I'm gettin' "paced".....

[gcarter]

A little over 5 years ago, I had coronary by-pass surgery. My life was a whole lot better after that, even though my cardiologist still wasn't real happy w/the performmance of my heart.
Earlier this year, I started experiencing shortness of breath and being exhausted from the least amount of exertion (it really affected my performance on the TR project). In early June, after going back to the cardiologist, he said I needed a stent and maybe a pacemaker/defibrulator. The stent went in well enough, but there was no improvement to the regularity issue. He tried to set the pacemaker surgery immediately, but Medicare wouldn't allow it for 90 days.
These delays are getting scary folks, and it's bound to get worse unless changes take place. Considering I have a Medicare Advantage (private insurance) plan, it's probably worse for others.
Anyway, today's the day. I'm kind of stoked! I'm supposed to feel like a new man when it's done. As an example, after my bypass surgery, my heart's ejection fraction was 45%. I suppose a healthy person's is 85-90%. Currently, mine is between 10-20%.
I guess I can truly look forward to tomorrow.

[Tidbart]

Good luck George. Hope all goes well. :crossfing:

Bob

[Ghost]

We're thinking about you up here...and hoping you have a VERY good day.

[Morgan's Cloud]

Yes, good luck George. Hopefully you wont need it though.

Keep us posted on how you feel afterwards.

Maybe you'll be able to finish the TR by Friday ! !

[VetteLT193]

Good luck!!!!!!

[CHACHI]

Good luck my friend.

We will say a prayer.

Ken

[Just Say N20]

Thanks for posting George. I will be praying that all goes well.

Bill

[bobwpe]

Hi George,
Wishing you the best for a smooth procedure and a speedy recovery.

Bob

[Offset]

Thoughts are with you George. I will be hoping for a speedy recovery and getting back to feeling "normal" again.

All the best and take good care of yourself.

Murray Adam

[olredalert]

----Wish you well, my friend!!!!........Bill S

[silverghost]

George~
Good Luck !

The Medtronic Pacer/Defib unit made my Father feel 20 years younger with no more shortness of breath or dizzy & weak spells.

[Jraysray]

Take it easy for a while. No jumping around on the TR. Good luck!

[BUIZILLA]

my uncles daughter sells and - or installs (funny term I know) virtually all of the pacer's in your 'hood

good luck, you'll be jogging soon ( and if you are, I want your damm knee's) :jester:

[fegettes]

Yes, good luck George.

[MOP]

All the best George!

GOLDEN YEARS! Yeah more like the RUSTY years!

M.O.P.

[scippy]

George, Best of luck with the procedure!

[FASTEDDIE]

George,
Just a little fine tunin. Thats all their doing, Just a little fine tunin. Hurry up and get better ,theres another buyer out there dreaming of owning a "George Carter Original"
besides me. My dream is coming true soon.

[Fishermanjm]

Donzi luck to ya george!!!!!!!!!!

[Capevettes]

Best of luck to you George. Hopefully you are back in the cockpit soon and feeling great.

[woobs]

All the best George!

[Greg Guimond]

Sincere good luck to you George!

[Ed Donnelly]

GEORGE,I,LL BE BY LATER IN THE week to visit


You..Be well....Ed

[Ed Donnelly]

GEORGE,I,LL BE BY LATER IN THE week to visit


You..Be well....Ed

[DON N.]

I also wish you good luck !

[gcarter]

Thanks guys!
I got home yesterday and, as usual, the thing they don't tell you is how much it hurts initially.
Today it's a lot better, and the most remarkable thing is how steady my heart rate is. I can hardly wait
to get back to work on everything I've been putting off.
I can't drive or raise my left arm above my shoulder for two weeks. I can't put my phone in my shirt pocket and I'm supposed to talk on my cell using my right ear.
I'm to stay away from welders and large motors. Also I can't work on engines that are running. More money for others, I guess.

[Tidbart]

Glad to hear that you made it through OK! Rest up and get well. The next 2 weeks will pass by quickly.

B

[mattyboy]

get well soon :)

[jl1962]

Great news!

Rest up. Go boating!

[McGary911]

Great to hear George. It'll be great to feel so much better after you're all healed up. Keep us posted.

[BOSTONCAMARO]

glad to hear you are doing well!

today pacemakers, although is a major operation, it is done often and is very successful, I am sure you will be up and about and enjoying yourself soon!

take he time to heal up and then get back to the things you love!

[CHACHI]

George, glad to hear you are on the mend and feeling better already.

Would like a update in a week please.

Ed, I highly recommend staying at Georges. If your good, maybe Lain will make fried grits for you.

Oh yeah, the water in his house is better than perfect.

Ken

[mike o]

Get well soon.

[Marlin275]

Wish you all the best!

[vlbob2]

George- Speedy Recovery! I always need your input! A good friend of mine with pacemaker/defibrillator was my tennis, golf & skiing buddy! You'll be full speed! Bob

[JayZ]

glad to hear things are going so well George. Speedy Recovery!

[Kirbyvv]

Glad to hear it all went well. Good luck for a speedy recovery.

[yeller]

Just saw this thread. Glad all went well George! Hope you have a speedy recovery

[Bamboo Loui]

:wavey: Hey George -- it has been weeks since we have talked-- glad things worked out. are you breathing better as my friends said happened to them? I have not been on for a while --knew the op was coming soon from our last talk. really hope you get the results you were hoping for.:clap:
Doug

[blackboat]

Hope all is well GC , I have had some of the same issues .

[gcarter]

I discovered that, apparently, the new device software can alter the heartbeat characteristics anyway they want.
I see the cardiologist and the Medtronics rep in about another week and that currently, it's set at some sort of minimal program.
Elaine and I were at Sam's club on Saturday, she sat in the blood pressure chair and took her BP.
When she was finished, I sat down and did the same thing. When it finished, it indicated 100 over 65 and a pulse of "0"!
Apparently it's set so "soft" the machine can't identify my heartbeat.
Or maybe I'm a zombie!
Wierd either way!

[silverghost]

George~~
Glad the procedure went well !

When my Father first got his Medtronics Pacer/Defib unit it was also set at a factory programed minimum level.

The pacer re-program resolved a simlar issue for Dad.

When you visit your Doc, along with the
Medtronics rep, be sure to tell them both how active you really are at your age.
There is a activity senor buit -in your unit.
It can crank-up your heart rate & pulse when activated.
My Dad's minimum pulse rate was later set
at 70 Beats per min minimum.
It would crank-up higher depending on his activity demands.
After his pacer was reprogramed by the Medtronic rep to my Father's lifestye my Father felt like a new man !

[silverghost]

George~~

How are things going with your new Pacer ?
IT's been a few weeks now ince it was first installed.

Did you have any re-programming peformed ?
Has your shortness of breath improved ?

[gcarter]

Thanks for asking Brad.
Everythings better. I still can't (not allowed) to lift my left arm over my head, or pick up over 25#. Maybe in a couple of months.

[Offset]

Good news George. Take care of yourself.

[gcarter]

It's been about six months since the pacemaker was installed, so I thought I'd post a followup.
The new device has done what it was intended to do, but w/o some of the benefits I was hoping for.
After I had bypass surgery in 2007, I felt so much stronger and at 62, I could do anything, including running up hills.
I guess I was hoping for the same thing again. My cardiologist explained that prior to the stent being inserted last June,
that a lot of heart muscle damage had occurred and it would never recover. Also I was six years older and to get over it.
The pacemaker keeps my heart beating at a steady 75-78 BPM until the built in accelerometer speeds it up while excerting myself.
All that's fine, the problem is my heart is only working at about 25%, down from 45% after the bypass surgery. A healthy person's
heart works at 50% and maybe 65% while exercising, so I'm obviously at a deficit.
So, here's how it affects me, at rest, there's basically no issues, but exerting myself (like working on the boat (like installing the footbox by myself)
I don't get tired like a healthy person where you might get winded, but recover in about 15 minutes. I'll start feeling sick, hot flashes, exhaustion, etc. and I may not recover fully for several hours or a whole day. This takes some getting used to. There's nothing to warn me, like chest pains, suddenly
I'm just done. I basically do anything I want, including riding a bike and walking, I just can't do it a long time.
I'm grateful for the new device, it does its job, and I haven't had any episodes where the defibrillator has kicked in (I was told I would definately know if it did).
Also it's a wireless device and transmits to a recorder/modem that's under my bed on a monthly basis to the doctors office.
I think Elaine is a lot more concerned about it than I am.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

George,
I'm glad to hear that the pacemaker has worked so well for you - :yes:. Bill

[Offset]

George, sometimes I forget what I cannot do anymore. I walk up a very steep hill and keep telling myself to stop, to rest, when my heart is pounding in my chest. The lack of oxygen telling me to stop but I try to continue on. I suppose there is fundamentally something wrong with the thought process but no one wants to believe they are "getting on". And yet I do have to stop, even with 02 I still cannot make it to the top. I am not sure exactly what I am saying but hopefully both of us will make the necessary adjustments in life. Sometimes you just have to stop. I suspect that is not your personality.

I am really glad you are still with us enjoying your life and still able to recognize that things just don't work the same anymore. Didn't mean to wander off but I think I understand what you are saying and just simply wish you all the best.

[yeller]

George, with all the work you're doing, I forget that you had the operation. Real glad you haven't had any problems with it.