Fred has lived with atrial fibrillation (AFib) for more than 40 years, but he was growing concerned about the risk of stroke associated with his condition and age. What he really needed was a healthcare relationship that understood him as a person, not just his condition. He found what he was looking for with Dr. Daniel Kaiser. To address the possibility of AFib complications from his growing discomfort, Fred underwent hybrid maze ablation therapy, an internal/external heart procedure. The procedure is carried out in two parts: The first part was completed at a different healthcare provider in northern California. The second portion was completed by Dr. Kaiser at El Camino Hospital. “El Camino Hospital, in our opinion, is in a category by itself. There are few in the medical profession who will not give up on you and are in true partnership with you. That’s what makes Dr. Kaiser and El Camino Hospital so exceptional,” Fred says enthusiastically. During one of the surgeries, the staff diligently kept Susan up to date on the progress of Fred’s surgery, putting her mind at ease. “They take great care of you when you’re at one of the most vulnerable moments in your life,” says Fred. Susan felt Fred was in good hands, but she had an issue of her own to address.
Before coming to El Camino Hospital, Susan had a pacemaker installed by a different healthcare provider for a conduction issue, but it never felt quite right. It was uncomfortable and at times painful. But when she raised her concerns, it was implied that the issue was a psychological one, not a physical one. After months of frustration, Susan found an opportunity for another opinion. While at the hospital for one of Fred’s surgeries, Susan asked Dr. Kaiser what he thought about her pacemaker. “He examined the pacemaker, and right away he said ‘That’s not right. I can fix that,’” Susan recalls. Dr. Kaiser conducted an electrophysiology study to be sure Susan’s device was necessary and performed a pacemaker revision. Ever since, Susan has felt much better.
With renewed health, Fred and Susan are continuing to work hard on their home during retirement. But this is no ordinary home they’re building in Paso Robles—it is completely off the grid, drawing all of its power from solar and wind power sources. With Fred’s decades of experience as a contractor, they are doing the majority of the work themselves. To hear Fred describe their unique project, it is truly a labor of love. “To do what you love with someone you love, this is what we enjoy doing,” he says.
