Surreal experience in 8 days

[Plumbtorre]

Good morning. I would like to recount my experience with the Spanish health service as I don't quite believe it myself. TI had a double bypass and mitral valve replacement in Spain 18 months ago . Bypass was supposed to be a triple but there was one they couldnt do.Recovery was slow and up to last week I could only walk 6 km in 1 1/2 hrs with four rests. I had a routine appointment with my cardiologist on Thursday 12 Sept. She said she was not happy with my rate of progress and my bloods showed my single kidney was not 100%. She said I had to have an echo gram. I waited 10 minutes and was called into another room and had the echo. Ten minutes later she said she was admitting me to the hospital to look deeper at my kidney and I was booked in for an angiography on Monday 16 at the university clinic in magaLa. Had the angiography on the Monday and was told that the blocked artery they had not done was causing the problem and booked me in for another angiography on the 19th and they were going to try and unblock it as another bypass was not possible. On the 19th met by two surgeons who gave me a double angiography ( wrist and groin ). They worked for 1 1/2 hrs and finally told me the blockage was gone and they had put in 3 stents. I came home yesterday 20th ( 8 days in total ) not beleiving what had happened. I cannot praise the team that looked after me and especially the surgeons at the malaga unversity clinic enough . I already feel better that before and I know how lucky I am and am proof that miracles ( or near miracles ) can happen

[Gail1967]

Love that story- hope you can now recover much better than before - good luck

[Yogadeeva]

I have lived in Spain for 13 years now - I've just been diagnosed with 2nd degree heart block, type 2 and am going in for a pacemaker next Wednesday. Since the very beginning I have been looked after incredibly well. Prompt appointments, very professional staff, great hospitals, and a top electrocardiologist who explained everything to me in both Spanish and excellent English. I cannot praise them highly enough. I am so glad to learn that you've also had a positive experience in Malaga and that you are on the mend.

[Hidden]

A great report.

I hear loads of good things about Spanish healthcare from real-time different people as well as on this Hub.

The Spanish registrar I had seen was just MARVELLOUS, really helped me out.

[Mirador19]

I was living in Spain when my heart problems started and I cannot praise them enough for the prompt care I was given. I had chest pains on a Friday morning went to my Dr who done an ecg sent me straight to hospital was kept in over the weekend on the Monday I had a stress test sent to a different hospital on Tuesday and had 2 stents fitted. A couple of weeks later I was having difficulty breathing went to A&E was kept in with suspected HA but it turned out to be pneumonia and was looked after very well in hospital for 2 weeks, 6months later chest pains again visited A&E (they must have got fed up with me) one of my stents had collapsed and it was immediately fixed with another stent fitted.

The only reason we came back to UK to live 18 mths ago was I wasn’t fluent in Spanish and was missing my family. I have since had another stent fitted here in UK and am off for another angiogram on Thursday due to bad chest pains and results of stress test needed investigation. All in all I cannot fault any of the care I have had in both countries but the difference now is I totally understand what is happening to me, the NHS and rehab have helped me enormously.

Joan

[Nathan53]

Really good to hear your story and that you received such speedy and attentive treatment. Having had direct experience when my partner was treated at the same hospital as you while on holiday in March I totally agree with your comments about this hospital. I am sure as in all. Health Systems things go wrong at times however my previous personal experience of the Spanish Health System is that they respond quickly and have fewer delays in being referred for scans / tests etc than in the UK. But take care and wishing you a speedy recovery.