posted 09/09/10 03:07 PM | updated 09/09/10 03:07 PM
Featured Post! | Views: 428 | Comments : 1 | People & Personalities

Why they say that Medicine is an Art and not a Science:

By hdohse
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Recent morning mountian bike ride in the desert.

A funny thing happened when I went in for my six month follow up appointment with the doctor after having open heart surgery in February.  The purpose of this surgery was to rebuild a blocked subclavian vein, by pass other veins, and remove a rib to fix my thoracic outlet syndrome issues.  Because the veins that they needed to rebuild were so large the doctors used donor aorta tissue. 

Anyway, the funny part is that it turns out my body did not like the donor tissue and has closed the rebuilt veins.  I am now having difficulty breathing when exercising and am kind of back to square one.  This is where it gets hilarious:  Prior to the surgery I wrote that I just needed an inhaler and it was probably just asthma.  As it turns out the doctor just prescribed me an inhaler and said I currently have medically created asthma. Is anybody else laughing?

There are additional tests and surgery they would like to perform, however due to the number of major surgeries I have had this year, the doctor would like to wait until next year. *sigh* 

So - I am just focused on the positive side effects:  I think I have enough experience now to be a motivational speaker, plus it was like going off to “fat camp”.  What wouldn’t you do to lose 25 lbs? Besides, I was pretty much unconscious for the first half of the year.  Though I have to say, I could have done without the chest / lung surgery I had in May.  I did not write much about that hospital adventure because I have tried to block it from my mind.  Let’s just say that it was so painful that it made open heart surgery seem like a piece of cake. 

The good news is that none of the surgeries kept me from getting back on my bike and riding.   I did complete my goal of riding 50 miles on August 20

th.  It was a few weeks later then my original date of July but the lung surgery delayed things a bit.  Now the BIG bike race is this Saturday!  I cannot believe it is here and that I am healthy enough to make it!  There was a time back in April when I rode 6 miles and it was REALLY hard.  I never thought that I would be out riding 35 miles a day and feeling great.  Once the bike race is completed I will go back to the moderate walking the doctors had suggested I do for recovery.

Speaking of moderate walking – I am participating in the American Heart Association’s “Heart Walk” this year on October 16

th http://www.lvheartwalk.kintera.org/heididohse.  I guess I need to admit that I am a heart survivor and use my experiences to help others.  If you would like to donate to support the American Heart Association and my Heart Walk fundraising goal you can go to my website.  Good wishes and prayers are always welcome! 

It has been an amazing year full of ups and downs.  I want to thank everyone for their support in helping me get through these adventures.  I especially want to thank Heather, Cheryl and Liza for signing up to side the LOTOJA Classic with me.  They had no idea what they were getting into! 

I will be spending the winter at our house in Henderson, NV as the cold and altitude of Hailey, ID would be tough for me to endure.  If you find yourself in the Las Vegas area please let me know: heidi@dohse.net.

XOXO

Heidi

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Best medical care in the world!!!
Hmmm... I am so impressed with your positive attitude about the terrible experiences you went through this year. You are an amazing individual.

All that comes to mind for me is all the rants about America having the "best medical care and doctors in the world!" Unfortunately our health care system and capitalism in general rewards people only for doing stuff... not for fixing stuff. The doctors make their money regardless of the success (or necessity) of their "recommended surgeries".

Your doctors probably got new Mercedes, swimming pools, vacations or patios out of all of this, not to mention what all the others involved in this fiasco got. This type of stuff happens all too often. I had my gall bladder removed in Thailand (I am one of those uninsurables here in the US) I had it done in a 5 star hospital (Bumrungrad.com) with great doctors amazing nurses and a gorgeous private hospital room. I was there less than 48 hours and have never looked back. It was a perfect surgery. The whole procedure cost $3300. My sister had the same surgery at Cedars Sinai in LA, got an infection and didn't get out for 7 days at over 10 times the cost of mine!!!

High health care costs do not mean better care.

I am so sorry you had to go through this. I actually feel lucky that I am not insured and can not afford normal medical care in the US... it just may save my life.
Comment by John Copeland
September 09, 2010
( 0 votes )
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