Another patient and I met in very-hot Austin for our first TEE after the Watchman. Aside from a very early check in at Saint David’s, it was an excellent experience and we both had perfect placements and no leaks. Everything is done in your room in the pre-op area, the propofol sedation is light and only for about 15 minutes—and then they serve you a hot breakfast! Dr. Natale and NP Shannon came in between ablations to discuss results with us and answer questions. I will remain on a half dose of Eliquis, next Watchman check in 4 months. As I am located in a city where it might be difficult to get a TEE done properly in order to get the right views on the Watchman, Dr. Natale agreed that I could get a CTA scan done locally and have it sent to him overnight.

Afterwards we had a great meal in a local restaurant—all together a very pleasant trip.

Congratulations.

Congrats also! Best of luck moving forward.

Great news! Here is to this continuing!

Glad you are doing well, Daisy!

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Daisy
Afterwards we had a great meal in a local restaurant…

Okay, I am going to add a P.S. to my TEE report as it is really is Natale-frosting to the whole TCAI-Austin experience. After that great meal, we three (the other patient, her husband and I) felt like a little stroll through the interesting neighborhood. “Which way should we go?” mused my new friends, settling on heading back down the street to a gelato shop we had passed in our Uber. As we entered, there was Dr. Natale at a table cracking up laughing as he recognized us. What are the odds?! We almost fell over laughing, seeing him sitting there in his St. David’s scrubs—having done 5 ablations that day, now relaxing with gelato—only to run into MORE PATIENTS! But he was totally gracious, also seeming to enjoy the humor.

I’m the other patient in the Austin adventure that Daisy has described. After hearing good news from Dr Natale about our Watchman status, it was definitely icing on the cake to see him one more time, especially when it was so unexpected. With all the great places in Austin to eat, what were the chances of running into him! At first we thought we were hallucinating from the heat or the Propofol we’d had that morning. But as always, his demeanor put us at ease.

~ Linda

Gelato.... Just goes to show you can take the Italian out of Italy but you can't take Italy out of the Italian.

And, I will add that I had my successful first TEE post-Watchman in April. Daisy & I were there at the same time the last 2 procedures, I being one procedure ahead of her each time. In April someone I knew in my hometown had sold his restaurant, Asti, in Hyde Park area & had recommended I go there for dinner. As luck would have it, my husband & I already knew the area & it was very close to St. David’s as well as our air BNB. We had even gone to a small special museum in the neighborhood previously. So, the restaurant was a perfect suggestion. Daisy could not go with us because she was having a more serious procedure than the TEE that time. But, I did recommend she try it on her TEE visit this time. She and LLA did & they got to see Natale in the hood (lots of shops in the area)! Lucky for them that they experienced a Dr. Natale sighting outside of the hospital. At least this time, they were dressed though Natale was in scrubs!!!

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Madeline
At least this time, they were dressed though Natale was in scrubs!!

Ha, good one! Yeah, a first—we were actually dressed for the first time and he was still in scrubs. It is a wonder that he recognized us without our green hospital gowns! But still, on some level, it must’ve been nice for him to see previously incapacitated patients wandering around happily enjoying Austin.