Preparing for surgery when you live on a boat? Then we have some tips to help from when my husband Dave had a hip replacement while we were living aboard Barefoot Gal.
Summary
So how do you make arrangements when you live on a boat full time and have to schedule a surgical procedure?
There are three components important to consider:
1) How long will it take for you to recover from your procedure? You need to get a realistic assessment from your doctor. And remember, when you’re asking questions, they may not understand what it’s like to live on a boat.
2) Where is the safest place to keep the boat during recovery. Dave’s surgery fell right during hurricane season. So hauling the boat and putting it on the hard was the best choice for us.
3) Can your emergency plan handle all the expenses? For us, this meant hauling and storing the boat. We also rented an apartment for several months (3 months longer than the doctor predicted). And we had to put items in storage.
Luckily, we had time to make a plan for Dave’s surgery. But if you have a large enough emergency fund, even an emergency should be okay.
Listen to the complete podcast for more details or check out Managing Surgery When You Live on a Boat.
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Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
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