Why Americans are choosing to retire in France is a question that is getting a lot of attention. I can give you my #1 reason: healthcare. Living in France has given me a deep appreciation for many things I have shared with Barefoot Blogger followersโits history, beauty, and culture. French healthcare is a subject I never expected to be an expert in. However, over the years, I have had more than my share of medical events. But nothing prepared me for my recent battle with a serious heart condition.
The Heart Condition That Shook My World
For several years, I’ve been living with and managing atrial fibrillation with medication. Itโs a fairly common malady for people my age, so I wasnโt overly concerned. I knew there was a relatively straightforward procedureโan ablationโthat could correct it if necessary. With regular check-ups with a cardiologist, I was convinced I would know if and when that time had come.
A wake-up call happened while I was visiting family in the U.S. Iโd been feeling short of breath and assumed it was pneumonia, so I went to see an internist. Thatโs when she dropped a word I wasnโt expecting: โhuge.โ My heart, she said, was โhuge.โ
A few days later, I was examined by a cardiologist in Atlanta who ran some pretty intensive tests. Despite the obvious problem, they didnโt find a clear reason for the enlarged heart. They suggested an ablation to treat the atrial fibrillation. With only a few days left before my scheduled return to France, I asked the cardiologist for an OK to fly back home.
Still challenged to understand the mystery of my โhugeโ heart, I started visiting cardiologists in France. One after another, the doctors couldnโt pinpoint the underlying cause, and as time passed, life simply went on.
Then I met a team of cardiologists at a small, private hospital in Nรฎmes. They took a new approach. They scheduled an outpatient procedure to look inside my heart with a special camera, guided down my throat and into place to capture a clear view. It was then they discovered what others had missed: a 5.6 cm hole in my heart. This condition had been there since birth, silently causing my heart to enlarge, putting strain on it with each passing year.
When I was told about the condition, I sat motionless, processing what this meant. The words from the doctors, while serious, were reassuring. This could be fixed, and it needed to be. Quickly.
On October 17, 2024, I entered the Nimes hospital with a mix of nerves and hope. My son came in from Atlanta to be with me. The lead cardiologist explained the procedure, which involved a team of three cardiologists. With utmost precision, the surgeon guided a device through my femoral vein to my heart to seal the hole.
It was surreal knowing that something so significant could be done without major surgery and with such precision.
The surgery went smoothly, and I was back home the next day.
Here’s a short animated video of the surgical procedure for repairing an Atrial Septal Defect similar to mine. I’m sharing it with you because it’s pretty amazing!ย
The Comfort of Post-Care
Returning home after a hospital stay in France is unlike any post-surgery experience in the US. A nurse (two male nurses alternating days on duty) came to my home each day to check on me. He took my vital signs and gave prescribed injections to ensure my recovery was on track. It may seem like a small thing, but the daily visits gave me a great deal of comfort.
It reminded me that here in France, healthcare isnโt just about getting through the surgeryโitโs about making sure youโre well in the days and weeks that follow. Itโs not just a service; itโs a system built on the belief that patient well-being is a journey, not just a moment of treatment.
My Earlier French Healthcare Experiences
This wasnโt my first time around with French healthcare. Iโve had my share of challenges over the years, including falls that required emergency room visits and extended rehabilitation. One of the most memorable was a 10-week stay in two live-in rehabilitation centers, where I received daily physical therapyโall at no personal cost. More recently, after breaking my arm, I completed 20 outpatient physical therapy sessions, again fully covered.
Granted, having a mutuelleโan additional insurance plan that costs about 100 euros per monthโhas made a significant difference. It covers what the government doesnโt, ensuring I donโt face unexpected bills. This comprehensive support has made navigating health events in France far less stressful than it could have been.
Why French Healthcare Stands Out
Reflecting on all these experiences, Iโm struck by the philosophy behind the French healthcare system. Itโs rooted in a commitment to give patients universal access and comprehensive care. Patients arenโt just cases; theyโre people whose well-being and recovery matter.
The approach goes beyond treating illnesses; itโs about ensuring full, holistic recovery. It’s a system that prioritizes patient health and peace of mind.
Final Thoughts on My French Healthcare Experience
As I continue my journey of living and loving France, I do it with a grateful heart. I know that the level of care and the relief from the burden of huge debt have made all the difference.
10 Responses
What a year itโs been for you, my friend. Iโm so glad that youโre doing well now. Youโre right about comparing US and France healthcare systems. Weโre in trouble in the US.
Love you!
Yes, this has been a year for the record books for me. Iโm just grateful to be in the other side of it all now. Iโll be in your neighborhood this spring. Will stay in touch! Thanks for your kind noteโค๏ธ
Im certainly glad that your heart defect was found and repaired and that youโre recovering well. But you say that you had to go to a private hospital for diagnosis and treatment. Was this, too, at no cost other than your supplemental health insurance policy?
Iโve heard others speak highly of the French health care system and the more comprehensive philosophy is definitely superior. In the US, I have only been able to get a visiting nurse to come at most twice a week to provide wound care for my nonagenarian mother tho daily bandage changes were prescribed and she lives alone. The French approach seems to be shared by most of the developed world other than the US.
Yes, Anne, health care is such a bonus for this good life in France. I am amazed tha there are so many differences from the US. I simply can’t imagine the cost of a long term illness. My regards to your mother and to you for the journey you are on. Thank you for reading my posts and joining along as I stumble through France! Merci!
Timely article for us. Better healthcare is one of the reasons we’re looking to France as a potential alternative to Portugal, where we live now. There are pros and cons on both sides but France seems to have the advantage in this area.
So, happy to hear that everything worked out well and that your treatment was top-notch. Rest up my friend, you still have a big heart and warm outlook. ๐
I feel like a new person, Carolyne. My heart works like never before. Maybe I’ll take up marathons! Hope to see you! Keep up thw good work!
How wonderful that the French specialists not only found the problem but fixed it so quickly!
Stay well the rest of the year!
Oh my goodness! Iโm so grateful that the French are so committed to healthcare. I thought Canada was good, but since Covid, the system has become broken. Iโve just had my own heart scare and am still waiting to actually โseeโ the cardiologistโฆin January!
Stay wellโค๏ธ. Wish I was there to play nurse! Xox
I am continually amazed at the stories I read and hear that compare US healthcare to France. I live in the States but I have a good friend, who is French, who lives two hours south of Paris. Last year, she was diagnosed with cancer and was sent to a specialty hospital in Paris for treatment. The government paid for a medical van to pick her up and take her back home — several times, at no cost to her. (She has fully recovered btw.) Unrelated to her cancer diagnosis, she also told me that she gets a letter from the government every year reminding her to get a mammogram which costs her $0 to get. The last time I had a mammogram, I think my co-pay was close to $300!