My Ol Man is Git"n a Pacemaker

[M.D. Holloway]

He's 87. Here is a pic of him taken in 99 - prettty good shape for 75! Here he is with my Mom (onset of dementia), my daughter (a teen at the time), and me pushing our son.

He is getting a pacemaker right now.

[M.D. Holloway]

Just got out of surgery, went well - he is in recovery now. He will stay the night. I stayed with him last night - mostly talked and watched TV. He loves CSI, The Big Bang Theory, the Mentalst. Of course I had to sleep on a love seat - Fred Flintstone feet hangin off the edge, used a table cloth for a sheet and a few throw pillows. I think I got 8 minutes sleep. Had to be at the hospital at 6am.

[Rot 911]

Glad he is doing ok!

[azasadny]

My prayers are with him!

[livi]

He looks like he will go another 20 years easily, Lube! Best wishes!

[M.D. Holloway]

With him now - he just 'inhaled' his roast beef sandwich! Ol boy can throw da groceries! He's sorta sleeping now. His pacemaker likes to be about the size of a cig pack and as thick as a 9 volt battery. Supposed to hold a charge for 5 to 8 years. It is sub-dural. They didn't crack his chest but they did make an incision about an inch and a half into his left pect. He will be sore for a while.

He loves telling the various nurses that the last time he was in a hospital was in France during the big one, after the Battle of the Buldge, caught shrapnel in his chest and legs and had frostbit toes and how being a BAR man gave you $6 extra bucks a month which is why he did it but regreted it because he couldn't be as mobile in the dead of winter and those Germans were great at using the motors which is how he got blown up along with two other guys and how the Army issued them summer socks for winter battle and that he didn't like it but he did take the nice wool socks off of a German solder he had to kill and that he didn't want to take his money or anything like other guys would but they had nice wool socks and what the heck, he didn't need them any more!

Oh the stories were flowing!

Now he is sleeping.

[M.D. Holloway]

he has a Medtronic Virtuoso II VR with Sprint Quattro Secure - I'm sure its well set up!

[Tobra]

with Quattro, he will be good to go in the snow, so there is that...

He will be surprised how much better he feels.

[JR Indy]

I think that model is actually an ICD, not a pacemaker. I'm part of a start up company that competes with these devices, but ours doesn't require the leads that can be a complication with these devices. Who did his surgery?

[porsche4life]

Best of luck to him. I know it made a world of difference for my grandmother.

[Oh Haha]

He looks like a tough ol' guy, based on the pic.

My mom has had a pacemaker for about 10 years and she is doing great.

Best wishes to Lubemaster Senior!!

[KFC911]

Wow...glad all went well! Best wishes to ya both!!!

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by JR Indy

I think that model is actually an ICD, not a pacemaker. I'm part of a start up company that competes with these devices, but ours doesn't require the leads that can be a complication with these devices. Who did his surgery?

Yup - made by Medtronic. It is an Internal Cardio Defibrilator. It sends a shock if he goes out of rythym? I was just gonna read up on it. I wasn't given much info by my Brother when I arrived. I also learned he has an enlarged heart and a valve issue along with some blockage. The blockage was taken care of last year.

Brought him home today. I left hime for less then a minute in his chair - had to go get my bags. In that time he managed to make it to the bathroom, get his pants down to take a leak and ends up falling. I come in he is swear-mumbling on the floor. I pick him up (ya, that fealt great on my back!), clean him up, redress him and sit him down and we had a "chat" about what he can do and what he can't do yet.

Tough stuff. He was a rough and tumble ol codger until all this. I just don't want to take his dignity or pride but he has to understand what he can do and can't right now. In time he will be able to do much much more. Right now he must mend.

I am convinced that there is a special place in heaven for good care givers!

[JR Indy]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Yup - made by Medtronic. It is an Internal Cardio Defibrilator. It sends a shock if he goes out of rythym?

Yes, the ICD is different than a pacemaker. The ICD senses a certain type of arrhythmia and provides a high energy shock to the heart. Much like an external defibrillator, but it is implanted. The Medtronic has leads that attach to the heart. The weak component in the system is typically the leads. As I said earlier, the device my company has designed and manufactures uses no external leads, a major breakthrough in how to accomplish this.

ICDs are great devices, they allow people who are at risk with these arrhytmias to go on with their normal activities and have the device monitoring and providing therapy when needed.

I can recommend some great books, how technical are you or how much technical detail do you want to know? PM me if you would like me to send you information on recommended reading.

[M.D. Holloway]

Sure! I would love it. I find it all very interesting. I think I could muddle my way through the techno babble.

[JR Indy]

Lube,

The Implantable Cardioverter / Defibrillator (E. Alt H. Klein, J.C. Griffin) is a good read. Not too technical. Cardiovascular Physiology (David E. Mohrman, Lois Jane Heller) is good for understanding the physiology of the heart.

If you have any technical questions about the device, of course ask the doctor first, but I'd be happy to provide you with any techno babble details.

[M.D. Holloway]

Thanks man. I appriciate it.

Today has been tough. He has prostate issue and he was on some meds for bladder control but the med actually made him not have to go pee resulting in a bladder infection. So he is on Flomax again. After being in the hospital and being pumped up with fluids he was having to go every hour or so. He can't move very quick and doesn't trust the Depends. This resulted in me cleaning with up over half a dozen times today and doinf his laundry.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it. I feel bad for him. I just hope that he doesn't have to pee so much and that his new Depends work better. He is really not happy at all about having to wear them - I can understand. I wouldn't either...

[M.D. Holloway]

Nice one star! Sometimes ya gotta wonder if this is just an azzhole or an idiot with a F'd up sense of humor.

Either way, who ever it is, hate me all you want, I will always be better than you in more than 5 ways. Pussy.

[HHI944]

Lube, looks like a tough ol bugger. I'm sure he'll be through all the minor stuff in no time. Best wishes/good thoughts going his way right now.

[M.D. Holloway]

Thanks. HHI944

Looks like someone has thrown some 5 stars my way - I hate that rating thing. I wish they would do away with it.