What happens after?

Hi,
It's nice to know there is a place like this for info. My mother received a pacemaker 6 years ago. She's now 87 years old. I recently heard that after death the pacemaker keeps going and it's against the law in our state (NM) to disconnect it or stop it in anyway. So the pacemaker keeps going even though the person has died. Eventually the acid buildup in the body will cause the pacemaker to stop. Is there any truth to this?
Thanks so much for any input you may have on this topic.

7 Comments

Thanks

by carla606 - 2009-10-16 01:10:33

I appreciate the info. It puts me at ease. I didn't want to see my mother die and yet the pm keep going. I was with her while they did CPR on her right before they installed the pm. I wasn't looking forward to repeating that.
thanks again.

cremated

by jessie - 2009-10-16 01:10:34

which i have chosen they remove it before cremation. so in that case there is no worries. don't know where they go. have no idea. jessie

odd

by Tracey_E - 2009-10-16 01:10:43

I'd never heard that. My understanding is pm's are always removed after death and either returned to the mfr for research or donated for use with pets.

they have to

by Angelie - 2009-10-16 02:10:14

remove it before cremation or the battery will explode. There is no choice in that matter.

yes

by jessie - 2009-10-16 04:10:38

but somehow that gives me peace. lol just the thought of it exploding upsets me because years a go it happened to my father in law. of course he died but it was very unpleasant. jessie

Pacer after death

by ElectricFrank - 2009-10-17 01:10:02

I realize there are a lot of feelings we have after a loved one dies and they don't necessarily make sense. Having said that it really doesn't make any difference whether the pacemaker remains implanted. The very small electrical pulses that stimulate a living heart to beat have no effect on a dead one. Even an ICD wouldn't affect a dead heart and its battery would rapidly be drained.

Its too bad we have people who make it their business to tell us how we can manage our lives and our deaths.

frank

Hi Frank

by Hot Heart - 2009-10-19 03:10:56

Of course we all live our lives differently and we all have different criteria as to how we would like to manage our death, pray to god we get the chance, I am on the donor register here in the UK and would gladly donate my pacemaker as well as my other bits. I dont know much about pm donation, but would like it to go to someone in a 3rd world country whose life it may enhance, failing that, if an animal could benefit then I would be happy.

HH

You know you're wired when...

You can finally prove that you have a heart.

Member Quotes

As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.