VOG issue on the Big Island..... - Page 2

[AuntRayRay]

Originally Posted by bigeyes

ETA-there is a report that talks about the vog effects here
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessio...ffectsSPCR.pdf



Wonder what kind of insurance he had? We've heard how difficult it is to see doctors here, but we have had much better luck getting in through Kaiser here than we did elsewhere. However, Kaiser has no hospitals here, iirc, and they take people to Oahu. There are a couple of hospitals here, though, and when I went to one they just billed Kaiser. Kaiser even flies people to other islands for medical tests, which just seems crazy to me.

My ILs were worried about this, but they're moving about 10 minutes away from one of the hospitals, and they found out their neighborhood has an ambulance and first responders who would be dispatched if anything happened in their home.

Hmmm...I hadn't looked much into medical. Thats another area I will need to research. My older son sees a cardiologist every 3-6 months and has an echocardiogram done at least once a year.
Also he and my DS#2 see a developmental nuero-Ped. every 6 months. So I would need to see about how the Dr./hospital/insurance works.

[AuntRayRay]

Originally Posted by Malama

I live near Hilo and have for 15 years. The vog has been definitely a lot worse over the past year when the plume started coming from Halema'uma'u crater. Previously we'd have a couple of weeks a year when it affected us- usually in Dec/ Jan.
However, now we get it a lot more.
I still love living here, and am not moving anywhere, but I would say that it's really bothersome (no asthma issues), and nasty. In the last couple of weeks I've woken up tasting sulphur in the air.... and I live so close to the ocean that we usually have at least some breeze coming thru.
But sometimes the wind doesn't blow, or changes direction, sigh.....

I don't know how vog would affect someone with heart issues..... our air is still cleaner than many other places, so you really have to weigh things for yourself. Also there ARE areas that get very little vog. In the Hilo-ish area, someone recently told me that Kapoho is nearly vog free. And I know that Hawi is pretty vog-less too.

good luck

Well a couple times a year is one thing, but more is another.. I'm just not sure either how it would effect my son with the heart condition and would never want to jeopardize his health of course. Hilo was really our dream destination although I really liked Hawi as well. It looks like we will have to put Hawaii on a "back burner", research more and see if we can visit once or twice more before a move Wish airfare wasn't soo expensive LOL
I really appreciate the info

One day...One day

[konamama]

cardiologists are rare on the Big Island - there might be one in waimea and i know that there is one that comes from oahu once a month, but most folks who have heart issues are sent to oahu - i would for sure look more into that because that may be a deal breaker beyond the vog, which is bad these days for anyone with health issues as far as i can tell.
good luck...
you could always look into island further north, kauai for example. but i have no info about their medical scene or anything else, except their lack of vog :-))

[AuntRayRay]

Yea not having a good cardiologist around would cetainly be a deal breaker. With my son's heart condition if he was to get worse he would need a heart transplant,(which we hope never happens of course) sooo...we definately want a good cardiologist around. I guess I just kinda figured there would be a good cardiologist whatever state we picked
More researching to be done...LOL
Thanx Mama's!

Originally Posted by konamama

cardiologists are rare on the Big Island - there might be one in waimea and i know that there is one that comes from oahu once a month, but most folks who have heart issues are sent to oahu - i would for sure look more into that because that may be a deal breaker beyond the vog, which is bad these days for anyone with health issues as far as i can tell.
good luck...
you could always look into island further north, kauai for example. but i have no info about their medical scene or anything else, except their lack of vog :-))

[Malama]

there are very few specialists on the island full-time. mostly you have to fly to Oahu for big things. many do come over for a day a week or one day a month, and they pack in their appointments.