Walk in the Park - Done with my ICD implant

• by farhan
• 2015-04-05 10:04:05
• ICDs
• 2077 views
• 6 comments

Hello Everyone!

I am glad to report back to this forum that I have got my new friend implanted on 2nd April, 2015. I am thankful to this forum in many ways and hence I owe a lot to this forum. I am grateful to all those great people who are spending their time to add value in life of others, specially when they do not know them. This forum had given me what I was looking for and on top of my shopping list was a 'courage' that could help me deal with my 'biggest fear of life' i.e. to decide and to go for ICD implant. I was XXit scared inside and could not collect myself to come to a conclusion. I found all necessary help here that I was looking for and answers to my worries on various threads and my personal posts.

So before I tell a tale, I am very much thankful from deep down my heart to all those people who are sharing their experiences and leading the ways to those who need to know lot from this forum.

The tagline of my story is "It's just a walk in the Park" and trust me if you can. So here goes my story...

You will find threads that I earlier posted and that will reflect the scary part that I was living with. I was earlier planned to go for implant in Nov last year but then I got my schedule delayed until 2nd April. It was very pleasant morning and I was told to not eat anything after 11am. I was schedule for the surgery at 3pm afternoon. Packing up from office at 1pm, I reached at hospital at about 2pm. After some registration work, I was taken to CCU where I was given hospital cloths that I put on and then after waiting for some time, I was brought to surgery room at 4:05pm.

The environment of operation theater was not that charming but was bit heavy. Lots of screens, laptop type of machines, different lights, people standing around their masks on. So not a friendly feeling in the beginning.

One of the guy who already knew me during my prior discussions on selection of ICD device, he came over and then started discussing various things. I must say that guy was good to keep me engage while others kept on doing their stuff i.e. putting lots of sheets on me, inserting IV, cleaning my skin with some liquid. And this guy kept me informed that what is being done on me so I know that when nurse was using a syringe for IV. This all took about 5 minutes and by that time I was bit of more comfortable with the environment and with staff (about 6 people).

And then my doctor joined the party. He greeted me and first thing he said that I should not worry about a thing as he will make sure all goes well. (bit of more relief). So he started examining the skin beneath choler bone and he said that conditions look normal and favorable. He then showed my the device and the wire and said that I should take a look at this before it goes out of site for some years.

I asked question that, will there be any pain at all during the procedure (lol... you know me), and he was like, "I will try to give you minimum possible pain and even if there is going to be, he will inform me upfront" ... this again was a bit of relief.

By that time, I was kind of quite comfortable and had completely surrendered. I think there was something really good in IV that they gave me. I was so normal, no stress, no fear.

and then he told me that he will use some needles for numbness of skin at the procedure area. I was like okay, go ahead. I did really felt like a needle about three times... nothing I could scream on, quite okay or bearable. He flapped his hand at my skin for few times and then he said that do I feel anything, I said no except the noise..

A minute later, (though he did not say so) I think he started of the procedure. He made a cut and then made some space for the pocket insertion and the I have no idea what he had been doing. Only think I could feel was a push and a pull and some noise as he was flapping at my skin. This took about 15 minutes.

Later he said that he is inserting the wire and then I do not think I felt anything being inserted in me till the point I felt little twinkly feeling at my heart. My doc said that I will feel little pain at my heart as he is going to run some tests on wire. I did felt 'a little' twinkly sensation at my heart. This I felt even for less then a second and that's all.

Afterwards, he said that all is good now and he is starting stitching procedure. Again, I could not feel a thing.

and lastly, he said that all is done and then I saw him walking outside OT and I was left with staff who cleansed the procedure site and did some bandages and then removed all the wires, IV and cloths and that's it.

I was 'fully' relieved and was thankful to God that wow 'that was it' and it was just nothing to what I was earlier fearing.

I was then brought back to private room. which was quite comfortable. My brother received me there (Love this fellow).

I was told by Doc that I am not allowed to use my left arm briskly and specially I should not raise my arm above to shoulder level. I was asked to take complete bed rest for 1 week and then not to drive for next 5 weeks. This is because during physical activities, there is a risk of wires changing position and may lead to open the surgical area to make correction and hence the reason.

after 2 hours, I started feeling pain at procedure site and then I was given pain relief pills which were quite helpful.

So spent the night at hospital, could not sleep very well. Doctor examined me in the morning and told me that all is looking great and I can go home. I was discharged from hospital by mid day.

next of couple of days were not so comfortable due to pain and stiffness in upper chest.

today is the third day and I think I am far better now.

I hope that above will be a useful input for those who are conscious of their first times.

Best Regards,
Farhan.