It's great to be bionic!

Hello to all my fellow pacemaker recipients! If you or somebody you know is going to get a pacemaker, it isn't so bad. I am 13 and have had my pacemaker since I was less than 24 hours old. The only thing that I don't like is 1 that I can't play contact sports (I really want to fence!) and 2 the echos. I absolutly can not stand them! If you are concerned about iPod interference, I can tell you, I have a huge video iPod and it has not bothered me so far.

10 Comments

Game System Question

by ela-girl - 2007-12-17 06:12:06

You are so positive, uvagershwin! Good for you! Your post above about the comments some people make are funny. I'm a teacher and have had students ask if they can see it or if I have to plag myself in. Oh brother! :D

I actually have a question for you...have you ever played a Wii game system? I heard that the infrared that the controllers use can cause problems for pacers. I was thinking because of your age and you have a pm, you might know? I have a 10 year old little sister who wants me to play games with her on her Wii system, and I wasn't sure.

Take care and thanks for posting!
ela-girl

Bionic Lady

by Tessy - 2007-12-17 06:12:36

Hi there uvagershwin
I don't know if I should welcome you or you should welcome me :) I have been a member of this great site for only 3 weeks. If you are new to the site Welcome. You sound very happy go lucky. I am about to have a pacemaker fitted in January and am not looking forward to it!! My heart misses a beat throughout the night and I have had a few episodes of dizziness.

Have you had just the one pm since your were a baby? Also what do you mean by echos?

Tessy

Welcome!

by auntiesamm - 2007-12-17 07:12:04

I should have read further before answering your post about being a pediatric cardiologist. Since you are 13 now you must be thinking ahead to what you will do with the rest of your life. It is commendable that you have chosen medicine as a career. No doubt you can do whatever you put your mind to. It is unusual for someone your age to be so open and honest with a bunch of elders. Thank you for your input and your very positive attitude. Please continue to be involved and keep posting!
Sharon

hi

by slarnerd - 2007-12-27 02:12:07

Have you tried a hockey protective shirt? I know of many teens that wear a thin shield hockey shirt to play baseball, basketball, and more. I also know of two teens that play hockey - but they have to be the goalie - what better padding is out there?!

What do you dislike most about the echos? Can you watch a movie while they do them? Are you having to have them often?

echos

by uvagershwin - 2007-12-27 03:12:04

The pressure is whst kills me. There is a telvision in the dark room, but they never offer any movies, probably because they think I am used to them. I have been getting them more often and am wondering why...

Echos

by clichtenberg - 2007-12-29 04:12:59

slarnered,

I think she means the pressure from the wand that they use to do the echo. And they usually perform the echo in a dark room so that they can see the the echo on the little t.v. type screen. I just read your bio, your child has a pacemaker, Isn't that how they do an echo on your child?

Tessy,

They do echocardiograms on the heart to see how the heart is working. I'm sure you could google it to get a better definition. Do they not do echos on adults?

uvagershwin,

You should talk to your parents on why you have to have echos done more often. And you could probably talk to your cardiologist too. Don't you get to see the card after the echo appointment?

Good Luck!

Our experience

by slarnerd - 2007-12-29 06:12:48

I am sure they must do it differently at different places but both my kids have heart block (ages 3 & 17 months) and they both have echos, we have been to 3 different places for them (all kids' hospitals or pediatric cardiologists) - just once every 6 months or once a year. They have never been done in a dark room - I usually read a book to them while they are being examined and I have taken pictures during them before. Sometimes the kids are shown cartoons - we've donated dvds for that reason. The kids have not complained of pressure or anything during the exam. I have also had echos done and did not find them uncomfortable -- however, I really cannot recall if they were done in a dark room. Obviously the circumstances must be different ... but I just thought that if uvagershwin is finding the echos so uncomfortable, perhaps she (or her parents) could tell the technician - I don't think that is normal (for an echo to hurt or be very uncomfortable). I cannot imagine how scary it must be to be a teen and not totally understand what is happening with your body (beyond the normal teen issues, of course).

echos

by slarnerd - 2007-12-29 12:12:47

What pressure? And why are they doing them in the dark? How often are you having to have them? Have you been wearing holters too? It really depends on your individual circumstances. You should just ask your cardiologist and your parents. I hope you get some answers.

Echos are very strange...

by uvagershwin - 2008-01-08 08:01:35

Yeah, I did have an echo in a light-er room when I had pneumonia, but that was at another hospital. The only other place I reaaly know is UVa Med. Center. I know that sounds pretty pathetic! LOL

Echos are very strange...

by uvagershwin - 2008-01-08 08:01:55

Yeah, I did have an echo in a light-er room when I had pneumonia, but that was at another hospital. The only other place I reaaly know is UVa Med. Center. I know that sounds pretty pathetic! LOL

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