La Pine Elevation and Senior Citizens (Bend, Dallas: renter, home, neighborhood)

[drtechs]

Hello Everyone,
My Mother and I want to relocate from Los Angeles, California to La Pine, Oregon. Our concern is this: My Mother was diagnosed and was told that one of the Valves in her Heart had become smaller due to the build up Calcium. The Doctor stated that the normal size of an opening for blood to pass through the valve is normally the size of a quarter, and my Mothers is the size of "The Tip Of A Pen". She was told by her Cardiologist to see him every 6 months for a test to check it's progress. We were also told by the Doctor that some people can live fine like this and others end up needing open Heart surgery. My Mother is a strong 89 years old, and again, we do not know if the elevation in La Pine (4226 ft) would be good or bad for her. I was thinking, the amount of smog on 300+ days a year here in Los Angeles vs La Pine, Oregon with the fresh, clean air was a better health choice.
Thank You In Advance,
drtechs

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by drtechs

Hello Everyone,
My Mother and I want to relocate from Los Angeles, California to La Pine, Oregon. Our concern is this: My Mother was diagnosed and was told that one of the Valves in her Heart had become smaller due to the build up Calcium. The Doctor stated that the normal size of an opening for blood to pass through the valve is normally the size of a quarter, and my Mothers is the size of "The Tip Of A Pen". She was told by her Cardiologist to see him every 6 months for a test to check it's progress. We were also told by the Doctor that some people can live fine like this and others end up needing open Heart surgery. My Mother is a strong 89 years old, and again, we do not know if the elevation in La Pine (4226 ft) would be good or bad for her. I was thinking, the amount of smog on 300+ days a year here in Los Angeles vs La Pine, Oregon with the fresh, clean air was a better health choice.
Thank You In Advance,
drtechs

I'm not sure you really want advice but anyone who is not a cardiologist, but here goes - the biggest issue I see with La Pine for your mother is that there is no cardiologist or hospital in La Pine, it's a drive up to Bend for that, potentially on bad roads in the winter.

The change from sea level to 4,000' causes SOME people headaches and nose bleeds while adjusting. While smog isn't a problem, in Central/Southern Oregon we do have a summer wild fire season, and if the fire is close, the air can be pretty bad.

Does your mother have a circle of friends and support in LA? Removing her from that support, up to where she potentially knows no one, might not be a good idea. Moves can be fun, exhilarating, a new adventure, but they can also be isolating, stressful and confusing as you adapt to a new area.

[KStrutz]

I lived in La Pine for three years. Was healtier there than I ever was in the Dallas/Ft Worth area where I live now. The dryer/cleaner air makes a big difference. You can even see all the stars at night - a glorious sight. The winters are long, but not unbearable, and the roads are kept clear of snow, so the driving conditions are not hazardous. Since there is not much wind, the wind chill factor is much lower. You don't get the biting winds you get elsewhere. The landscape is magnificent and La Pine is within a days drive from some of the most beautiful sights.

It is true that La Pine does not have a hospital, but it's only a short drive into Bend which has a fine hospital and excellent doctors. La Pine does have a clinc for emergencies and a primary care physician. My husband has Parkinson's Disease and he only had to go into Bend to see his Neurologist every 6 months.

If you like small town life, then La Pine is a good place to live. The people there are friendly and thoughtful. If you are still interested, I have a home there that has a renter in it right now, but I would consider selling it. It's a three bedroom home on 1.5 acres in a very quiet lovely neighborhood.

[skinem]

Just to echo what PNW-type-gal said, this really isn't the place to be getting medical advice...but I'll tell you what I have heard second-hand from more than one source.

Two people I know have had heart attacks that killed them while driving through higher-elevation areas...both in the same area that a major freeway goes through. Docs at hospital there told their widows that they see it very, very commonly, nearly daily, from people driving through and they attributed it to the elevation.

Not trying to scare you, just telling you what I've heard.

Seems to me that anyone getting a fraction of the normal oxygen supply, fresh or smoggy, at lower levels will only have it tougher at higher elevations.