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Tomorrow is the day!
- by Stephanie3
- 2012-08-27 02:08:42
- Surgery & Recovery
- 1445 views
- 14 comments
Hey guys tomorrow is the day I get my pacemaker. I'm so nervous but anxious to be getting my life back without fainting and laying in bed all day! I just dont know what to expect .. Feeling wise? Pain? How long until I will be able to start doing things? Doctor said 4 weeks until I can return to work .. Just scared and don't know how am I going feel besides much better than now I hope! Thankyou for ready and hope everyone had a nice weekend!
14 Comments
Oops I forgot stay overnight
by janetinak - 2012-08-27 03:08:41
on 1st one so lead can be xrayed next AM then home for lunch. I forgot as what I decribed was for my #3.:-)
Janet
Good luck for tomorrow
by jane32 - 2012-08-27 04:08:44
Don't forget to take a button or zip up the front top to wear home as its easier to put on. You will be fine, it only took under an hour to put in, I was awake, it is uncomfortable but not too bad. Give yourself time to get over surgery, then there will be no holding you back, you will feel so much better and have more energy. Look forward to hearing how you get on.
All the best
Jane
One Day at a Time...
by donr - 2012-08-27 08:08:26
Stephanie: Right now you are concerned about the WRONG things.
I just went back & read all your posts - you have faced more perils than Pauline! At least you have not been tied to a railroad track while the cape-wearing villian w/ black moustache gloats!
You've been through the operation drill before for the initial lead implants. You were happy as a clam in mud on a Mass. beach in your first post. Can you stop for a second & think back to those days? You & your 1960's era portable radio plugged in - not to your ears, but your heart.
Go back & read a LOOOOONg, rambling comment I wrote to you when anxiety took over & you started feeling like crap. You do need a quick review lesson at this point, so go read it.
Surgery is never fun - but it can be tolerable. Tolerable - that's the best it can be. Relive the first implant - that's almost what this one should be like.
Unfortunately, things went really south for you after that, significantly coloring your viewpoint on the procedure.
We expect our DR's to be all-seeing; all-knowing; to wear a turban w/ a jewel stuck to the front & tell us the future w/ unerring accuracy. Guess what - they cannot!
Remember that I told you that your heart failed on you? And at the tender age of 22, no less. Look at all the water that has gone over the bridge; under the dam (or whatever) since that first failure. Looks & sounds to me that it was not finished w/ its failures then. Seriously, however, Why does it HAVE to stop after that first failure? Sounds like yours has changed a bit in what it was doing to you since failure #1. Note that your Dr put that external PM on you to find out what developed.
So, let's look at "One day at a time" for Stephanie. That is tomorrow - you get a permanent PM implanted. Get that done & THEN start thinking about what is next. The NEXT step is to recover from that surgery - in body & in mind!
None of this will be as fast as a snap of the fingers. You will physically hurt for a while. You are going in w/ positive expectations - "Getting your life back" - your own words. Great! But remember that you are going in somewhat down. You have been through a Heck of a lot in the past months. You told us so. So don't be surprised if you feel a bit crappy on the other side of waking up.
Take the recovery one day at a time. Only w/ the new PM will you - or us - have any idea what you will feel like.
You mentioned Beta Blockers at one point. ARE you taking them? What have they done for you? Knocked down the V-Tach part of your crappiness? Any side effects?
One fact to keep in mind. You have electrical problems - they got complicated. A PM is the solution for those kinds of problems. Let's get that installed & working before we worry about the next step/day.
Quick & dirty summary: Tomorrow should not be much different than the first procedure you had. Or the one where they removed the external PM after the bleeding around the wires.
The best to you on Tues,
Don
not too bad
by ohiolaura - 2012-08-27 08:08:39
I didnt have pain after really,some discomfort but not much.
Had to be at a 40 degree upright angel for awhile,and had a tight pressure type bandage on the rest of the surgery day I think it was.
I was awake,and dont recall pain as such,just a pounding pressure when the surgeon was making the pocket and putting the PM in.Other than that,it wasnt bad at all for me,but thats just me.
The incision was tight and swollen,I was told since Im "young",(hahaha) at 49,my muscle was hard my skin was tight,so I got beat up more since the Dr had to beat,push,shove and pull alot more due to my being in shape and having good skin.Never thought that would have been an issue!
Really,the surgery wasnt anything painful,or afterwards.
I have a c-section,broken ribs at another time,and those were much more painful afterwards compared to the PM surgery.
You'll be fine,youre young.Afterwards,being tired from the meds and suregry while you heal,but thats short lived.Just be patient and relax,Im 8 weeks today,and so happy I feel so good now,and almost dont know I have the PM,unless I touch the area and then it reminds me,still have a little swelling and numbness in the incision.
You'll be fine,good luck and pay attention to everything,it'll go fast and then it's over!
in my prayers
by Hope - 2012-08-27 09:08:03
Hi! Hoping soon your current worry will be just a memory and will be replaced with happy days of LIVING! Yes, most of our lives have taken some twists and turns with our diagnosis/devices/medications, but life is full of twists and turns. When you wake up, pace yourself for awhile, but focus on giving each day and making some memories to take with you along your journey. LIFE is still yours. SMILE! Hopeful Heart
Good Luck ....
by NettieA - 2012-08-27 09:08:11
and all the best for tomorrow.
Hope you'll soon be better and feeling that your energy is back.
Take care and Best wishes
Nettie :-)
Thinking of you
by Janey L - 2012-08-27 12:08:17
Hi. Wishing you all the best for tomorrow. Hope all goes well. I'll be thinking of you.
Best wishes
Janey
Don
by Stephanie3 - 2012-08-28 07:08:36
They said I stopped breathing quite a few times.. They had me stay awake for most of it but I was too much of a baby and couldn't handle it much longer so they put me out but kept waking me up because I would stop breathing! And I had a lot of Scarr tissue from my loop recorder he needed to get rid of! I'm
Just glad it's over .. I'm having a lot of pain in my arm and around pm but nothing like during the placement!
Have you busted out of the Joint yet?
by donr - 2012-08-28 08:08:42
Stephanie: Sounds like a lot of un-fun experiences! From what you described in your run-up to getting the PM, with the external box, you were set up for that procedure.
Souinds like you got closer to being tied to the railroad track,
I suppose they kept you overnight so they could monitor your breathing while asleep. Hope it went OK for you.
OK, that's day one - now on to the next day. What will be your goal for that one? I'd say to tolerate the pain & survive till the next day.
Cheers!
Don
Well done Stephanie
by IAN MC - 2012-08-28 10:08:11
Hope you enjoy the hospital food ?? You should find that the pain disappears over a few days ..take it easy till the wound heals and hopefully all your heart symptoms will have gone
Best wishes
Ian
I truly can't thank you guys enough!
by Stephanie3 - 2012-08-28 12:08:32
I'm in my nice comfy hospital bed (not lol)! The surgery had a few complications so it took longer than expected.. But now I'm all done and hopefully a nice easy recovery! I truly can't thank each one of you for writing to me. It means so much to have people who understand! Thankyou again will keep you guys updated hopefully going home tomorrow!
Ian and don
by Stephanie3 - 2012-08-29 01:08:27
Thankyou so much! I actually serve the hospital food in the hospital as my job! Lol so you can say I get somewhat VIP meals (not so good even being an employee) I'm feeling much better with my new friend! Just the pain is something I wasn't expected to be this bad! I am home now in my bed and my own yummy food! Now just moving forward and getting stronger each day is on my agenda! Where do I start? How do I cope with this new life changing thing? I have had so much happened and I had time to prepare rather than it happening as a surprise but it is something I don't prepare but who can really prepare? Just trying to stand strong and take one day at a time! I'm so grateful for this site and the support from you guys who understand how hard this is! Thankyou again!
You know you're wired when...
Bad hair days can be blamed on your device shorting out.
Member Quotes
Im healthy as a horse because of the pacemaker.
Glad for you
by janetinak - 2012-08-27 03:08:30
I was afraid for my 1st one but as Jan mentioned in your last post, most of us would agree it is pretty easy.Start IV, put EKG leads on, meet your team including your EP & they put some great stuff in your IV & relaxed bit most of us are awake. Each of mine they put a small screen between my face & te PM site keep the contamination out from talking or something. Goes pretty fast & then your back in the recovery area. Stay an hour or 2, until IV done & get a bite to eat.Then go home for a nap. Need to watch lifting arm on affected side,etc but you should feel great. Let us know how it goes.
Best of luck,
Janet