The Winter Weather and Me!

My name is Joan and I am a senior citizen. I have my 2nd pacemaker for 3 years now and the first one was for 6 years.It happens to be one of the big ones because they had to put 3 leads in this time and it looks like the size of a pack of cigarettes or deck of cards and is very high up so one can see it anytime I wear anything that is not covered up. Really don't care about that aspect of it. I use a pillow at night to sleep so that it does not lean on the mattress but on a little baby pillow. I am completely life dependent on the pacemaker. If it fails, I pass away then and there. The weather here is awful and I can't go out with all the snow and the ice. Spend lots of time on computer, reading and just watching some of my favorite shows on TV..........I would love to correspond with someone from this group. It might be nice to chat with someone who knows what having a pacemaker is like. Thanks for listening. J

10 Comments

hi :-)

by pacergirl - 2011-02-01 08:02:52

Hello Seniorcitizen, my name is Pacergirl, which is a little misleading because I was once a girl but way past that stage now. ha ha! Anyway, I would like to chat with you and exchange ideas and suggestions or just chat like "girls" do. I am a Red Hatter and as we like to say... "I never met a Red Hatter that didn't matter". So, may I suggest that you check out the Red Hatters in your area. You might be surprised and you might have a great time and a chance to make some friends just like you. Some of my friends have heart issues like me.
I am deep into this blizzard here in Kansas and it is cold downstairs so I am upstairs where it is warm. My Pacemaker doesn't like it when I get too cold.
Hope you are doing well out East.
Pacergirl

Hi

by sirod - 2011-02-01 09:02:26

I am sirod. I have had a pacer for 3 years. I am also a senior citizen. Love to embroidery, sew and read. I don't have lots of energy any more. Haven't had any problems with my pacer. Do you live up north where all the snow is? We have had good weather lately. Hope we don't have another snow like we had a month ago. They had to put my pacer on the right side because I had a maschetomy (misspelled) 30 years ago, so they couldn't get it in. I go to exercise twice a week at cardac rehab. It keeps me going. Good to chat with you Joan..

Joan, I'd like to be your friend, too.

by Daffy - 2011-02-02 01:02:42

Hi Joan and others,

I'd like to be your friend, too. I am another senior citizen. I live in Arizona where it is supposed to be warm, but we have freeze warnings out for the next three nights! This cold weather is all over the country.

The cold doesn't seem to bother my pm, but it does make my knees hurt. Old Arthur lives in my knees.

I have three leads, too, but I don't notice the size of my pm so much. I could sleep on my left side okay, except that's one of the things that makes my thumping start. We're going to fix that, though.

Joan, I can't figure out how to get your email address to chat with you. Pookie, you probably know the way, you're so smart! Could you help us?

Daffy

My Pacemaker! to: Pookie

by Seniorcitizen - 2011-02-02 12:02:09

Lots of the pacemakers work the way yours so, but since they had to cut my AV node and then put in the pacemaker and 3 leads, that is why if it messes up, I will just pass. I am always in AFibs but can not feel them most of the time. Perhaps there are many kinds of these things. Thanks for being my friend!J

Hi:)

by Pookie - 2011-02-02 12:02:12

Glad you found our little group. Lots of great members here - that's for sure:)

Just curious - you said: "I am completely life dependent on the pacemaker. If it fails, I pass away then and there."

I was of the understanding that our pacemakers don't just quit, but rather they will go into a safety mode when the battery is nearing the end which gives you at least 3 months to get a new pacemaker. I've read you won't feel so good when it goes into this mode, but it will keep you alive.

When I first received my pacer at age 42 back in 2004 I was only pacing in the upper lead at 27%, now I'm pacing at 90%. I have the bottom lead, but I use it less than 1%.

I'm suprised or stumped as to why you think that or have been told that information.....unless, of course, I am totally wrong - which happens quite often!!!!! LOL.

Pookie



Hi again:)

by Pookie - 2011-02-03 05:02:29

The only way to get one anothers email addresses is to private message them to one another.

Or you can set up specific times to meet in the chat room here on this site....but it would not be private as any other member can pop in at any time. But lately there seems to be no one in chat.

Some of us even go to Yahoo or use MSN, again this would mean sharing one another email addresses or usernames on those sites.

It depends on what you all agree to:)

Pookie

Hi Joan

by brightstar - 2011-02-13 11:02:28

I'm a senior citizen also and just joined the club. I am just so grateful to have finally found some place where people speak my language as to pacers.
I know some days can be difficult and scary and the snow and not being able to get out is really tough. I am still learning to live a new "normal" life after having a pacer for 2 1/2 years.
What good books are you reading? And your favorite TV shows? Me, HGTV keeps me content. I like to dream of all the exotic places I see where people are buying vacation homes.
Spring will be coming soon. Snow has started to melt today although it has been beautiful as long as I can sit in my sunroom and look out. I do not drive much when the weather is bad.
Take good care of yourself.

Happy Valentine's Day

by brightstar - 2011-02-14 02:02:12

Glad to hear from you. You sound a lot like me----no books, movies or TV that is scary. Think it might set my pacer off.
It must be a little tough with your pacer being so large. I can imagine it must hurt a bit. I still use a little pillow under my left shoulder to ease any pull on my pacer sight. Of course I still cannot sleep on my left side as this causes arrhythmias. I had a tumor (left atrial myxoma) in my heart sometime ago and now the electrical system in my heart no longer works correctly due to all the scar tissue from the tumor. After 4 cardiac ablations in 4 years, the doctors ablated my SA node which caused pulmonary edema and pulse of 32 with a need for a pacer in 2008. So, all in all, I am very lucky to be alive. There is too much risk to do any more inside my heart, so I am learning to take each day and be grateful that I wake up and put my feet on the floor. Enough of me.
I hope you have a special Valentine's Day today.
The snow has melted more and there is grass peaking through----hooray!!! It's been a long winter, hasn't it?
Sounds like you have some exciting things to look forward to this year with your granddaughter getting married. How exciting! My neice was married in California (Long Beach) a few years ago and I was able to make it to her wedding. That is always a positive when we can make celebrations, isn't it? Keep the faith, stay positive and you will make it there.
Take good care of you.

Answer to Bright Star!!!!

by Seniorcitizen - 2011-02-14 02:02:30

I had 3 ablations that all failed and they had to cardiovert me 6 times in the next few weeks. They then had to cut the av node and put in this big thing. I can not feel the Afibs BUT I am allways in a fibs when they test the battery every 3 months, twice a year on the phone machine and twice with the surgeon. I also use a little baby pillow on my left side when I sleep.....I do sleepon my left side but move to the other way half the night. I do not sleep well anyway. Always need to go to the bathroom and then who can fall back to sleep. I live outside Manhattan and years and years ago used to love the city. Now I only go for medical appointments and come right home because the trip and the appointment wear me out. I am also short of breath mot of the time when I do anything much but I have an underlying heart disease that is called idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis....My Mom probably died of it (unknown at that time) at 58......It is also what the basketball or other athletes drop dead from when they appear young and healthy. That's it from me today. Take care and be well. I am not the positive type person. Glass is always half empty, not half full. Joan

Hi Brightstar

by Seniorcitizen - 2011-02-14 11:02:05

The club is a good thing to have and to read. It shows that others are in the same boat. I love HGTV and TLC and do not watch most of the regular TV.I love to read but they have to be love stories, no scary stuff, no murders, no blood and gore..We still have some snow but it should be gone this week. I live alone, have part of my kids in Calif, and the other son in Phila. One of my granddaughters is going to get married in October in Calif. Have to be up for that. Hope yuo are doing well. I still feel my pacer when I lay on my left side and my pacer is HUGE. The size of a pack of cigarettes or deck of cards. I needed 3 leads for this second one which I had put in 3 years ago this past December. The first one was small and was in there for 6 years. Keep in touch. Joan

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My ICD/pacer is not a burden. I still play tennis and golf.