Sell the Car - Buy a New Heart

[saulger]

It's the time of the month give thanks.

Many of you will have read my epic voyage to Japan on 15th November 2022 to get my five year AFib struggle fixed. Having fainted a few times when my heart paused for up to eight seconds, when returning to NSR after an episode, it was make-or-break moment for me.

I give thanks to this forum because I first read on the forum "Tim's story" of having a successful thoracic procedure in Brighton to fix his AFib, something that was completely unknown to me because it was not common knowledge then.

Whilst researching a surgical procedure, Mummyluv (Alison) and I exchanged the science and settled on a thoracoscopic procedure to ablate the heart from punctures on either side of the chest. Alison had her surgery some 6 months before me in London, and I went the other way to Tokyo.

Why sell the car? If you are in the UK and are not able to have the procedure with Mr Hunter in Sheffield, I had for the cost of a second-hand Ford Mondeo at the NewHeart Hospital, Tokyo.

It may be affordable for some, and we all hope that there will not be a need to travel so far to have a life-changing result.

Two years in NSR, zero meds, and living life again.

MAZE-L Tov.

[Jalia]

Congratulations on your 2 year anniversary! May you have many more . ( I'm almost 6 months from my epicardial ablation so have a bit of catching up to do !!)

Best wishes

J

[saulger in reply to Jalia]

Many thanks and big congratulations. I found that it's best to go easy for a whole year. At six months did too many pull ups and had some tachycardia that resolved, but it was a scare. Take care and we shall meet in six months !

[mjames1]

Happy two year anniversary! I pulled the trigger six months after you and have been afib free now for 1.5 years, with the exception of one short episode a year ago. By the way, that meal sure looks healthy. keep up the good work, the rowing. but easy on the pull-ups if I remember correctly.😊

Jim

[saulger in reply to mjames1]

Thanks, Jim. I remember our chats and this summer it was swimming. Fifty times swimming in the sea and being hypnotised by it all. Good luck to you too.

[Goosebumps in reply to mjames1]

Jim, can you confirm yours was an endocardial cryo ablation, not the epicardial Thorascopic ablation that Saulger and Mummyluv had? Many thanks

[saulger in reply to Goosebumps]

Definitely not a mini-maze what Jim had, and it was endocardial (inside the heart).

Don't think that the PFA (pulsed field) was FDA-approved 18 months ago? Jim will reply. You can count on it !

[mjames1 in reply to saulger]

18 months ago PFA was available at a few centers in the UK and Europe, but not in the US, other than in a trial. For that reason I spoke to ep's in the UK and France about PFA, but decided to go locally with Cryo.

Jim

[saulger in reply to mjames1]

💪

[mjames1 in reply to Goosebumps]

Yes, mine was a catheter (endocardial) cryo ablation. Everything done on the inside just like RF or PFA. Very happy with the results so far.

Jim

[jeanjeannie50]

Lovely to hear from you Saul and so pleased that you're doing so well. I could afford the procedure in Japan but not if I take someone with me.☹️ I must admit to being a little envious. Enjoy life.Jean

[saulger in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I wish I could come with you. I wouldn't mind going back there, and travel more this time. Sending you love and good cheer.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to saulger]

Thank you.

[Afibflipper]

Happy Anniversary to you, great to see you are still NSR too - great to see your update & long may it continue

[saulger in reply to Afibflipper]

Thank you. It's a miracle to go from life-threatening to life-enabling in just one hour. Good luck going forward.

[Responsable]

Really happy for you! I know another sentence: "Sell the kidney, buy new car!", lol.

Best wishes!

[saulger in reply to Responsable]

Thank you. I use the car metaphor because a forum friend thought it was Aston Martin expensive, but it was just a used car cost. Why can Japan, a first world nation, offer such a treatment for some 13K GBP ? Good luck and all the best.

[opal11uk]

Sounds amazing, but for me a little too late. Well done and good luck x

[saulger in reply to opal11uk]

Thank you very much and good luck to you too going forward.

[OzJames]

congrats Saul may sinus continue for many more years to come. I was hoping to catch up while we were in Athens but got collected by family who took us on a few day trips. Maybe next year!

[Rainfern]

Thank you Saulger for continuing to keep in touch with the forum - it’s so important people know what potential choices are available to them. I’m still ticking along in NSR a year on from my cryo-ablation, but unfortunately our old Nissan Micra wouldn’t fetch more than a 3 or 4 hundred!

[saulger in reply to Rainfern]

Anyone with a car to donate???

Hoping that your CA will hold and no need to travel afar, except to see the cherry blossoms. More good luck, and hoping to post my twenty year anniversary in 18 years !

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Rainfern]

Hi

Interested to know you are getting on with your Nissan Micra. Bought with 8,000kms on clock, it kept stopping on hills. Returned 3 times but couldn't find fault.

Thought may be the clutch.

In the end I sold it on. So paid $17775.00 and sold it back to Nissam 8,500.00 about 18mths later.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[saulger in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

We are car-less, Joy, and walk everywhere in Athens, but $17,775 would cover the mini maze in Tokyo !

Only joking. Take care. Saul

[Rainfern in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

It’s a second generation 90s version Joy, same as I had years ago. No bells and whistles and built to last. I don’t like the newer micras, so I paid £2,000 for this one 8 years ago. Sails through MOT, takes me uphill and down dale, cheap to run. But as a great believer in active travel (walk, public transport and cycling) I try to use it little as possible. I hire a car from time to time so know what new cars are like to drive. Rather spend money on travel, books and an occasional good haircut!

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to Rainfern]

I bought mine 2008 and sold 2010.

Only had a 1,000cc motor in it. Later they were cc upped and called a Tilda or something.

I was coming back from BOPlenty. Going up the hill before Auckland it lost power. Then it came OK but then it happened again on Auckland Harbour Bridge. I coasted down and sat for the tow truck.

When boys stole my 99 Galant and it was written off I bought a Yaris. 1.3 quite a peppy little car but no overtaking trucks without an overtaking lane!!! Keeps going from ECO to Eco off to Eco on. A nightmare!

Happy safe travelling.

No key to boot! Low battery it won't open!

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Great you are not bothered by the AF.

My Japanese meals were different.

Results of my CT Scan with iodine. No growth, Thyroglobin serum dropped from 1.7 to 1.1. And antibodies 14.

Surgeon says inconclusive check. Another CT Scan in 6 months.

Good news I an mow on reduced Bisoprolol of 1.25mg PM. Low BP gave me bad symptoms. Heart Specialist said drop the Bisoprolol.

So I did the right action. He said No to Sotalol.

Our summer is coming.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[saulger in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

All going in the right direction for you, Joy. Thank you for your wishes and reciprocated success and joy !

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to saulger]

Hi

You know I cant have any procedure with a severely dilated left atrium!

Yes I guess 2 x $15,800 vehicles but the fare across and accommodation $150 night.

Tell me why does insurance travel want to know if you are travelling for medical procedure?

Just paid $3,105 on panelbeating the van, corner and windscreenm repaint and a board.

The crown $1700.00.

cheri JOY 75 (NZ)

[saulger in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi Joy, Of course I knew. Was only joking. I was lucky that, when I went, the Covid 19 rules were just lifted, and the hotels needed the business and it cost just $50 a night - much more now.

I guess the insurance companies try to minimise any claims and typically exclude anything that might cost them money.

[Tangalle]

Hello Saul, wonderful news and so pleased you are doing well and living life to the full.

Your and Alison’s stories were what inspired me to, firstly look at going to Japan, then look into options in the UK. I had my mini maze last year in Sheffield and in sinus rhythm for just over a year now. Thank you both for sharing your stories, there must be quite a lot of people, like me, extremely grateful to you for doing so. x

Michele

[saulger in reply to Tangalle]

Great news from more amazing mazers. We are all learning from each other and so happy to share what worked for us. May it long continue and I look forward to your 24 month celebration !

[MWIC]

Living Life again - that’s the key - great to hear your story and long may it continue 👍

[saulger in reply to MWIC]

Thank you very much. Was not sure it was possible at 76 and with AFib (pre mini maze).

Good luck to you and lots of cheer.

[Goosebumps]

Hello Saul

Great news that all is going well for you. 2 years of heaven!

I was told by an EP from BARTs in London that they are now doing minimally invasive epicardial Thorascopic ablations, although not the bilateral ones performed by Dr Ohtsuka in Japan and Mr Hunter in Sheffield.

I am quaking in my boots, I’m on the list for Mr Hunter.

[saulger in reply to Goosebumps]

What good news ! You are in wonderful hands with Mr Hunter. So many success stories on the forum and on the WMM FB group from Mr Hunter's patients.

For me, the pain was just for the first day when drainage tubes are still inserted. After the first day, not even a single aspirin was needed. I was out of puff for about six months and it improved slowly to being normal and as before after a year, I would say.

Apart from not having the arrhythmia, which is the major achievement, the psychological relief of not being aware, at all, of the beating heart, is magic!

Good luck going forward and wishes for good things only.

[Vonnegut]

When I “liked” your post it went from 17 to “unlike” so really there should be 18 likes now ( or more if others have had the same experience!)

[saulger in reply to Vonnegut]

The ghost in the machine ! It's the thought that counts. All te best and season's cheer to you.

[Mumursa]

Congratulations on your anniversary. So glad it’s going well for you. xP

PS. If that’s what I need to eat for a steady heart rate I can see where I’m going wrong 😊

[saulger in reply to Mumursa]

Thank you !!! I was surprised by how satisfying the small portions were as a meal "package". I had chocolate and nuts in the room but didn't even touch them. I craved nothing. Amazing !

[pusillanimous in reply to saulger]

Looks like a lovely meal except I would omit the rice - I'd have double prawns instead !!!!!

[saulger in reply to pusillanimous]

👌👍✌️😍

[4chickens]

congratulations on your anniversary, and thank you for all the support

[saulger in reply to 4chickens]

Thank you very much - congratulations to us ! All for one and one for all.💪

[irene75359]

So delighted to hear everything is well with you - I completely understand you prioritising your health over a car and from what I remember of Greece the public transport service is first class anyway!

[saulger in reply to irene75359]

Thank you Irene. I'm so fortunate to have been able to take the leap, and it to have turned out so well. As to the car. Athens centre is very walkable and they are adding more Metro stations. Good luck to you and greetings.