’t paid in South Africa, they would have tagged our passports, and we wouldn’t have been allowed to leave the country. That’s a scary thought! The result is that quality insurance is imperative when traveling. We had no idea they wouldn’t pay the enormous bill.

Getting sick in a foreign land is scary enough, let alone wondering if your insurance will ultimately pay. Of course, your first consideration is receiving quality care and getting you through the crises.

I hadn’t mentioned this in yesterday’s post…but while I was in the hospital on Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday, I encountered issues with not having a primary care physician in Minnesota. The specialists didn’t quite know how to handle my case, which surprised me. But at least I got through the crises, and they were able to stabilize me.

The doctors even suggested I get a primary care doctor, which I had tried to do months after we first arrived, but after contacting about ten, I could not get an appointment. They were booked to as far as September, and by then, we’d be long gone. Plus, after we leave for Cleveland, having a primary care doctor in Minnesota would make no sense since we don’t plan to return for a while.

These are some of the long-term challenges of traveling the world that one must address when one needs medical care. There is nothing we could have done to prepare for such an event. Instead, as often, we figure it out as we go. All I can say is that the best thing I ever did was get signed up for Medicare with a good supplement, which I took care of while we were in Nevada during the open enrollment period.

Getting sick in a foreign country can be challenging, but there are steps you can take to manage the situation effectively. Obviously, if you have a life-threatening situation, your first concern is getting to the closest medical center, wherever you may be. If you anticipate medical issues based on your current health, here are some suggestions as to what you may do:

Stay Calm: Panicking will not help. Stay calm and assess your symptoms.
Rest and Hydrate: Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. Drink bottled water if you’re unsure about the quality of tap water.
Medication: Use any over-the-counter medication you brought with you. Common medications for pain relief, fever, or stomach issues can be helpful.
Contact Your Embassy: Your embassy can provide guidance on medical facilities and assistance.
Local Medical Facilities: Find the nearest hospital or clinic. Many countries have English-speaking doctors in major cities.
Travel Insurance: If you have travel insurance, contact your provider to understand your coverage and get assistance finding medical care.
Local Pharmacy: Visit a local pharmacy for advice and over-the-counter medication. Pharmacists can often provide helpful advice for minor ailments.
Language Barrier: Use translation apps to communicate your symptoms if there’s a language barrier.
Hygiene: Maintain good hygiene practices to avoid worsening your condition or spreading illness to others.
Emergency Contacts: Keep a list of emergency contacts, including local friends, family, and your embassy.
Documentation: Keep all medical documents, prescriptions, and receipts in case you need them for insurance claims or follow-up care.
Follow Up: Once you return home, follow up with your primary care physician to ensure complete recovery.

We are grateful for having the appropriate health insurance and for receiving good care to help me through the crisis. Although I feel weak since leaving the hospital, I am much better, and my blood pressure is normal. I will be very grateful if I avoid another such event until we get to Cleveland Clinic.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 29, 2014:

While on a walk, we spotted this waterfall. For more photos, please click here.

We’re back after a medical ordeal…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 28, 2024 with 6 Comments

A lovely scene of a beach in Madeira while on a road trip.

It all started on Thursday morning. I went for a short walk, and we headed to the bank’s ATM for some cash and then to Aldi. I had only been to one Aldi in the UK, but I was curious about what a US store was about. Upon entering the store, within a few minutes, I saw it wasn’t for me.

I had no idea about the “off-brand” products and wouldn’t have time to use them to determine their quality. Plus, it mainly was packaged, processed foods that we don’t eat. After grabbing the four spices we needed, I headed to check out. It was at this time that I began to feel light-headed and shaky,

From there, we drove to the Cub Market to pick up our awaiting grocery order, which I had placed earlier in the day. Once we returned to the hotel, Tom carried in the groceries I put away. I still felt light-headed, shaky, and dizzy. I sat down, hoping the awful feeling would pass. But ten minutes later, I felt worse.

Thinking that it might be a breakthrough Afib and possibly an increase in blood pressure, I took my blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is roughly 120/80. Mine was 240/142, outrageously and dangerously high. I took the reading three times, and it didn’t budge. I told Tom we needed to call 911.

Within minutes, help arrived with police and firefighters, and shortly after that, paramedics with the ambulance. The 20-minute ride in the ambulance was bumpy and unsettling. Still, before I knew it, we arrived at Methodist Hospital, and I was rushed into a room in the emergency department where I was hooked up to lots of equipment and given nitroglycerin, and blood tests were done.

Heart and valve problems definitely impact blood pressure. Blood tests were taken, and it was determined that I hadn’t had a heart attack but had what is called malignant blood pressure, described as follows from the Cleveland Clinic:

“Malignant Hypertension

Malignant hypertension occurs when a sudden spike in blood pressure puts you at risk for organ damage. It often happens in people with a history of high blood pressure. But it can also occur in people with normal blood pressure. The condition is a medical emergency that requires immediate care.”

We both felt I was in good hands. Once I was stabilized, the doctor suggested I stay overnight for some tests. I explained that I had scheduled appointments at the Cleveland Clinic beginning on August 28 after leaving Minnesota on August 25. I explained that my objective was to determine if it was safe for me to wait for treatment for the upcoming appointments in Cleveland and that nothing was going on that required we leave sooner.

By 10:00 pm, after six hours in the emergency department, I was escorted to a spacious private room on the cardiac floor. During the night, I had scans and didn’t get much sleep.

After the tests during the night and more the next day, it was determined I was safe to wait for the month until we’d get to Cleveland. Still, if I had another episode of malignant hypertension, I’d need to return to the hospital for treatment.

Two days later, I was released with no new drugs or prescription changes, and yesterday afternoon, we returned to the hotel by 2:00 pm. I certainly didn’t feel like going out to dinner, but instead, based on the items we purchased from Cub, I could slice the vegetables for us to put together our desired bread-less subway-type sandwiches.

It was so good to be back at the hotel, albeit slightly tentative, feeling weak and exhausted after lying in bed for two days and nights. But I am attempting to walk a little every 30 minutes.

Thanks to our readers who wrote about our well-being. We appreciate all of you!

Be well.

Photos from ten years ago today, June 28, 2014:

Late blooming Bird of Paradise, aptly named in Madeira. For more photos, please click here.

We booked a hotel at Cleveland Clinic…

Posted by worldwide-admin on July 6, 2024 with 0 Comment

With only 50 days until we leave for Cleveland, it was time to book something for at least our first week there. At this point, we have no idea how long all the tests will take before the surgery is scheduled or how far out the surgery will be scheduled. There may be many patients in much worse condition that will be scheduled ahead of me, of course, depending on how I am doing at the time of my first three appointments on August 28.

If I am “holding my own,” it could be two or three months until the surgery is scheduled. The question is, “Do we stay in Cleveland in case of an unforeseen event requiring immediate surgery? Or do we go somewhere else while we wait?”

Only time will tell, along with the test results determining the urgency of my case. Right now, my only obvious symptoms of valve disease are difficulty walking and occasionally being out of breath. I don’t have the classic swollen legs and chest pains, which are severe symptoms of the condition.

However, the two valves have been diagnosed by three cardiologists and echocardiograms as being “severe,” which, untreated, could result in a stroke or heart attack if left too long without treatment. There are no drugs that can prevent these potential outcomes.

In reality, regardless of how long we have to wait for surgery, we’re better off staying there than in some other city in the US. We must play it by ear and see what transpires during that first week or two.

As a result, we booked only one week at a hotel connected to the clinic with a shuttle service back and forth to the hospital. Finding an affordable hotel was a lot trickier than expected. We were willing to pay more than usual for the convenience of the first week of tests and may have to extend it if further testing is required. There again, we have no idea at this point.

This morning, we started searching online. We were particularly interested in the Intercontinental Hotel, Cleveland Clinic, since it is .2 miles from the hospital, which has a shuttle back and forth, preventing us from the necessity of renting a car for the first week. Here are the prices we encountered:

Expedia.com

$284

InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG HotelOfficial site

$329

DEAL

14% off

$329

Hotels.com

Free cancellation until Sep 8

$329

Priceline

Free cancellation until Sep 7

All options

$284

InterContinental Cleveland, an IHG HotelOfficial site

$294

Hotels In America

View 28 more from $309

With these high prices, most of which didn’t include taxes and fees, we searched further from Expedia on our website at the link on the right side of our page. Because we are Platinum members and use $46.00 in One Key cash, we could book the week for an average of $211 per night.

Of course, these perks may not be available to those using Expedia infrequently, but we’ve found it’s an excellent place for frequent travelers. Building relationships with various sites that provide excellent pricing for their frequent users takes time and effort.

Once we have completed the first round of tests after consulting with the doctors, we can make a plan for our future stay. We may stay a few miles from the clinic, where prices are considerably lower. We might stay further away during a waiting period and move closer once the surgery transpires. We shall see.

That’s it for today, dear readers. Thanks for all the well wishes, supportive comments, and emails regarding our Fourth of July post two days ago.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 6, 2014:

Even a cloudy day in Madeira, Portugal, has some appeal. For more photos, please click here.

“Home Alone”…On the mend…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 22, 2024 with 0 Comment

A beautiful lily in the garden at our holiday home in Madeira.

This morning at 8:30, Tom left to go to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to meet up with his kids, Tammy and TJ, to participate in the “Back to the 50’s Car Show,” as described, “Back to the 50’s Weekend is celebrating their 50th annual event at the fairgrounds! Stop by for classic cars, some fair food favorites, and more!”

TJ has a “classic” car, as shown in the photo below. Tom last attended this event with TJ on June 24, 2017. We wrote about it in this post here.

TJ’s 1954 Buick Special was next to his canopy at the Back to the ’50s annual event at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

It has rained almost every day since arriving in Minnesota in early May, and today is no exception. He’ll likely return before the next expected rainstorm around 2:00 or 3:00 pm. We’re scheduled to pick up our groceries at the local Cub Foods store when he returns.

We haven’t been scheduling delivered grocery orders at the Cub Foods store in Eden Prairie—the delivery cost here is $8.50 plus a tip, usually around $10. It makes no sense to pay $18.50 in extra charges when the grocery store is less than a mile from here. I place the order to be picked up at a specific time.

We drive up to one of the specific pickup parking spots, text our arrival to the number on the sign, and bring groceries to the car. They put together the order for the designated pickup time, so there is little waiting. It’s worth doing it this way, saving us almost $80 monthly instead of having the groceries delivered.

On another note, I am feeling better each day. My coughing has lessened in the past 48 hours since I started taking antibiotics and Prednisone. The only problem is that Prednisone has a severe impact on one’s ability to sleep. I’ve slept less than five hours the past two nights, making me sleepy during the day. But I make a point of not napping to possibly aid in sleeping better at night.

Taking the two tablets early in the morning is recommended, but doing so hasn’t helped. I only have to take them two more mornings until my five-day course ends.

As mentioned, we didn’t meet with Tom’s sister at Billy’s. In the afternoon, Tom drove to Chanhassen to pick up an online order for dinner from our favorite Chinese restaurant, Happy Garden. Their food is fresh and not overly processed. I ordered a dish with shrimp, chicken, scallops, veggies with sauce on the side, and pan-fried (not deep-fried) egg foo young, enough to last two nights.

Tom ordered his usual favorite, two orders of sweet and sour pork with fried rice, enough to last for two nights’ dinner. We’ll enjoy the delicious meals again this evening. We had a lovely evening streaming two shows on Apple TV, “Slow Horses,” a British spy MI6 spy thriller, and afterward, on Netflix, season two of Bridgerton, both of which we thoroughly enjoy.

As I continue to recover, we’ll do the same tonight. Hopefully, by tomorrow, I will feel well enough to make plans with family and get out and about. Tom is still coughing but is also considerably better than a week ago. He’s had the virus for two weeks, and it’s been one week for me.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 22, 2014:

An unusual type of cactus in Madeira. For more photos, please click here.

We’re back…Sorry for the lapse in posting…First day of summer…

Posted by worldwide-admin on June 21, 2024 with 0 Comment

We dined at this little restaurant in Benabbio, Italy. The service by the owner and the food was excellent. After dinner, we were served “comped” Limoncello, a delicious lemon-flavored liquor. Tom drank both his and mine.

Yesterday, we received countless email messages from our readers asking if something was wrong and why we didn’t post. I tried to respond to all of the inquiries. If I didn’t get back to you, I apologize. I know I’ll post again today to update everyone about our absence.

On Wednesday night, my coughing escalated so that I couldn’t sleep. I propped up two pillows under my head to lessen the coughing, to no avail. Not only was I coughing every minute, but I had an awful wheezing in my throat and upper chest. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it under control.

At 2:00 am, I got up and used the powered nebulizer with prescription medicine, but that only helped for about 20 minutes, and the hacking began again. There are numerous cough medicines I can’t use since they interact with the heart medications. I was a mess. And I was so frustrated to think I’d be posting about more health issues when all of you have heard enough already for so long.

Once up and about, I told Tom I needed to go to urgent care, and we headed to the facility we’d gone to for Tom when he was so sick from COVID-19 in 2022. Once we arrived, we noticed so few cars in the parking lot and knew something was amiss. The clinic was closed permanently.

Since the pandemic ended, they likely didn’t get enough business to justify staying open. Looking online, I found another urgent care center in Eden Prairie, which is not far from our hotel. About 15 minutes later, we arrived at Allina Health. I suggested that Tom return to the hotel, and I called him when I was ready to leave.

But, at this location, without an “emergency entrance” sign on the building, I asked him to wait for me until I texted him that they could see me. I asked at the reception desk on the third floor if they took walk-in patients as described on their website. The receptionist said. “Oh, I need to remind our web people again to take “urgent care” off our website. People keep showing up, and we have to turn them away.” Duh?

I texted Tom that I was coming out. Off again, we went to another facility, but this time, I called to be sure they were open and receiving emergency patients. They were and said we could come by right away. By this point, I was even more exhausted and continued to cough.

It made no sense for Tom to come inside and wait for me. With him still coughing, he was vulnerable to catching another virus and didn’t need to be exposed to more germs.

After checking in, the wait “in chairs’ wasn’t too long, and once situated in the room, after two nurses took my vitals and asked questions, a nurse practitioner saw me, not a doctor. I had hoped to see a doctor. But, when I looked online to see the requirements to become a nurse practitioner, I wasn’t so disappointed. It takes quite a bit of education to acquire such a license.

Knowing I would have an x-ray, which a radiologist off-site would analyze, I felt more at ease. The NP listened thoroughly to my heart and chest sounds to say, without a doubt, that I had a lot of wheezing and chest sounds. The x-ray and radiologist’s diagnosis confirmed I have a raging upper respiratory infection.

Antibiotics and Prednisone were prescribed to be picked up at a nearby Walgreens Pharmacy. Tom arrived shortly after I contacted him, and we were off to the pharmacy. It had been about 45 minutes since the prescriptions were submitted to the pharmacy.

Once we arrived, we waited in the drive-through for a while, but I decided to go inside when the line of cars wasn’t moving. It was a long walk to the pharmacy section in this store. Once there, they told me it would be at least 30 minutes until they were ready. I returned to the car to sit there with Tom and wait. It took 35 minutes until I could go back in to get the order.

After all this commotion, I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel and get some rest. I took the meds as required and flopped in the bed, desperately needing to take a nap. I slept for over two hours while Tom listened to a podcast, the sound of which didn’t bother me a bit. By the time I awoke, it was dinner time; I didn’t have the energy to do a post so late in the day. Earlier in the day, I’d uploaded the notice that there wouldn’t be a post, anticipating it would be the long day it proved to be.

Today is a better day. After the long nap, I only slept about 5 hours last night, but I feel better. The coughing has lessened considerably in such a short time since I started the meds.

We won’t be going to Billy’s today, fearing that I may still be infectious and not feeling well enough to sit in a bar. Tom just finished washing and drying the laundry, and now I’ll fold it and put it away. There will be no cooking today. We’ll order Chinese takeaway from the fabulous restaurant in our old neighborhood.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, June 21, 2014:

The ocean in Madeira is behind this old vine-covered garage. For more photos, please click here.

There’s a price to pay for living outside the US…Disappointing day…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 15, 2024 with 0 Comment

The view from the veranda at the holiday home we rented in Madeira ten years ago.

Yesterday, I was enthused about the physical therapy appointment at Wellspring Wellness Center. With exercise physiologists on staff, I felt confident they could help me improve my mobility while awaiting my future appointments at the end of August and subsequent open heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

How little did I know that I’d be turned away? Based on the fact they had no record of me having treatment and tests in Minnesota, after consulting with their medical director, they all agreed it was too risky to treat me. They feared my heart condition would make such treatment too high risk and, let’s face it, the potential of liability if something went wrong during such a course of treatment.

I walked out of the facility disheartened and frustrated. They suggested I see a cardiologist (I’ve already seen three in the past year) for the type of treatment that would be suitable for me. With countless tests upcoming in August, I wasn’t about to go through the uncomfortable and time-consuming process of going through a litany of tests here in Minnesota, especially when Cleveland Clinic does its own tests.

The risk of a lawsuit is driving influence in medical care in the US. This is not the case in most other countries where medical malpractice lawsuits aren’t nearly as common as in the US.

But this was only the beginning of the day’s frustrations. I’d made an appointment at CVS Minute Clinic, which I called and assured me I could get prescriptions for my high blood pressure meds, which I am running out of. Remember, I got 13 months of prescriptions from Doc Theo in South Africa before we left at the end of April last year. Now they are running out and I have to figure out how to get them. They won’t accept written prescriptions from South Africa.

When CVS stated they’d write prescriptions for tourists running out of medication, I quickly made the appointment for yesterday at 5:00 pm, figuring at least this would be out of the way.

Alas, when we drove to the CVS for my appointment, and after waiting several minutes for my appointment upon prompt arrival, after filling out forms and signing privacy documents, I discovered, once again, that they couldn’t help me. They couldn’t find any record of any doctor prescribing any medications for me, nor was there a record of any tests or medical appointments to substantiate the necessity of my taking such medicines.

The PA agreed to give me a one-month emergency prescription as a tourist, but one month didn’t do me any good. I am not going to CC until the end of August, a full 3½ months from now.

I walked out empty-handed, frustrated and wondering what I would do. My only option, so I thought, was to book an appointment with a cardiologist or, in the worst case, a primary care physician and see if they’d write the prescriptions without having a litany of tests. I could run into the same scenario, and if I refused to take tests, I could walk out empty-handed again.

Deciding I’d think about this for a day or two since I had enough pills left to get me through two weeks. When I awoke in the middle of the night, I checked my old account at ProgressiveRX and found an old prescription in their records that could supply me with the meds I need. I had looked earlier, but I looked under the US names of the meds when, in fact, they are named differently in India, where most of the world’s drugs are produced anyway. They have everything I need.

Today, after posting, I will order the meds and have them in three weeks at the latest. After digging through my pill bag, I found the same unopened pills that could get me through until the shipment arrives at our mailing service, which in turn will mail them to me. What a relief!

This explains why living outside the US for the past almost 12 years has left us with no medical records to rely upon for future medical care in the US. We are left without medical records when we have had no US health insurance all these years, only carrying health insurance suitable for people outside the US. It’s another fact of life for world travelers. Any medical care we’ve needed all these years, we’ve sought outside the US, mostly paying out of pocket.

Thus, I’ll be able to get the meds I need, and yesterday, after all of this, I started working out, once again, in the upscale fitness center in this hotel. I will carefully monitor my heart rate and perform ECGs on my Fitbit each time I work out, being as careful as possible. Despite my current condition, all three cardiologists I visited explained that exercising is good for the heart muscle.

In less than an hour, my friend Chere is stopping by for a visit. We’ll hang out in the lobby and catch up.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 15, 2014:

No photos were posted on this date due to a travel day.

We’re finally made it…Quite a challenging road trip…Tomorrow, details of my upcoming appointments at Cleveland Clinic…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 9, 2024 with 4 Comments

The snowstorm was much worse than shown in this photo as we left Layton, Utah.

We finally made it to Minnesota and arrived at the hotel last night at about 6:00 pm. It was a relief the long and stressful road trip was over after encountering 2½ days of challenging driving during a blizzard in Utah and Wyoming, the longest stretches during the four days of travel.

I tried to take photos during the blizzard but found it impossible during “whiteouts.” I was so busy hanging onto my seat that I couldn’t get a photo through an open window when the wind was blowing at 70 to 80 mph, nor could I get a photo through the windshield, which was covered with snow between each fast swipe.

Numerous accidents along the highway often slowed us down for long stretches, including cars, but more so semi trucks that toppled over in the high winds. What an ordeal. I couldn’t imagine how we’d get through it without being scathed. If we got trapped, we had a big blanket in the SUV, our mugs of Crystal Light iced tea, lemonade, and some protein bars. We were as prepared as we could be.

But, thank God, we made it through with Tom’s expert driving skills, although at times, I thought he took too many chances and asked him to slow down on several occasions. He was determined to get through it. We had a couple of close calls when vehicles started sliding toward us.

Thank goodness, living in Minnesota most of his life, he had acquired excellent driving skills in inclement weather. But, even for the more expert drivers, driving through this nightmare was a real challenge. After the blizzard, the high winds remained, and more accidents occurred.

Getting out of the SUV to go to the restroom at a petro station or rest area almost blew me away. I hesitated to walk outdoors on the way back to the car. Whew! The winds continued after we arrived in Nebraska but finally died down on the final day.

The Layton Utah Temple is a three-story, nearly 94,000-square-foot structure. It sits on a slope between the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains and the valley floor at 1400 Oak Hills Drive. The sacred structure is the second house of the Lord in Davis County.

We had a great dinner and breakfast with Marylin and Gary in their hometown of Layton, Utah. It was a charming town of 82,000 people with a strong Mormon influence. They drove us to see their new temple and showed us the snowy, peaked mountains surrounding the quaint and charming town.

When we went to dinner at a Mongolian-pot-type restaurant, I proceeded to order a glass of wine, reminded that no alcohol can be served in Utah unless under exceptional circumstances. I ordered an iced tea and forgot about the wine, or lack thereof, in seconds.

In the morning, we met up with them for breakfast and then were on our way. The skies were cloudy, and a light dusting of snow covered the car. An hour after leaving Layton, we were entrenched in what became the most challenging long drive in a blizzard neither of us had experienced, especially for such an extended period. As we read along the way, Wyoming is one of the US’s most deadly locations to travel. We certainly got a taste of that.

As mentioned above, once we reached Nebraska, the blizzard ended, and many miles later, the winds died down, and we could enjoy the remainder of the trip. We drove through Nebraska and Iowa and then entered Minnesota, encountering traffic. The last few hours seemed painstaking.

The Wasatch Mountains, also known as the Wasatch Range, border Layton, Utah, to the east. The Wasatch Range is a 160-mile mountain range from the Utah-Idaho border to central Utah. It’s the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and the eastern edge of the Great Basin region. The Wasatch Mountains are the most prominent landmarks in the area and define the east boundary of Davis County. The mountains are still rising today due to the Wasatch fault, which causes the earth’s crust to shift suddenly. It was beautiful to see.

Since Tom was still full from a massive breakfast at Perkins in Lincoln, Nebraska, he wasn’t hungry for dinner, but I’d only eaten a small omelet and two pieces of Tom’s bacon for breakfast. Nine hours later, I was ready for something for dinner. We walked across the parking lot of our hotel to the Pizza Luce restaurant, where I had an appetizer size of gluten-free meatballs with sauce and mozzarella. Tom ate my garlic toast.

Back at the hotel, I set up the room’s TV to work with the streaming apps on my phone, and we relaxed and watched a few shows until bedtime. We both had an uninterrupted good night’s sleep. This morning, we ate at the hotel “included breakfast” and met a lovely couple our age. We enjoyed a lively conversation with them for over an hour.

Tom headed out the door 30 minutes ago when he noticed a retiree lunch for railroad guys starting at 11:30. He didn’t tell any of them he was coming, and it will be a fun surprise for his old railroad buddies. At around 5:30, my son Greg will pick me up to join them for dinner and a musical at the Minneapolis Children’s Theater after that. All three of my grandchildren and Greg’s lovely girlfriend, Heather, will be attending. It will surely be a pleasant evening.

In the future, we’ll be posting daily as we have in the past. Tomorrow, I will share the details and dates of my appointments at Cleveland Clinic.

I appreciate your patience with the lack of posts in the past few weeks.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 9, 2014:

Tag: Jess

“Malignant Hypertension