WSU WHY ARE YOU AGAINST PACEMAKERS!

Below is a link for a CNN story. WSU will not allow a cheerleader to cheer because of her pm! Even with a doctors note.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/
2008/09/10/denmon.cheerleader.pacemaker.wfaa

3 Comments

bad precedent

by Tracey_E - 2008-09-10 02:09:34

I understand their concerns about liability if she can't be covered by their insurance. That's idiotic, imo, but insurance companies are always idiotic and I can see not letting someone cheer who isn't covered by the policy. But that's not the reason the school rep stated in the interview. She might collapse on the bottom of a pyramid?! She's no more likely to collapse than anyone else on the team. They've started down a slippery slope by using that faulty logic. What about a student with a disability? Or someone gets hurt and performs in a brace? Using their reasoning, anyone with any ailment at all can't cheer.

That said, I'm surprised her doctor cleared her and was willing to put it in writing. The stunting done at that level is intense and getting kicked hard in the chest is a real possibility. Tumbling and cheering, sure. Stunting, I'm not sure that I'd want my kid doing it with a pm. My 11 yr old bases and she gets kicked in the head and chest too often than I care to think about when they're working on a new stunt. It's a dangerous sport.

sounds like legal advice

by iraiam - 2008-09-10 04:09:59

I would bet that this is a direct result from legal advice from an attorney. I'm going through a similar thing right now. my company is not allowing me to return to work on "light duty" status. Instead they are making me take temporary disability for the entire 3 months of restrictions ordered by my doctor after my PM implant. after the 3 months there should be no restrictions and I can return to work.

I can understand the argument on both sides of this issue.

I have seen some pretty incredible cheer routines that you could consider a "contact sport".

it isn't WSU

by pacergirl - 2008-09-10 11:09:53

Hi, here in Kansas we have WSU (Wichita State University), so of course this story caught my attention.

I'm not sure the school is WSU. The story mentions SMU. A school in Texas. Not that it really matters, but I understand the school's reservations. People are suing people everyday over the most senseless things. I don't support their decision in any way, but I understand why.

The question is, for me anyway, is what to do to change the way the world views people such as ourselves who are pacemaker/ICD assisted? How do we educate the public? How do we communicate on a level they can relate to? Another question might be... why do we have to explain the pacemakers in the first place?

We are told by our docs that we will be as "good as new" after a pacer implant. I was told that I could do everything I did before except work under the hood of my car while it was running he he, that's funny because I want to be behind the wheel while it is running... not under the hood! Plus if I damage a fender I need to hire someone to weld it... I shouldn't attempt that myself... darn the luck.

So if our docs think we are fine.... why doesn't the schools and employers and friends and family and spouses for that matter?

In closing I'd like to say this girl needs some support, I can only pray she knows we are here ant that things change for the better. I hope somehow she knows we care!

Pacergirl


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I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for pacemakers. I've had mine for 35+ years. I was fainting all of the time and had flat-lined also. I feel very blessed to live in this time of technology.