Live in the Philippines

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Updated: Testing, testing

Health / by

Note from MindanaoBob: I have been getting a lot of requests for me to run this article again, so I am doing so today.  Additionally, I am adding a current update at the end of the article.

In the cath lab, I am ready for angiogram
In the cath lab, I am ready for angiogram

As most of you readers will recall, back in June I had a heart attack.  I came home from the hospital on July 2 and have been taking care of myself as best as I can since that time to prevent further heart problems.  Several weeks ago, though, I experienced some (minor) chest pain, and I decided that I needed to have my cardiologist take a better look at my heart and see what was going on.

My cardiologist scheduled an angiogram procedure so that we could have a look at the heart.  An angiogram is a test where they use a catheter that is inserted through one of your arteries, then a dye is injected into the blood so that they could use x-ray to view the flow of the blood and see if there are any blockages stopping smooth flow of blood.

On Tuesday afternoon, I had an appointment with my cardiologist and I was pleasantly surprised when he tole me that the angiogram would be performed the following morning.  I was instructed to go to the hospital and check in on Tuesday afternoon, to be prepared for the test the next morning.  So, immediately following the appointment, Feyma and I proceeded to the hospital and checked in.

You can get real time full view of the procedure!
You can get real time full view of the procedure!

Right on time, at about 8am Wednesday morning, a team came to my room to take me down to the “Cath Lab” for the test.  They were very nice people and I was happy to have them all on my team!  This procedure that they intended to perform on me was to be a “radial artery entry” which means that they insert the catheter through the artery in your wrist.  As a backup, though, they prepared everything for the alternate entry point, though my groin.  So, I had to be all shaved and everything in case the backup was needed.

The team took me down to the 2nd floor where the cath lab is. I was given a very mild sedative just to keep me calm, and it worked fine.  When we got close to the cath lab, I got a surprise, but I considered it a pleasant surprise.  They asked me if I am Catholic, and I said no, I am Christian.  They said that before we enter the cath lab we will first have a group prayer for the success of the procedure and for everybody’s safety.  This was at a government hospital, so I was quite surprised, but I was happy that they did it.

When we entered the lab, I was put on the table and covered in different ways.  The team of doctors joined us, and they were ready to start the procedure.  They gave me a tiny shot of a local anesthetic in my wrist, in the point where they would enter my artery.  My cardiologist warned me that I would be feeling a warm sensation up to my elbow, and before I knew it the catheter was already in the area of my heart and inserting dye to my bloodstream.  It was all very painless and actually interesting to watch the technology in action.

Staying positive is important!
Staying positive is important!

After a few minutes the doctor told me that he was already finished on the right side of my heart and he would be proceeding to the left side.  I asked him… “Doctor, what did you fee in the right side?”  He said that after the procedure was complete we would talk about it.  So, they proceeded  to the left side of the heart to see the pattern of blood flow.  In all, the entire procedure took no more than 30 minutes, and was completely painless.  The team of doctors and nurses were very professional and also very kind to me.

After the procedure was complete, the doctor asked for Feyma to be brought to the lab so she could participate in his report that he would give to me.  It happened that my son, Aaron, was there, so he also came in for the report.  The doctor showed us videos of the heart muscle function, the blood flow and everything.

So, how did it come out?

Well, unfortunately, the results were much worse than any of us were expecting.  We have 4 arteries, and all 4 of my arteries had major blockage.  The doctor said that although I have always had low cholesterol, the blockage had been caused by two reasons:

  1. Heredity
  2. Diabetes

My father died at a very young age (55), just a year older than I am now.  He died of a heart attack.  When he had an autopsy, it was determined that he had severe blockage in one artery, and he also had a birth defect causing one of his arteries to be very small, much smaller than it should have been.

Also, I have had diabetes for about 25 years or so and such long term diabetes will lead to the condition that I have.  Strike two.

The blockages that I have in my arteries are 90 to 95% in 3 of my arteries and 99% in the 4th artery.

I should be dead

Fact is, with that amount of blockage, I should be dead already.  However, something saved me, something unexpected.  When they were doing the test, they found out that I have a birth defect that I never knew about, and it is in my heart.  That defect?  I have a 5th artery!  We are supposed to have 4 arteries, but I have 5. My extra artery has minimal blockage, and it is because of it that I am still alive!  What a pleasant surprise that was!

The path forward for me

Given the extent of damage and disease in my heart, there is only one way forward now.  An angioplasty, the balloon procedure, is no longer possible for me.  I need an quadruple bypass as soon as possible.  Right now the plan is that my doctor team has some other pre-op procedures that they need or want to do.  It will probably take about 3 weeks to fully prepare. During that 3 weeks, I will be busy raising some additional money that will be needed to pay for this operation.  In full, the cost of doing this will probably be about $25,000.  So far, I have gotten some great assistance from my friends and blog readers, and I appreciate that greatly.  I can’t thank you guys enough for your support.

So, in 3 weeks or so, I will be going under the knife for what is a very rough operation, based on what some of my friends who have done this before have told me.  I don’t expect it to be easy.  But, I am a tough guy, and have overcome other things in my life, and I fully expect to be writing here on LiP for a long time to come!  I will survive this and go on to thrive. I am told that with the condition of my heart now, when this is done, I will feel like a totally different person, and I am looking forward to that!

Can I ask for your further assistance?

If you are able and willing, I could use your help.  I have gone through a lot this year, with 9 surgeries on my eyes, and now a heart attack, and angiogram and coming open heart surgery.  It has really drained me financially, and I would appreciate any assistance that anybody can offer me.  I am not the type that likes to ask for money, but right now I am in a real life and death situation, and I have no choice but to swallow my pride and ask for help. If you are able to help, go to my GoFundMe Page and make a contribution, I can assure you that it would be appreciated from the bottom of my heart.

One thing that is great is that over the past 2 to 3 years I have really taken control of my health.  I have my diabetes in great control (for those who know about numbers, my HBa1c for the past 6 months has been 5.5, which is excellent, as good as a person who does not have diabetes).  I have lost weight, and had been doing great with exercise.  I cannot exercise right now because my heart is very fragile and I don’t want to put too much stress on it.  All of my blood tests and other tests, except my heart, have come back excellent too.  So, it is not like I am going to spend money to save myself only to wither away slowly.  I have put myself on a healthy lifestyle and have continued that for about 3 years now, so I know that if I get my heart fixed I can go on to a productive life for some time to come!

Anyway, that is where I stand now with my heart.  I wanted to keep my readers and friends posted on where I stand.  In addition to financial assistance, your prayers and thoughts are also greatly appreciated.  Thank you so much for your support in multiple ways!

Update on October 23, 2016

Things are moving forward with my heart surgery.  For the past 2 weeks or so, I have been spending most of my time at hospitals, doctor’s offices and medical labs for tests and other medically related things.

A bit of good news is that we have been able to work with PhilHealth and it appears that we will be able to get much more coverage than we expected from the insurance going toward the heart surgery. We are still in need of raising a more money, but not as much as expected, so if you can help, visit my GoFundMe Page.

On Tuesday morning, October 25, I will be going before a medical board for an interview.  It is this interview that will determine how much the insurance will cover for my surgery.  I am looking forward to this day and getting it all settled up so that I can move forward with the surgery.

Once the medical board makes the final decision, I will be scheduled for surgery about 1 week later.  I have to wait the week because I am taking some drugs that must be stopped before surgery and it will take about a week for those drugs to work through my system so that surgery is safe to go forward with. So, I am expecting that my surgery will probably happen around November 2 or so.

So far, all of the tests that I have been having the past couple of weeks are looking good, and I have been cleared by all of the doctors to go ahead with the surgery!

So, now you all know where things currently stand!

Thank you to all of my friends who have offered financial assistance through my GoFundMe Page.  It is greatly appreciated, and will never be forgotten!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Great news Bob, you were blessed with a 5th artery because we have a great God and He is not through with you. Blessings to you and the family…..also loved the prayer which is pretty rare.

  4. I wish you all the best Bob for your upcoming surgery. Thanks for the updates on your condition, it looks like you are having these procedures done just in time. Thanks for the pics of the cath lab. Appears they have the latest in diagnostic hi tech equipment available. For me though, If it was possible I think I would rather have some form of knock out drops ( sedative ) so I would be asleep or totally out of it when they are working inside of me.

    Many thanks again for the update Bob, the ” LIP ” world is watching.

  5. Hi Bob sorry to hear you are going to have to have heart surgery but pleased to hear that the problem was found in time.
    We have just heard that a friend of the boys has had a major heart attack, he is in his early 40s.
    Our prayers are with you and the family
    Marjorie

    • Thank you Marjorie. I hope that your friend does well too. It is going to be a tough operation, and the recovery is not easy, but it is a necessity!

  6. Thank God for #5 Bob! Will be helping soon! Always praying for you Bob. My father went through this and I have faith you will get through this and come back feeling so much better!!

  9. My Father had that operation around 35 years ago and like the Doctor told you, he felt like a new man. When his time came the heart just wouldn’t stop and kept him here a lot longer than any one expected. Wow only $25,000.00 (I know that’s a lot) for at least a $500,000.00 stateside operation. Deductible in the states would be more than your operation there. Wishing you the best.

    • Hi Loren – Thank you so much for your kindness and support. Yeah, that is a good bargain for $25k or so, and I am very confident in my team of medical experts that I am working with. I will be having surgery at the same hospital where I just had the angiogram, and I found the place to be nice, modern and all around great! I know that it is going to be a tough time for a while.. but I am going to make it!

    • I was thinking along those lines, also. That’s one year of Obamacare premiums and co-pays for me and my wife, if I would have stayed in America.

      • Hi Todd – Yeah, all around, I think it is better for me to do it here. It was a tough call, and took a lot of thought and prayer. I have some very close friends that I care about deeply who are strongly pushing me to go to the States, so that made it a very difficult decision for me.

  10. Good morning Bob,

    Thanks for the detailed update. Man, I was hoping for a quick and easy fix to have you fighting fit again in no time. I certainly wasn’t expecting quadruple bypass as the only option.

    As you say, you’re going to get through this. Good thing you’re a strong willed fighter.

    I’m more like Bob New York – I’d want to be out even for the tests.

    • Really, Michael, for the test, and even the angioplasty where they are placing stents, it is completely painless! You kind of need to be awake, because as the doctor told me, I was his partner in the procedure, and I needed to do things, answer questions and such. It really was very easy and even kind of cool to watch as things were happening.

  16. Bob,
    I have always admired you because you are the first American expat I discovered online who was making enough money to live comfortably without the help of a retirement pension of some kind. Your website has given me lots of good info about living here in the Philippines.
    I pray for your complete recovery and I pray for all the people involved in your medical care. God bless you and your family Bob!

    Dustin

    • Hi Dustin – Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it. Having lived here for nearly 17 years, I have had a good run of earning good money, sometimes spectacular amounts of money. This year, though, I really got hit with huge medical expenses and it hit me hard! If not for the help of my friends, I would be in big trouble right now. If I have given you good info through the site, that makes me very happy!

  21. Good luck and best wishes for a successful surgery.

    If you do not raise the $25k, will they still do the surgery?

    How would that work out?

    • Thank you! This is the Philippines, and if I don’t have the money, I won’t get the sugery. I think that it will all work out, though… I have faith, and a good start on it.

  22. wishing you the best Bob! I have followed you also for a long time and feel you have the strong will needed to get through this situation. you mentioned this will be done in a government hospital. I imagine the cost would be much higher at Davao Doctors, but sounds like you have a great team! again, wishing you Gods blessing and guidance during and after the procedure…

    • Thank you Scott. I appreciate what you said, and I hope that my will is strong enough! I think that I will win this battle, I am preparing to go to war! It won’t be easy, but hey… nothing that is worthwhile is easy, right? 🙂

      Yes, the cost would be higher at Davao Doctors.. but my cardiologist told me that the equipment and facilities are better at SPMC where I am getting treatment! He has privileges at both hospitals and does work at each all the time, so he knows! I was considering which hospital to use when I asked him about that. The exact words that he told me were “one hospital has the BMW of heart equipment.. the other has the Toyota”> Wow…

  26. Here’s wishing you a speedy recovery Bob! My father had that surgery about a year ago. He’s doing great now, turned 80 today! A good thing we learned from the experience is that, as frightening as the procedure sounds to the patient, from the surgeons point of view, it is a fairly routine operation. They’ve been doing it for a long time now and know what to expect. Continue to take care of yourself. That’s big points in your favor.

    Take care,
    Pete

    • Hi Tom, I am looking forward to “doing fine” as well. I know that it is a very tough recovery, but I will go through it for some addition time to be with my family!

  31. Hi Bob,
    Very sorry to hear the latest news regarding your condition.
    Thank God though for your life saving 5th artery! Definitely a game changer there! Here’s hoping that the surgery goes well for you. You’re a good man Bob,you do a lot to help others less fortunate than yourself through your LIP Christmas food distributions. All that kindness that you have given out over the years will come back to you ,now you need it.
    Looking forward to seeing you fit and healthy when we meet in Davao next year.
    Stay strong Bob. Always in our thoughts.
    Dave,Joradin and boys.

    • David – Thank you very much! I really appreciate your kind support and kind words! I am certainly looking forward to seeing you again next year, it has been too long!

  35. Hi Bob,

    My dad had quadruple bypass surgery about a year ago like Pete and he is doing well. Sending prayers your way. Take care, good luck and God bless!

    Peace

    Jay

    • Thanks Jay, I appreciate your kind words, and also the information about your Dad. I hope I will also be doing very well in a year… even less, actually!

  36. Only just caught up with LiP news (for some reason emails from LiP appear to have stopped).

    Sorry to hear of the seriousness of your condition. I will be holding you in my prayers and trust that God will guide the doctors and nurses as they attend to you.

  37. Bob,
    First, please add me to the long list wishing you a full and fast recovery. Second, hopefully other expats will learn from your ordeal and be reminded that simply having a monthly budget with little or modest savings is risky in the Philippines. Make sure you have savings, or at least credit access of US $25,000…..and get enrolled in PhilHeath if you are eligible.
    FYI: From your earlier articles, I realize that you had significant savings when you first arrived in Phils and burned thru it quickly. This has been in my thoughts as I recently arrived in Phils financially healthy (like you) and have tried to benefit from your experience by avoiding big financial commitments…. so thanks for sharing your history and providing the words of caution/warning.