Posted by Ed Wehan on November 17, 2001 at 10:40:03:
In Reply to: Some ideas on how to enhance the MAZE Alumni site posted by John Behle on November 15, 2001 at 23:46:42:
Thanks to John for his ongoing efforts to improve this website and to provide easily accessible information to AFib sufferers and those who have undergone surgery. The very same to Jack who pioneered the idea of this exchange of information.
My interest in all of this is how to educate the medical community including both the primary care physician and the many (all) cardiologists who do not support or understand the maze. Each of us I am sure have affected our own physician but how do we reach out to others? We all know that AFib is far more debilitating than the medical community thinks particularly for the younger patient (under 65)who can still have many years of normal life rather than a slow but steady decline in quality of life and risk of premature death. I get so frustrated when I hear each and everyone on this board tell how they had to overcome the objections of their doctor to get the procedure done. If an artery is plugged, heart surgery seems to be an easy referral. But, if the heart electrical system goes awry, drugs are prescribed and a life of limited activity is the result. Maybe, it is that our community is so small that others do not pay attention to Lone AFib. Most people that get AFib are in their 70's and these are the people that cardiologists are most familiar with. When someone who is young appears with the same symptoms, the prescription is unfortunately the same. I don't have the answer here but I keep searching for it.
- Re: Some ideas on how to enhance the MAZE Alumni site Ed Wehan 10:42:29 11/17/2001 (0)