Home Alone

My mom (age 75) is having a pacemaker put in today. Doctor told her she would be discharged tomorrow. She would be living alone - would that be okay for a normal individual.

3 Comments

New Pacemaker

by SMITTY - 2011-07-01 01:07:23

Hello Glueguy,

I got my first PM at age 71 in 2000. I stayed over night but was awfully glad I had my wife with me when I got home, although I never had one minutes problem. But my opinion is that it is not a good idea for a 75 year old person (or any person), with a new pacemaker, to be alone the first night home, or the second night either, maybe.

There will be the restrictions on use of the arm on the side where the pacemaker is located. That restriction is usually just to not raise the elbow above the shoulder for a few weeks, but it may take a few days to get used to that. Also there are usually weight lifting restrictions.

On top of all that there is the concern by the person on what the PM is doing for them I don't know what your mother got her's for, but if it was a low heart rate, does she understand that if the PM were to quit, (which is as near impossible as anything can be) that her heart function would simply return to doing what it was before she got the PM. Also, is she aware that she may have some irregular, but harmless, heart beats for a few days to a few weeks after getting her PM.

The list of questions a person, especially one that is alone. can have with their first PM can be many. Just because she did fine the one night in the hospital, after getting her PM and where she had people she could ask questions, is not a guarantee that things will be the same after she gets home.

All in all, getting a PM is relatively simple an should bring with it no concerns. But the fact that it is a manmade device that is now connected to the heart may cause concern, most to the time, even though it shouldn't.

I wish your Mother the best,

Smitty

Agreed

by tombovt - 2011-07-02 01:07:44

When I came home, I had my wife and parents here, someone was always with me to make sure I was ok. Not to say there is anything to happen to mom but you'd want somewhere there if it did!

Best wishes to her, we'll be praying for her and you!

Physical Limitations

by DawnM - 2011-07-02 03:07:45

There are things that you just don't think about, with the physical limitations, like just be able to wash your hair or take a shower. It was so helpful for my husband to take off work for a couple of days after my PM (just 5 weeks ago) to help me out. I even had my mother come over and wash and dry my hair for me for the first time after my implant. The soreness was the worst for me for about the first 2 days. Taking Vicodin those first two days made me more groggy and dizzy. After I only needed Tylenol for pain, I got around by myself a lot easier (and I'm only 38), so I would recommend someone being with your mom for at least the first couple of days, or at the very least, checking in on her frequently.

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Try to concentrate on how you’re able to be active again and feel normal, rather than on having a machine stuck in your body.