The Mayo Appointment

Our first visit to Mayo Clinic - a truly exceptional experience

When it comes to healthcare, there are certain names that stand out, and Mayo Clinic is undoubtedly one of them. Known worldwide for its reputation for excellence, we were eager, yet a bit anxious, about our first visit there. After all, the stakes were high, and we had heard so many great things about the level of care provided. But nothing could have fully prepared us for just how remarkable our experience turned out to be.

From the moment we stepped into the Mayo Clinic facility, it was clear that this would be a different kind of healthcare experience—one that centered on efficiency, compassion, and state of the art technology. And as our day progressed, our expectations were not only met—they were far exceeded.

On-Time, Every Time

Waiting in a doctor’s office is often a frustrating part of the healthcare process. We’ve all experienced long waits, missed appointment times, and the feeling of being just another patient in a long line, rushed through to get the next patient seen. But from the moment we walked in the door, the emphasis on time management was immediately evident.

Shawn had a blood panel, echocardiogram, and his first meeting with the cardiologist, and every one of them was punctual to the minute. It’s a small detail, but one that made a big difference in how we felt about the whole process.

Friendly Faces Everywhere

From the information desk to the cafeteria (we were there for several hours, so we had to eat!) to the medical staff, everyone we interacted with at Mayo exuded kindness and professionalism. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re in a new place, especially when it’s for medical reasons. But the staff made every step of the process feel seamless and welcoming.

The check-in process was straightforward and efficient, and every staff member we spoke with seemed to genuinely enjoy working there and was happy to help. Whether it was offering clear directions, answering questions, or simply ensuring that we were comfortable while waiting, the friendly faces made the whole experience feel warm and personal.

A Cardiology Appointment Like No Other

The highlight of our visit was our appointment with the cardiologist, Dr. Shamoun. We were prepared for getting limited time with him and then getting shuffled out as quickly as possible, but what we got was the opposite. Dr. Shamoun spent over an hour with us, taking the time to thoroughly review Shawn’s medical history, listen carefully to our concerns, and answering every question we had with clear, detailed explanations.

What stood out most was how invested he was in Shawn’s overall health, not just the aneurysm, and even referred him to another Mayo department for his asthma, insisting he get the best care for that condition as well.

In discussing the aneurysm, Dr. Shamoun put a 3-D image of Shawn’s heart up on a big screen in his office. This was the imaging taken during the echocardiogram earlier that day. The woman doing the scan told us that she was so excited to come work at Mayo to get to use these amazing tools for imaging that are state of the art. It was pretty cool to see his heart and the surrounding structure in that kind of detail. As we watched him spin it around and point out the aorta and aneurysm, he noted that the Mayo tests came back with a slightly smaller measurement, 4.5cm vs the 4.8cm from his previous (non-Mayo) tests. He spent quite a bit of time explaining why that was, and even got a radiologist on the phone to discuss it and confirm their measurements. He went into detail on why size is a less important factor than blood pressure with this diagnosis, and how critical it is to keep it low.

He compared Shawn’s blood panel that day to the one from when he was diagnosed 6 weeks ago and said it looked like it was from a different person, the results had improved that much. He went line by line through all of Shawn’s prescriptions, talked about what he wanted to change, stop or modify dosage on and why. He put himself in Shawn’s shoes and told us what he would do if he was the patient, including the restrictions he felt were and weren’t necessary and additional testing.

He was caring and warm and didn’t rush us through the appointment whatsoever. Instead, we were given his full attention, and it felt like he was genuinely focused on Shawn’s well-being. It was such a refreshing change from the often hurried and impersonal experiences we’ve had in the past.

The level of care was evident not just in Dr. Shamoun’s approach but also in the way he explained the next steps. The focus wasn’t just on treatment, but on empowering us with data and information to make the best decisions moving forward. We walked away feeling informed, reassured, and grateful for the time he had taken to fully explain everything.

The Treatment Plan

Given the (new) size of 4.5cm, and Shawn’s height / stature, Dr. Shamoun recommended a wait-and-see approach. He will likely need the surgery at some point, but the risk does not outweigh the benefit right now. In 6 months, he will go back for another scan to see what the growth rate is and we will be able to discuss next steps at that time. In the meantime, he will undergo genetic testing to determine if there is a genetic component, and whether his siblings and kids should be tested.

For now, the doctor advised him to “live his life to the fullest” with the restrictions they discussed. He’s cleared for “casual” basketball (he doesn’t know Shawn very well) and pickleball now, but still has restrictions on lifting, pushing, and pulling anything over about 25 pounds. He will need to continue to manage his blood pressure, keeping it as low as possible through diet, exercise, and stress management. But best of all, he is cleared for travel. We have a cruise booked for next week (!) that we have been trying not to think about, assuming that we would have to cancel it, and now will have to rush to get ready for.

Final Thoughts

Our first visit to Mayo Clinic was nothing short of exceptional. The level of professionalism, punctuality, and kindness exceeded all of our expectations, and it reaffirmed why Mayo Clinic is so highly regarded in the medical community. It’s rare to have such a seamless experience at any healthcare facility, let alone one of such scale.

I am glad to say that this blog will be able to focus more on travel as we move forward, as we had always intended it would. So, stay tuned for my next post on our Virgin Voyages cruise!