ds surgery long distance?

The two closest train stations to us were Atlanta (four plus hours) and Greenville/Spartanburg, SC which was about 3 1/2 hours away but had the advantage of being where my daddy lives.

So we drove over to his place, had him take us to the station while our car stayed at his place, a week later we got back, and since it was Christmas Eve, we stayed til the day after Christmas. Then we drove home.

So driving part of the way is very doable...just need to be prepared to stop quite often that stretch. I prefered the train to flying as we could take our needed liquids with us on the train. In fact we had a suitcase of vitamins and protein drinks just for that part of the trip. Not gonna happen on a plane. And even if you fly, you still have to get to the airport.

We also opted for the handicap room (I have a disability tag) which gave us even more room and personal attention from the Sleeping Car Attendent (use to be known as the Porter).

Liz

I know some have travelled farther for their DS, but personally, two hours away was as much as I thought feasible, and in the event of an emergency, I was even looking at Helicopter Ambulance time!  Not ncessary, thank God! 

I wasn't even able to drive when I had my DS.  Non-emergency medical transport took me back and forth to the surgeon, as well as to my regular local appointments.

This surgery literally brought me back from near death...and I am SO grateful!

 Good morning Jazzy,
I will give this some thought also if the surgery is worth traveling so far away, there is no where I can have it done within 2 hours of my home. I can't even get out of the state in 2 hours. I'm glad it all worked our for you. Thanks for your input. :)
Trish

Trish-  I agree with what Valarie said...after all she is the OG on this board!

If you go to New York, it;s going to be very expensive to stay for two weeks, so you hafve to figure that into your cost.  Many brownstone owners there run bed and breakfasts, and that might be a good way to go.  You'l be eating a special post op diet anyway, Rehab facility might be another answer.  You generally get skilled nursing care for 100 days if you are admitted directly from a hosptial, though many insurance plans differ.

With the shortage of DS surgeons, many have to get their surgery out of town.  Plan on a 2 week stay nearby.  If you make it to the end of that two weeks without complications, you're likely in the clear.  From there, your PCP can coordinate with your surgeon with ongoing after-care.

 I got an appointment with my PCP to talk to her about it but couldnt get in until June 15th she is at a conference in Toronto Canada for a week. I found Dr Michael Hill in Saranac NY that seems like it would be closer to me then NY city but the entire trip would be all by car. I also talked to another office in Ny city and I seem to get the same from them all come to the semiar then you can see the surgeon. I have no plans of going to a semiar first its just to darn far and I've gone to one here but will cross that bridge after I see my pcp I guess. Thanks for all your help everyone.

 In regard to train - Amtrak's Noreaster runs from Portland to Boston, then you can connect from Boston to NYC.   I've taken it.   Also, Dr. Gagner, from last I heard, was working out of Montreal, so depending upon where in Maine you are located, that is an option as well.

 Hi Julie,
Good to know about the Noreaster I hadnt researched it to much yet because I'm not really sure what i'm doing or where I'm going. I did check out Canada becasue almost anywhere in Maine I'm closer to Canada then anywhere else in the US. I have not checked on my insurance to see if there is a problem if I went to Canada.

Thanks,
Trish

Your surgeon will tell you exactly what tests you need for your pre-operative evaluation. They probably won't care where you have them done, as long as they have access to the results. But again, its up to them, they may want you to have the tests done at a hospital they work in regularly.

I went to Spain from Ohio for my surgery. Don't be afraid to travel to get the surgeon you want.

Steve

Hi Trish,

I also have Aetna, and had to travel for my DS. Aetna never even blinked an eye at paying for my surgery out of state. As long as the surgeon is in their network, it should not be a problem.

I was a VSG to DS revision; trust me, it is worth the trouble to make the right choice on surgery the first time around even if it takes a little longer and is a little more difficult to accomplish. This is the quality of your life, for the rest of your life.

Traveling out of state is very doable, and many of us DS'rs have had to do it. My surgeon is only three hours away, but I was prepared to travel to Mexico or Brazil if need be to get my DS. My PCP was very willing to provide follow up for me here at home. Normally, there is not much really for your PCP to do for you but order labs and occasionally prescribe meds if any issues arise. That being said, DS'rs must take the initiative to learn all that they can about their surgery/health so that they are a participant in their healthcare, not just an observant,

Best wishes to you in your journey; the DS is a wonderful tool and ver much worth the extra trouble.